OBEY GOD'S WORD AND LIVE!

Psalms 119:11: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

                                                                                                                       

Introduction

We live in a world today where everybody is searching for the truth. So many people are consulting/ joining all kind of things/groups in the name of ‘we want to know the truth’. The sad part is that, some Christians are caught up in this search for truth, when we are the custodians of the truth because the words of our God is truth. If we were to survey Christians across the world, most people would agree that they need to read their Bible. There is evidence that what the bible says is truth and is able to transform them that obey it. But the sad truth is, many do not study or obey the word of God (the bible). This then lands us in the situation of “for lack of knowledge, my people perish”. It leads to a situation where many believers are being deceived into hell, losing our calling and submitting to false doctrines and prophesies.

What is the word of God?

The "Word of God" is used for both the Bible and the person of Jesus (read John 1:1,14). The Bible is a collection of sacred texts or scriptures that came through divine inspiration (2Tim. 3:16-17). The Bible is:

• A guide for living on earth. It gives us a road for the risky journey of life. The Bible is an anchor (MHB634). It contains standard for our conduct, guidelines for knowing right from wrong, and principles of help in our confused society today. It contains the mind of God and His will for our lives.
• A storehouse of wonderful stories for all. Remember the story of Israel crossing the Red sea? Noah and the ark? Daniel in the lion’s den? Jonah and the big fish? The parables of Jesus? These stories emphasize the victories and failures of ordinary people as guide for our learning and hope (Rom. 15:4)
• A refuge in trouble. People in pain, in suffering, in prison, and in mourning can tell you how turning to the Bible brought strength in their desperate hour (Read Ps.12:6,17:4,119:50,119:140; Prov.30:5; Ps. 18:30,119:67,130:5)
• An answer to who we are. We are not meaningless robots or from chimpanzees, but we are wonderful creatures of a God, who loves us and gives us a purpose to have fruitful lives. He created us in His own image (Gen. 1:27)

Qualities of the word of God

The Bible is an incredible book of facts that proves there is a God that created all things. We should therefore study and depend on the word of God throughout our whole life because:

1.  The Word of God is reliable. There is no error in God's Word (Proverbs 30:5-6). The purity of God’s words does not need anything added to it. God warns us not to distort His scripture. (Read Matt. 24:35)

2.  The Word of God is complete. The Bible does not need any new chapters or verses. Many cults add their own books or commentaries to the Bible but it is complete. In Revelation 22:18-19 and Deut. 12:32, God warns us.

3.  The Word of God is totally authoritative. Psalms 119:89 says "Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven." The Word of God is the only source for absolute divine authority. So when someone says, "I have a word from the Lord for you,” check from the bible to see if the Lord speaks so. Only then, will you know if the Lord is truly speaking to you.

4.  The Word of God will accomplish what it promises. If God told you something will happen, and you wait, it will happen (read Isaiah 55:11). There are so many promises given to us in the Bible by God and He will surely fulfil in His time. I will therefore challenge you to take time to study the Word of God, and the Lord will show you wonderful things that will change your life (read Jeremiah 29:11-14).

In fact, when you study and obey the word of God, It will: Make you an approved workman (2Tim. 2:15); Bring prosperity and success ( Josh. 1:8); Correct, teach, rebuke, give you basis of true doctrine, etc. (2Tim. 3:16-17); Encourage you to have hope (Rom. 15:4); To be able to teach others (Ezra 7:10). I will encourage you to study the word of God and obey it!

But

Most people have been too busy to read the word of God. Yes, you have been busy but we have the time to eat food and sleep; we are up to date on the news, watch movies, use social media, exercise, gossip and a host of other things. Let’s be honest: none of us is truly too busy not to read the Bible! We may be busy but we choose to put the Bible aside for one reason or another. Let me give you a few reasons why many Christians do not regularly read their Bibles:

·  It makes us uncomfortable because it exposes our sins and rebukes us. The truth is, we have become sinful and take pleasure to sin that we don’t want anything to stand in our way.

·  It puts restrictions on our freedom. Why will God who created you, tell you something that will destroy you? As we read, we realise that the bible exposes the wrongs in our cultural, historical, and even religious lines, which have become so dear to us that, we cannot accept otherwise. But as we study and let it be above our thoughts, cultures, church and man-made doctrines, we will realise that we are conforming to the righteous life that God calls us to be.

·  We are indiscipline. Discipline is difficult but for a period. Is there anything more important than disciplining ourselves in godliness (Heb. 12:11). Paul tells Timothy to discipline himself for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim. 4.7-8).

·  We see the bible archaic. Some see the bible as old-fashioned and not abreast with modernity. But (Heb. 4:12-13) disproves this. The problem is, God is truthful and we are not! We have become doubtful because of our worldly thinking.

·  Dysfunctional relationship with God. We cannot separate a love for the Word of God and the God of the Word. How can a person say that they truly love God but throw his “letter” aside in favor of other stuff? If you have a bible and don’t study it; if you study it and don’t obey it, then you don’t have a relationship with God. Your relationship with Him is dysfunctional.

Satan does not want you to study and obey the word of God because he knows its power. By preventing you from reading, he can make you powerless. Some of us study the word of God but have not allowed the word to change our lives one bit- still backbiting, gossiping, quarrelling amongst ourselves, unforgiveness, covetousness, immoral, causing divisions amongst brethren here and there. We have heard the word of God but still behaving as 'new born babies'. I will encourage you to allow the bible to transform you.

Conclusion

I will encourage you to Keep turning the pages of this remarkable book- the bible. Read it with an open mind and open heart. It contains pure truth about God, about life, the nature of mankind and our own hearts as human beings. Try and read the whole thing — Old and New Testaments, starting from a chapter a day. You'll be amazed what you discover about God, and about yourself. You will realise that no relationship can surpass you knowing God more.

Obey God’s word and Live! Amen!