This post will take just 5-10 minutes of your time...so please enjoy as you read! I ask you to just think about the discussion questions I wrote at the bottom of this message...and for some of you who are willing, please post your answers! I will be! I ask that you at least think over them...
And now to Week 5 of Lessons from Kenya:
FIRM
Travelling across the globe to a different country, and then travelling 9 hours across that country to another location within it, you’d expect to find some stark differences in life. And that is exactly what I found!
For example, fish, in Kenya, are considered fresh sitting outside on a table, in the marketplace, for 21 days! That is 21 days of flies gathering on the fish, of the sun warming it past the “danger zone” (I remember watching an instructional video in health class on the danger zone – it even had a song with the message of “More than 2 hours out of the cold – Danger ZonE!” That main character would gasp at these fish!!), and of those fish being dead. Let me tell you – that is not fresh fish!
But like I said it can be assumed that there will be drastic differences due to drastic distances, between us and them.
However, when travelling to the far “bush”, or countryside, in Kenya – I found an awesome similarity –
God’s Word still stands firm.
He loves these people – just like He said He loves the whole world – and you can see the love of God within them.
His Word still says the same things. And those things are still true.
For example, do you remember what we talked about last week? The boy with the demon?
In Matthew 17 there is a demon-possessed boy whom Jesus comes in contact with. The boy had been under the control of the demon for a very long time; In fact, just like the boy that we talked about last week, the demon often tried to throw him into fire or water to kill him (water = drowning). In the verses within the story, we see that Jesus had authority over it. The Scripture says, in verse 18 – “Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.” And Jesus himself even said in Matthew 28, some of his very last words before ascending to heaven:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
And also – “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father…” (John 14:12)
Let me tell you – the Kenyan pastor we were with rebuked the demon in the name of Jesus Christ – and it left immediately. He did what Jesus did. And what Jesus did happened. God’s Word stood firm.
And it still does.
My dad is a Bible collector. He buys and collects old Hebrew, Greek, Latin and English Bibles. It’s amazing how I hold in my left hand (a 1483AD, Latin Bible) the same Bible, Word of God, that I hold in my right hand (a 2004AD, English Bible). They are both the same Bible, the Word of the living God!
Let me tell you – God’s Word stands firm. God’s Word stands firm through all nations and times – and it proclaims The Truth.
God’s Word & promises, declarations and proclamations are consistent, persistent, relevant, and insistent even TODAY! He is God – and HIS WORD stands True! Above all!
Isn’t that amazing?
So trust in His Word! Believe it – ask questions – it’s okay! I do! Ask God to open your eyes to the Truth of His Word…and keep asking until He does.
I think one of the most awesome proclamations in Scripture is found in the book of Romans, chapter 8, and it reads like this (and remember – it still stands) –
“…the righteousness that is by faith…what does it say? ‘The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:
That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved…As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’” Romans 10:6, 8-9, 11
Call on his name.
His Word stands firm…even today…even in this nation…even in these times.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Matthew 24:35
Realize the power of God and the power, endurance and firmness of His Word and promises! It is truly beautiful :)!
Go ahead and pray that God opens your eyes to the breadth of just how awesome His Word is…ask Him to let you see it…and again – keep asking until He opens your eyes :).
So, to sum everything up: God’s Power within His Word is still living and breathing. It is still relevant! He is still alive and so is His Word. They have stood through all times…and will continue to be just as powerful til the very end of days.
I praise God, the Holy Spirit & Jesus Christ for this wonderful gift they have given us!
May we never neglect to utilize it or meditate on it…Any page you open up to is His Word – so pray, “God, please speak to me,” with a believing heart and then open the Bible up and take it to heart and be amazed at what you read.
Discussion Questions:
Do you treat God’s Word as if Mt 24:35 (above) is true?
What of God’s Word have you seen come true?
If God’s Word is firm…then should we worry? What should we trust in?
If God’s Word was truly divinely-inspired when written, then don’t you think God would protect it? Make sure it lasts? Keep it accurate? It sure seems like He would!
Go ahead and answer those questions below! And don’t be afraid to bring up questions about the Bible’s authenticity – questions are great!
In Christ!
And now to Week 5 of Lessons from Kenya:
FIRM
Travelling across the globe to a different country, and then travelling 9 hours across that country to another location within it, you’d expect to find some stark differences in life. And that is exactly what I found!
For example, fish, in Kenya, are considered fresh sitting outside on a table, in the marketplace, for 21 days! That is 21 days of flies gathering on the fish, of the sun warming it past the “danger zone” (I remember watching an instructional video in health class on the danger zone – it even had a song with the message of “More than 2 hours out of the cold – Danger ZonE!” That main character would gasp at these fish!!), and of those fish being dead. Let me tell you – that is not fresh fish!
But like I said it can be assumed that there will be drastic differences due to drastic distances, between us and them.
However, when travelling to the far “bush”, or countryside, in Kenya – I found an awesome similarity –
God’s Word still stands firm.
He loves these people – just like He said He loves the whole world – and you can see the love of God within them.
His Word still says the same things. And those things are still true.
For example, do you remember what we talked about last week? The boy with the demon?
In Matthew 17 there is a demon-possessed boy whom Jesus comes in contact with. The boy had been under the control of the demon for a very long time; In fact, just like the boy that we talked about last week, the demon often tried to throw him into fire or water to kill him (water = drowning). In the verses within the story, we see that Jesus had authority over it. The Scripture says, in verse 18 – “Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.” And Jesus himself even said in Matthew 28, some of his very last words before ascending to heaven:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
And also – “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father…” (John 14:12)
Let me tell you – the Kenyan pastor we were with rebuked the demon in the name of Jesus Christ – and it left immediately. He did what Jesus did. And what Jesus did happened. God’s Word stood firm.
And it still does.
My dad is a Bible collector. He buys and collects old Hebrew, Greek, Latin and English Bibles. It’s amazing how I hold in my left hand (a 1483AD, Latin Bible) the same Bible, Word of God, that I hold in my right hand (a 2004AD, English Bible). They are both the same Bible, the Word of the living God!
Let me tell you – God’s Word stands firm. God’s Word stands firm through all nations and times – and it proclaims The Truth.
God’s Word & promises, declarations and proclamations are consistent, persistent, relevant, and insistent even TODAY! He is God – and HIS WORD stands True! Above all!
Isn’t that amazing?
So trust in His Word! Believe it – ask questions – it’s okay! I do! Ask God to open your eyes to the Truth of His Word…and keep asking until He does.
I think one of the most awesome proclamations in Scripture is found in the book of Romans, chapter 8, and it reads like this (and remember – it still stands) –
“…the righteousness that is by faith…what does it say? ‘The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:
That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved…As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’” Romans 10:6, 8-9, 11
Call on his name.
His Word stands firm…even today…even in this nation…even in these times.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Matthew 24:35
Realize the power of God and the power, endurance and firmness of His Word and promises! It is truly beautiful :)!
Go ahead and pray that God opens your eyes to the breadth of just how awesome His Word is…ask Him to let you see it…and again – keep asking until He opens your eyes :).
So, to sum everything up: God’s Power within His Word is still living and breathing. It is still relevant! He is still alive and so is His Word. They have stood through all times…and will continue to be just as powerful til the very end of days.
I praise God, the Holy Spirit & Jesus Christ for this wonderful gift they have given us!
May we never neglect to utilize it or meditate on it…Any page you open up to is His Word – so pray, “God, please speak to me,” with a believing heart and then open the Bible up and take it to heart and be amazed at what you read.
Discussion Questions:
Do you treat God’s Word as if Mt 24:35 (above) is true?
What of God’s Word have you seen come true?
If God’s Word is firm…then should we worry? What should we trust in?
If God’s Word was truly divinely-inspired when written, then don’t you think God would protect it? Make sure it lasts? Keep it accurate? It sure seems like He would!
Go ahead and answer those questions below! And don’t be afraid to bring up questions about the Bible’s authenticity – questions are great!
In Christ!
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