Stage 1
The Word of God
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the wind blews and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock" Matthew 7:24-25 (read also verse 26-27).Just like a house, our lives need a strong foundation. The world around us changes, but God's word - the Bible - never changes (1 Peter 1:24-25). It is the absolute foundation for our lives.
"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching...Instead...we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ" Ephesians 4:14-15.
God says:"...so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" Isaiah 55:11 (read also verse 10).The word of God has great creative power. God created the universe by His word (Psalm 33:6,9; Hebrews 11:3) and sustains the universe by His word (Hebrews 1:3). The word of God has the same kind of creative power in our lives.
"Sanctify them by the Truth; your word is truth" John 17:17.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" Psalm 119:105 (read also verse 130; 19:8; 2 Peter 1:3-9).
"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God" 1 Pet.1:23.Read the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:4-15. In verse 11, Jesus said: "The seed is the word of God." When we hear God's word, it is like a seed sown into our hearts, designed to bring forth life. If our hearts are hard and unreceptive, the seed is "snatched away." But if we receive it and obey it - allow it to "take root" - then God's word begins to work in our lives.
"...humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" James 1:21- 22.
"...Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" Matthew 4:4.The word of God causes us to grow spiritually. When we received Christ, we were "born of the Spirit" by the word of God (John 3:3,6; 1 Peter 1:3,23). For us to grow in the Spirit, we need to continue to feed on God's word.
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" Hebrews 4:12 (see also Ephesians 6:17).The word of God can cut right to our hearts, making us aware of sin (Acts 2:36-37). God's word, stored in our hearts, can also be used as a weapon against the attacks of Satan (Luke 4:1-14).
"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" 1 Peter 2:2-3 (see also 1 Cor.3:1-2; Psalm 19:8-10; 119:103).It is important to receive God's word regularly, so that we can grow in the Lord. We do this in three ways:
"until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" Ephesians 4:13 (see also Colossians 1:25,28).This is God's plan for our lives - that we will grow up into the full likeness of Jesus Himself! God does this by changing the attitude of our mind, so that we see things the way God sees them (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:21-24; Colossians 3:9-10).
"he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature" 2 Peter 1:4.As we respond in faith to God's "very great and precious promises," His Spirit works each day to change us into the image of Christ. This is the power of God's word in our lives.
"...you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" John 8:32.
"The Word became flesh..." John 1:14.Jesus is called "the Word of God" (John 1:1). When He "became flesh" (verse 14), God's message took on human form in the life of Jesus. Now God wants the same thing to happen in your life. God doesn't want you to just read the Bible and learn about Him. He wants His words to become a part of your life - to change you. Then people will not just hear God's word in word form. Like Jesus, they will see the word of God as a daily reality in your life.
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life" 1 John 1:1.
Unless otherwise stated, all scriptures quoted in these studies are from the
New International Version of the Bible, © New York International Bible
Society, used by permission. Other versions referred to are: KJV (King James
Version), NKJB (New King James Bible), TLB (The Living Bible), Amp (The
Amplified Bible) and The Message. All versions used by permission.
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