God is always
pleased with our genuine expression of humility and dependence on him. Today as
we consider the Doctrine of Bibliology, the Scriptures, listen to the words of
the Prophet Jeremiah. He ministered at a time in Israel that has many parallels
with our current culture in America.
Jeremiah
23:26-32 How long shall
there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy
the deceit of their own heart, who think to make my people forget my name by
their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name
for Baal? Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has
my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares
the LORD. Is not my word like fire,
declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore,
behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from
one another. Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use
their tongues and declare, 'declares the LORD.' Behold, I am against those who
prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people
astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge
them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD.
Our Heavenly Father, hear our
prayer. We plead with you to send Reformation & Renewal to the American
church. You alone are able to
change the hardness of men’s hearts. You alone are able to awaken and mobilize
those who truly know you to live in obedience to your word. We trust you to do
that LORD. May it be soon and may it be a powerful and lasting renewal. AMEN!
Our focus is the Reformation & Renewal of the
American church. What is necessary for this to come to pass? A foundational
factor is Sound Doctrine. The message of the gospel is rooted and grounded in
the Special Revelation God has graciously given to man – the Bible. The mantra
of ministry that I have applied for 47 years is this - - ‘What does the text
say?’
Discovering with precision and
accuracy what God’s word declares is central to knowing his blessing and the
enabling power of the Holy Spirit. In the NT we find the phrase sound doctrine used in Titus 1:9
is literally ‘healthy doctrine’.
ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ καὶ τοὺς
ἀντιλέγοντας ἐλέγχειν.
That phrase sound doctrine is used 12 times in the NT. It has the
following meaning(s);
to have sound health, i.e. be
well (in body); figuratively, to be true in doctrine.
