A Nugget from New Life Network
(excerpts from Chris Musgrove of Future Now)
Scripture for the Day (October 3, 2018)
For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. (Mark 13:34)
People often debate and argue about the sovereignty of God versus the free will and authority of man. The real issue is not about the authority of man. It’s all about the authority of the Word and what man does with the authority that has been given him by God.
Luke 10:19 says, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
James 1:21 says, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”
John 15:7 says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
Isaiah 55:11 says, “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”
But on the opposite side of this coin we see how man’s religious traditions can negatively effect God’s Word:
Matthew 15:6 in the Amplified Bible says, “So for the sake of your tradition (the rules handed down by your forefathers), you have set aside the Word of God [depriving it of force and authority and making it of no effect].”
God uses His Word to communicate Himself to us and to impart Himself into us. We are to return His Word, that we have hid in our hearts, back to Him in faith by speaking out His Word in every situation.
According to Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please God for those that come to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.” Faith is the single active ingredient in prayer.
And according to Romans 10:17, “So then, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God”; thus, the Word of God is the single active ingredient in faith.
Jesus as a boy read and studied the scriptures and understood the importance of the Word of God. I can see him reading Proverbs 4:20-21, “My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.” Or Joshua 1:8, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” And how about Psalm 138:2, “I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name. For Your loving-kindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name.”
When Jesus was tempted by the devil to turn some stones into bread after fasting 40 days, He just spoke the Word of God. He had hidden this Word in his heart for such a time as this when He quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3, “….that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”
The Bible is God speaking to us. We must find out what He’s saying and align our hearts and mouths with the Word of God.
