GREENE STREET LETTERS: The Word Never Wears Out

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Word Never Wears Out

Now this is my kind of Bible. Used....Nothing more beautiful than a Bible that is worn out. We have my wife's grand fathers Bible. Pages all marked up. Pages that have come loose from the binding. Pages that have been turned down. He used his Bible. More than that, my wife's grand father lived his Bible every day of his life. What a testimony to the power of Scripture and to the faithfulness of God who honors His promises.I have an NAS Study Bible I bought when I started as associate pastor of Gadsden Vineyard Church. It has so many marks and notes in it that sometimes it is actually hard to read the text. It is my favorite Bible. Highlighted and noted with insights and surprises that God has revealed to me over these past 15 years. Bible's are meant to be used.

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.

Study the word. Don't just read it.
Study the word. Don't just have a morning devotion.
I know...
I know...
I am beginning to sound like a pharisee!
Do this to prove you love Jesus!
No! Let the love of Christ in your heart move you to study the word.
It isn't about being a pastor or leader of any sort, size, shape or fashion.
It is about being a follower of Jesus.
I study because God speaks through His word.
I study not for information but for illumination.
I study because it comforts me and brings peace to my spirit.
The older I get, the more in love with His word I become.

Psalm 119:11
Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee.
Having the understanding of God's word in my heart and not just my head, aids me to overcome sin.I like the term "treasured"...it shows that God's word has value to it. Something that is more valuable than anything the world has to offer.
The Word of God.....
Delight yourself in it......
God on you.....
mb

2 comments:

Bobby said...: Wow! This is encouraging!; February 14, 2012 at 9:50 PM
Greene Street Letters said...: The Word...
The Presence...
The Understanding to live it out daily.....
mb; February 15, 2012 at 10:51 AM

Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Word Never Wears Out

2 comments:

THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD