Good Morning,
Recently a friend and I were talking about the 'end times', and the importance of sticking to the Word. There are a whole lot of false teachings going around and a little leaven will blow things all out of proportion. More than ever we must be people who are built upon the solid rock of God's Word. It is not a new tactic, it is one that the enemy has had a lot of success with, so he continues to do what works. Listen to Paul's admonition: "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1:6-8) Pervert means to twist, deviate, to distort, and misconstrue.
We owe it to ourselves to be disciples of the Word, I can't express it enough, neither can God. "The entirety of Your Word is truth, and every one of your Your righteous judgments endures forever" (Psalm 119:160) "Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven." (Psa. 119:89) "But the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the Word which by the gospel is preached to you." (1 Peter 1:25) Everything in life can change and probably will change, but God's Word is reliable because it is consistent. Times and seasons change, our circumstances change, our relationships may change and slowly with the Word we can change, but God's Word must remain sure. Settled means to be resolved, completed, concluded, confirmed, established, and fixed. Endures means tireless, persistent, and to continue and to abide. In order to build on the Word, it must be stable, not movable, or shifting.
All of that said, then the Word is our plumbline. It is to help us to grow to maturity in the Word, so that we are not easily led astray. "So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead." (Ephes. 4:14) Without the stability of the Word, we will end up blowing around, easily moved, easily misled, by every corrupt and deviated learning, teaching, or instructions. Let's stay on course, by staying with the Word. Otherwise you will end up in error as spoken of the 'end-times'. "Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching. For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions." (2 Tim. 4:2-4) The love of God's Word must precede your own likings and be first to correct your own thoughts and feelings. Otherwise, you will end up looking for some teacher to say what you want the Word to say, in order to 'have it your way'. We must all kill pride when it rears it's ugly head and humble ourselves and yield to the rightness of God's Word. Keep the standard of the Word, especially at the 'end-times'.
Love,
Pastor D.
Daughters of Z 