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While growing up, I would frequently hear someone talking about how one day the government may take our Bibles and that it would become illegal to worship the Lord. Typically, this type of talking was in relation to tribulation "scare" messages.

However, what do you think would happen if Jesus showed up at your door one day and took every Bible in your house? If Jesus came and said, "I am taking My Word back," what would happen to your life? Before you continue reading, take a moment and think about that question.

Most of us would probably give the "Christian" answer that we couldn't function without the Word in our lives, but is that really the truth?

Second Peter 1:3 tells us, "...his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life..." In John 10:10 Jesus tells us, "...I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Here we have two scriptures that tell us that we have been given everything that pertains to our life, but not only that - those things have been given to me in abundance!

What are things that pertain to life?

Do you know that you are not going to get very far without money? There is no possible way that you can have life more abundantly and have "all things" pertaining to life if you don't have financial resource.

Do you know that you are not going to accomplish much, nor enjoy much if you are sick? To have an abundant life requires health. If you are depressed and despondent, it is impossible for you to have an abundant life and have "all things" pertaining to life.

There are others we could mention. But every one of these areas are "things" that pertain to life and are required to experience life more abundantly.

Ask The Hard Questions
Let me ask you the question I asked earlier but in a little different manner, "What difference is God making in your life?" God said through Peter, "I have given you all things that pertain to life," yet there is so much sickness in the church. There are so many in the church who are living paycheck to paycheck and there are also many who are depressed and despondent.

If God withdrew Himself out of your life right now - if He took His Bible back and said, "I'm going to keep this for a while," how would your life change? I want you to be really honest.

If you are well in your body right now, do you think you would immediately become sick? I doubt very seriously if that would be the case, because most Christians are well because they can believe for wellness. The average Christian enjoys his health and only turns to God and His Word when he becomes sick. Then he seeks his healing.

If the Lord showed up at your door today and took all the Bibles in your house, would your financial life crumble? Probably not. If you have a job right now, it would most likely still be there tomorrow morning. My guess is that most Christians' financial lives have not been founded on the Word - they've been founded on the world.

Yes, we ask God to bless us, provide raises and promotions…but have we taken God's thoughts on employment and made them our own?

The point that I am trying to make is that God has given us all things that pertain to life. That means if the Word of God is the foundation of my life and someone were to take my Bible, they would be pulling the very foundation out from under my feet. You know what would happen if someone pulled the foundation out from under the house you live in? The house would come tumbling down.

Christians have a tendency to accept and live way below what God has provided for them. Let me make a statement that will sound very elementary, "God in you makes a difference!"

It is time the Body of Christ takes serious the Word in the area of renewing our mind. In laymen terms we need to start thinking like God thinks. We need to find out what God's thoughts are on a subject and start making those thoughts our thoughts.

Many like to believe Scriptures like Proverbs 10:22 saying, "The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it." But then they interpret that to mean that I can sit in my lazy-boy while God's blessings overtake me. That is not correct.

God's thoughts on employment will make you a more diligent employee. You will honor your boss even if He is cruel to you (Eph. 6:5-8, Col. 3:22-25, Titus 2:9, 1 Peter 2:18).

When we find out God's thoughts on a subject and start acting in accordance to God's way of thinking, we open the door for God's blessings to flow and we close the door to the enemy. Closing the door to the enemy is a good thing because the Word declares in John 10:10 that he has only one reason for showing up and that is to kill, steal and destroy.

Many Christians I've met can quote, debate, and reference many areas of the Bible. However, let me give you a hint about renewing your mind to the Word: Knowing that David killed Goliath is not going to help you have all things that pertain to life.

Having said that, the answer to your problem may indeed be found in the story of David and Goliath, but you'll have to find out what God's thoughts are and what truth He is giving you in the story of David and Goliath.

In Hosea 4:6, God tells us that His people are destroyed because of a lack of knowledge. I guarantee you that all those people at that time could have probably told the story about how God delivered the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage, yet they were being destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Why?

They did not know God's thoughts on the subject. They were not living in accordance to the covenant that was established for them. The provisions were in place, but they were being destroyed because they didn't understand what God was saying about the subject.

A Godly Difference
You're living in the greatest time of man, with all the promises and power of God available to you. However, we all need to ask ourselves the question, "What difference do I see in my life because God is in it?" I challenge you today to tap into "all things" that pertain to your life. Live in God's best everyday!

Copyright © Fellowship of Hope
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Author Biography

David Shipman
Web site: Covenant of Peace International
 
Pastor David Shipman is one of the founding pastors of Fellowship of Hope and presently serves as the Senior Pastor. He employs a very aggressive and responsive attitude toward the Word of God. Believing whole heartedly Jesus’ Words found in Mark 9:23, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
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