Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Paul made a similar point with reference to the gospel (which is part of the overall word of God as revealed in the Bible) when he said in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." It is through the hearing of the word of God in the gospel message that the Holy Spirit brings people to conviction of their sin and to realization of their need for faith in Christ in order to be saved (as has occurred with countless multitudes since biblical times).

This represents the fulfillment of the purpose and power of God's word that had also been proclaimed in the Old Testament, when God Himself (speaking through the prophet Isaiah) said of all of His revealed word, "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish. So that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

April 20 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

These scriptures might offer some help, but only if they are believed.

1) For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Cor 1:18

2) He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His (God's) nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power... Heb 1:3

(WOW! That should be read more than once for optimal effect.)

3) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

(Can there be anything stronger than, more reliable than, more to be desired than the word of God?) 

How do we know we can trust what the bible says when it tells us the word has power? The clinical, religious answer is "By Faith." By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain... By faith Enoch was taken up... By faith Abraham obeyed... By faith Sarah conceived... All these, and much more evidence is chronicled in Hebrews 11. But they mean nothing to the one who does not believe. But there is other proof of the power of the word of God. It is by application. 

I have a truck that has 5 DC outlets to use to supply power for different devices: cellphones, tablets, TV's, food warmers, etc. All 5 are in good working order. It also has an inverter and an AC outlet for a traditional 3 prong electrical appliance. Something is causing the fuse to blow that protects the cargo light and the inverter, so the cargo light and the AC outlet needs repair. Every time I change the 3 amp fuse, it blows. How do I know when the fuse has blown and the cargo light and the AC outlet isn't working? I plug something into the outlet, or I try to turn the cargo light on. If either doesn't work I know I have no power going to that circuit. The same is true about the word of God. If we apply what we've been told in the word to our situations we find out whether the word has power or not. But just like my truck and the AC outlet, you can't have something killing the power. There is a "fuse box" that determines whether the power is available to us. If I have a good battery in my truck the power is available whether the fuse for that circuit I mentioned is good or not. Without the battery there is no power available. If the fuse is blown the power is blocked to protect against an electrical fire. 

God's "batteries" never need recharging, changing, or anything else, His power is inexhaustible. There's only one way to know if this is true: plug in to it. The circumstantial evidence used to call God's word and power, His love and compassion, His awesome promises into question, is the erroneous perception of "unanswered prayer." There's really no such thing. There are protections against a "system fire," but the system is always working properly. 

If Sarah and Abraham had considered the 24 years of holding on to hope for a son to be born to them, and not believed God for year 25, their lives probably would have been different. They kept on believing God even when it seemed futile. After waiting about 10 years they proceeded to circumvent God's plan by surrogacy. They had a son from Abraham mating with a house servant. That was a "system fire." A fuse would have come in handy, I suppose. But God didn't go back on His promise because of their lack of patience. It's not that they didn't believe God. They did. They just got impatient. Believers often do that. 

In summary: I know that the word has power because of the results I've gotten from applying it in my situations. I ask God to lead me and He does it. If He leads me in a way differently than I requested, I scrap my plan for His. But the best evidence that the word of God has power is what Hebrews 1:3 tells us. We see it in action every nanosecond of every day: "He upholds the universe by the word of His power." (Literally by the power of His word). What better proof is there? Something or Someone is holding it all together. My money is on Jesus.

April 24 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

The word of God has power which can be shown in 3 ways:
1. It is active
Isaiah 55:11 "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

The Hebrew for “word” can also mean “action” or “deed”. This indicates that God's word is active. The NET Bible translates it this way:

"In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. 1 No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend.” 2 

NET © Notes	1 tn Heb “so is the word which goes out from my mouth, it does not return to empty.” “Word” refers here to divine promises, like the ones made just before and after this (see Isaiah 55:7, --"Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. "; Is 55:12-13).
2 tn Heb “but it accomplishes what I desire, and succeeds [on the mission] which I send it.” --Is 55:11
sn Isaiah 55:8-11 focuses on the reliability of the divine word and support the promises before (Isaiah 55:3-5, 7b) and after (Isaiah 55:12-13) this. In contrast to human plans (or “thoughts”), which are destined to fail (Ps 94:11) apart from divine approval (Prov 19:21), and human deeds (or “ways”), which are evil and lead to destruction (Prov 3:31-33; 4:19), God’s plans are realized and his deeds accomplish something positive.

2. It restrains from evil
Psalm 17:4; Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (KJV)

[Psa 119:11] Thy Word Have I Hid In My Heart 

Thy Word is a lamp to my feet,
A light to my path alway,
To guide and to save me from sin,
And show me the heav’nly way.

Refrain

Thy Word have I hid in my heart,
That I might not sin against Thee;
That I might not sin, that I might not sin,
Thy Word have I hid in my heart.

Hide God’s Word in your heart,
Each day a verse repeat;
Tho’ sin allure success is sure,
You cannot have defeat.

3. It brings about the growth of the kingdom of God
Matthew 13:23 
“But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.” 

 [Mat 13:23] Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast

Almighty God, Your Word is cast
Like seed into the ground;
Now let the dew of Heav’n descend,
And righteous fruits abound.

Let not the foe of Christ and man
This holy seed remove,
But give it root in ev’ry heart
To bring forth fruits of love.

Let not the world’s deceitful cares
The rising plant destroy.
But let it yield a hundredfold
The fruits of peace and joy.

[Mat 13:23] Only Once You Pass This Way 
Do your best while life’s pilgrim way you tread,
Scatt’ring sunshine while you may;
Bear in mind, while the precious seed you spread,
Only once you pass this way.

Refrain

Only once you pass this way,
Only once you pass this way;
Be a blessing while you may,
Only once you pass this way.

April 26 2020 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report