Lazarus Come Forth!

by Thomas Miles
Published June 7, 2005

When God speaks, things happen.

From the very moment that time began as we know it, God spoke and something happened. In the book of Genesis God said on the first day, "Let there be light: and there was light." On the second day God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters", and it happened. On the third day, fourth day, fifth day and sixth day He spoke and what He spoke happened.

God sent out the Word - HIS WORD - by HIS mouth and that WORD accomplished what it was sent out to do. It did not return unto Him void! It will not return unto you void if you humble yourself and call on HIS name in truth.

Isaiah 55:11, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

II Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, would humble themselves, and pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their lands."

Isaiah 45:22-23 "I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear."

God sent Jesus, and He became the living Word, the living example for all people. Christ gave a commandment to preach, teach, and spread the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ to the nations. And that Gospel is what I desire to spread without compromise! I’ll preach to a telephone pole before I compromise the Word of God! And since God’s Word will never return unto Him void, He’ll send someone along to hear that Word being preached to the telephone pole.

Sugar coating or watering down the scriptures is not what Christ desires for His servants. Bending the truth or being "slick" is not a godly principle either. Perverting the scripture to fit a certain agenda is wrong.

Compromising God’s Word happens so subtly:
"What in the HECK is going on?"
"Pray I don’t get caught, but I’ve got to drive the truck and I don’t have a chauffeur’s license."
"It’s a thin line, and God will understand."
"There’s a man dying officer, and I need to get to the hospital to be with the family."
"I’ll pay all the bills first, then, I’ll tithe."
"Everyone is doing it!"
"Well, I guess one drink won’t hurt."
"I shouldn’t listen to those stories, but I want to fit in at work."
"It’s only a pencil."
"It’s only a box of staples."
"I didn’t actually do anything, I just thought about it, so I’m okay."
"It was just a white lie!"
"I can’t love that person, they are unlovable."
"I don’t have to worry, I’m saved!"
"It’s not like it was a big sin or anything like that!"

The phrases above might be ones you’ve heard often, or never heard, or perhaps use yourself. They are compromises to God’s Word. Any time you do something you know is wrong that breaks man’s law or God’s Law, you have compromised the Word of God! You have sinned!

Let me give you a scenario: You are upset with Mom or Dad and you storm out of the house, jump in the car, squeal out of the driveway and pray, "God protect me," as you scream down the street nearing 80 mph and the car hits a telephone pole. Did God desert you because you were seriously injured in the accident? Or did you compromise the Word of God by asking God to protect you while you broke the law?

You're driving down the highway and all of a sudden you go by a state policeman. You look in the mirror, he’s turning around, you look at the speedometer - 85 mph in a 70 mph zone! You quickly pray, "God don’t let me get a ticket." Will you get mad at God when you get a ticket for breaking man’s law?

What if you’re a preacher or teacher of God’s Word and someone says, "You won’t keep many people here if you keep preaching like that. Folks don’t like to have their toes stepped on in church. Sugar coat that a little bit and you will do fine."

Will you sugar coat it? Will you water the Word down to hold on to numbers or finances? God never said the Word would always be sweet to the ear, but it will always be sweet to the spirit if you are willing to receive in love!

Love is the key to receiving, giving, teaching, preaching, and staying in line with God’s Word. The Word will never return unto Him void if it is HIS Word! Love will never cause pain if it is love! Christ suffered the death of the cross and counted it joy because He knew it was for our healing and salvation. He knew it was God’s will.

Do you know what God’s will is in your life today? Have you compromised God’s Word in some area of your life? Give Him your all today!

If you don’t know Him, or need to renew your walk with Him, say this prayer:

Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and if I believe in my heart that You have raised Him from the dead, then I shall be saved. Therefore, Father God, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I believe that You raised Him from the grave and seated Him beside You. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead and I make Him Lord of my life right now. I give up my old life and close the door to the old world putting on the new life in Jesus Christ.

I thank You Father God for forgiving me of all my sin and forgetting my old way of life and giving me a new life. Jesus is my Lord, and I am a new creation, and old things have passed away and all things have become new in Jesus name. Amen.

----------------------------------------Scripture References: John 1:12, John 3:16, John 6:37, John 10:10, John 14:6, John 16:8,9, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9,10,13, 2 Corinthians 5:17,19,21, Ephesians 2:1-10

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