FLAWLESS WORDS

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

Proverbs 30:5-6

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

There is no greater book at the disposal of mankind today than the Bible.

It’s a bold statement in light of all the great literature available today, much of which has sustained generations and still captures the admiration of its readers but there is no other collection of words that has been read more than the inspired and inspiring word of God found in the Holy Scriptures.

Check out the Guinness Book of World Records, the renowned authority on just about any record that could be set, and you’ll find that “there’s little doubt that the Bible is the world’s best-selling and most widely distributed book” (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-1/best-selling-book-of-non-fiction/) with an estimated 2,5 to 5 billion copies printed since 1815. That’s a lot of Bibles!

Why is the word of God so popular?

Because it is so amazing and powerful in what it provides its readers.

Consider this as we continue to look at the words of Agur in Proverbs, Chapter 30. As the chapter opens, we find Agur humbly confessing his status when compared to the God he served, basically saying that without the Lord, he was nothing, weary, lowly and ignorant. Because he saw himself for what he was, he realized his complete need for God in his life and showed us the proper attitude all believers should have.

Today, he reminds us of the power and protection that only comes from the Lord God Almighty, through His word and presence. Look again at these verses:

Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar. Proverbs 30:5-6

Why makes the word of God distinctive and unique?

Because it’s the only book filled with flawless words. Note I didn’t say flawless people, just flawless words that flow from the mouth of the God who made us and everything in all creation. These flawless words of God do not need modifying by anyone. They are flawless and any addition will taint them. This is why we face God’s rebuke and discrediting if we attempt to. Instead, we are to enjoy the fruits of receiving the word of God and applying them to our lives. Here’s what the Bible tells us we’ll gain when we do so

1. Refuge.

He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Proverbs 30:5b

When we cling to the word of God, we find strength and comfort, knowing He is a God who can do all things and promised to never leave us nor forsake us.

“Do not be afraid.”

“Be strong and courageous”  

His words of assurance to Joshua and the Israelites as they faced the unknown challenges of entering the land God had promised ring just as true for us today as we face the uncertain natures of our respective lives. When we get that then we can feel the same way that David did when he wrote:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

2. Defense.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17

Every day when we get up and step out into the world, we enter onto the battlefield called life, a battlefield when our enemy Satan lurks and looks for any opportunity to attack. If we expect to defend ourselves, we need a weapon like any good soldier who goes into war. That weapon is the word of God. Without His flawless words to ward off harm, we are doomed to fall prey to our spiritual adversary. With it, there is nothing we can’t stand against. Know the word of God and put it into use as Jesus did in Matthew, Chapter 4, and you will be able to adequately defend yourself.

3. Accountability.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

You may be able to hide your sinful nature from others but not from God who can see into our every thought, word, and deed. His flawless word, when read and studied, penetrates into the deepest reaches of our body, mind, and soul, seeking out any wrongful ways within us and judging them. The word of God holds us accountable for who we really are, not just who we let others see. It convicts us away from iniquity and toward righteousness, toward becoming the kind of people He desires us to be.

4. Salvation

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:23

From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15b

The flawless word of God, the word that is alive and active, ushers us into a new life, a life that is not of the world but of the Lord, a life that leaves the perishable behind in exchange for the imperishable, a salvation promised in the scriptures offered through God’s only Son, Jesus. This good news, that Jesus saves us and provides victory over death and leads us to eternal life, is at the heart of God’s word and love for us. For He never intended for His beloved people to perish because of their sin and so He gave up His only Son to take our place, to be the final sin-sacrifice needed to atone for all.

We would never know this if not for the flawless word of God. And we would never know how to live as Christians if we did not have the word of God to reveal to us the way Jesus lived.

Friends, no other book is as alive and is as life-giving as the Holy Scriptures as found within the Bible. It’s why I write every day, seeking wisdom and guidance for my life and then typing out the Lord’s message from His flawless word to those who would read it. For in the flawless word of God, we discover life and life to the fullest, a life obedient to the Father’s will and way for us, His children. With this, there’s little wonder why Jesus said this as He was facing down the temptations of Satan:

“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Jesus quoted the word of God when He was under attack and in doing so, showed us how to do likewise. When we do, then we will experience first-hand the truth He shared with His disciples:

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11:28

Devote yourself to the flawless word of God every day and you will be blessed by it.

Guaranteed.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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