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We have all seen movies where someone puts a message in a bottle, seals it, and places it in the ocean; and then sometime later the bottle washes ashore where someone else finds it and reads the message that was placed within it. The person who found and read the message becomes intrigued and wants to know more about who wrote the message and why; so they begin a journey of searching, and seek until the author is found.
God placed His word (message) in an earthen vessel, sealed it with His Holy Spirit, and sent it forth to be known and read of all mankind. The earthen vessel being Jesus of Nazareth and the message being His Word (Christ). Jesus of Nazareth sought out the Author continually through the leading of the Holy Spirit, seeking to know more of that which was within Him, all the while becoming the author and finisher of our faith. The more He sought the Author, the more He learned, the more He learned the closer He became to the Author, and at the end of His journey here on earth He was rewarded for His diligence and is seated at the right hand side of God, the Author. Jesus Christ left us with a message as well, His life experiences, instructions if you would, and a road map that would lead us to the Author. The Author’s message though and the road map are Spiritual, so He also left us the a guide, the Holy Spirit, the key that would unlock the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that He Himself had become intimate with, which enabled Him to continue the journey, and see and experience more and more of who the Author is and the message that was at work within Him. In the end, because of Jesus Christ’s diligence and obedience His life message was included in the Author’s book of life for our advantage. The message in a bottle so to speak, continues unto this day; though many have found it, few continue to seek out the Author through His messenger Christ Jesus. Many begin the journey, few finish the journey. Many think they are on the right path, few know that they are on the right path. Many wax cold, or sit on the fence and never move forward in their search; they become complacent and satisfied with what little they know, letting someone else tell them about the Author and His message instead of continuing to search on their own to get to know Him personally or intimately. Dearly loved brethren, please continue to seek the message from above, don’t be as the many and give up; instead be one of the few, and you will find life and life more abundant; you will find and know all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of the Author, and you will be counted faithful, a vessel fit for the Author’s use. And most precious of all, when you have endured unto the end of your journey, you too will be written into the Lamb’s book of life. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1Timothy 4:12-16 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (13) Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. (14) Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. (15) Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. (16) Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (KJV)
You are now a member of God’s royal priesthood; you were ordained of God when you accepted His Son Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Being a member of the body of Christ, your place in the body, as well as your duties within His royal priesthood are revealed unto you by the Holy Spirit, and not man. Today and every day, let the Spirit lead and guide you in where the Lord would have you to be and operate in His body so that you are able to fulfill the duties of the ministry of the gospel of Christ according to God’s will and what He sees is the need of encouragement and strengthening of the body; as well as the need of those without who call upon Him, or whom He has a word of encouragement for. Dearly loved brethren, take heed. Examine yourselves, your motives, and make sure they are pure, right motives well pleasing in our heavenly Father’s sight and continue in being an example of the grace and mercy of God in and through all things this day; as well continue in the doctrine of Christ holding for the truth in all sincerity, knowing that in doing this you will not be ashamed and shall both save yourself and those who hear you. God bless, and have a very prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2 Timothy 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. (KJV)
From Adam Clarke's Commentary: [But watch thou in all things] It is possible to be overtaken in a fault, to neglect one's duty, and to lose one's soul. Watching unto prayer prevents all these evils. [Endure afflictions] Let no sufferings affright thee; nor let the dread of them either cause thee to abandon the truth, or relax in thy zeal for the salvation of men. [Do the work of an evangelist] That is: Preach Christ crucified for the sins of the whole world; for this, and this alone, is doing the work of an evangelist, or preacher of the glad tidings of peace and salvation by Christ. An angel from God was first sent to do the work of an evangelist, and how did he do it? Behold, said he, I bring you good tidings of great joy; Idou gar, euangelizomai humin charan megaleen, heetis estai panti too laoo. Behold, I evangelize unto you great joy, which shall be to all people; to you is born a Saviour. Those who do not proclaim Christ as having tasted death for every man, and who do not implicitly show that every human soul may be saved, do not perform the work of evangelists; they, God help them! limit the Holy One of Israel. Yet, as far as they preach the truth in sincerity, so far God acknowledges and blesses them and their labours; they do a part of the work, but not the whole. [Make full proof of thy ministry.] Push all thy principles to their utmost power of activity; carry them on to all their consequences; and try what God will do for thee, and by thee. Neglect no part of thy sacred function; perform faithfully all the duties of which it is composed; and do God's work in his own way and in his own spirit. My dearly loved brethren, watch and pray always that you would not be counted with the many that corrupt the word of God. Endure unto the end, that you having done all to stand, will receive your just reward from our Father in heaven. Remember, you have been given the ministry of reconciliation, and so continue to be an example of the believers in all manner of your life, showing forth the truth of the gospel of Christ which is within you regardless of the external circumstances and what others may say. God bless. Now many people perceive themselves to have right words to speak but their actions usually don’t line up with their talk. Talk is cheap; which is why we are encouraged to let our words be few, because as we know a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. (2) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. (3) For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. (KJV) Before you speak you had better count the cost; because once it is spoken and you don’t follow through with what you said, guess what, all that beheld what was said will begin to mock you saying, that you began to build but you were not able to finish; all this because your foundation wasn’t based in Christ and what He was asking of you to speak and/or do, but it was based off you leaning to your own understanding. Thinking yourself to be wise, you just made yourself look and sound like a fool. Job 15:6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lipstestify against thee. (KJV) By your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned. Right actions can only be produced by right words, and right words can only be produced by a right heart before God in Christ. Any other way will have you looking and sounding like a thief and a robber, a fool drowning in destruction. Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (20) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (KJV) And so you see my dearly loved brethren, the importance of being a doer of the Word (right actions), and not just a hearer who speaks great swelling words but never follows them up with right actions; and remember that your manner of life in Christ (right actions) will speak volumes to those around you without even having to speak a word. Not only are others listening and watching you, so is our Lord. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: (27) But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (KJV) How forcible are right words? Think about that question for a moment.
What are right words, and how do we know that what we are speaking is right words? Ask yourself ‘are the words that I speak bringing forth life, not only for myself but for others also’; ‘do they encourage others and feed their heart and soul’; ‘do they keep me reminded and refreshed of the righteousness of God’?; or ‘are the words that I speak bringing forth death, stirring up wrath within others, and leaving a bitter taste in my mouth as well as in their heart’? Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it will eat the fruit there of. Just listen to the world around you, and as you exercise your Spiritual senses you will discern between words of life and death that are being spoken. For the world it is death, but for you, if you keep your mind renewed in Christ those words coming forth will bring life and life more abundantly to yourself and those around you. Proverbs 10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness. (KJV) Proverbs 15:7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so. (KJV) Proverbs 12:18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. (KJV) Right words come forth when the abundance of our heart is in Christ. Right words minister grace unto the hearer. Many don’t consider that a word fitly spoken is as apples of gold in pictures of silver. We were given the tongue of the learned when we accepted Christ, and a new heart; and God placed all His wisdom and knowledge in Christ in you, your new heart, and gave you of His Spirit a teacher and guide to train you up in His divine nature where right words are produced and come forth as a river of life straight from the throne of God. His words are Spirit and they are life; and those are right words. Isaiah 50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. (KJV) So my beloved brethren, I encourage you to stop and listen to the Lord on what you should say and how you should speak it forth; the tongue of the learned speaking right words. God bless. Proverbs 16:21-24 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. (22) Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly. (23) The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. (24) Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. (KJV) |
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