THE WORD OF CHRIST

In the past generations, God has transformed, blessed and touched great men and women with His Word. When we pay attention to God's Word, dwell in it and allow it to dwell in us greatly, we become enraptured with the Lord and His Word causes us to rise up in faith and prevail in life.

Reference: Colossians 3:16 King James Version (KJV) "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

As saints of God, we must let the word of Christ dwell in us richly. The "word of Christ" refers to Christ's teachings, both directly as found in the Gospels as well as the sound Christian messages and sermons we hear today. The wisdom, teaching and admonition we often receive in our Christian gatherings, and the hymns and spiritual songs we sing to the Lord, all make up the word of Christ.

The only way to allow God's Word to grow richly in you is to take it personal. God’s Word can become so intimate with you that it forms its root and attributes in the circle of your heart and life. The word of Christ can instruct us, through "teaching and admonition". At the same time, it can give us the right guidance in our way of living, in what we believe about God and in what we do.

David was a man who developed true love for God's Word. His love toward God and His Word was very intense that he came to the path of knowledge and discernment through the study of the Word. He allowed the Scriptures to lay hold of him fully, and he quoted them often and at length because he had hidden them in his heart (Psalm 119:11). Because of the love for God's Word, David set a standard for himself not to associate with the wicked. Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV) says, 'Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-- whatever they do prospers.'

Just like it worked for David, today the love for God's Word still works. We serve the same God of the past generations and in fact, we possess the greatest gift in the universe, which they didn't have - the gift of the Holy Spirit, who practically guides us into all truth in God's Word (John 16:13). God says in His Word, 'My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one's whole body' (Proverbs 4:20-22 NIV). Notice that He always tells us to keep or hide the Word in our hearts. This is because the heart is the central or innermost part of you. When something finds it's way into your mind, it lingers there, but once it gains entrance into your heart, it settles there and from there it takes full control of your life. Also notice that they are health to the whole body. Jesus as the Word, is medicine to our body while the Holy Spirit is our Physician because He knows how to use the medicine to work in our lives. Remember He guides us into all truth (Jesus).

Here are the benefits of having the Word richly in your heart: It becomes a light on your path, it delivers you from evil. It uplifts your spirit. It rescues you from darkness, it gives you divine inheritance, and it provides you with the encouragement to move forward, in spite of challenges, in spite of unfavourable circumstances, and in spite of oppositions. It shows you the way out and forward when you get stuck. Therefore fill your heart and mind with God's Word richly and daily. When you do, you'll create an effective defence mechanism against discouragement, failure, negative and corrupting influences, and especially evil messages the world frequently sends your way.

Scripture Reading - Psalm 119:9; John 8:31-32; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

Exuberant Declaration: The Word of God is true, noble, right, pure and lovely. It contains words of timeless value. As my greatest treasure, I pay attention to it daily and hide it in my heart richly. By doing so, it fosters my spiritual growth and guards me from the evil and negative influences of this world. The Word in my heart is my solution provider and my fortified wall of protection and it delivers excellent or praiseworthy reports to me, as I put it to work. Blessed be God!