Personalizing the Word of God

For believers in Christ, leading a witnessing and fruitful life, springing from personalizing the Word of God as found in the Holy Bible, is a very important daily spiritual exercise. Few days ago, I happened to read a devotional written by a well known Bible teacher, Andrew Wommack, USA,  that was used by  the Holy Spirit of God to drive home this 'life point' to me. The inspiration to write this blog post  initiated there and my personal devotion times led me to newer lessons which I am sharing here.

Whenever we read the Bible, or listen to a message preached or a Bible lesson taught, many a times there are verses that make a deep impression on us at that particular moment. The light to guide us comes from there, for specific tasks to be dealt with that day or later. It may be a routine task or a peculiar one. It may be trivial or of utmost importance to us. It differs day to day and from person to person.  The Bible breathed by the Spirit of God is 'living and active' even to this day and will remain like that forever.  Hence it will be good for every one of us to personalize the WORD every time it comes to us.

'Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path' declares the Psalmist. (Ps.119:105).  'Your words are sweeter than honey to my taste', he says (Ps. 119:103). 'The words of the Lord are pure and like unto the silver that is purified by melting in the furnace seven times 'King David proclaims. (Ps.12:6).

No wonder that a whole chapter in the Book of Psalms, 119, the longest chapter in the whole Bible is dedicated to the Word of God and is acclaimed to be the central chapter of the whole Bible. Every verse in Psalm 119, bestows a name for the Word of God. It calls it 'the commandments , statutes, words, law, testimonies, precepts etc.,'  It will be a worthy exercise for people who value the Word of God to read and find those other 'names' by which the Psalmist addresses the Word of God in this particular psalm. It is amazing!!

Lord Jesus said, 'Heaven and earth may pass away, but My words will not pass away' (Matt. 24:35).  'The words I speak unto you are spirit and life' (John. 6:63).

The Word of God 'is sharper than any double edged sword' since it pierces the preacher and the listener, I am always convinced.

Let me examine case illustrations of the FIRST FAMILIES of the first and the second Testament of the Bible to explain what 'personalization' means. Adam and Eve can be compared and contrasted with Mary the mother of Jesus and Joseph her husband, to see how couples  to whom the word of God was given, did bring either the 'Great Fall' of humanity or became the channel of Grace and Redemption to the whole of humanity by bringing the Saviour into the world!!

Adam and Eve in God's garden

The Bible starts with the marvelous creation accounts in the first and second chapters of the book of Genesis. The Word of God created and recreated the whole universe. The fact that we live in a world that came into being by the all powerful Word of God is reiterated in John1:1-3. The third chapter of Genesis narrates a downfall .It is generally understood that Adam and Eve, the first created couple disobeyed God and humanity fell from the glory and grace of God into sin. World incurred curse due to the willful disobedience of the first parents.

Let us take a closer look at what happened in the garden of Eden. Why did Adam and Eve disobey? Why   did  it result  in  the GREAT FALL? Which is the initial point?

The 'great fall' simply started from the error of NOT personalizing God's Word.

Adam and Eve the first couple created by LORD God were dwelling in the garden of Eden, the perfect place to live in communion with God. They were put in charge of 'tending and keeping' the garden. They were given free access to every tree except only one, that God commanded them not to eat the fruit thereof. Their freedom was limited for their own good (Joyce Meyer).  The command was given to Adam when he was single, before Eve was created (Gen.2:16).

The serpent approached Eve one day and tried to get out of her mouth an answer that would give it a chance to twist God's Word. In the Bible, the serpent is figurative of Satan who rebels against God's authority and lies, steals, cheats and entices humanity to fall victim to his hideous plans (Rev.12:9). Satan indulged in conversation only with an unsuspecting woman. Bible scholars state that Eve did not personalize the command of God, it was 'second hand information' to her and that became the loophole for satanic attack. She entertained a stranger and fell to deception. Had her trust been in the Word of God, the Creator, surely she would not have fallen prey to Satan, is my conviction. The 'satanic visitation' made the couple slip step by step away from God and the Great Fall resulted. The plight is being shared even today by the whole of humanity!
Eve listened to the lie of Satan and trusted him more than God and cooperated with the Devil. She doubted the love of God and defied the authority of God. Her frame of reference to counter Satan's  evil suggestion was NOT the Word of God. She 'listened' to evil words of the serpent, believed lies and the action of disobedience followed. She started to ponder about Satan's 'overstated question,' "every tree?"

According to Andrew Wommack, 'whatever you listen to the most will control your belief and the actions'. Is it not very true?

Now is the climax of the drama!  "The woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings" (Gen.3:6,7).

How sad!! Eve fell prey to the 'lust of the eyes'.  Adam followed suit and heeded to his wife, his companion rather than heeding to the Lord God his creator. He never questioned Eve as to what was happening! Adam  received the command from God first hand and should have been more accountable and to obey at any cost!!Adam had to live on an earth that was cursed because of his negligence to 'personalize' the word of God. He did not realize that the question of Satan started the whole process of 'falling away'. Adam simply gave in! 

As the Devil told them 'their eyes were opened' and they found that the 'glory' of the Lord that was protecting them left!! They were stripped naked! Instead of God's glory, they started depending on the 'creation' to cover their nakedness and protect them. Fear gripped them and they HID themselves from the presence of God, which they so far enjoyed! The LORD God stepped in, got the answers from their own mouths and had to clothe them with tunics of skin (Gen.3:18).

To prevent any further God had to send them out of the garden of Eden and give the charge of 'keeping' it to the Cherubim. When the couple left the garden and lived outside they gave birth to a son, Cain. The 'first born' of Adam and Eve sinned even worse, in that he became the 'first murderer', that too  of a brother! The Book of Revelation names Satan as the 'accuser' of the brethren.

Lessons from Eden for us

When Satan brings doubt in our minds to question God's love for each child of His, the only weapon we use should be the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph.5:17). In the 'whole armor of God' described by Paul in the epistle to the Ephesians, has all weapons of defense except the Word of God, which is the weapon for offense. How careful should one be to personalize and internalize the Word of God to stand against the satanic attacks in our lives?

" Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You"  (Ps.119:11).

We in our generation have no excuse now since the printed Word of God is in our hands. The Holy Spirit of God is resident in our hearts and teaches us and leads us into every truth (John 14:26). The electronic media is pervaded by the mighty Word of God. How many times we choose to  listen to the devil and act only to find that we have walked away from the 'glorious presence of God' and stand unprotected open to the attack of the enemy. There is always peace, joy, protection and fullness of life only by trusting and walking with our Lord Jesus.  Yes, His words are life-giving.

The 'first couple' had  succumbed to the temptation in the body, soul and spirit. Jesus Christ had to enter into the world and defeated Satan on all these three fronts when the devil tested Him in the wilderness of Judea. Even there Satan was only misquoting the word of God. Lord Jesus wielded the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God to overcome satanic tests every time. Jesus is Himself the WORD that existed even before creation. God created the universe only by His word. Jesus Christ is given the name 'WORD of GOD'(Rev.19:13).  

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom 3:22, 23,24).

The Saviour was promised in the garden of Eden itself and He had to enter into the world as the 'seed of the woman'. He did come and Virgin Mary of Nazareth was chosen to be that instrument to birth Jesus and become the channel of Grace to the entire world!! What was lost in Eden had to be regained in the 'little town of Bethlehem' where the Messiah was born 2000 years ago for all.

Personalization of the Word of God brought blessing and NOT doing so ended up in a curse that affected the whole of humanity.

Our 'life point' is this: 

 Personalizing the Word of God every time it comes to us is the key to living a victorious life

P.S:   My next blog post will be dealing with the classic  obedience of Mary, springing from her 'personalizing' the Word of God that came to her through the angelic messenger. Be sure to read that too by clicking on the link below:

http://kalaneethychristopher.blogspot.in/2013/08/all-generations-call-her-blessed.html