THE WORD OF GOD -BY TAURAI MAKADHO

 

Scriptural Reference: 2 Timothy  3 verse 16, John 1 verses 1 to 12 , John 6 verse 32, Ephesians 6 verse 17 Revelation 2 verse 17.

 

The essence of God's word is ambiguously mentioned somewhere in the book of Exodus. When the children craved for food in the wilderness ,The Lord God gave them Manna for forty years every morning except for the sevenths days of the week because they were regarded as Sabbaths of the Lord. This was a shadow of the real bread that gives us spirit life sustenance: the word of God. God's word is new every morning. We have got to gather  and  eat it daily for the nourishment of our inner being. It is in fact the bread of life that gives eternity to those who believe in the saving power that is in Christ Jesus.

 

God's written word is mainly referred to as scripture.The word bible is taken from a Greek word"biblog" which means a library a compilation of related books.The word "bible" is nowhere found in the bible. 2 Timothy 3 verse16 tells us that all scripture was given by Inspiration of God.This means that the human writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit to put on paper what they wrote.

 

This gives us a conclusion that all scripture was written by God to give mankind the right direction towards eternity.The sole purpose of the word of God is to establish humanity in Christ Jesus for the purpose of eternity. Any attempt to make the word of God mean otherwise is extremely dangerous. False preachers are pocketing a great deal from misinterpreting God's word.

 

Misresprenting God's has become a thriving business in today's corporate world.The man of God has become the richest folk in the denomination at the expense of a multitude of poor brethren who crowdfund the system. Congregants are deceived into cashing in to get physical blessings from God. The contents of one's message clearly tells us whether a preacher is a servant of the Lord Jesus or is that he is just serving his stomach.

 

I am not saying that brethren shouldn't contribute financially. I am not saying that. The church needs money to make all things doeable but will need to be sincere and plainly tell brethren that we need cash without burdening the word of God with Hersey. A few years ago I was invited by a pastor friend to give a sermon. He charged me to thoroughly  search for fundraising bible verses because they needed to erect a church structure.In defiance to that I preached eternity and the guy endured throughout out the sermon.But guess what brethren contributed more than enough at the end of the sermon and the Pastor was amazed.

 

Listen carefully! Our primary resource is the word of God.Your effectiveness in Ministry will not be measured by some construction projects you accomplished but by the truthfulness of what you presented in the name of the Lord.Your works will tested by fire.

 

If we allow misinterpretation of God's word creep into the church,then church will become the most dangerous organization in the universe.The word of God is the universal power.We can't afford to take it for granted and do  with it whatever we want it to mean.This will result in loss of souls. Brethren,the word of God is an issue of life and death. If we handle it with recklessness , we could cost lives.

 

As faithful ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ,we ought to present the word of life with all faithfulness and sincerity of heart. If we fail to do this,we will face the wrath of God at his appearing. Ministers of the word shall be judged based on what they presented to the audience. If you tailor make the word of God to suit physical needs of your audience, you will be brewing danger.

 

This does not deny the fact that God is the supplier of all our needs. He is. It is even permissible to ask of God if we have physical needs to be sorted out.There is no problem with that.The problem arises when we redeploy God's word to presumably carry out a task contrary to its purpose of preparing humanity for eternity.

 

Our Lord Jesus is the word became flesh.The word of God is eternal and existed before the foundation of the earth. Our Lord and saviour,Jesus was there before the foundation of creation in his form as God's eternal word. When we say all things were created through Christ,we are simply saying that all things were created by God's word.

 

This means that God said something and creation took place in response to his utterances.This tells us God and His word is a single entity.In Christ dwells God in his fullness. He is the radiance of all His glory. Jesus the Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He is God's eternal word that gives life those who believe.

 

It is impossible to separate one from what he says. What you say is a full representation of who you are. We are judged by what we say. If a state President issues a word of decree;whether by utterance or by writing,it stamps authority through out his jurisdiction. So  is God's written word.The second verse of one hundred and thirty eighth chapter of the book of Psalms tells us that God is a subordinate of his word.

 

This gives us a clear indication that God's revealed word processes the same authority God has. In fact God's word is His full representation. God's speaks to his own through the revealed word. He reveals his word from scripture commonly known as the holy bible.The word of God is not necessarily the written stuff but the hidden word behind the print. We need a lot grace to see beyond the printed word. Unless otherwise revealed, the bible remains any other book in the library or intellectual material.The printed word is theologically known as the logos while the revealed word is termed the Rhema.

 

It is one thing to have bible knowledge yet it is another thing to have the knowledge of God.Those with bible knowledge can easily quote bible verses and win theological arguments. On the contrary those with the knowledge of God can easily utter His revealed word and win souls for Christ.

 

The bible is known as the book of mysteries in the sense it is not directly perceived. It is a sealed book. That is the major reason it can be easily abused by some cunning folks.They have used it to become millionaires in United States Dollars.The ability to understand scripture does not come from our own wisdom. It is a gift of God to those who were called according to his election. It is not of he that runneth or he that willeth but of God who showeth mercy.

 

Like I pointed out earlier,the sole purpose of scripture is to prepare humanity for eternity. Therefore any revelation of God's word should point us to Christ and the everlasting life embodied in Him. Anything that is far fetched is not by any means revelation but simply a misinterpretation. Misinterpretation of God's word is quite unbecoming and extremely dangerous to both the hearer and the preacher. It costs lives.

Despite the dangers associated, most preachers have resorted to misinterpretation of God's word because it is more appealing to multitudes. Misinterpreted word is quite appealing and sweet smelling to the man of the flesh but abominable to the spirit man. On the contrary,God's revealed word is typically bitter to consume but effective in healing. It is like those bitter herbs the children of Israel were instructed to eat in their traditional Festivals throughout their generations.

 

Though hard to comprehend and unpleasant to consume, the revealed word of God remains our sole door of entry. We have got to prayerfully dwell in scripture and trust God for his revelation. God's revelation is spontaneous. He gradually pours himself upon us as we constantly walk with Him.

 

Our Journey with Christ is not a one big once off transaction. It is a constant eternal fellowship which does not only just end in this side of heaven but springs up into the new age. We have got to intimately walk with him while eagerly waiting for new dimensions of his revelation. If we open up to Him,he will release something marvelous.

 

The utmost of the matter is that the word of God is our standard and authority. It is the greatest gift ever made available to mankind. In fact the word of everlasting life  is God personified. Misrepresentation of the meaning and purpose of scripture is a mockery to the Lord God. We have got to deligently search the scripture and ask counsel of God before we run around with the wrong stuff. Misrepresentation of God's word is the most dangerous poison because it kills the actual man.

 

However there are some religious sects that denounce scripture. They argue that the bible is an outdated book and therefore they get counsel directly from the holy spirit. I once had an interview with one of them. I asked him about their God and some other stuff. He revealed that their god's name is Peor.

 

The god Peor is mentioned in the twenty fifth chapter of the book of numbers and the seventeenth verse of the twenty second chapter of the book of Joshua. He is a false god worshiped by the majority of Midianites. At one point the Children of Israel were deceived into worshipping Peor by the Midianites and God's anger was greatly kindled.

 

The Lord God killed a multitude of those who joined themselves to Peor by the hands of the levites and the pluge was abated. Worshipping Peor caused such dissaster that the children of Israel did not want to be associated with anything to do with the god of Midia. Even when the congregation of Israel heard that the Ruebenites,the Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh had built an unsanctioned alter by the river Jordan,they reffered the matter back to worshipping Peor and damage they endured from the Lord because of the fellowship with Peor. However they reiterated that the alter was not for burning sacrifices but was to serve as a testimony that the God of Israel is the God of all Israelites on either side of the Jordan.

 

The main reason these folks dont want to use scripture is that it mentions and condems their god thus making clear it to all that He is not the real God. Banning of scripture closes some folks outside the truth and reality that Baal Peor is an imposter that arrogantly acts God to deceive many into eternal condemnation.The entrance of God's word gives light that refrains God's elect from following some unfounded religious practices.

 

The other reason they want to abstain from scripture is the power associate with the word of God.The spirit of Peor cannot withstand the power of God's word.The seventeenth verse of the sixth chapter of the book of Ephesians describes God's word as the sword of the spirit.This simply means that the word of God suppresses the spirit of Peor. Not only that of Baal Peor but of all other demonic institutions.

 

I have times without number asked folks under possession of Peor to read scripture but they couldn't. One of them told me that the moment he tries to read, sharp light strikes his eyes to detour his sight.The other one told me that as soon as he tries to read, he feels dizzy and powerless. At one point I tasked a so-called prophet to read through the book of Matthew and after completing, he could no longer see the visions as before. This means his visions did not come from God but from the demonic kingdom.

 

Delving into the supernatural without the foundation of God's word is extremely dangerous. There is much congestion in the spiritual world. Praying and fasting makes us good conductors of any spirit. If we pray and fast ignorantly, we face the danger of being highjacked by some demonic institutions.

 

The word of God has the power to detour and restraint the entrance of counterfeit spirits because where the word of the King is there is power and fire.The word of God is the most effective weapon ever made available to mankind. It is the most precise and most powerful missile,yet not the missile of this life but of the spirit of power of an endless life obtainable in Christ Jesus.

 

The written word of God,mostly known as the cannon in theological circles is a library of 66 books sub divided into Old and New testament writings.The New Testament writings is a compilation of 27 books while the Old testament is a library of 39 books.This library was compiled after more than 300 years into the New covenant. However there are some other old testament books which were not incorporated though regarded as representative of the mind of God.These include the books of Jasher,Nathan,The Acts of Solomon,The vision of Iddo among other books.

 

Cannonisation of scripture took into consideration a number of parameters in ensuring that the books represent the mind of God towards humanity in as far as establishing mankind for eternity is concerned. It captures the origin of creation,the fall of man and the transitory journey to redemption.

 

Both the Old and New testament writings have the same goal;the goal of preparing humanity for eternity.The old testament writings present Christ and his eternity in common stories,objects, substances, dark sayings among other things where as the new testament writings plainly reveals Christ as the author of everlasting life.

 

To fully understand the whole matrix,we have to be in a position to define what is meant by a Testament. What really is a testament? A testament is a sealed agreement between two or more parties. It is also know as a covenant. Every testament stipulates rules and guidelines for its operations. It also spells out consequences and remedies associated with its breaches or improper handling.

 

The old testament was established on Mount Sinai by the mediation of Moses.The Lord gave him two tablets of stone with the rules written by the finger of God.The covenant was done between God and the Children of Israel and those who might be incorporated through circumcision. It was sealed with the blood of domestic animals symbolizing the blood of Jesus that should reconcile mankind to God.

 

The old testament was a shadow and copy of real things to come and that reality is Christ. In other words,the new testament is a realization of the old testament. It is the fulfilment of the law of ordinances. From the fourteenth to seventeenth verses of the second chapter of Apostle Paul's letter the Colossians church,the word of God tells us that the law of ordinances was just a shadow of what was to come and the whole thing is all about Christ and eternal life found in Him.

 

The new testament incoperates all who believe irregardless of their ancestry into one unified kingdom where Christ is king. It reveals the hidden things kept secret from the foundation of creation. The new and eternal covenant unseals the books of mysteries. It opens a door into the kingdom of heaven.Let us therefore embrace the word of God with all tenacity to be established in the Kingdom of God Foundation. In conclusion allow me to run you down the major functions of the Word of God.

 

Number one: God's word gives spiritual conception and to the heart of a believer and that which is born is called the child of God.

 

2. The gospel is the spiritual food that nourishes the child of God for growth in the nature and stature of Christ. It is the bread of life that gives life to the world.

 

3. The word of God destroys our natural passions and reconfigures our thinking to function in line with God's will.

 

4. God's word washes us into new purified beings suitable for engagement with Christ for every good work for the glory of the Lord.

 

5. The gospel deters and weakens demonic operatives. It is our spiritual weapon we use to fight spiritual battles.The word of God is the most powerful weapon in the universe.

 

This article was written by Taurai Makadho. He is the Lead Pastor and Head Coordinator at Christ world Evangelical Movement. For views, comments, invitations, prayer requests and other related issues contact him on the following numbers: +2 6 3. 7 7 2. 1 9 0. 3 3 4, or +2 6 3. 7 8 2. 4 6 6. 7 3 4

Thank you for forwarding this message.