Bullets for the Battle

The Bullet of Meaning: The Expectant Life and the Godhead’s Three Words

It is far more important to be focused on our life expectations than our life expectancy. Wise Disciples first discern what our “Jesus’ Truth” is for the day rather than be a slave of culture’s mantra to extend our days! This distinction is critical if we are to turn our lives into something more than a repetitious count of our years on earth. It will benefit each of us to ask, “What do I expect to comprehend about life, get from life, see in life, feel about life and, above all, contribute to life? How much of the Father’s divine idea can I get into me while I walk the earth?” When we strive to uncover the deeper answers to these inquiries, we will start to assimilate and discern the secondary relevance of “life expectancy” and the primary urgency of “life expectations.” One of our best perceptual tools for doing so is to understand the Greek meaning for the term “WORD.” The primary Greek word is “logos” … the message, idea, the voice of deity, the divine intention, will and expression. The “Word” term is comprehensive of Who the Lord of heaven and earth truly is and the declaration of what He intends for mankind. My contention is that it has three contexts, each equally important. When we think of “the Word” we must not limit the term to the Bible only. There are three “Words” hidden in the Master’s heart that the Cross Disciple must grasp. There is the Living Word (Christ), the Written Word (Scripture) and the Witness Word (the Disciple).

The Living Word (the Christ message), the Written Word (the Scripture message) and the Witness Word (the Disciple message) are to merge into “one” to bring God’s light into the darkness of a fallen world. These three “WORDS”, or concepts, or realities, give us fantastic insight into our servant partnership with our Living Lord. “Knowing” their implications and nuances with your heart is to know God as He desires to be known! “This is eternal life, that they may know Thee, Father, the only True God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent” (John 17:3). We love the Living Word, Christ; we know the Word Mind of Scripture, and we share the Word Witness with all whom we can!

First, let us consider the Living Word … Jesus. When we become deeply acquainted with the first of these three “Words,” we will be able to sense, to see, to touch, to behold and to experience His Presence. He is really with us when we authentically believe and trust Him. Faith is not something we get but something we already have by creation. Obedience only clarifies what we believe. The results of our obediences will reveal to us the authentic source of our belief. Has our true faith been centered in Jesus or centered in a confused self or in the idols of a deceived world? Do we truly love Him or do we “just think” we love Him because of the things He does for us?

“We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The person who says, I know him, but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him (I John 2:4). But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly brought to completion in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:3-6). We can expect a vital relationship with the Living Word. He expects from us that we repeat His life on the earth! (Jn. 17:18, 20:21). For our comfort we must remember constantly that we cannot perfectly obey His commands even though it is our deep desire to do so. We will never “live sinlessly.” But we even have a “command” for our frequent failings, “… if we confess our sins … He will faithfully forgive our unfaithfulness …” (I John 1:9). Hallelujah! In my own life I probably “obey” that commandment better than any other! Hence, I can “live blamelessly.”

We come to know the Godhead in ever increasing depth as we explore what it means to live in His Presence and learn His Truth. This means to become vitally aware of His promised realities. For this we must be students of His Scriptures (His second Word). His precepts, laws, ways, statutes, decrees, words, command, etc. must flow through our minds and hearts continuously! Our first commandment to keep and our first obedience to observe is to believe what He says! Our increased believing in and yielding to the Living Word is the path to perfect God’s love in us (I Peter 1:22-23). Knowing Jesus doesn’t mean we have “a list to obey” but “a Voice to listen to!” The Living Word didn’t come to earth to get us into heaven, but to get the Godhead into us! This experience confirms that our life expectancy and our life expectations can merge into one as we discover we are complete “in Christ.” Our past, present and future are in His competent Hands! “In the beginning was the Word … and the Word was made flesh … and dwelt among us … and we have been filled with His Fullness!” (John 1:1, 14, 16). Parents don’t want a child so they can have someone to teach their rules and commandments to. They want to create a little life so that they can live with their child “in the fullness of love”! Is it not the same with our Heavenly Father Who has “put” parent love in our hearts?

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39). Things present (expectations) and things to come (expectancy) are one when “put” in Christ!

Our second “Word,” where we are taught what it means to live an expectant life, is the Written Word, the Scripture. Studying this Word of God will reveal to us the mind and intentions of the Godhead. “For the Word of God (the living Christ and the written Scripture) is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (the heart is the essence of a person created and then recreated to be a Witness Word of God). Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account (for our treatment of and response to truth)” (Heb. 4:12-13). The Scripture is where we study His Mind and Will and catch the mercy of His Heart! It is in the Bible alone we find the most objective and immediate display of the Father’s intentions and affections. The Scriptures are His “love letter” to His own. We can be ready to “give an account” of our truth discipleship when our spirit, soul and body have prepared our heart to reflect the character and fragrance of the Lord Jesus. We can expect many “maxi and mini” revelations from the Written Word. Our hunger for the Scriptures will refine our thinking and excite our praise! “… Your commandments (Words) have enlarged my heart!” (Ps. 119:32).

The third Word active in the world is the Witness Word. And “who” is that to be “but us,” Cross Disciples who are consumed and filled with love for the Living Word and the wisdom of the Written Word. When Jesus was ready to return to the Father after His resurrection, He gathered His followers together for a last meeting. In His final instructions He counseled them, “… but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). He intended that the world would see a witness to His magnificence through the lives of His followers. His great redemptive plan is for His Disciples to be Word Witnesses and convey the meaning of the Living Word and Written Word to the ends of the earth!

Unless our passion for living is to be like Jesus, act like Jesus, talk like Jesus, endure like Jesus, rejoice like Jesus, think like Jesus, plan like Jesus and respond like Jesus, we have no authentic or lasting purpose for our years of brevity and struggle. To live for yourself is to live for nothing. To live for others but to never be an agent of the three Words is to still live for nothing. Without Christ Jesus our life expectations and our life expectancy are nothing. Let us hear the dear Apostle Paul, “For me to be alive is Christ!” (Phil. 1:21).

Unless we comprehend that the Father has now sent us into the world just as He sent His Son, we have no compelling and empowering authority or strength. Unless our witness is grounded in the energy of the Holy Spirit, we will have no authentic spiritual fruit from our living! We can confidently expect many daily resurrections from the Living Word and the Written Word in our cross seeking to become a Witness Word for our Messiah. Our Witness Word is not only to the wonder of Who Jesus is but to the joyous news that we have found His love and forgiveness for our failures! Hallelujah!!