Have you ever given any thought about words? From the beginning of time until now, words have been a part of it all. Without words nothing was made. ( Please read 1 John 1:1-3 and Hebrews 11:3.) Words are used to instruct us, encourage us, destroy us, condemn us, describe us, and motivate us, among a few.
Technology has changed the way words are exchanged. Trillions of words are exchanged every second by every medium you can think of. It doesn't matter what medium words are exchanged in, their definitions remain the same.
We are a conduit for words exposing truths or words propagating falsehoods. James, in James 3:1 warns those who teach the word to be cautious, because they will receive a stricter judgment on how they choose and handle the words they proclaim.
The Psalmist says in Psalm 119:160, The entirety of your word is truth... . Psalm 119 is meditations on the excellencies of the word of God. Before we believe the words we read or hear, we need to know the credibility or authority of the one proclaiming them. The most credible author is God. Please go to John 12:47-50 and read what Jesus says about rejecting words from God.
Now I want to present to you some words, credibility has already been verified, which stir me to thinking about what is important in this life. I can focus on obtaining everything this world has to offer (1 John 2:15-17) or I can focus on having a pleasing faith before God. (Hebrews 11:6)
Read these next verses of Matthew 16:26. Read this when you are alone and I pray you will have the courage to answer this one important question. Are you exchanging anything for your soul? What is it? Do you really understand the consequences? Whose words have you chosen to live by? What are those words carrying? Truth or fallacy? Whichever ones you choose, your last breath will assign them to you forever.
Here are the words I want you to read. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? This is it. What are you gaining and losing in your life? Are you gaining eternal life and losing the world or gaining the world and losing your soul? Jesus was tempted to gain the whole world. He turned it down. (Matthew 4:8-11) When the Devil tempts you with this world's glory, are you going to turn it down like Jesus did? Are you sowing to the flesh or the Spirit? (Galatians 6:8)
Thanks for reading.
Rick
