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OK God,But What Are You Saying To Me? Part 1

by Doug Laird 
07/02/26
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OK God, But What Are You Saying To Me? Part One

This is the critical question that one must ask and answer, if he or she is going to get anything meaningful out of one’s daily intake of the Word of God. The daily intake of the Word of God has been a part of my daily routine for the better part of 73 years.

I often have gotten a different “take-away,” even though I am reading the same passages that I have read many, many times before. For an advancing disciple, the daily intake of the Word of God never gets old.

Any child who attended Sunday School can tell you about Moses and the burning bush, Noah and the Ark, Joshua and the walls of Jericho, Daniel in the lions’ den, David and the giant Goliath, Jonah in the fish’s belly, etc., but for the advancing disciple, the question becomes what is it that God wants to say to him or her today.

This is what Heb. 4: 12 and 2Tim. 3: 16 means when referring to the Word of God as being (not was) a l-i-v-i-n-g and active source of edification, guidance, and inspiration.

What would become Old Testament Scripture began to take written form around 1500 BC, but also speaks of relevant events that took place in eternity past, before Man was created.

Being the self-centered creatures that we are, it’s hard to comprehend a time when Man did not even exist.

There was a 400-year period of time when generations of enslaved Jews were born, lived, and passed away in Egypt, without any overt indications of any forward progress in the plan of God, during their individual lifetime.

There was a 400-year gap in time between the completion of composing the Old Testament, and the beginning of the writing of the New Testament.

It’s been almost 2,000years since the promise of the Lord’s return, recorded in Acts 1:11.

It is often during periods of time that God seems to be silent, be it on the global or individual level, that fallen Man begins to question if and when the things spoken of, are going to take place, and has tried to speed up the process, or develop other ideas, doctrines, and agendas that have not come from God.

There are NO periods of silence for the advancing disciple who listens to the inaudible voice of God during his or her DAILY intake of the Word of God, and there is always something for him or her to do to participate in the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20).

If just ONE soul is either evangelized or edified by what we do on any given day, then that day was not lived in vain!

Each time a verse or passage of Scripture is read, it is for the purpose of developing and or reinforcing the “mind of Christ (1Cor. 2: 16 NASB2020).”

Every day, our soul structures are bombarded with concepts that are in opposition to what God has to say. Without having developed and maintained a Biblically-edified soul structure, we become easy targets in the realm of spiritual combat that takes place throughout the course of every day.

Each and every time that we are faced with having to make a choice between doing what comes naturally (Rom.8: 7), and what God would have us think, say, or do, we are involved in a round of spiritual combat. How we respond either glorifies or denies God the glory that He should have otherwise received.

There is no neutral ground in the spiritual realm. With each opportunity, you either do or fail to do what God would have you do.

Keep in mind that discipleship is NOT all about you!

While it is initially for one’s own edification and spiritual growth, the long-term objective is to equip the born-again believer to participate in the Great Commission, evangelizing and edifying the persons within his or her personal periphery!

Like a runner in a torch-relay race, one cannot pass along to others until one has first grasped for himself!

While the subject matter of any given passage or sermon may not address an issue that we are presently facing, it may be of need for someone else that God would have us edify, or it may be something that God is preparing US for, as He knows what is awaiting us in the future.

No time spent in the Word of God is ever wasted, unless one fails to apply what he or she has learned to the need of the moment (James 1: 22).

. . .

Advancing disciples acknowledge that the timing of God is perfect, never being early or late. It was not a part of the plan of God for the one you see in the mirror to be here on Earth for any event that took place before one’s birth date or that will take place after his death date.

It is the desire of God for every soul to connect with and serve the purpose of God during his or her appointed time here on Earth. As of the Church Age, one connects with God by being born-again (John 3: 5,7), and serves the purposes of God through post salvation Biblical discipleship (Matt. 16: 24).

The need (John 3: 5, 7) and the process to be born-again was never intended to be complicated or difficult. The process involves making a one-time decision to believe, after reaching the age or stage of moral accountability, when presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message, encapsulated in John 3: 16,18.

If and when that takes place, God the Holy Spirit (not human clergy) performs His irreversible Work of sealing the soul (Eph. 4: 30) and regenerating the spirit (Titus 3: 5) of the individual involved, who then and there has passed from the spiritual death (John 5: 24) status with which he came into this world, and has received the irrevocable (Rom. 11: 29) gift of eternal life.

THIS is what God wants to say to every soul that is here on Earth. After one is born-again, He then desires for the soul involved to identify and pursue the post salvation life of Biblical discipleship.

End of Part One