Dear Brethren,

When we look at the lives of the Prophets in the Bible, there is a phrase that is repeated over and over again.  “And the Word of the Lord came to…”, then the name of the prophet is given.  On each occasion, the Prophet was declaring the Words that God had placed in his mouth and it was required of that Prophet to deliver that Word from God to those to whom the Prophet had been sent.  These Bible passages affirm again and again that God Almighty is active and personally involved in the lives of men, women and children, as well as in the destiny of peoples and nations.  

At times the Word was to an individual, in private, as in the case of Nathan coming to King David when God was confronting David with his sin (2 Samuel 12:1-15).  In others passages it was regarding the nation of Israel as a whole (Jeremiah 2:4).  Also consider the Word God spoke through Moses in Deuteronomy, chapter twenty-eight, to the people, telling them the blessings of obedience to God’s Commandments as well and the penalties if they rejected His Word and worshipped the gods of the pagans who inhabited the Promised Land.  Deuteronomy twenty-eight is a particularly chilling chapter.  The verses relating to curses outnumber the ones of blessings fifty-four to fourteen (54 to 14).  God takes obedience to His Commands and His Word seriously.  It is a matter of life to the obedient and death to those who reject His Revelation recorded in His Word.

A few weeks ago I preached a sermon titled, “And the Word of the Lord came to me.”  It was a message that challenged believers to become familiar with the Word of God, the Bible.  While I personally have a difficult time with Bible memorization, I am very familiar with what the Bible has to say.  I rely on that familiarity with God’s Word to encourage me through the day and help me be a faithful witness for Him.  The Holy Spirit brings the Word to remembrance so that I will remember what God requires of me.  For example; “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God” (1 Thess 5:18); “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4); “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thess 5:11); “Ask the Lord of the Harvest to raise up laborers” (Luke 10:2).  I weigh heavily these two confessions from Jesus, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me” (John 4:34), and “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).  Jesus was committed to obey His Father and to do the will of His Father.  That is what Jesus confessed in the Garden on His way to die that souls might be saved (Mark 14:36).  I am troubled at times as I wrestle against myself to do His Will (Gal 5:17).  If I confess that I am a believer in Jesus Christ, am I always willing to deny myself (Luke 9:23) and be “a workman who does not need to be ashamed” (2 Tim 2:15)?  

There are passages in the Bible that we need to be reminded of so that we keep this life in Biblical perspective.  The Bible clearly says that, “by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7), and that, “It is appointed unto every man, once to die and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).  “Every man” is a reminder of the verse, “whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).   

The Apostle Paul wrote, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15)  God the Father has commanded His Church, the Body of Christ, to send and support laborers for the Harvest.

“If any one loves Me, he will keep my Word.”  As was the case with Peter in Acts 11:16, when he was trying to understand the Spirit’s baptizing of Gentiles, I too need to remember the Word of the Lord.