Pastor's Corner

Theme of the Year: Covenant of Peace (Isaiah 54:10)

Theme of the month: The Unchanging Word of God. Isaiah 40:7-8

Topic: Living by the Word of God (Joshua 1:8) Part 2

We extensively talked on Fullness of the Holy Spirit last month. It was made clear that how much we take in to keep our spiritual life nourished should be more important than what we eat physically. Life is more than food. The Apostle Paul had it right when he said, "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21). To live a deeper life with our Lord, one must take time to eat the Word. Remember Jeremiah the prophet said, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts" (Jeremiah 15:16). We too are called by His name, but we do not take time to eat the Word. It is vital that we take special time every day to apply the Word of God to our lives that we might be spiritually strong.

To be filled with the Word of God is another way of saying be filled with the Spirit. Actually, a person is filled with the Spirit in direct proportion to how much he is controlled by the Word of God.
Jesus prayed for the believers in John 17:17. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." Notice that Jesus makes sanctification and His Word synonymous. If you want to be sanctified, start practicing complete obedience to God's Word.

You are being sanctified as you obey and do His Word. Sanctification is what God has previously done in you. When you were born again, He at that time set you apart from the world for Himself. What He has done in you, you now agree with and set yourself apart for Him. You do this by your practice of obeying the Word. The more you obey His Word, the more you become sanctified. In other words, you are sanctified in proportion to where you are in obedience to the Word. That is progressive sanctification. Complete sanctification takes place when one arrives in heaven.

Christ gave Himself for the church, "that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:26-27). As you spend time in the Word, you will see your sin, like a person looking into a mirror, and it should cause you to confess your sin to God.

As you confess and forsake your sin, you are being washed by the Word. You are being conformed into the image of Christ. You are becoming a "sanctified vessel, meet [or fit] for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (II Timothy 2:21).
God's Word should be your guide if you want to please Him in all that you do. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalms 119:105).

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6). You need not walk with any uncertainty when you have God as your guide. He will lead you in the right paths and around life's issues. God bless you.