The Word To LIve By: 7-23-26
Phil Waggoner
If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
The Word To Live By: This might turn into a rant, so beware if you are not in the mood to hear old man wisdom. I have long been a proponent of the local church. The federal government goes as its states go, the state goes as its counties go, the county goes as its communities go, the communities go as its families go, and the families go as the local church goes. The local church is as strong as the uncompromising Word of God that is preached there. By uncompromising, I mean how to live by faith and not by sight or feelings. What is it doing for those in need and to spread the gospel to those that don’t know? Any church of any sizeor of any denomination can do that. There are three things mentioned in 1 John 1:7 that make this work. #1. Walk in the light as He is in the light. Immerse yourself so much in the Word of God that whatever you are doing, it shines out of you. Don’t compromise with the world. #2. Fellowship with one another. I have a love/hate relationship with modern technology. I love that I can reach people all over the world with it simply by writing a message or even calling them. (I remember in the early 80s being in India and in order to call my wife in Iowa, I had to place the call with an overseas operator and wait by the phone for as much as four hours for it to go through and then it cost around five dollars a minute to talk. Now all I have to do is dial the number and I’m talking for the same price for what I call my neighbor down the road.) However, the key in that verse is “fellowship with one another.” God wants us face to face with fellow Christians. You have something to give and/or receive from others when you are eyeball to eyeball that you don’t get any other way. I’m certainly not against watching church on TV; it’s a better option than no church at all but it doesn’t take the place of fellowship with one another. And #3. The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. Understanding who you are in Christ and what His sacrifice did for you will propel you and give you the confidence to live by and walk by faith. And that will come by revelation knowledge of the Word of God. And that comes by hearing it, believing it, and doing it.
Read through the Bible in a year: 1 Corinthians 10; 2 Kings 3; Amos 8;
Read through the New Testament and Proverbs: Proverbs 23, Matthew 12:1-25, Acts 23:
The sum of Thy Word is Truth Psalm 119:160