God's Word Endures Forever
It has been said that nothing lasts forever. The things of this world will fade away one day.
Even though heaven and earth shall pass away, God's Word shall endure forever.
We can depend on the Word of God with assurance that it cannot fail. Just as a legal contract must be enforced and carried out according to the terms, we have a legal contract from God which also has terms and provisions to be fulfilled.
If we keep the commands given us in our New Covenant of God's Grace, He will see every promise given us is fulfilled in his way and time.
Nothing else is lasting or will endure eternally except God's words and ways. Within the pages of his Book are all we need to know to be
successful and happy in this life and eternally. We are told that "whosoever therefore shall break one of these least
commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven;
but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees to enter into God's
Kingdom, and only comes by receiving the righteousness of God through Christ. We are only made
worthy through the finished work of Jesus on Calvary's cross.
While we are no longer bound by the ceremonial or civil laws which pertained to Israel,
the principles behind them of worship and love to a Holy God still apply.
Because culture and society are radically different today, they cannot be followed specifically, but the principles behind the concepts of the laws for daily living and worship in Israel
are timeless and should guide our conduct. God always expects holy living and worship to be
in the lives of his people.
Moral laws are God's direct commands and require strict obedience as the commands reveal the
nature and will of our God. The Lord told his followers to put his laws into practice and not be
as the Pharisees. These teachers of the law obeyed it outwardly, but did not let it change
their heart and life on the inside. Jesus was therefore saying that the quality of our goodness needs to be greater than that of the Pharisees. God judges our hearts first, as well as our deeds, and it is in the heart where our real allegiance lies. We are to be just as concerned about our attitudes which people don't see, as our actions which are seen by all. It all centers around the attitudes of our heart which come from within.
Our goodness comes from what God does within us, not from what we can do by ourselves. It is based
on reverence for God, not approval from people, and goes beyond keeping the law to loving all the principles behind the laws of God.
Jesus gave us a fuller understanding of why God gave the law as
he explained the intent of God's words for holy living. We will also be held accountable for our attitudes according to the teachings of Jesus required for his followers. (Matt. 5)
Thanks be to God for sending his living Word to us and for his will being set forth
that we might know how to walk in his ways. May we always see the lamp he has given to guide us on a sure path and
let his light shine through our hearts and lives. God's words really are
"wonderful words of life."
Jo Ann Kelly
J. P.'s Inspirations (c) 2002
God's Word Endures Forever
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"Nothing lasts
forever".
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we hear so many say,
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But the Word of the
Lord
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shall never pass away.
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Possessions of this earth
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will fade away and perish,
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But the treasures of the Lord |
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we can forever cherish. |
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The mansions we may see
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or things that money can buy,
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Will all be left behind
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| when this mortal body must die,
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But the treasures laid up in heaven
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| shall forever remain,
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| If we set our hearts on heavenly
things
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and the power of his name.
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He is the Alpha and Omega
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the Beginning and the End,
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He is the First and Last
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| The "I Am" who saves from sin,
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He was in the beginning
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and forevermore shall be,
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He is the "Word"
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"Eternal Life"
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who sets our spirits free. |
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Jo Ann Kelly (c) 6/2002
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| J. P.'s Inspirations
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