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Weekly Reminder...
The Weekly Reminder is an informative tool to help people who read it consider what the man of God has said. This weekend’s articles are based on what was heard on August 8 & 9, 2009 in the Westbury assembly.written by Br. Samuel Philogene
The word of God has a purpose; when God sends His word He is expecting for us to respond positively by taking heed to the words and applying them to our lives. Many times we quote this scripture in Isaiah 55:10-11, that the word of God shall not return unto Him void, but shall accomplish that which pleases God. But how many times has the word of God come to us clearly, addressing a specific area in our lives that need to be changed but we refuse and neglect it; we didn’t allow the word to do the job that God sent it to do. The reason why this happens is because we as a people have failed to do our part of the job. This is where the last weekend’s lesson comes in. Br. Antoine quoted 2 Corinthians 6:1 where Paul was saying that we should not receive the grace of God in vain. We have to give as Paul says, “the most earnest heed to the things which we have heard” (Hebrews 2:1-4). Br. Antoine emphasized that the opportunity to hear the word of God was that grace that precious grace that we shouldn’t take for granted because there is a judgment up ahead (John 5:22).
Now the question is: “How we can take the word of God in vain?” When we refuse to hear the word and apply it or when we choose what we want to obey; most of the time we try to please God in our own righteousness which is not in fact righteousness but our carnal emotions and views (Romans 10:3). The prophet Isaiah gives us a perfect example of how we can take the grace of God in vain so the work of salvation is made ineffective in our lives. In Isaiah 5:1-7, we see how the well Beloved did all that was necessary for the vineyard to produce good fruit but it brought forth wild grapes. Israel didn’t produce what God was expecting from the good work that He did, so know the judgment came in: “I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down. And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it (Isaiah 5:5-6)”. It is sad but the same example can be applied to us today if we neglect this great salvation. If we don’t give attention to the words that come from the bible stand, God will judge us because we took His word in vain.
For God to be righteous in His judgment He sends His word all around the world, all nations shall hear the voice of God from ministers that He has raised up to administrate the church so there will be no excuses on the day of His judgment (Matthew 24:14). The psalmist say in Psalms 19:3-4, “There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun (See also Romans 10:18). God sent the word throughout the entire world as a witness against mankind (Jeremiah 11:6-11).
Br. Antoine made a statement during the message that must be considered; he said that we should take the word of God to do good towards one to another. How can someone use the word of God to do bad when we know that the word of God is pure and holy (Romans 7v12)? Though the word is right there are many who take it in vain and use it in a bad way. Paul said clearly in 1Timothy 1:18, “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully”. We have to use the word to build the church of God, to help one another in the faith but not use it to satisfy our own lust (Jude 4, 2 Peter 3:14-18). Let us pray, saints of God that we give all attention to the word that we receive from God; we can’t afford to take the word in vain.
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