“But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28
When we hear the word of God do we actually follow it? One of the most blessed things one can do in life is to follow God’s word, not in only hearing it but also reacting to it. Sometime it seems we all fail to follow God’s Holy Script. He wrote the scriptures for a reason and that reason was that we follow what He said. Even Jesus Christ His own beloved Son in the likeness of sinful flesh was perfect in every way because He followed Gods word. John 6:38 “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” But somehow we in the flesh seem to want to follow our old sinful hearts over God’s word. When we follow God’s word it is called showing our faith by our works. James 2:18 “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” Every believer should have the greatest desire to follow God Holy Word but we are bad about letting this old man get in the way. Ephesians 4:22 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” and that includes tradition; tradition is the worst thing one can obey, it will always cloud you thinking on God’s word. We need to put away thinking of old and continually renew our learning in God’s Holy Script. God wrote the scriptures to the saved and not to the lost. 2 Peter 2:12 “But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;” However we as believers in Christ have a glorious opportunity to understand and the ability to walk in the ways of God and we all fail in so many ways. We all hate to admit it but we truly do. Jesus prayed in the garden just before He was arrested and crucified that God the Father would make us holy; through His word. John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” The word “sanctify” means – to be made holy - the writer to the Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 13:12 very clearly that we are eternally sanctified by the blood of Jesus “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” However sanctifying our lives here on this earth is a continuing thing. It is wonderful that we are saved and cleaned eternally by His blood, but what about the life we live today, are we living holy, are we living by God’s Holy Word? Are we continually searching the scripture to make sure what we believe and do coincide with God’s word. 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Everyday of our life and every thought or deed or teaching we may have. The Lord reminds us to examine ourselves to make sure we are in sink with Gods word. 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” and then we ought to ask the Lord to examine us to see if any correction is needed. Psalms 26:2 “Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” Folks the only true blessings are those from God and we are blessed so much more if we follow God’s Holy Word in every area of our life. What blessings have we if we gain the whole world and lose eternal rewards? Let us all examine ourselves and see if any correction is needed and if it is, then correct it and God will bless you for your labor.
