Today is Tuesday, November 5th, 2013. It is the 309th day of the year. There are 56 days left in this year and only 50 days left until Christmas!
It is the 102nd birthday of my childhood hero, Leonard Slye, aka, “Roy Rogers” (1911, Cincinnati, Ohio)
Seven Words about the Word: Revelation; Inspiration; Preservation; Translation; Interpretation; Illumination; Application
#1: Revelation
Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever that we may do all the words of this law.”
*Revelation is that act of God the Holy Spirit whereby He makes known to humans those things about God that He has decreed that we may know.
Mankind has certainly been able over the years to imagine and conceive of “god.” All kinds of peoples have come up with all kinds of ideas and images of what they believe a “god” or “gods” might be like. However; no one has ever imagined, dreamed, or conceived the One True Living God of the Christian Bible! This eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere-present Being could not be known at all apart from His self-revelation.
As I mentioned in an introductory devotional a few days ago, God has chosen to reveal Himself to humans through two different kinds of revelation: Natural (or general) Revelation, and Supernatural (or specific) Revelation.
Each of these kinds of revelation takes two forms:
(1) Natural Revelation comes to us in Creation and the Conscience.
(2) Supernatural Revelation comes to us in the Content of Scripture and the Person of Christ.
These four means of Revelation are how we can know God. But, our verse for today also tells us “why” God has revealed Himself to us… “that we may do all the words of this law.” God wills to be glorified and He is glorified in the obedience of His people.
James tells us in James 1:22 “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
Beloved, one who hears but does not do the things given to us in the Living Word of the Living God is deceiving themselves about having a living relationship with God.
Jesus goes so far as to say in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?”
Let us not be deceived. Let us read and heed the Word of God!
“My Old Bible” by William Cowper (pronounced Cooper)
“Though the cover is worn, and the pages are torn, and though places bear traces of tears; yet, more precious than gold is this Book worn and old, that can shatter and scatter my fears!
This old Book is My Guide, ‘tis a friend by my side, it will lighten and brighten my way; and each promise I find soothes and gladdens my mind, as I read it and heed it each day!
To this Book I will cling, of its worth I will sing, tho’ great crosses and losses be mine; for I cannot despair, though surrounded by care, while possessing this blessing divine!”
*William Cowper, 11/26/1731 – 4/25/1800, was the Associate Pastor to John Newton (author of Amazing Grace) in Olney, Scotland. He was also the author of hundreds of other hymns including “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood.”
Amen!
LANNYFAULKNER.COM 