3 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Matthew 24:35 (CSB): “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
Jesus had been talking about His return to earth when He concluded with our verse for today. He ended by emphasizing that while everything else was headed for destruction, what He said would never be destroyed. He meant what He said, and it would be fulfilled. Nothing could stop it.
But Matthew 24:35 isn’t merely true about what Jesus said on that particular occasion. It stands true for everything our God has said.
That’s the POWER of God’s Word! Every statement He has presented as truth is true! Every promise He made is going to come to pass! Every prophecy He proclaimed through the prophets will happen!
This past Sunday evening, I continued our mini-series on prayer. I talked about how faith is necessary when we pray. After all, “without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Further, Jesus made a promise to us when He said: “And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22). Faith is a non-negotiable when it comes to getting our prayers answered.
But true biblical faith isn’t work, it’s resting.
We don’t have to struggle to increase our faith so that we have enough to move a mountain. Instead, Jesus told us that all we need is “faith the size of a little mustard seed” (Matthew 17:20). We don’t need much to accomplish great things because faith doesn’t depend upon us. It is resting in what God has said.
And that’s where God’s Word comes in! The words that Jesus said wouldn’t pass away are more than sufficient to rest our faith upon.
So, when we are struggling, we need to pull out our Bible, or allow the Holy Spirit to bring a relevant Bible verse to our minds. Then, we essentially say: “God, you have said it. Now, I’m simply resting in what You have said.”
For instance, if you are talking with someone who is dealing with guilt over some past sin, ask them if they have made it right with God. They may say, “Yes, I’ve asked him thousands of times. But I just don’t feel forgiven.” That’s when you will pull out your Bible, words that Jesus said will never pass away, and open it to 1 John 1:9. Read it to them.
1 John 1:9 (CSB): “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
God’s Words are so clear. It is a simple “if/then” statement. If we confess our sins to God, then He will forgive us and clean us up. It’s that simple.
And, since we are so convinced that God means everything He has said in His Word, we could look at our friend and tell them: “Friend, if you confess your sins and God does not forgive and cleanse you, then God is a liar and His Word is not true.”
And that’s where faith comes in. We believe that God has meant everything He said and that His Words will never pass away. So, we can simply rest our faith in it. “God, you have said it. I trust You to do as You have said.”
I hope you can see that faith goes hand-in-hand with the conviction that God’s Word is flawless and will never pass away. It is what we rest our faith upon so that our faith isn’t work; it’s simply resting in words that are more than strong enough to hold up our faith.
Matthew 24:35 (CSB): “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, I say that I am a person of the Word. Yet, if I’m completely honest, I sometimes don’t rest my faith in it. Sometimes, I tend to believe much more what my eyes see than what Your Word says. Help me to embrace how faith and Your reliable Word go hand in hand. Help me to study Your Word and then rest my faith in it. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Going Deeper
If you want to go deeper, check out this article by Got Questions: “Why is it important to believe in biblical inerrancy?”
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com).
Matt’s Musings 