Discusses the concept of responsibility as a response to God's gifts and explores the significance of John 1 and the connection to Genesis 1. Highlights the importance of God's Word and His unchanging character.

Introduction to Responsibility and God's Word

Details how Jesus responded to the devil's temptations with scripture, emphasizing the power of God's Word in a believer's life.

Jesus' Temptation and Response

Illustrates how light represents life and overcomes darkness, encouraging believers to shine their light in the world.

Light and Overcoming Darkness

Emphasizes the impact of thoughts and words on one's life and shares personal experiences demonstrating the power of speaking positively.

Thinking and Speaking Rightly

Describes the power given to those who believe in Jesus and shares lessons learned from the speaker's father about seeing and doing as Jesus did.

Receiving Power and Learning from the Father

The speaker emphasizes that seeing the Father is reflected through believers' lives, discussing Proverbs 4:18 and the importance of God's word in guiding our lives.

Seeing the Father in Us and the Path of the Righteous

Explains how God's words are life and health, encouraging meditation on scripture for healing, and emphasizes the importance of guarding our hearts.

Healing Through God's Word and Guarding Our Hearts

A powerful analogy of an elephant illustrates how self-imposed limitations can hinder potential, urging believers to recognize their true capabilities in Christ.

Breaking Mental Boundaries

Stresses the necessity of gathering as a community of believers for support and encouragement, and encourages attentiveness to the Holy Spirit's guidance.

The Importance of Community and Listening to the Holy Spirit

# The Power of the Word: Embracing Our Responsibilities as Believers

## Introduction
Greetings, beloved community! In our recent gathering, we delved deep into the significance of the Word of God and our responsibilities as members of the Body of Christ. As we continue to explore these themes, let’s reflect on the profound insights shared and how we can apply them in our daily lives.

## The Meaning of Responsibility
When we talk about responsibilities within the Body of Christ, we must understand the essence of the word itself. It is derived from two key components:

- **Response**: Our duty to respond to what God has given us.
- **Ability**: The gifts and abilities bestowed upon us by God.

### Our Divine Gifts
As believers, we are equipped with a born-again spirit, and this comes with a required response. This response manifests in various ways, which we explore further in Scripture.

## The Word of God: Our Foundation
We turned to **John 1** to reaffirm our understanding of the Word. The opening verses remind us:

- **In the beginning was the Word**: The Word was not only with God but was also God Himself. 
- **God's Word is Equal to Himself**: The psalmist declares that God has exalted His Word even above His name, highlighting the importance of His promises.

### Revelation Knowledge
Revelation knowledge is crucial for every believer. It serves as a guiding light in our lives:

- **Light and Life**: In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. This light shines in darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
- **Understanding Our Role**: As Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life.” With this life comes the light necessary to navigate our paths.

## Overcoming Darkness
In our discussions, we emphasized that darkness cannot comprehend or overcome the light. This signifies our power as believers:

- **You Are the Light of the World**: We are called to shine brightly in a world filled with darkness. Our light is a beacon of hope for those searching for truth.

### Our Response to Challenges
As we face challenges, it’s essential to remember:

- **You Are Well-Able**: With the Word of God and the Holy Spirit within us, we have the capacity to overcome any obstacle.
- **Speak Life**: Our words have power. Just as we can uplift, we can also curse our circumstances by speaking negatively.

## The Importance of Our Thoughts
The way we think influences our actions and outcomes:

- **As a Man Thinketh**: Proverbs 23:7 reminds us that our thoughts shape our reality. 
- **Avoid Double-Mindedness**: James 1:8 warns against being double-minded, which leads to instability in all we do.

## The Path of the Righteous
As we continue our journey, let’s examine **Proverbs 4:18**:

- **The Path of the Just**: "But the path of the just is as a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day." This verse reminds us that as we walk in righteousness, we reflect the light of God.
- **Guarding Our Hearts**: Proverbs 4:23 instructs us to "guard our hearts with all diligence." The boundaries we set in our hearts shape our lives, as they determine what we believe and how we act.

### The Power of the Word
- **The Word as Life and Medicine**: Proverbs 4:22 tells us that the words of God are "life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." This highlights the healing power of Scripture in our lives.
- **Speak and Meditate**: If you need healing or strength, immerse yourself in the Word. Meditate on it, declare it, and allow it to transform your reality.

## Practical Application
To embody these principles, consider the following:

- **Meditate on the Word**: Spend time in Scripture, allowing it to illuminate your path and guide your decisions.
- **Speak Positively**: Just as the speaker shared about their old car, declare blessings and speak life into your circumstances.
- **Engage with Your Community**: Encourage one another and share testimonies of God’s faithfulness.

## Conclusion
As we embrace our responsibilities and the power of the Word, let us remember that we are equipped to shine brightly in the world. Together, we can fulfill our calling and respond to the needs around us with love and light.

Let’s continue to support one another as we grow in our faith and understanding of God's Word. Until next time, stay blessed!

"Embrace Your Power: Shine Bright with the Word of God"

- Discussion on the word "amen" and the responsibilities of the body of Christ.
- Emphasis on the concept of "responsibility" as a combination of "response" and "ability."
- Highlighting the importance of responding to God's gifts, particularly the born-again spirit.
- Reference to John 1:1, emphasizing the connection between God and His Word.
- Jesus' use of scripture to resist temptation, illustrating the power of God's Word.
- God's Word is equated with His character; it is unchanging and reliable.
- Revelation knowledge is described as light, aiding understanding and guiding one's path.
- Importance of scripture in revealing destiny and providing clarity.

- The speaker reflects on their math education, mentioning enjoyment despite challenges with teachers.
- Discusses the connection between light and life, referencing biblical texts.
- Emphasizes that Jesus brings life and light, which dispels darkness.
- Highlights the importance of believers being a light in the world and improving their witness.
- Mentions the significance of mindset and how thoughts shape one's reality, referencing Proverbs and James.
- Shares a personal anecdote about speaking positively over a car to illustrate the power of words and belief.

- The speaker reflects on the power of words and actions, sharing a personal story about giving away a reliable old car.
- Emphasizes the importance of receiving God's word and the power it grants to become children of God.
- Discusses the concept of learning by observing, using examples from his father’s teachings on farm equipment repair.
- Highlights the belief that seeing Jesus perform miracles in scripture empowers individuals to do the same.
- Encourages faith in the ability to replicate divine actions through understanding and meditation on the word of God.

- Jesus emphasized doing only what the Father commands and speaking only His words (John 12, 14, 16).
- He told Philip that seeing Him is like seeing the Father, highlighting the unity between them.
- Believers are encouraged to reflect the life and love of God, impacting their communities.
- Proverbs 4:18 states the path of the righteous is a shining light, symbolizing growth and maturity.
- The importance of God's word is stressed for maintaining fellowship and effective prayer.
- God's words provide life and health, described as medicine for the body.
- Believers are urged to guard their hearts, as they shape boundaries and limitations in life.
- Personal testimonies illustrate the power of faith and the transformative nature of God's word.

- Limits are self-imposed, illustrated by the training of elephants.
- Baby elephants are tied to a post, leading them to believe they cannot break free.
- This analogy emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's potential and destiny as outlined in the Bible.
- Believers are called to be blessings, helping others find freedom through God's Word.
- Community and assembly in church are vital for support and encouragement.
- Each individual contributes a unique supply to the church, which is important for collective strength.
- The Holy Spirit guides believers in prayer and support for one another.
- Emphasis on the need for prayer and understanding of one's calling and inheritance in God.

- Discussion on the responsibilities of the body of Christ and the meaning of "amen."
- "Responsibility" defined as a combination of "response" and "ability" to God's gifts.
- Importance of God's Word, equated with His character, in resisting temptation and guiding believers.
- Revelation knowledge is likened to light, aiding understanding and revealing destiny.
- Connection between light, life, and Jesus' role in dispelling darkness.
- Emphasis on believers being a light in the world and the impact of mindset on reality.
- Personal anecdotes illustrate the power of words and faith, including the significance of positive affirmations.
- Learning through observation and the empowerment to replicate divine actions through scripture.
- Encouragement for believers to reflect God's life and love in their communities.
- Proverbs 4:18 highlights the growth and maturity of the righteous as a shining light.
- The necessity of God's Word for fellowship, effective prayer, and maintaining health.
- Believers are urged to guard their hearts and recognize their potential.
- Analogy of trained elephants illustrates self-imposed limits and the call to freedom through God's Word.
- Importance of community and support within the church, with each individual contributing uniquely.
- The Holy Spirit's role in guiding prayer and understanding one's calling in God.

We won't make it, we're gonna go as long as the Holy Ghost has us go.

Because you know, there's a lot that we have to offer as a body of Christ.

When I say we, I'm talking about the body of Christ as a whole, but this group right here has a lot to offer, has a lot, you know what, there's responsibilities on this, on our crowd if you will.

You know, if you look at the word responsibility, it comes with 2 words.

Yeah, what, right there, I heard response.

So, you know, God gives you abilities and that requires a response.

See, There is a required response to what God has given you.

Well, first of all, He's given us a born-again spirit, so there's a response to that.

So let's look at a few of these things and we're going to go to John 1 as I mentioned and I'm not there yet but I will be.

John 1 and I can't hardly read John 1 and I see Lorne and Kath back there, they can vouch for this but we grew up under a great man of God who taught Bible studies in a garage, as I remember, and he probably did in his home too, but he did Bible studies in a garage and he and I think did he ever teach anything else besides John 1 without starting on it?

Genesis 1 and John 1 right they tied in together, But he used to read this and he was a great man of God.

He had Pentecostal charts up here that spelled it out, but he would get his finger going.

In the beginning, you know, and great man.

So I wanna give credence and honor to Elder Funkhouser.

He's in heaven probably looking at us right now cheering us on.

John 1, 1, I wanna read a few verses here.

There's power when you get this whole group reading this, okay?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John had a, you know, they've often called him John the Revelator because he, you know, because he was inspired to write the book of revelation.

But you know there's a huge revelation in just this in itself.

And I learned this throughout the Bible by reading Jesus's writings and different things he did.

But when he was tempted of the devil, the Bible says he was taken out the wilderness, he was fasted for 40 days, he brought back, and then he was tempted of the devil.

And the Bible says that the devil came to him and said, you know, if you be the son of God, then he has to challenge him on a few things.

You know, Jesus answered every 1 of those.

If you want to read this, it's Luke 4, it's the 1 I usually refer to.

How do you answer the devil with the Word of God every time?

In fact, the first few times you say, it is written, now listen close, this is important, this is your dividing line, It is written, thou shalt not serve any other God except the Lord God.

He said, it is written, it is written, it is written.

And it says the devil left him for a season.

And actually, that word season means for a better opportunity or a better time.

Well, Jesus came back later and said he never found that time.

And we don't go face to face off with the devil, but he pulls stuff.

He tries to get things and, you know, challenges perhaps in our life.

You know, if you're doing a work for God, you know, you can expect some resistance, but don't be worried about that, because the good news is you are well-able.

Look at your neighbor and say, I'm well-able.

There is not 1 thing that He can put at you that you're not going to overcome.

So look at this, in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God.

Now I want you to notice something here that in this verse in itself, there's a revelation, there's a lot of things involved in this verse, but we're going to just focus on a couple things here.

We're going to look at this and he says, in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Now you're going to, if I was taking notes, I would write this down.

God put Himself and his word on an equal level.

In fact, he said it so strongly that in the Psalms, the psalmist wrote this, he said, God has exalted his word even above his name.

Because if his word's no good, his name's no good.

See, In fact, in Hebrews it says this, that when God could swear by no greater, he swore by himself.

If a person goes down to the bank and says, I want to buy a new house and I don't have enough money to pay for all of it so I want to borrow some money on it, they will hold the title or the deed to that house but a lien on it.

In other words, you're saying I don't have maybe enough to pay for it but I'm going to guarantee that I'm going to pay for it that you can hold the title or the deed to this house until I pay it off and you can release that.

They do it with cars and everything else.

Well God said there's nothing more powerful that I can put a title, deed, or a lien to, if you will, a lien on, except myself.

So I can't swear by greater, but I can swear by myself.

He literally said this, in order for my word to fail, it would destroy me.

Because literally, I put myself attached to my very word.

So notice here, he put here, he said, God's word is equal to himself.

In other words, you can interchange it many, many times because you're not gonna ever separate.

So I learned the character of God that way.

If I want to know how God's character is, I can look at what he says.

Character, a good definition of character, if you want to put a human side to it.

If you want to know a character of a person, you can kind of say it this way, character is what he does all the time, what he lives.

In fact, the character is what he does, character is what he will do when no one's even looking.

Now I'm going to use this and you'll hear it when I read this, okay?

So I'm going down here and read a few more verses.

He says, the same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by Him, the Word, okay?

And without Him, I'm gonna tie this together, the Word was not anything that was made.

In Him, In Him the Word, in Him God was the life.

In Him, in God was the life, and the life was the light.

In him was the life and the life was the light.

Now, when we talk about revelation knowledge, if you look about revealed knowledge, I talk about that a lot because in Mark chapter 4, Jesus literally said this, speaking of this, about the parable of the sower.

In verse around verse 13, he said this, when the disciples were asking about that parable, he said, you know, hey, I encourage you to talk to these people about this parable, but we wanna know more about this.

And Jesus said the most profound thing he says this he says don't you know this parable the king james says no you not this parable he says how then will you know any parable well I when I read that it I read it many times And 1 day when I read that, I thought, wow, this is kind of like the granddaddy of all parables.

This is a key to, if you understand this parable, you can understand the rest of them.

So I spent a lot of time on that for several years.

In our Bible studies, we had Mark 4 at the forefront on that for quite a while while we taught that and learned on it.

But I learned the greatest thing about Revelation.

Revelation in its very fundamental term is light.

I didn't see that before, but now I see it.

In fact, Salas wrote it all the time, thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Why would you need light on your path or your feet?

Well see the Word will talk about your destiny and your future.

The Word will tell you what you can expect.

In fact, another place it says, the entrance of thy word bringeth light.

The entrance of thy word bringeth or giveth light.

So you hear the, you know, I don't know if you've ever done this for now, but you ever said the light went off, you know, like, oh, I see that it can be something besides what we're doing right here.

It can be when you're studying for an exam or something.

I used to do that with, You know, I actually enjoyed math.

And I did I did pretty good at I you know, I did algebra and trigonometry and you went to calculus, my calculus teacher was not a not a very nice person, I don't think.

And I didn't do that great in Calgary I didn't like my teacher but you know I actually enjoyed math but but they show these formulas and it's like didn't make it oh what happened light went off I saw it to kind of shine light on it.

And so, you know, we have this part here where we talk about that I want you to see that what the Word says here says that in the life was the light of men.

So now notice here, another, another, we just saw in the very beginning that God put himself equal to the Word, and of course in 1st John it says that God is light and in him is no darkness at all.

So we see that God is light, and he says in the light was the life, The life was the light.

He puts those 2 light life just like that.

Because Jesus said these really cool things like in John 10 10.

He says this that the thief cometh nothing but for to kill, to steal, and destroy.

But I have come that you might have life.

And this revelation knowledge, I've learned this, that revelation knowledge is a life blood, a life vein for every believer to understand the very principles of God and what he has for him.

And the great things he's got for your future.

I'm not going to do this whole chapter, but we're going to do a bit more on this.

And so then, and look at it, in him was a life, and the life was the light of men.

He says and he says then the light shined in darkness and it says the darkness, everybody say comprehended it.

And we would think comprehend means to understand it.

In fact, I kind of wrote down a few of the notes on here, but it really says it could not overcome it.

It didn't have the ability to overpower it.

And I wrote a couple of notes down here about that comprehended it.

And it refers to, it couldn't comprehend, couldn't overtake, and this is all part of the Greek word that was translated, couldn't seize, couldn't possess it, couldn't come upon it.

Now have you ever, you know, and this is kind of basic stuff.

This morning, you know, bless your heart, thanks for helping this morning, Kim.

I know she's out there working and somehow her glass, the little screw came out of her glasses and she says, and she's got a little flashlight on her phone.

And you know, that's a kind of a cool light, but it doesn't work all that great.

Sometimes I said I got a I got a flashlight in my car for my flight bag.

You know, she found her lens and she found the screw.

Maybe she felt it, I don't know, but the light helped.

Let's say, you know, she was back in that closet getting something out of there for this morning service and and that's when it kind of something bumped it and came apart on her.

But here's the point that in that dark room you can walk in there shut that door it is perfectly dark.

When you turn that light on you know what happens?

Darkness, you know, they don't make, they make a flashlight, you don't make a flash dark.

You know, turn this switch, no, the light goes out, goes completely dark.

No, it's a light because light overcomes it and darkness cannot.

Because I want you to get this picture Because He is the light of the world And we're gonna read you into verses where you are the light of the world.

The Bible says you are the light of the world.

We had this election, you know, and I think everybody watched the election there was a little bit of for those that were voting for this candidate you know they were a little bit of a sigh of relief they did 1 praise God and kind of 1 decisively that's kind of cool you know it's easy to go I'm good Don't need to shine my light no more.

And there's people that are looking for you.

Listen to me, there's people that are looking for somebody like you.

I mean, some of them will buck you, you know, like, I don't believe in that stuff, but down deep inside, they wish it was real.

And we have not done a good job of showing them with the light that it's real.

We haven't done as good as we should have.

We don't write you divide the truth a lot of times.

Now, I'm talking about as a general whole, not pointing at any person, just as a general whole, we can all do better.

I'm going to give you 2 verses how we can do better.

The Bible says in Proverbs 23 Kena you but you know what see I think it's 23 Look about 6 or 7.

I think it's 7 and And we kind of quote this way, as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

We do that, you know, I grew up in my business world when I was much younger, I was a sales manager, so I would tell guys, stop stinking thinking, you know?

Because as you think, you know, so are you.

Well, the scripture right here says, for as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

Now, just so you know, I'm taking this verse right out of the middle of the context, and he's talking about Don't play with people that are not godly.

Don't talk to fools because they don't think right.

And they're referring to that, but it is really a thing how to think, how it does it.

But this word here, I want to tell you how this says.

It says, for as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

You know what that word think is in the Hebrew?

It's interesting to use the word think because it's the only place I think it's the only place I found in the Bible that's the word think.

As he splits things, as he divides things, so is he.

Well, in James 1, 8 it says this, that a double-minded mind, double-minded, double-minded, what is it, is that actually a double-minded mind?

A double-minded man, that better, is unstable.

He goes, pray for the pastor while I'm teaching here.

He's unstable in all he does and everything he does.

He's over here 1 time, over here another way.

But as a man divides or splits in his heart, as he splits things, now we're going to tap into this in a few moments because the Bible says out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

So if you're splitting things wrong in your heart and you're doing you're talking, you're double-tongued.

You'll say 1 thing good here a minute and say something bad the next and speak future, your future destiny and then curse it right all the same and you think it and because we've done it so much And the world does it all the time and if you're too close to the world, it sounds normal I've told this story.

I may have told it here if I have forgiven but I know there's people who haven't heard this.

When I was back in the it would have been in the early 80s I had a business that I was real young I went I was an entrepreneur mindset started a business bottom line I was young and dumb and I didn't do it right and I didn't I didn't pass the test the business failed and it cost my family some things you know some nice cars and all that I bought this old car and I needed a car to get to work you know because I took a job a sales job I needed a car so I bought this little car I put an engine in it and it was a good car.

Hey, the, she's laughing at her, but you know, it wasn't funny back then.

I had you know that so you know this is 1 of those cars you just did stuff to so it hit you know the windshield wipers switched out of work so I put a paper clip on it you know sticking in here it'll work well that paper got hot and shocked her she wasn't really happy about that But I want to share what I'd speak over that car.

I know, listen, you may think it's nuts, but I would literally get out of the car, I'd put my hand on that car, I said, you're a good car.

And I have a better car coming in the name of Jesus.

Well, I got so I didn't so much I didn't think about who was watching.

So I had to go downtown and I had to park I think it was right downtown on the downtown south bend and I got out of that car and I bless God you're a good old car I just thank God for you you're a good car you always start you run strong you get good gas mileage and you don't break down.

And I look up and this guy's walking towards me and he does this.

He goes way over the other side of the...

I may have looked a little nuts, but you all know something?

I could have got out and said you piece of blankety blankety blank kicked it.

And he would have said I got 1 just like it.

He'd been okay with me talking to it that way.

Yes, funny about that spoke over that car.

If I tell you what it was, it was a It was an American Motors green station wagon Hornet.

And it had floorboard, you could see this pavement in 1 of those, and I put sheet metal riveted in, you know.

But I put an engine in it and it had good brakes, good tires, it ran great.

So I went and gave that to somebody who didn't have a car at all.

And I told them, I said, look, we got a new car.

I said, I'd like to give you my new 1, but I'm giving you this 1, you know.

And I said, I'm going to bless you with this car.

You know, and I'd fixed the windshield wiper switch so nobody got shocked on it anymore.

And you know, that car ran and ran and ran for that guy.

He said, it's 1 of the best cars I've ever had.

It didn't look that great, but it's 1 of the best cards I've ever had.

He actually did some body work on it, painted it.

See all transcripts on Upload

RogerCook-11242024.mp3