By the grace of God, twelve-years a Christian, I have continuously lived and worked amidst a people who love the Word of God. Upon salvation, heart-hungry to discover the God of my salvation, I read Genesis-Revelation fifteen times in one-year. Since those days, I have taken a more practical, sustainable approach. In recent years I focused on books such as, Job, Psalms, Song of Songs, Joel, Luke, John, Ephesians, 1 John, Revelation; this year I will be engaging with the book of Jude. While small in stature, Jude is no light weight, depths spanning salvific in nature, glimpsing into the Father-heart of God, twisting toward an eschatological epilogue, rendering worshipful songs before the majesty of God. I want to encourage you, set vision to read God’s Word in 2017. Here’s three-reasons why: “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint…” (ESV Prov. 29:18); your joy depends upon it; and your calling depends upon it.
WHERE THERE IS NO PROPHETIC VISION THE PEOPLE CAST OFF RESTRAINT
Many Christian’s expend their lives, visionless. Week to week, people hear a forty-five-minute sermon, apply the Word like a self-help book toward being a better person; eating, drinking, working, dying, with no particular depth of Jesus or biblical Christian life. God’s prophetic-ingenuity in the life of the believer serves as navigational progression. One of the saddest climatic historical moments in Israel’s history, not recognizing their time of visitation: “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes…because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you’” (ESV Lk. 19:41-42, 44). The “Word became flesh” (ESV Jn. 1:14), and “Is living and active” (ESV Heb. 4:12). As the Proverbial scripture goes, “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint…” (ESV Prov. 29:18). Casting off restraint in the modern West looks like undisciplined lives serving what feels good. Reading the bible often exhaust the mind, thereby, one turns to television or video games; succumbing to activities which absorb little brain capacity.
At twenty-years-old, strung-out on cocaine, I met Christ. Upon salvation God gave me supernatural grace to read His Word. An urgency within me cried Ephesians 1:17, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” (ESV). Beloved, I urge you, He has enough grace, set a vision this year to read God’s Word. The body of Christ is suffering in starvation of personal prophetic revelation, and His Word is food.
YOUR JOY DEPENDS UPON IT
The great missional-pioneer to China, James Hudson Taylor once wrote, saying, “The real secret of an unsatisfied life lies too often in an un-surrendered will to the Word of God” (Taylor. Loc. 148). Taylor left thriving Western shores, recklessly-abandoning himself unto a hostile Chinese people for the sake of the Gospel. He lived primitively, tirelessly, enjoying little tangible fruit for his efforts. Yet, Taylor related satisfaction to a surrendered will to the Word of God. Two-points stand out here: (1) God designed the human heart to find satisfaction in him through His Word, (2) God gave us His Word not only for us to know Him, but for the human heart to delight in His will. Affectionate-based obedience is essential for heart-satisfaction. Set a course in 2017 toward discovering the will of God, in this you will discover the hearts design for joy.
One of my favorite C.S. Lewis quote’s, “It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered us. Like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased” (Lewis. 1). How true! The human heart foolishly lavishes energy upon temporal satisfaction, while the Word of God offers us true satisfaction, and true joy. Set a high vision this year to satisfy your soul upon the Word of God.
YOUR CALLING DEPENDS UPON IT
The father of modern mission, William Carey, said of his calling, “When I left England, my hope of India's conversion was very strong; but amongst so many obstacles, it would die, unless upheld by God. Well, I have God, and His Word is true. Though the superstitions of the heathen were a thousand times stronger than they are, and the example of the Europeans a thousand times worse; though I were deserted by all and persecuted by all, yet my faith, fixed on the sure Word, would rise above all obstructions and overcome every trial. God's cause will triumph” (Murray. 140). To know the will of God for a life, one must acquaint themselves with the Word of God. Many precious Christian-souls are living life with no revelatory or prophetic understanding for their life. However, opening God’s Word, asking His Spirit for understanding, with willing humility, one will hastily discover the will of God, and will not too long afterwards, discover how God has designed them to fulfill the will of God; may that be foreign missional endeavors, or local business related avenues. One’s God wrought calling in life necessitates reading the Word of God. Set high vision in 2017 to read God’s Word.
CONCLUSION
I tell people all the time, “One does not need hours set aside a day, thereby, even fifteen-minutes a day would revolutionize the human heart toward God, and His glorious will.” Read the Word more! Prophetic-vision for your life is water for the thirsty-soul. Read the Word more! Your joy depends upon it. Read the Word more! Your calling depends upon it.
Works-Cited
Carey, William, Lain Murray. “The Puritan Hope.” Banner of Truth:
Edinburgh, Scotland, 1971. Print.
ESV Bible. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway, 2001. Print.
Lewis, C. S. The Weight of Glory. New York, NY:
HarperOne/HarperCollins REV Ed, 2001. Print
Taylor, James Hudson. Union and Communion, Or, Thoughts on the Song of Solomon.
Kindle Edition ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Print.