EXALTING THE WORD

“I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12 NKJV).

In answering his critics who had charged him unjustly with evil, Job gave a great testimony regarding the Word of God. Thus we want to note the esteem for the Word, the essentialness of the Word and the endurance of the Word.

Esteem for the Word - “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Job so valued the Word of God that it was more important to him than physical food. While some folks despise the Word of God, and others simply ignore it, Job saw its real value and gave it honor. Valuing the Word of God will cause people to want to want to listen to the Word of God, and even increase church attendance when the Word is faithfully proclaimed.

Essentialness of the Word - “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Job shows the essentialness of the Word when he says it is greater than “necessary food.” Note that he did not say he thought the Word was more important than the non-essential. He said it was more important than even the most essential things of life. Food is essential and “necessary” to physical life. However, the Word is even more important; it feeds the spiritual man, and the spiritual is more important than the physical!

Endurance of the Word - “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips.” In spite of his great troubles, Job had not abandoned the Word of God. In spite of his great troubles, Job still obeyed the Word and still esteemed the Word of God above the essential things of life. Obviously, the Word of God had not failed Job in his trial. Others things may fail us, but the Word of God will not fail

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation!”

Dwight Lyman Moody (1837 – 1899)

American Evangelist, Publisher and Founder of the Moody Bible Institute

Word Study

Disciples

In Matt. 5:1 we read, “And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him” (NKJV).

Disciples is the Greek word mathētēs (μαθητής = math-ay-tes'). The word means learner, pupil, and disciple. It is from a root that gives us our English word mathematics. It describes a person who learns from another by instruction, whether formal or informal. A mathētēs describes an adherent of a teacher.

In Classical Greek mathētēs means learner, pupil and signals the presence of a teacher (didaskalos). In the Septuagint mathētēs (disciples) never carry any special significance. Men were not to look to other men for knowledge, not even to the prophets who were only mouthpieces for God. In the New Testament mathētēs signifies a taught or trained one, and gives us the ideal of relationship. It was used of apprentices learning a trade as well as students learning a teacher’s philosophy. A dedicated disciple was generally expected someday to become a rabbi himself. Disciples of the Lord Jesus are bound to Him and to God’s will; they are called to a lifetime of work and service.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah would be the Seed of Judah (Gen. 49:10)

New Testament Fulfillment – Luke 3:33

Bible Facts

Science confirms the Bible (Col. 2:3). The insights found in the Bible places it far above every man-made theory and all other so-called inspired books. In contrast, the Book of Mormon declares that Native Americans descended from Jews (disproved by DNA research). The Eastern writings also contradict true science.

Bible Quiz

The phrase “three days and three nights” has reference to the Lord Jesus and what other Old Testament prophet?

**Answer to last week’s trivia: Who said to the Lord, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” Jacob (Gen. 32:26)

That’s in the Bible

"One flesh”

“Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For the two, He says, shall become one flesh” (1 Cor. 6:16 NKJV).

“One flesh” - The expression “one flesh” carries the idea of being united in marriage. Sex is more than a mere physical act; it unites a man and a woman in such a way that they become one body. This was true for Adam and Eve; God planned that the two shall be one flesh in marriage (Gen. 2:24). The apostle Paul is here explaining the seriousness of sexual sin. When a man and woman join their bodies, the entire personality is involved. When faced with immorality, we should respond like Joseph - run (Gen. 39:12). To be victorious, believers need to begin each day by surrendering their bodies to the Lord.

Did You Know - Christian History

Ulrich Zwingli was born January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus, in the Toggenburg valley of Switzerland. He was the most important reformer in the Swiss Protestant Reformation. Like Martin Luther, he accepted the supreme authority of the Scriptures, but applied it more rigorously and comprehensively to all doctrines and practices.

As a boy, Zwingli distinguished himself at his studies and music. Later, he hand-copied and memorized Paul’s letters in the original Greek. Impressed by the reform writings of Erasmus, he moved toward reformation even before Luther. Zwingli perfected his Greek and took up the study of Hebrew. His library contained over three hundred volumes from which he was able to draw upon classical, patristic, and scholastic works.

Zwingli was especially angered over the use of young Swiss men as mercenaries, and spoke forcefully against the practice. He also preached against pilgrimages, labeling them a corruption. When an indulgence was sold in Switzerland, he denounced it. In Zurich, Zwingli objected to the use of images in the church, to the mass and other practices of the church which he considered to be in error. He believed that Christ alone was sufficient for salvation.

Zwingli aggressively attempted to extend his evangelical teachings from his base in Zurich, repressing Anabaptists and supporting a food embargo against Roman Catholic cantons which led to open hostilities. He was killed in battle at Kappel, having gone out to defend Zurich against an attack by an alliance of Swiss Catholic.

Outside of Switzerland, no church counts Zwingli as its founder. And even though Zwingli’s name is not widely recognized, his theology is considered the first expression of Reformed theology. His view on the memorial nature of the Lord’s Supper influenced Baptists and the Disciples of Christ, most of whom call both baptism and the Lord’s Supper ordinances, rather than sacraments. His legacy lives on in the basic confessions of the Reformed churches of today. Further, he is often called the “Third Man of the Reformation,” after Martin Luther and John Calvin.

A Little Humor

One friend said to the other, “Look, we’ve been friends for a long time. I know what you’re losing in the market. Tell me, how do you sleep at night?” The other said, “I sleep like a baby.” “What do you mean sleep like a baby?” “I wake up every two hours and cry.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“When God saves us, our sins are forgiven and forgotten forever!”