Patch Up The Cracks: Retaining The Word

Patch Up The Cracks: Retaining The Word

Preacher Huijun - 3 May 2020

Weekend Devotions: Fear Says "What If", Faith Says "Even If"

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How impactful is God’s influence on our lives? Does it supercede the power over man’s limited words? Often, the present things we are facing alway seem to have a bigger influence on us than God’s word. And it is understandable because it is what is right before us. However, no matter how real our problems and the noise of the world can be, God does not want us to merely pursue an earthly satisfaction, peace, being worry free and care free. He wants us to be build up and strengthened even more with His word. However, the word of God seem to be “leaking” out of our hearts and minds through different gaps. So let us pray to be vigil and all the more focused on putting our eyes on listening and meditating upon His instructions. When we retain God’s word and use it as our main influence and compass, then can we stand tall before all our present circumstances. Hebrews 2:1 “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Here in the verse, it clearly tells us that we have to pay careful attention to the word we have heard, if not, these same words will drift away from our hearts, losing its impact.

The Cracks In Our Faith

Now having cracks in our faith and allowing the Word to “drift away” is a lethal to believers. When the Word leaks away, its influence, conviction, guidance and protection over us is lost as well. Over time, when we leave the cracks be, new sinful desires will enter, inclinations and weaknesses will grow into stronger holds. And whatever is left of our faith will be easily subjected to doubts and be shaken by any and every challenge we that comes along. Therefore, we have to be aware our spiritual gaps and the gradual harm it causes to our faith living. 

Retaining The Word

So how do we patch up the cracks or gaps in our faith and retain the Word of God we have heard. In the verse on Hebrews 2:1, it has given us the way, “to pay more careful attention to what we have heard.” And what have we heard through His Word. Everything about how real God is, His goodness, His righteousness, His mercy, His justice, His holiness and His faithfulness for His plans. When we are always putting God’s word in our hearts and minds daily, we will grow to hear His leading more and more easily. And whatever issues we may face, the truth that guides us does not drift away. Maybe we used to be quick to react to a bad outcome. But when we are more and more God-centered, another voice of truth within us will get us thinking, “What is God showing me through this outcome? Do I need to dwell so hard on this failure or God is opening another path for me?” This is not just a private speech we are having with ourselves, but one that is influenced and convicted by the truth we have heard from God to reflect, to test and affirm. So let us not think that retaining and paying careful attention to God’s word is something very hard. The only obstacle for it is the issue of our heart. Our heart that is already clouded by so much carnal inclinations, going with the flow of the culture, personal accusations and the fluctuation of our emotions. As the wise King Solomon said in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” To really patch up the cracks of our faith, we have to guard our heart and use the Word to fill it up. If not, we can be hearing a sermon one moment, and the next moment, we will quickly fall back to our old ways again. 

The Word Must Become Our Life

When it comes to the Word of God, once we have heard it, it has to become the way we lead our lives, because it has become a living relationship we have with God. The Word tells us we are God’s people, we are His dignified children and we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. So we should know that we are living in this temporal and fallen world, but with an eternity awaiting us. The Word tells us that our enemy is one that is invisible (Satan) working in this visible world to rob believers off our faith, so we ought to always be alert in all areas of our lives. The Word also encourages us that we live by faith, not by mere deeds. Therefore, no one should boast but continue living in the grace and mercy of God, becoming His vessels. These are all the foundation of the truth that God has given us to build upon. So as the Word of God becomes our life, let us trust and always rely on this gospel promises. For those that retain God’s word in their hearts and abide by it, as 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 says, “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Let us fix our eyes on the unseen yet ever present and powerful Word of God. God bless.

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Miki Terayama
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Miki is a full-time ministry staff at The Blessed Run Ministries. She is a sister who shares a natural, God-given affinity with children and youths. She is married to Randy (NET Group Youth Leader) and has two little ones of her own, Liora and Jude. She is involved in the children, youth and social media ministries.

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