word of God – Be Still…

Luke 11:28 – Follow-Through

^“Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (Luke 11:28)

What happens to the people who don’t “hear” the word of God? Are their blessings limited or non-existent? I can’t answer that, but I do believe that is why Jesus wanted us to be sharing the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Everyone should have the opportunity to hear God’s word, God’s message to the world. Those who scoff at it are missing out by their own choice. It’s those people who have never heard it or truly listened that break my heart.

Context (Luke 11:14-28): Shouldn’t we listen to what Jesus told us about the Bible? To His first audience, Jesus had just been teaching about evil spirits and opposition by those who don’t follow Him. Suddenly, Jesus was interrupted by a woman wanting to bless him, or Jesus’ mother actually. The mystery woman must have been moved by Jesus’ wisdom concerning the evil one. Our memory verse is Jesus’ response to her. What a beautiful way to segue from his previous discussion! Continue reading “Luke 11:28 – Follow-Through”

2 Peter 3:1-7 – Last Days

Read 2 Peter 3:1-7

Peter believed this “last days” discussion to be of utmost importance for us moving forward in faith. He isn’t discussing the “when” or “how” the last days will take place but tells of a sign we can expect. We may even be seeing good examples of Peter’s description today. He said, to expect people to be “mocking the truth and following their own desires.” You can’t turn on a news program or read news on the internet without seeing some group or individual challenging Christians and mocking the truth on which we stand. And with such a self-seeking society, people regularly follow their own desires seeking to “be happy” or to live “their” truth.

The truth Christians profess is Jesus, the Word made flesh. We know there is no other truth, yet we stand by and let other people do their “own thing” in the guise of “freedom.” Certainly, we expect the same courtesy to be able to speak the truth about Jesus, without being criticized or marginalized. Sadly, many Christ-followers keep quiet out of fear because we do take the heat for trusting Jesus.

2 Peter 2:1-3 – False Teachers

Read 2 Peter 2:1-3

Peter had no doubt witnessed false teachers at work trying to confuse people and twist the truth. Heresies have plagued the church for centuries. Such deceivers are alive and well today, too. And God is watching. These inaccurate messages are not being ignored by God.

And God is not pleased with the messengers of those heresies. Their fate is set, and they don’t even know it. As Peter says, “they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.” Their deceitful actions and teachings full of lies will catch up to them. We can rest in that assurance at least.

Hebrews 4:12-13 – Word of God

Read Hebrews 4:12-13

What a powerful reading! Don’t you feel empowered to spend as much time as possible in God’s word? The Bible is one of my favorite things. I hope it’s that way for you, too! When we hold a Bible in our hands, we have access to God’s love letter designed to make our lives better.

When we spend time in God’s word, the foundations of our faith are illuminated. The Bible continues to give us exactly what we need. The Preacher says, “the word of God is alive and powerful.” What does that mean to you? Think of the times you’ve read the same passage and each time something else “jumps out” at you. God’s word is alive and will speak to us in different ways. It’s up to us to be paying attention.

Hebrews 2:1-4 – Listen and Look

Read Hebrews 2:1-4

Now the Preacher, how I’ll refer to the writer of Hebrews, takes our focus off the majesty of Jesus to give us a warning about own lives. Maybe you can recall a time in your life when you felt far from Jesus? The evil one lures us to drift away from God. Being reminded of that is so helpful.

We experience daily attacks from the evil one attempting to take control of our lives and make us forget about God. The Preacher gives us two paths to take to keep ourselves on track. We need to “listen for God” and “look for God” every day.