Live The Word

Genesis 17:1 – “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”

The founder of Kraft Foods was an outstanding Christian. Mr. Kraft spent the last few winters of his life in Miami. He had an invitation to address a convention in San Francisco, and the newspapers of Miami made note of it. The night before he left for San Francisco, the telephone rang. A woman's voice, filled with sadness, said, "Mr. Kraft, I see by the paper that you are going to San Francisco tomorrow. I want to ask a favor. My son is in Alcatraz for life. I write him and send him gifts, but he has never responded. Would you please go see him, and ask him just to write me a note? Kraft agreed to the lady's request. He went to the prison and was granted permission to visit the young man. He started down the corridor to where it turned right, to the visiting room. Just as he made the turn, a big hand shot out in front and clamped him by the chest, and a voice said, "Stand perfectly still, Mr. Kraft, don't move for a moment." Kraft said he heard a buzzing sound... then a voice said, "OK, Mr. Kraft, you're clean." Offended, he asked, "What do you mean, 'I'm clean?' Of course I am!" "I mean," said the guard, "that you don't have anything that you should not take to the visitor's room." The guard told Kraft what he had in his pocket. He went on down the hall thinking to himself, "Suppose Christ would stop me around the next corner and say, ‘Stand still, Kraft, let me see if your heart is clean inside.’" Said James Kraft, "I stopped where I was and asked God to examine me."

It’s not enough that we should read God’s Word – or that we should meditate on God’s Word – or that we should obey His Word – or that we should share His Word – but we should also live the Word of God.  All those things previously mentioned are fairly easy to accomplish, but when it comes to living it – or practicing what you preach – it becomes a little more difficult. It becomes a matter of not just obedience, but of personal holiness. You can obey the letter of the law, just as the Pharisees did, but as Christ said, they “omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith (Mt 23:23).” And He pronounced condemnation upon them for their hypocrisy.

But we can live in such a way as to be set apart from that hypocrisy if we will first of all make sure of your own salvation. We read in 2 Peter 1:10, “Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” Of a certainty, you cannot live a life of commitment and consecration without first being saved and making sure that your salvation is based upon the principles of Scripture and not some emotional experience or the like. How often Satan deceives people with a counterfeit salvation – one based on feelings – or experience – or dogma – or some other such nonsense other than the clear teachings of the Word of God. So, examine yourself and make it sure.

Secondly, sell out to Him. Romans 12:1-2 tells us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” You can never live the Word of God as He commands unless you first give yourself totally to Him – body, soul, and spirit.

Then, seek the filling of the Spirit of God. Ephesians 5:18 tells us, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Living a Spirit-filled life should be the goal of every child of God. Empty yourself of self and let the Spirit fill you. Give Him full control of your life and everything in it, and you will fulfill the admonition God made to Abraham, “Walk before me, and be thou perfect.”

Quote - "Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervours, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills." – John Brown, 19th-century Scottish theologian

"Lord, Help us to not only read the Word, not only meditate on the Word, not only share the Word, not only obey the Word, but also to live according to to every jot and tittle of the Word.  Amen."