Man's Stress

Jeremiah 10:17-24

During my daily meditational time, Dr. Charles Stanley, the President and Publisher of Intouch magazine posed an interesting question, “Why God closes Doors”? As I read the scripture text I could understand the question and come to agree with Dr. Stanley when he concluded the following answers to his question and they are (questions partial paraphrase).

1. God closes doors to prevent mistakes. Man/we tend to make mistakes when we fail to follow God’s directions. God has a perfect plan designed for man’s life and when we learn “lean not to our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5), then mistakes are few, because God and His love for His children want to prevent mistakes.

2. God closes doors to redirect out walk. God want man to live and lead holy lives living according to His Will and statues. Let God direct our paths.

3. God closes doors to test our faith and build perseverance. Man and God’s time is never the same, because one day with God is as one thousands years with man. Also, many closed doors are a test of our faith to determine our commitment and perseverance in our walk with God. It has been stated that the race is not won by the swift but to those who finish the course. Life is a journey and there will be trails/ faith builders because when we encounter God delays will build our faith and trust in Him as we learn to “cast all our cares upon Him” (1 Peter 5:7).

4. God closes doors to buy us time. It is ironic that Dr. Stanley concluded this answer because I am a witness that God closed doors is giving/me and humanity time to rethink our decision and timing of the decision. For example, I may conclude the time is now, but God being all knowing says “not yet.” It can be concluded that God’s time is best because His timing perfect.

What can be concluded from closed doors? God closed doors is because He has open another door which is in perfect harmony with His plan and will glorify Him. Throughout my life I have heard that when God closes one door He already have another door open. Therefore, when doors are closed to us, then say God has another path for me to walk and if followed will eliminate undue stress. Man, follow God’s path satisfaction guaranteed!

Author’s Contact:
Good Shepherd Writing and Publishing LLC
wwhite@goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
williewhite8613@sbcglobal.net

Our Response to God's Word

Given our previous discussions regarding the Word of God on the nature of His Word and the power of His Word, the question now becomes, how do we respond to the Word of God? The Bible provides in clear and unmistakable languages how one is to respond to God’s Word (Isaiah 1:10; Jeremiah 7:1-2; Acts 17:11; Matthew 13:23). One must respond enthusiastically and with a willingness to adhere and a desire to understand His Word. We are to praise God for His Word (Psalm 56:4, 10; Psalm 119:47, 113) as well as responding with love, delightful joy while thanking God for His inerrant Word for all to live by. Hearers are to accept what it says and hide it in our hearts, then hearers are to trust His Word for it is true (Psalm 119:42). There is hope and promise in His Word. God is faithful in keeping His promises to all humanity. He promised a Savior—Jesus came to earth as humanity’s sacrificial lamb. Most importantly, hearers are to obey its commands and live as directed by the Word of God.

Ministers/teachers/leaders who are called to minister His Word is to rightly divide His Word (2 Timothy 2:15); preachers are to preach with faithfulness (2 Timothy 4:2); as all believers are called to proclaim God’s Word the world over (Acts 8:4). Believers are a set aside people who have heard and responded positively to God’s Word.

Author’s Contact:
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
williewhite8613@sbcglobal.net

The Power of God's Word

This week’s discussion will focus on the second in a series on the Word of God from the prospective of its power. Scriptures states that God’s Word stand firm in the heavens (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1; 24-25). God’s Word is dynamic and powerful and it accomplishes great things (Isaiah 55:11).

Outlined below is some of the powerfulness of God’s Word:
A. God’s Word is creative. We understand by His spoken Word all things came into existence. Psalm 33:6 states the by “the Word of the Lord were the heavens made.”
B. God’s Word has the power to sustain all creations. Hebrews 1:3 states, “God sustains all things by the word of his power.”
C. God’s Word has the power to impart new life. 1 Peter 1:23 states “by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” John 1:4 refers to Jesus as “the Word of life.”
D. God’s Word releases His grace, power, and revelation by which believers grow in their faith and their commitment to Jesus Christ.
E. God’s Word is the sword (Ephesians 6:17) by which all believers use to fight Satan. Jesus spoke the words “it is written” to fight Satan during His temptation in the wilderness.
F. It is God’s Word that will judge all mankind regardless of whether we chose to accept or reject His Word we will be judged!

Author’s Contact:
Williewhite8613@sbcglobal.net
wwhite@goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com

The Word of God

Isaiah 55:10-11
The Lord has led me to do a three part series on the above topic discussing it from these perspectives:

(a) the Nature of God’s Word, (b) the Power of God’s Word, and (c) our Reactions to the Word of God.

Today we will discuss part a, which refers to anything that God has said directly, example when God spoke to Adam and Eve in the garden it was God’s Word (Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 3:9-19). God spoke His word to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), Isaac (Genesis 26:1-5), and Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15). God also spoke to the entire nation of Israel at Mount Sinai as well as giving Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-19).

God also spoke through the prophets and apostles. When the prophets spoke they usually prefaced their statements with “Thus saith the Lord,” or “Hear the Words of the Lord,” or “the Word of the Lord came to me.” This was to let their audience know I am not speaking for myself. We witness the same power of God’s Word when spoken by NT apostles, for example when Paul preached his sermon to the people at Pisidian Antioch (Acts13:16-41), it caused such a stir until “the next Sabbath day almost the entire city came to hear the Word of God” (Acts 13:44). On another occasion when Paul preached to the Thessalonians what the people heard was the true Word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13; Acts 8:25).

What Jesus spoke was the Words of God as He is God (John 1:1; 18; 10:30; 1 John 5; 20). Also, Jesus would often introduce His sayings with “I say unto you…” (Matthew 5:18, 20, 22, 32, 39; 11:22, 24).

Most important, the written Word of God is what the prophets, apostles and Jesus have spoken--the scriptures. It is note worthy to say what preachers and or prophets proclaim in churches today is called the Word of God as recorded in scripture many years ago. A word of caution for all to be aware of false teachers/leaders who try to convolute the true Word of God as many false teachers are present in the world attempting to impede the proclaiming of God’s Word and His kingdom’s progress. God’s Word is powerful and everlasting.

Author’s contact:
www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
wwhite@goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com
williewhite8613@sbcglobal.net.