The Importance of the Word*

     This message might be a challenge to some, but it is vital, especially considering the lateness of the hour and the prophecies about to come to pass regarding the end times.

     I have memorized verses in the Bible since the time that I became saved. I have noticed that as I look up those memory verses in my Bible, the words have been changed, even in a King James Bible that was given to me by my wife when I got saved many years ago. One of the verses that I had memorized years ago was from Proverbs 26:13 and 15, for example. The wording of these verses that I memorized included the use of the word "sluggard".  Now, however, the wording has changed to "The slothful man...". There are also additional changes within these verses that have occurred in my old Bible. While these changes did occur, the original Hebrew and Greek meanings of the words in the verses do include the newly appearing words in their meanings. However, how did these changes occur in a Bible that has been in my possession for many years? Others have noticed the same kind of mysterious changes in Bibles that they have owned for years also. There are different thoughts about how a previously printed older Bible can be changed while sitting on a shelf. Some of those thoughts involve the CERN Hadron Collider in Europe, and their attempt to connect with dark particles and dark energy in what they call The Hidden Valley of the universe. However, after considering these things, there is one thing that I have decided is sure, and that is the fact that God keeps His Word above all else and performs it, and it accomplishes what He intends for it to accomplish. This is why it is important for us to read, memorize and meditate upon His Word, especially in these perilous times.

     Psalm 138, written by David, explains how God views His Word: "I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word ('imra - utterance, speech, word, Word of God, Torah) above all thy name." (v. 1-2). His name is above all, and He has magnified His Word is even above His name!

     John's Gospel also reveals the Word of God to us: "In the beginning was the Word (logos - of speech, a word uttered by a living voice, the sayings of God), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life (zoe - life, fulness of life...which belongs to God and Christ in whom the logos Word put on human nature; life real and genuine); and the life was the light (phos - light, heavenly light, brightness, of a lamp, God is light) of men. And that light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (Jn. 1:1-5). At the beginning of everything, the Word spoke and created all things. In Genesis, creation of all things began with the words, "God said...". God in Genesis is Elohim aleph-tav in written Hebrew. Aleph-tav is Alpha and Omega in Greek, which is the title and description of Jesus in the Book of Revelation. 

     Of the light which is the Word (Jesus), darkness cannot and will not overcome it or lay hold of it, which includes any attempt to access the dark elements and energy by CERN.

     Again we see in John's epistle a revealing of the beginning: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen, and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write unto you, that your joy may be full...God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." (1 Jn. 1:1-5). John as one of the eyewitnesses who saw, heard and handled the Word of Life, which is with the Father and with Jesus, repeats the promise held within that living Word which dwelt among us: life, even eternal life, and light. There is a great deception coming that will deceive even the elect if possible. Playing with darkness is wrong.

     Joshua replaced Moses as leader of the Israelites when Moses died. He would be given the purpose of leading the Israelites in that final step into the Promised Land, their inheritance from God. For this purpose, God gave Joshua this Word of command: "Be strong and of good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success....be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest." (Josh. 1:6-9). 

     We are not only to read the Word, but to meditate on it day and night, and to have it in our mouth, speaking it and doing it. We want the Lord with us wherever we go, so we need to have His Word within us, in our minds, hearts, even in our mouths. Christian seminars are given on how to achieve success and prosperity. This is success and prosperity - the Word of God in our hearts, thoughts and mouths. So often we speak about ourselves as being tired or being sick. However, we are to speak by the Word and Spirit of God, not by our flesh. This is one of the important points of having the Word as being the light and life of Christ in our beings and mouths.

       Psalm 119 is an exaltation of the Word of God in our lives. Each portion of the Psalm is composed under each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the building blocks of the written Word, as inspired by the Spirit of God. The Hebrew alphabet begins with the letter ALEPH and ends with the letter TAV, or Alpha and Omega in the Greek language. 

     This Psalm begins with a section under the first letter ALEPH (א): "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways...I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments." (v. 1-3, 7).

     In this first section, the Word sought and received into our hearts, affects our walk through life. Our walk begins to reflect the character of God and His Word: undefiled, with uprightness and righteousness. The Word changes us (see also Eph. 5:25-27).

     From the second section of this Psalm, which comes under the second Hebrew letter BETH (ב): "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth...I will meditate (siah - talk, muse, meditate, ponder, sing, consider, pray, to germinate, to produce, to bring forth) in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways." (v. 10-13, 15). We memorize, meditate upon, and speak the Word of God.

     The rest of the Psalm continues in this manner, associating it with each additional Hebrew letter, praising God for His faithfulness to His Word, the eternal righteousness and truth of that Word, and the sincere seeking to incorporate the Word into every aspect of the Psalmist's life. This is also how we are to treat the Word of God in our own lives.

     The prophet Isaiah warned of the results and end of a life that casts aside the life and light of the Word of God: "Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." Isa. 5:24).

     Often we hear from those who have cast away and despised the Word of God, and who feel very confident that they have no need of it in their life. However, the Word of God and the Person who is the Word, Jesus, is light and life. Away from the Word of God, there is darkness, death, and destruction rather than creation, as Isaiah wrote, and we are seeing it. However, the darkness will never overcome or overpower the light, and God's Word will never return to Him void, but it will accomplish all that He has set it out to do. This is the assurance of God.

     *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 12/29/24 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at Kenneth Stevenson. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook.