SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/14/2014 8:34 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The Word of
God
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 1 Thess.
2:13
Message of
the verses: “13 For this reason we
also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you
heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really
is, the word of God,
which also performs its work in you who believe.” “13 For
this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the
word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as
it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worked also in you that
believe.”
I have read a lot of material on this verse from both
Warren Wiersbe and John MacArthur, and so what I think that I will do here is
in this SD we will look at some of the things that Warren Wiersbe wrote about
and then in our next SD we will look at what John MacArthur has to say about
this verse. It is amazing to me how when
I study the New Testament that in many cases one verse takes a very long time
to understand, when in the Old Testament I can look at perhaps an entire
paragraph to study in one Spiritual Diary.
I have stated on many different occasions that when I
read the commentaries of Warren Wiersbe that if is very understandable as it
has been said of him that he puts the cookies on the shelf where you can reach
them. We will look at some cookies about
the importance of the Word of God.
As we first look at this verse we can see that the Thessalonians
truly appreciated the Word of God. When
Paul, Timothy and Silas came to Thessalonica they preached the Word of God in
the Synagogue and then when the Jews rejected the Word of God they preached to
the Gentiles: “1 Now when they had
traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where
there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to
them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3
explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again
from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the
Christ." 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,
along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading
women (Acts 17:1-4).” Paul preached to
them Christ Jesus who was crucified and then buried and three days later was
raised from the dead. “1 Now I make
known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you
received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold
fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance
what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according
to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve (1 Cor.
15:1-5).” This is the message that Paul
preached wherever he went and this is the Word of God, unlike the words that
humans make up and talk about like those who also lived in Thessalonica. Paul writes more about this human wisdom to
the Corinthians: “18 For the word of the
cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it
is the power of God. 19 For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF
THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." 20 Where is
the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not
God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the
world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through
the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For
indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified,
to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God
is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Cor.
1:18-25).”
The Bible is unlike any other book ever written: Dr. Wiersbe writes “It was inspired by the
Spirit of God (2 Tim. 3:16) and written by men of God who were used by the
Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). God’s Word is
holy, pure, and perfect (Psalm 19:7-9).
The Bible was written at great cost, not only to the writers, but to
Jesus Christ who became Man that the Word of God might be given to us.”
He goes one to write:
“The way a Christian treats the Bible shows how he regards Jesus
Christ. He is the living Word (John 1:1,
14), and the Bible is the written Word; but in essence they are the same.
Both are bread (Matt. 4:4; John 6:48), light (Psalm 119:105; John 8:12),
and truth (John 14:6; 17:17). The Holy
Spirit gave birth to Jesus Christ through a holy woman (Luke 1:35), and He gave
birth to the Bible through holy men of God (2 Peter 1:20-21). Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God
forever (Rom. 1:25), and the Word of God will live forever (Psalm 119:89; 1
Peter 1:23, 25).”
Now we will look at how the Thessalonians appropriated
the Word. Verse thirteen in the KJV uses
the word “received two times, while in the NASB it is only used one time. The first time it is used it means “to accept
from another” while the second time it means “to welcome.” As we look at these two words we can
determine that one means hearing with the ears while the other means hearing
with the heart. The people of
Thessalonica not only heard the Word of God but also appropriated the Word of
God into their hearts thus bringing salvation to them. In Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary he writes about
different times that our Lord spoke about the wrong kind of hearing and we will
look at these now. In Matthew 13:9 we
read “"He who has ears, let him hear.’”
Dr. Wiersbe writes “In other words take heed that you hear. Use every opportunity you have to hear the
Word of God.”
Mark 4:24 says “"Take care what you listen to.” After we hear the Word of God we should take
time to think and meditate upon it, not just leave church and then do something
else, but think about what we have learned.
Luke 8:18 says “"So take care how you listen.” Listening to the Word of God takes
discipline, for some people listen in a lazy way, not really hearing what has
been spoken to them. Maybe they have
their minds on what game they will watch after church or where they are going
to go to eat. I can honestly say that
has happened to me on more than one occasion.
Dr. Wiersbe concludes:
“How do we appropriate the Word?
By understanding it and receiving it into our hearts, and by meditation
on it so that it becomes part of the inner man.
Meditation is to the spiritual life what digestion is to the physical
life. If you do not digest your food,
you would die. It takes time to
meditate, but it is the only way to appropriate the Word and grow.”
Lastly we look at how the Thessalonicans applied the Word
of God. We are not only to appreciate
the Word of God, and appropriate the Word of God but we are to apply the Word
of God in our hearts and lives. We know
that the Word of God is powerful as seen in Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God
is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far
as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to
judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” We read in Luke 1:37 “"For nothing will
be impossible with God.’”
Dr. Wiersbe concludes “The Word of God within us is a
great source of power in times of testing and suffering. If we appreciate the Word (the heart),
appropriate the Word (the mind), and apply the Word (the will), then the whole
person will be controlled by God’s Word and He will give us the victory.”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: The Word of God
has to be the most important book ever written for in it we find what the Lord
has to say to His children. The entire
119th Psalm is dedicated to the Word of God, and I believe that only
three of its 176 verses do not have in it something that refers to the Word of
God. I read or listen to the Word of God
each and every day as it is a great part of my life.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Continue to study the Word of God to see what
the Lord has for me each day.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “An officer in the Roman army,
commanding 100 men.”
Today’s Bible
question: “What part of God did Moses
see as he talked with God in the tabernacle?
Answer in or next SD.
4/14/2014 10:09 AM
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