Let Me Get A Fresh Word Lord and Let Me Apply It

Published By Deborah Negron

March 25, 2019

Let Me Get A Fresh Word Lord
and Let Me Apply It

By Deborah Negron

These are all tools that may help the new preacher, but let them not be the crutches we hang on to when we need to walk by faith and speak your word.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6 KJV

We are without excuse. There is so much that can be gathered today. So much that we have become lazy as a society. The internet and social media give us access to so much information. But what good is it if we make no application of some of the good information we can attain.

My Daddy was a preacher. I remember him, reading over scriptures and writing his outlines over and over. I recall him and my mom sitting looking up scriptures in a variety of sources. The Scofield Bible, The Lexicon, the Concordance. Yes, they studied the word ardously. I can tell you, my dad prepared, prayed and spent days and hours preparing before preaching a sermon.

Today we have it all too easy. We have search engines that provide entire sermons. We have websites that offer outlines and give countless messages, there to be copied and used.

What an amazing gift, to have the work of others who have gone before hand and spent the effort and the time to prepare for us outlines so we may be able to read and connect with the Word of God in order to become better prepared to preach and edify others.

We can never axhaust all the learning we can glean from the Word of God.
I love to read Charles Spurgeon sermons. I love to read and listen to David Wilkerson’s sermons.

These have gone on to be with the Lord. But the Words they expounded on still resonates with many.

Jesus, the best preach of all time, preached his Sermon on The Mount and we can learn so much from it. The Beatitudes, the sermon about the Vine and the branches in John 15. We have so much to benefit from…
Yet, I wonder, how many of us really

stop and study the text of scripture. How many really spend time seeking God’s face. How many are not just concerned with a series of verses and more with the Spirit of the Word.
For centuries many have taken the time to read, to memorize, to repeat the Word. How many of us spend the time applying it?

How many preach about changing our lifestyles and our behaviors and yet they themselves still lives questionable lives.

Like the parent that says to the child, they never want to see them smoking, yet they smoke a whole box of cigarrettes daily.

Or the man who speaks about living holy but his business practices are questionable.

Ever been asked to lie at work?
Or do you work in a business that does harm to others? I was once asked to put my name on some documents in order to have them appear up to date. The problem was that by placing my name on them, I would be telling a lie. I would be falsifying a document. I remember battling with the unethical process. I remember how hard it was to say, I can’t do this. God will not be pleased with me. The thoughts in my mind ranged from, I will lose my job to what about my family’s needs?

The choice was clear. I could not do the wrong thing. However, there was a price to pay. I did lose my job…

At another time, In a conversation with a sister in the faith, I was asked the question, if playing the lottery was wrong. Their premise was, it is legal in the state we live in. The person was genuinely asking. I was hesitant. I did not want to offend them. Yet, I recall saying, the Bible speaks against gambling. Gambling may be legal in the state, but before the Lord it is still sin. Gambling leads some to suicide, loss of family and a detrimental addiction for which our state spends thousands and thousands trying to help those who fall in to it.

Just as today, Abortion may be legal, but what does the Bible say?
What about families? Are they not to be a blessing that God gives to a man and a woman who have procreated the way the Lord intended.

We may change the ddfinidyion of things. We may call evil good and good evil. But the God we serve does not change. He is the same yesterday today and forever.

If we are involved in things that displease him, is he going to make what we practice, good because we choose it?
Is he going to allow for a sin to stop bring a sin because it is our preference?

Jesus, said, to the young rich man, leave all that you have and follow me.
The young man could not do so, because he was very rich.

We too, may have to leave our comfort zones, our status and our positions because of the cross and because of our faith in Jesus Christ.. But for many, God forbid we preach, that we have to leave a job that is displeasing to God.
It would be politically incorrect.
Or God forbid we tell someone their way of life is in direct disobedience to what scripture says. We would not be accepted.

We stand and preach on pulpits about lives we don’t always live. We sing how much we love God, and how we want to live Holy yet, the business we are involved with is contrary to God’s word.
But believe me we justify it. We say, oh, I will be a light where the Lord has allowed me to be in.

We live in dispbedience and expect God’s blessing. Let me gamble, let me participate but not offend others.
We try to preach a gospel of grace without Repentance. Without repentance, without a confession of sins and a turning away from sin we cannot claim we have come to salvation.
We have been placing a label of christianity on our chosen half truth.
We find in the end, we have offended God. Scripture tells us, by their fruits you shall know them.
What fruits are we producing?
What lifestyle am I living?
Am I responsible for bringing unclean hands to worship? Am I shouting out a song while living life worng?

Might I be at risk of one day hearing the Lord say, what is recorded in Matthew 7:22-23,

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

I’m afraid that the more that is given to this generation the more complacent and lazy we become. The more laid back and unrepentant we have become.
We claim we love God, but we hang on to our old lives, our old comforts and claim them as blessings from God.

Lord Help us not to perish for lack of true knowledge. I don’t want some cookie cutter message. I do not want some other person’s words. Though they may be used for personal reflection. Let me rather hear from you. Let me apply the sermons, I read and hear and have the privilege of learning. Let me hear your words as I read and study. Let me pray and find myself in true fellowship with you.
Let me make application of that Word of God. Allow your Holy Spirit to instruct me. I want to know your voice and your word above all.

I don’t want to be found wonting. I don’t want to be found lacking the truth in my life.
Let your Word transform me. Let it build me up. Let it help me to be made a new. Let there be no trace of the old life. Let me shine for you.

Then my preaching and teaching will bring you glory. Then your power can be the one that transforms lives for your kingdom and for your glory. Let the song of praise and worship be received of you as a humble heart that is willing to let go of sin fully and embrace the cross and the love of God.

Then there will be found congruency between my preaching and my practice on the daily.
Lord forgive us for not making application of the Word.

Let me not gamble with my faith. Or cause others to stumble because of a false mediocre gospel. Let obedience be found in all we do. Let us surrender and trust that you will provide…
You will sustain and keep those whose minds are stayed on you.