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bold, confident and unafraidThe word

Into the New Year

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Over the last couple of months, much time and energy were spent focused on Christmas. In a flash it is over, and a New Year faces us. Since we reflected on the women in the genealogy of Jesus, we now have new insights to aid us as we step into the year ahead. God keeps His word, He knows our needs, and He will deliver us.

God Keeps His Word

Before the sun set on the day of Adam and Eve’s temptation, God spoke forth His plan. Then, as He journeyed with Abraham and the children of Israel, He continued to speak forth promises. The ultimate fulfilment of the promises spoken came through the Christ of Christmas. He was the word in the beginning; He was with God and was God.

God Knows Our Needs

Tamar needed a child to carry on Judah’s line. Rahab needed deliverance for her family. Ruth needed food for her and Naomi. Bathsheba needed forgiveness. God knows our deepest needs. We often think superficially, how will we pay this bill, where will our next meal come from, or how will we manage this circumstance? Jesus taught that life was more than food and the body was more than raiment. Our profound need is much deeper. God knew our deepest need was restoration to Himself. He could then take care of all our other needs.

He Will Deliver Us

These truths are explained in Isaiah 59. “Behold the LORD’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy that it cannot hear.”

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore, His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him.”

“The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob.”

As we face the year ahead, we forge on with the courage of Rahab and the determination of Ruth, knowing we have a Redeemer who loves us and promises to meet every need. God keeps His word, He knows our needs, and He will deliver us.

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The TrinityThe witnessThe word

Witness and Testimony

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

John writes about Jesus the Christ when he declares that He came both by water and by blood. The Spirit of God is the witness because He is the Spirit of truth. There are three witnesses in heaven and also on earth followed by the testimony.

Witness in Heaven

John says there are three witnesses in heaven. These are the Father, the Word and the Spirit. They are three but they are also one.

Witness on Earth

In 1 John 5: 8, he writes that there are also three witnesses on earth. The Spirit, the water and the blood. They are three but they all agree as if they were one. When the soldier struck Jesus to see if He was dead, water and blood spilled from His side. We may receive the witness of men but how much greater the witness of God who at His baptism stated, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

The Testimony

Do you believe in the Son of God? That in itself is a witness. Otherwise you make God out to be a liar. The testimony is that God has given eternal life, the life that is in His Son. Anyone who has the Son also has His life. There are three witnesses in heaven and also on earth followed by the testimony.

John clarified the reason he wrote. He was writing to believers. He wanted them to know that they had eternal life and to give them a reason to continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

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Finding strengthnew creationThe word

In Deceptive times

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The apostles wrote to fight the deceptive times they were living in. Jesus, before ascending to heaven, commissioned them to go and make disciples. As they did so, the intensity of the lie threatened the faithful. In 1 John we read the words he wrote to strengthen the believers. He writes where to live, the promise for which they live and the anointing under which they live.

“Abide in Me.”

Where to Live

First he tells them where to live. “Abide in the Son and in the Father.” This new life is hiding with Christ in God. It is living in the things heard at the beginning, truths which the Spirit worked in their hearts to make new creations in Christ. These truths must become home, the place in which the soul abides. Jesus came to save sinners, He is the way, the truth and the life, and He is coming back to receive His own. These truths must be the Christian’s home.

The Promise

Secondly he writes of the promise. “This is the promise.” Jesus promised eternal life. Live in the promise. Hold on to it. Don’t let anyone deceive you. It is a rock solid truth for it came from the mouth of Jesus. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” He is truth. Believers cling to the words of Jesus.

The Anointing

The third point of which he writes is the anointing. He tells them it came from God and lives within the believer. He writes, “You don’t need anyone to teach you.” “The anointing teaches you about all things.” “It is true and is not a lie.” You have the Holy Spirit, who is the seal of God’s truth within. Abide in Him. Then when Jesus returns there will be nothing to be ashamed of. He is righteous. The person who practices right living and loves his brother thereby shows he is a child of God.

John writes to the family of God, who face deceptive times about where to live, the promise for which they live and the anointing under which they live.

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the scripture fulfilledThe word

Preparation Day

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The Jews held to their laws and rituals above all else. To them, the Sabbath stood as the holiest of days. What an affront to God, should the bodies remain on the cross into the Sabbath! Therefore to hasten death, they requested the soldiers to break the legs of the men on the crosses. Even in this illustration, God shows Himself above man’s designs, fulfilling His word and maintaining a witness, that all may believe.

These have been written that you might believe.

Above Man’s Designs

When it came to the concerns of man, God already had pre-empted their plans. When the soldiers came to Jesus, He was already dead. There was no need to break His legs. Instead, they pierced His side. From Genesis to Revelation we read about God’s designs concerning His Son and mankind.

Fulfilling His Word

John refers to scriptures which were fulfilled in this part of the story. He refers to Psa. 34:20, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” and “They shall look on Him whom they have pierced.” Psa. 22″16,17, Zech. 12:10 and 13:6 along with Rev. 1:7 all refer to His being pierced. These words were placed in the hearts and minds by God’s Spirit, and some have been fulfilled while yet some remain.

Maintaining A Witness

God not only worked above man’s plans, but fulfilled the words He had spoken to the prophets, and has yet to fulfill. In it all He maintained a witness. Here the apostle John is the witness. He defends his testimony. “I have seen this, I verify that it is true, I know it is the truth and I’m telling you so you can believe.”

God’s heart, all through time, desires for all to believe. Even in this illustration, God shows Himself above man’s designs, fulfilling His word and maintaining a witness that all may believe. Someday the fulfillment, “Behold He is coming with clouds and every eye will see Him, and they also who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.”

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The word

God’s Word

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The Book of Hebrews begins, “God who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son” As we look to John 12:37-50, John writes about the fulfillment of the words God spoke through Isaiah, how Jesus embodied the words of God and how God’s word is everlasting life.

God’s Word Through the Prophet

One of the proofs of a true prophet was fulfilled prophecy. John writes that despite all the miracles Jesus performed, they did not believe. He tells his readers the reason is fulfillment of the words of Isaiah. When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up, with His train filling the temple, he spoke of the Lord Jesus. “Lord who has believed our report?” and “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their heart,” The word of God spoken by Isaiah the prophet was by their rejection of Jesus, validated.

Jesus Embodies the Word of God

Still there were those who believed in Jesus They kept quiet because if the Pharisees knew, they would be put out of the synagogue. John says they loved the praises of men more than the praise of God. To believe in Jesus meant belief in God. The life of Jesus was a light. Those who believed walked no longer in darkness. Jesus embodied the word of God; however, some rejected Him and the words He spoke. Those rejected words would become that which will judge them in the end.

His Word, Everlasting Life

Jesus made it clear that the words He spoke came from God the Father. The words of the heavenly father were and are everlasting life. As His Father told Him to speak, those were the words that He spoke. To hear the words of Jesus was to hear the words of God, words of everlasting life. John writes about the fulfillment of the words God spoke through Isaiah, how Jesus embodied the words of God and how God’s word is everlasting life.

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Paul the ApostleThe word

Closing Remarks to The Colossians

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The apostle Paul and Timothy have written a letter replete with sound doctrine and encouragement. They have written of faith, who Christ is and how He works in their lives and relationships. In their closing remarks to the Colossians, Paul and Timothy ask the Colossians to share the letter, admonish Archippus, and to remember Paul’s chains.

Share the Letter

First of all they say to share the letter. The Word of God is never to be a personal thing exclusively. Paul and Timothy wrote to the Colossians. They were to share the letter with the Laodiceans. The Laodiceans were to share their letter with the Colossians to read. Like a good potluck of pre covid days, everyone shared what they had, and they all went away full.

Admonish Archippus

Then in another section of Paul’s closing remarks, he refers to Archippus. God needs workers to harvest in His vineyard. Jesus instructed His followers to pray the Lord of the harvest to send out reapers. Archippus is a fellow soldier, according to Paul’s letter to Philemon. Yet he requires some prodding. He has received a ministry in the Lord. He needs others to come along and tell him to fulfill it. Do we know anyone needing some prodding?

Paul’s Chains

Finally he writes about his chains. We often forget what is going on in someone else’s life especially when they are not in front of us. Paul’s life and ministry depend on prayer. As he writes these closing remarks, Paul is aware of the short memories people have. Meanwhile, his chains prevent him visiting the new believers in person. They also prevent his evangelizing in the cities of Asia. He is tempted to be discouraged. In Hebrews 13:3, the writer tells the readers to remember the prisoners, as if chained with them, and to think of those who are being mistreated because we are all part of the body. Even today we have brothers and sisters that suffer for Christ. Lord help us to faithfully pray for those suffering because they love Jesus.

The apostle Paul and Timothy have written a letter replete with sound doctrine and encouragement. They have written of faith, who Christ is and how He works in their lives and relationships. In their closing remarks to the Colossians, Paul and Timothy ask the Colossians to share the letter, admonish Archippus, and to remember Paul’s chains.

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The word

The Word in Flesh

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

In Psalm 119, the writer needs one hundred and seventy-six verses to express his praise for the word of God. The word is not apart from its giver. From it he finds life and hope, righteousness and wisdom and much more. In several verses he discusses the delight it is, how it revives his soul, and keeps him from sin. It comforts him and gives him a reason to sing. It has been his way to learn about God, how to please Him and to understand the great mercy He shows to His children. He clung to these words written in stone and expressed through the laws of Moses. Like the Psalmist, we too know the delight of the word, experience its power in our lives, yet unlike him, we have the Word in flesh.

“The Word Became Flesh”

The Delight of the Word

Like the Psalmist, we find delight in the word. We love the commands of the Lord and meditate on them. We find it is to us, as to the Psalmist, better than thousands of shekels of gold and silver. We desire to meditate throughout the day because of the wisdom we gain from it. The words are sweet, even sweeter than honey. There is a rejoicing in the heart because of the word. It is trustworthy and without deceit. When troubled or in anguish, there is comfort in the word. Like the Psalmist, our hearts stand in awe of His word and rejoice as one who has found great treasure.

We Experience Its Power

Our great love for the word comes from experiencing the power it has in our lives. Like the Psalmist, we have received life through it. The word gives us hope and strengthens us in our weakness. It gives us direction and keeps us from error. It enlarges the heart. The truths bring comfort. In dark times it brings light, when we need protection it provides a shield and when we need to hide, it becomes a hiding place. We receive wisdom and understanding higher than any on earth. Then unlike many words of sentiment, God’s word is solid and eternal, a place we can settle and be secure not just for today but for eternity.

We Have the Word in Flesh

The big difference between us and the Psalmist is the person of Jesus Christ. Though the Psalmist had a special anointing as Hebrews 11:13 tells us, ” (he) died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them, afar off (was) assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that (he was) a (stranger and pilgrim) on the earth.” (italics mine), John tells us, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” He came as we did through the birth process. He experienced life through taste and smell, hearing and sight. He knew the limitations of gravity and time. Jesus also struggled with the same inabilities to communicate. Though He understood grief and pain, He became the Living Word, which lives for us even today. So like the Psalmist, we too know the delight of the word, experience its power in our lives, but unlike him, we know the Word in flesh. Now that is praiseworthy!

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