Outside on a nice sunny day, my young daughter and I were beaming with eager anticipation. We were about to embark on her first lesson on riding her bike with training wheels. Before we began, I gave her brief instructions and clear standards on what to expect, including safety, balancing, awareness of surroundings, and enjoying the ride. The location I chose for the lesson was an open area with plenty of room to teach her the fundamentals of bike riding. This location had speed bumps, so I would also be able to teach her how to overcome obstacles in her path.
Ready now, we began her learning adventure. I was able to compliment her several times on how well she was doing, and I explained many benefits she would enjoy in the future from learning to ride her bike. I even mentioned that with practice she would get to the point of conquering speed bumps. A few moments later a speed bump came in sight. My daughter rode right up to it and came to a complete stop. By the look on her face, I could tell that overcoming the bump in the road was going to take some extra love and encouragement.
Taking into consideration what she might be thinking, I reminded her how David in the Old Testament went against the giant Goliath. I shared that she would be able to overcome this speed bump like David overcame Goliath. Now, these were not merely well-intentioned words, but encouragement from God’s Word to build her up and remind her that with God, she is able. With a bit more encouragement and support, she started riding over speed bumps that day, and now she looks forward to the challenge. She even calls it fun!
God’s Word has an endless supply of encouragement that we can utilize to build up one another. Keeping God’s Word as our standard, we have the greatest resource to help communicate with one another. As we look at some verses in the Church Epistles, we’ll see that we never need to be at a loss for encouraging words—words that can lift a burden, lighten a heart, or leave a lasting impression. We have the privilege to draw from God’s endless supply and to lovingly speak and help build the Word in each other.
All around us in the world are sources and standards from which to draw ideas and words to speak. But God wants us to draw from the highest standard anywhere—that of His Word. We become fully equipped by way of His Word to express to others the very best—the Word that they need to hear.
II Timothy 3:16 and 17:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
All Scripture is profitable for us, teaching us how to believe rightly, how to believe positively, which enables us to separate truth from error. The Greek word for “perfect” is artios, which means outfitted, equipped. With God’s Word we are perfectly equipped with everything we need in every situation. We lack nothing.
We are set up for success! Our choosing to let the Word of God—our standard—dwell in us richly, helps us successfully communicate godly encouragement from the Word.
Colossians 3:16:
Let the word of [pertaining to] Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Have you ever ridden a bike with a chain that desperately needed oil? It tends to be a bit rough to pedal a bike in this condition. However, once the chain is oiled, the bike is much easier and smoother to pedal, and the ride is more pleasant. One’s mind without the Word dwelling in it is like an unoiled chain—how much harder it is to speak the Word to others. But when we are reading and thinking the Word consistently, then sharing it with others becomes easier, smoother, and truly a joy unlike any other.
With the Word of God dwelling in our hearts, we make sure our words are seasoned with salt.
Colossians 4:6:
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Biblically salt represents commitment. We are to commit to what we say. We mean what we say and say what we mean. The how of answering every man is by our gracious speech, seasoned with commitment to our words and based on the standard of God’s Word.
When we have God’s Word as our standard, we have words of the utmost importance for people to hear.
Romans 1:16:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth….
Romans 10:14:
…and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Over the years I have been tremendously blessed with access to hearing God’s Word in The Way Ministry. It started with someone believing the Word of God themselves and then sharing it with me. The truths they shared with me changed my life. Today I continue to believe more of the Word because I continue to hear more of the Word….
This is an excerpt from the September/October 2013 issue of The Way Magazine.
Copyright© 2013 by The Way International. All rights reserved.
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