Today I wanted to talk about knowing God's Word. Let me preface this by saying that I am aware that there are still people living according to the Word of God. My question for you is do you know His Word for yourself or are you relying on what the preacher has told you?

Growing up, I always had a high respect for preachers. I have always held them to a higher standard. I am certainly guilty of placing them on a pedestal. In some instances, I was in awe of the anointing placed on some of them. It was amazing to me to know that they were called by God, and that He would speak to them. To be honest, I believed whatever they stated to be the truth. If they claim God said it, then He said it. If they said it was in the Bible, then it was in there. During that time, my biggest flaw was giving people the benefit of the doubt to the point of being naive. Despite this, I still give individuals the benefit of the doubt, but once they prove to me who they truly are, that is the end of it. The excuses I used to make are long over. I no longer say, "well, at least they are trying."

When I was 27 years old, my eyes started opening up to things, even though I was not even saved at that time. Nevertheless, I was aware that certain things were incorrect. I have mentioned in one of my blogs that I read the entire Bible as a teenager. In my case, I was simply reading for the sake of reading, not in order to gain a deeper understanding. Neither was I studying nor was I trying to understand what was being said. I knew the basics. I knew that there were people who faked being saved, do not get me wrong. There was something you had to do outright. However, even in my 20s, I continue to give ministers the benefit of the doubt. In my blog entitled "Falling For The Hype", I described a fake miracle that I experienced. In spite of the fact that the truth had come out about the arrangement. As the minister orchestrating the event stood in the pulpit he used scripture saying, "touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm. He also used scripture about rebuking elders. Despite the fact that he was the one who was wrong and deceptive.

We have been conditioned to refrain from saying anything, even when it is wrong. Many people have instilled fear into you that something bad would happen if you speak out against their wrongdoings. In order to justify what they have done, or are doing, they misuse, twist, and abuse scripture. I realized this only after I began reading and studying His Word for myself. These are what I refer to as my light bulb moments. Suddenly, His Word made sense to me. As a result, he provided me with the wisdom, the knowledge, and the understanding I needed. Don't get me wrong, I am still learning. God is still teaching me. Nevertheless, I stand by what He has taught me and what He has spoken to me. I continue to pray for God to increase my understanding.

Every time I re-read the Bible, I learn something new. There is something I missed before, something that finally makes sense. It was imperative to learn not to rely solely on what I was told because they had titles in front of their names. Take the time to study the word for yourself. Spend time with God, getting to know Him and His Word. In this area, there is a lot of conflict since people still do not want you to speak out against what is wrong with the church. This is particularly true when it comes to these ministers. However, we are also called to combat sin within the church as well as throughout the world. What I don't get is the Bible tells us that Jesus said, " Not everyone that says Lord, Lord belongs to Him". I am paraphrasing here, but you can read it for yourself if you wish. According to them, "I healed, preached, prophesied, and cast out demons in Your Name". Then He will respond, "Depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I know you not." Exactly what is iniquity? It's sin, iniquity is sin. In other words, not everyone is a child of God.

It is written in the Bible that there are false prophets, false teachings, hirelings, and wolves in sheep's clothing. Even so, they become enraged with those who speak against it. It should be noted that this is not the case for all members of the Body of Christ. There are still people who preach and teach the true Word of God. Nevertheless, we cannot rely solely on their teachings. For that matter, what I am saying right now. It is still necessary for you to get to know God for yourself. Pastors or leaders are not allowed to stand before God in your place and give an account on your behalf. You will be required to give an account of your actions. It is true that there is no excuse when we stand before God, but we cannot say, "Well, my pastor said this or that.". It is easy for me to imagine God asking, "Why didn't you come to me yourself? Why didn't you get to know me?". It is an individual journey. All of us have the opportunity to develop a relationship with Him.

We will also learn God's voice as we become familiar with God's Word. With so many different voices and false doctrines being preached out there. In this hour, it is extremely critical to know His voice. In 1 Kings 13, we find a prophet to whom God has given specific instructions. He was found by another prophet who claimed to have received a message from God. In spite of the fact that this word contradicted what God had told him. As a result of this prophet's lies, he disobeyed God. It was through the same prophet who lied that the Word came to him, telling him that he would perish. In other words, what am I trying to convey? When you truly know God's voice and His Word for yourself. No one on this earth should be able to sway you from the truth that God has revealed to you. Especially when it will result in your disobedience to God. It is imperative that we are able to distinguish between truth and falsehood. This is also the reason why the Bible instructs us to be familiar with those who work among us.

As you will hear me say a lot, there is so much I love about the Bible. One of the things that I love is when the pharisees, sadducees, scribes would kick against Jesus and His teachings. It was quite astonishing how quickly Jesus would snare them up with the Word of God. What they thought they knew or attempted to impose. Each and every time, Jesus would set them straight. The true meaning of the Word would cause them to become furious. Angry to the point that they wanted Him dead, they believed that they had succeeded in killing him. That became my prayer a few months ago. It is my desire to be well versed in the Word of God. Rather than simply quoting it, I would like to embed it in my heart so that I can live it daily. My understanding of the Word will not be influenced by false doctrine, but rather by knowing it for myself. I pray that God will teach me all I need to know.

As a result, I am no longer relying on what men say just because they have a title in front of their names. What does God say, what does His Word say? Despite what I have said, I encourage you not to rely solely on what I have expressed. It is my sincere hope that you will come to know God for yourself. I promise that if you study His Word, He will open it to you. He wants a relationship with you. It is His desire that you come to know Him, but you must first choose to do so. He is waiting just for you. As a result, I would like to ask you today, Do you know His Word?

Remember that God loves you and so do I with the love of Christ.