“Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on Him, ‘If you continue in My Word, then are you My disciples indeed. And, you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free’.”
John 8:31-32
When His Spirit indwells us, His Word will enlighten, invigorate and liberate us.
What’s that Book you hold in your hands, Pilgrim? Do you call it the Bible? Holy Scriptures? The Word of God? And, what version are you using? The King James? Revised Standard? New International? American Standard? Good News?
So often we miss the truth of today’s Manna because we get caught up in the nuts-and-bolts of things, rather than the Essence of it. When Jesus spoke our Manna, there were some who believed (v.30) and some who wanted to get rid of Him (v.59). Thus, we shouldn’t be surprised, alarmed or dismayed when the same still happens today (Jn. 15:18-25).
Even so, Jesus’ words should behoove us to “study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth” (II Tim. 2:15)—especially those words in red! It’s not the words themselves—i.e., the nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, pronouns and prepositions, etc.—that free us; it’s the One Who comes to us through them.
When Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well about His Living Water (Jn. 4:10), He wasn’t referring to fresh, running H20. He was talking about the Holy Spirit, Who’d indwell her and be “a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (4:13-14; 7:37-39). And, it was/is His indwelling Spirit Who “quickens us” and His Words within us that are “spirit and life” (Jn. 6:63).
Thus, it’s clear there’s a close relationship—yea, a vital connection—between the empowering Holy Spirit and the liberating words of our Savior and Lord. In fact, Jesus Himself said only those who “hear His sayings and does them will be likened upon the wise man who built his house upon a rock” (Mt. 7:24-27); yet, sadly, so many professing followers of Christ are Biblically illiterate and, consequently, unprepared to do spiritual battle with the forces of evil (Eph. 6:10-18). In fact, through their ignorance they are in direct opposition to the Lord Himself!
Oh, dear Pilgrim, Jesus was very straightforward and to-the-point in our Manna when He said “IF you continue in My Word, then are you My disciples indeed”. . .which shows it’s a day-by-day “abiding” in Him and His Word (Jn. 15:1-7). . .and it’s in this daily abiding that we “shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make us free.”
So, how goes it?
Is the Holy Spirit indwelling you? Are you being empowered/invigorated/liberated by His Word or are you still bound by your three, spiritual Achilles’ Tendons (I Jn. 2:16) and various sinful strongholds (II Cor. 10:3-5)? Christ came to make us “free indeed” (Jn. 8:36); therefore, let us live that way rather than constantly being “slaves to sin” (Rom. 6:16-20).
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated August 16, 2009
