A friend of mine posted Jeremiah 29:11 to her facebook page today. “For I know the plans I have for you…” It got me thinking about some of those verses from the bible that get thrown around a lot. Please don’t misunderstand - this is not about her post and I do believe that she understands and believes His word. The event just got me thinking…
I love the word (logos) of God and believe it is the single most important document that exists on this earth. It is the gold standard of all things related to God. It is our constant, the most complete work on His character and personality, and the ONLY resource that every person seeking Him needs to have a strong and healthy life here.
Ahaving said that, I DO NOT believe that it is a complete work. Not in the sense that there is anything missing, but from the standpoint that it is only a part of the knowledge that He intends for us. Just like the trinity itself, I beieve that He was a number of ways to bring us understanding and the bible is one of them. But, the written words on the page give us very little if it is not given life by the Holy Spirit.
So, to this end, I see something happening in church that saddens me - many, many Christians spend great time and effort in reading and knowning the bible, but spend very little time trying to actually UNDERSTAND (experientially) what He is saying. You see, there is a difference between knowing Jer. 29:11 cognitively and knowing it experientially. Cognitively, it sounds great and is a wonderful word to pass on to people in need. But, when we’re in need, do we REALLY believe that He knows His plans for us and that we are REALLY going to prosper, even in the face of death?
I find through sessions that few people have ever really worked out that faith. Why? I believe it’s because they believe that they are “standing in faith” when they are really just sitting in hope. They HOPE He will supply their need. They HOPE that they will prosper. They HOPE that He is who He syas He is.
So, how do we move from HOPE to FAITH? The rhema (spoken) word of God. When He takes that verse and then shows us the depth of it in our hearts, our hope becomes faith (the proof of what is not seen but HOPED for). PROOF, ladies and gentlemen. Solid, unwavering proof. The peace that passes understanding comes from an abundance of faith.
So, next time you hear one of those “common” verses like Jer. 29:11, don’t just take it at faith value. Don’t “stand on faith” that it is true. Examine your heart and your beliefs, capture those thoughts, and talk to Jesus about them. Ask Him to show you the experience that makes them true. You see, when He spoke that word to Jeremiah, He didn’t write it down on a piece of paper and hand it to him to read. He spoke the experience of faith into Jeremiah’s heart and changed his life in countless ways. He renewed Jeremiah’s mind. He set Jeremiah’s heart on fire.
John 5:39-40
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
No more sitting on hope in the church! Let’s start to appropriate his rhema voice, add it to the word and our praise, and start changing minds to really know the true beauty of the love of God.
In Paul’s words (Eph 3):
A Prayer for the Ephesians
14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom every familya in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
I, too, pray that the rhema revelation of His love will abide in your heart so that you CAN discover the width, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love, so that you will have the POWER he lists in v. 18. Dunumas power. Resurrection power.
Let the Word of God mix with the voice of God and the heart of Jesus speaking through the Spirit in your heart so that you may be complete.