The Living Word

I woke up the other morning with a Scripture on my mind. It wasn't even a verse that I had read recently, so immediately this sparked my curiosity. I assumed that God was drawing my attention to something for a reason, so I decided to look it up. While it was a familiar Scripture, I couldn't remember the context in which it was written. When I read it in my Bible, I knew that God was giving me a personal word, from His Word. It was like my own little "sticky note" from God reminding me of something I needed to make it through the day.

It doesn't really matter what the Scripture was...because if I were to tell you, it probably wouldn't mean the same thing to you. You may even say, "that's not all that deep or life changing of a Scripture"...and you would be right. As important as the verse was to me that day, the bigger message was how much my Heavenly Father loves me - that He would lay something on my heart as I was about to wake up, and start my day with my mind on Him. I love when He pursues me! I love that He puts a new song in my heart, or when I feel the Holy Spirit drawing me to come away alone with Him and spend some time in prayer & praise. I especially love how personal and intimate He wants to be with each of His children.

Have you ever had God put a Scripture on your heart? Have you had what is known as a "Rhema" word? When the written (logos) Word of God seems to just jump off the page and speak directly into your situation & circumstance? It doesn't happen all the time, but I do enjoy moments like that.

I just finished an awesome teaching by Ryan Wyatt at Abiding Glory Ministries.
He said that the written Word is not just to be read, memorized, or studied in and of itself, although we should read, memorize & study the Word. But it is also to lead us to a personal & experiential encounter with the Living Word (Jesus).

He pointed out that the Pharisees knew the Scriptures front & back and in them they thought they had eternal life (John 5:39) But they refused to see the Word that became flesh & dwelt among them. Even the devil knows the Scriptures. Remember when he came to Jesus to tempt him in the desert? He quoted from the Word of God (Matthew 4:6). The written Word, must at some point, come alive in us as we receive it for ourselves. We need to think of ALL of God's Word & promises as if He wrote a love letter specifically addressed to us!

So here is a helpful REMINDER to myself & all my friends...everything Jesus said in His Word is not only "Yes & Amen" but it is for ME & for YOU! All you have to do is believe it & receive it!

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2nd Cor. 1:20 NIV