Grapevine
Changed For the Better
By Jack Northart

In the last issue of The Grapevine, we discussed the greatness of being transformed by the renewing of our minds. It is fundamental to successful Christian living.  But there is one other great truth in renewing the mind. And that is understanding that any individual endeavoring to work and study God's Word must be prepared to "unlearn" all that he has learned  from his youth on, for all must be tested and proved. (See
I Thessalonians 5:21).

The Word of God has stood the test of all time, and has endured centuries of criticism and doubt.
Why is there so much speculation about the Bible being THE WORD OF GOD?  Why is it considered among some as just another great piece of literature among all of the other secular writings?  The answer to these questions is simple.  People have brought their pre-conceived ideas to the Word of God and read in what they want it to say, rather than just letting it speak for itself.  And it usually has to do with how they "feel" about a certain passage of scripture rather than anything really factual.  Unfortunately for these people, their feelings do not change God's Word one bit.

The line from the old hymn that says…"nothing in my hands I bring", is so true when it comes to studying God's Word.  We must go to it without pre-conceived ideas and let it speak for itself.  Starting with a clean sheet of paper, so to speak.  If it disagrees with our previously held beliefs, we should change our thinking accordingly.

   2Peter 1:20-21
   Knowing this first, that no prophesy of the
   scripture is of any private interpretation.  For
   the prophesy came not in old time by the will of
   man, but holy men of God spake as they were
   moved by the Holy Ghost (Spirit).

What a wonderful testimony that the Word of God says about itself!  Yes, it is the vocabulary of men, but it is the Word and words of God (Acts 1:16).  David's vocabulary, but God's Word.  David was a prophet, and therefore, 2Peter 1:21 applies to him.  Daniel, Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah are all considered by the Bible, as holy men of God.  God told them what to say and they said it in their own  vocabulary. God did not take over their vocal chords and make them say anything. He didn't take their hands and push them around to write. That would be overstepping one of the greatest things God gave to mankind which is freedom of will.  But they were holy men because they believed what God told them.  Not by coercion or compulsion, but by their loving obedience to God, they did what God would ask them to do. 
                                                                                     
    Jeremiah 36: 27-28
   Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah,
   after that the king had burned the roll (scroll),
   and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth
   of Jeremiah, saying, Take thee again another
   roll (scroll), and write in it all the former words
   that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the
   king of Judah hath burned.
   Vs. 32  
   Then took Jeremiah another roll (scroll), and
    gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah;
   who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah
   all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king
   of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were
   added besides unto them many like words

God told him what he wanted written and then it was carried out by Jeremiah and Baruch.  It was the Word of God spoken once again.
   
Even so now, in our day and age,  we are the ones responsible to make a freewill decision about changing our minds when we come to God's Word.  Since it is reliable; and since it is Truth, we can put our confidence in what God says to us in His Word.  We all live by words. Why not put our total believing and confidence in the Word of God?

   James 1:21
   Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity
   of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the
   engrafted word, which is able to save (Gr. Sozo
   means to make whole)  your souls.

   Titus 1:9
   Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been
   taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine
   both to exhart and to convince the gainsayers.

   Philippians 2:16a
   Holding forth the word of life;

We are to receive the Engrafted Word with meekness, then hold fast that faithful Word, and then we are to hold it forth with all boldness.
  
When I was a young boy, I would watch my grandfather graft a tree. He would take a branch off of a plumb tree, and cut a hole in a apple tree on the trunk, and put the new branch on that tree.  Then he would wrap them both very tight with cotton cloth strips, so it would hold it fast on the trunk. And after a period of time, he could take that cloth off because the plumb branch had become part of the apple tree. 
  
So it is with the Engrafted Word.  We hold it fast, which means very closely, until it becomes part of our life. Then we can hold forth the Word of Life.  What a tremendous way to change our lives for the better.
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