Word Check!

This morning I was woken from a deep sleep stirred to pray for some dear friends and their marriage. As I sought the Lord on how to pray for them, I was prompted to go on a journey through the scriptures about abiding in His Word. My prayer is that this husband and wife would each have a tremendous desire for God's Word that will penetrate through the temptation to focus on the bleak outlook the enemy has for their marriage.

The book of John has so much to say about the pros of abiding in God's Word and the cons about not making room for His word. In John 8:31-32, Jesus tells us that if we abide in His word, then we are disciples and we will know the truth, and the truth will set us free. If that's true (and we know it is!), then why are so many Christians walking around defeated? Could it be that the truth we know to be right is being choked out by the cares of this world? I think of the parable of the sower and the seed. The seed that fell among the soil with thorns got choked out. Jesus said that the seed was the Word of God. He said that "he who received the seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." (Matt. 13:22) I don't want to be an "unfruitful" Christian. No fruit means no harvest of souls, but first it means no fruit of the Spirit in my own life that would in turn lead to a harvest of souls for His Kingdom.

So, today I challenge you to do a Word check. How much love do you have? How about joy? Peace? Patience? Kindness? Goodness? Faith? Gentleness? Self-control? If any of these are lacking, then you need to pray for a deeper desire to abide in His Word. Is it possible to have all these in the midst of adverse circumstances? Absolutely! I call it being in a God-bubble! It's like that movie from the 70's, "Boy in the Plastic Bubble." John Travolta played a boy that could not go outside of his house because the germs he could acquire in the world could kill him. Finally, they made a suit like a space suit he could wear so he could go out in the world and be protected from all the germs. If you start abiding in God's Word and allowing His Word to abide in you, you will find yourself in the midst of all the mess of your life, but it will be like you are in a protective bubble. Instead of despair, depression, or anxiety, you'll have faith, hope and love! I dare say that you will also start seeing that the circumstances that once weighed you down will start changing. Instead of the state of the affairs of your life influencing you, your new out-look will start influencing them! Relationships will be restored! Bills will be paid! Bodies will be healed!

Lord, thank you for your life-changing Word! I pray for a deeper desire for Your Word. Help me to abide in Your Word today. Even when I cannot stop to physically pick up the Bible to read, please remind me of a verse to meditate upon. I pray that Your Word will take root deep in my heart, in Jesus' Name! Amen!