Inscribe the Word * July Scripture Writing Plan
Jesus.
Wonderful.
Counselor.
Mighty God.
Everlasting Father.
The Prince of Peace.
Jesus.
Something inside of me leaps at the mention of His name. In His name demons tremble, sickness is healed, eyes are opened, sins are forgiven, and purpose is found.
Jesus.
As I was praying about the theme for this months, Inscribe the Word, the name of Jesus kept coming to my heart and mind.
The Epistles.
We started this year inscribing the Epistles, but I didn't have a burden in my heart to continue with them. I prayed about why, and the Lord answered.
If you have been following the Inscribe the Word plans with us this year; you would have inscribed many Epistles (letters).
In January, we inscribed 1 John. In February, we studied the books of 2 and 3 John, March took us through the Book of Galatian's. In April, we inscribed Ephesians, and in May, we looked into Philippians and learned that real joy comes from Jesus Christ and not on happenings and circumstances. We finished our six-month walk through the Epistles in June with the Book of Colossians.
There is a general theme running through the New Testament Epistles we inscribed this year; heresy. The early church dealt quite often with heretics who came out from the church but were not of the church. (1 John 2:19) The apostates warned about in the Epistles we inscribed, distorted and perverted the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus. They mixed some of the Gospel in with their interpretation of the truth. Paul, John, and the other authors of these Epistles warned against those who not only preached a contrary Gospel but those who gave ear to false teachings.
Throughout this series, the Lord personally showed me false teachers who put their spin and interpretation on the Gospel. They came to me with kind words and passion, but something didn't sit right in my spirit. After continuous prayer and discernment, I see that their words were interpreted for their benefit, and were not the words of Scripture. They listed man-made rules, man-made doctrine, and man-made religion that masked itself as Gospel.
False teachers are swaying many of us in this day and age, and we don't even know it. We are warned about such teachers, preachers, pastors, evangelists, TV Ministers, etc. etc. in 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
"For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths."
Oh Lord Jesus, convict our hearts when we hear teaching and preaching that is not directly out of Your Word and directly from Your throne. Give us wisdom and discernment. Open our eyes, ears, and hearts to a true and pure understanding of the Scriptures. Convict those that would try to distort and change the Word of God for their selfish ambition and gain. Forgive them Lord and forgive us for giving ear to their honeyed words. In Jesus' Mighty Name, Amen.
The Words of Jesus.
In praying about this month's theme, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "How will You know heresy and false teachings if you don't know what I have spoken? Remind yourself of My Words and Ways, Erika."
That hit me like a ton of bricks. "Remind yourself of My Words and Ways."
We read the Epistles, and we've studied their meanings and teachings. We've been warned about the false teachers that were in the early church and are even here with us today. Now, let us turn our attention to the words of Jesus, the ministry of Jesus, and the man who died so that we may live.
Let us remind ourselves of who He is, what He said, what He did, the miracles, the signs, the wonders, the words, and the deeds. If we don't know Him, how will we ever do those who speak about Him but are far from Him?
The Sermon on the Mount.
"This picture is from the “Mount of Beatitudes” and looks down on the slopes going down to Capernaum." (Picture Source)
This month, we turn to the book of Matthew and the Sermon on the Mount found in chapters five through seven.
WHAT: The Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus' best-known sermons. It is rich with a call to true faith and salvation. In these chapters, Jesus destroys Pharisaic legalism showing that the demands of the law are humanly impossible; something that the heretics then and now continue to go back to . . . Following The Law.
WHEN: The Sermon on the Mount is the longest continuous teaching of Jesus found in the New Testament and contains the teaching of the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer. This sermon was set early in Jesus' ministry after John had baptized Him.
WHERE: The location of the Sermon on the Mount is a bit unknown. Matthew 5:1 says, "And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him." What we do know from the Bible about the location of the Sermon on the Mount is that it was on a mountain near the Lake of Gennesaret and Capernaum, the fishing town on the northern shore of the Lake of Gennesaret." (source)
HOW: You may have wondered how these vast multitudes of people heard this powerful message. There were no microphones and speakers. Surely, Jesus could not have shouted at the top of His lungs for the duration of this sermon. I have often wondered how He was heard.
Watch this! How great is our God?
My parents visited Israel and toured the lands where Jesus walked. When they came to Capernaum, they saw the Lake of Gennesaret. It is shaped like a fish-bowl and has strong winds that serve as a natural amplifier. From where Jesus was standing, if He spoke in a firm voice, the wind off of the sea would be able to carry His voice to reach even the folks in the back of the multitude! When Jesus preached on the mountain, the crowd was most likely seated below Him. The wind took His words and brought it to the ears of the multitudes. WOW!
The wind took His words to the ears of the multitudes. The littlest details are never far from God. My Friend, we live in a noisy world, and the Lord doesn't often come to us in thunder and lightning with microphones and speakers. He speaks to us in a still small voice. His voice is carried on the winds of the Holy Spirit to all of those who gather to hear His voice.
Do you know the voice of The Lord, today? John 10:27 says, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." Join us this month as we learn to discern His voice more clearly as we inscribe the Sermon on the Mount. My prayer is that we can hear the voice of our Savior louder than the voices of those misinterpreting Him.
All My Love,
ERIKA 🐝
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