By: Undre Griggs, Jr.
When attempting to build unity, it is important to remember your actions will speak as loud as your words. The apostle Paul encourages us to make sure our actions are aligned with our words.
If we want to understand God and His will, there is only one way to accomplish this. Reading His inspired word found in the Bible will enable you to know God on an intimate level. You will be able to see His passion, creativity, love and wrath. You will also see where His focus has been from the beginning.
2 Peter 1:20-21 (ESV): Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
One of the things you will notice throughout Scripture is God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This is important because that means no one should come with new a new revelation God “just told them.” The apostle Paul said, when that is which is perfect is complete (the Bible), that which is done in part (prophecies and other spiritual gifts) will be done away with (1 Corinthians 13:10).
So how does God talk to us today? I went to a barbeque and there was a person there who was dressed to impress. He was wearing a suit, with designer sunglasses and loafers. Someone asked him about being overdressed for the occasions and he said that God told Him to wear those clothes. He said God wanted him to look good. He even went as far as to say God woke him up at 5:00am and told him to buy designer socks. As awesome as not having to decide what to wear each morning could be, God is not concerned about our fashion.
Joshua 1:8 (ESV): This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
You will see throughout Scripture, the emphasis of God and His Spirit is on the Word. Most of the time you see the Holy Spirit being quoted in the New Testament, he is quoting God’s word in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit was working through the apostles in a similar manner. The apostles were writing and quoting the revelation of the Holy Spirit in their writings. When the apostles were not quoting God, they were speaking from their own mind and conscious. This is why each writer in the Bible has a different and distinct writing style, without contradicting another. For matters outside of the word of God, the apostles spoke from their own thoughts and experiences. For matters pertaining to the word of God, the apostles spoke by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If you cannot find a verse in the Bible telling you what socks to buy, then you should not expect the Spirit of God to share a personal revelation.
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