We're
called to be "salt for the earth" and "light for the world" (Matthew
5:13-14). How can we be "salt" and "light" in a world that has turned
its back on the things that matter most in life? Can we do this by
"setting aside Moses' teaching or the Prophets" (Matthew 5:17)? No!
Jesus says, "No." He says, 'This is what we must never do. We cannot
preserve true Christian living, if we set aside the Word of the Lord. A
stripped-down ethic, which changeable from one generation to another, is
no substitute for a Christian that is grounded in the Word of God,
which is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. Who are we come to the
Word of God with the attitude that we can decide that there are some
things that are "unimportant" (Matthew 5:19)? When God calls something
important, we must also say, 'This is important.' It's not to be changed
because it doesn't fit in with our modern outlook. Sometimes, people
disregard what God's Word says because they think that they have the
right, to say, 'This is important. That is unimportant.' When we say
this kind of thing, what are we really saying? We're saying, 'I am more
important than God. I know better than God." Such an attitude can have
no place in the hearts of those who want, through their lives, to
"praise their Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
We read about Elijah in his high-points of strength - the triumph over the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:36-39) - and his low-points of weakness - he is ready to give up: “I’ve had enough now, Lord” (1 Kings 19:4). How did Elijah get into such a mess? He forgot this: “The Lord’s power was on Elijah” (1 Kings 18:46). In all life’s ups and downs, we must hold on to this: The Lord has sent His Spirit of power to live in us (2 Timothy 1:7). How are we to live in the power of the Spirit? We need to feed on the Word of God and drink in the Word of God (1 Kings 17:4). We need to pray that the Lord will send His showers of blessing (1 Kings 17:14). We are to live our life “according to the Word of the Lord” (1 Kings 17:16). For our life of faith to be strong in the Lord, we need to listen attentively to the preaching of God’s Word (1 Kings 17:24).
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