The Wind and the Rudder by Dan Smith

Author:Dan Smith [Smith, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780768488050
Publisher: Destiny Image, Inc.
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

THE RUDDER OF SCRIPTURE

The most important piece of the “rudder” that will keep us headed in the right direction as we pursue a Spirit-empowered life is a high view of scripture. A good knowledge of God’s word is the very foundation for life and ministry. In our passionate desire to hear God’s voice, we need to be reminded that God has already spoken abundantly over centuries through His prophets, His apostles, and His Son, and that these profoundly powerful truths have been written down for our benefit. Any contemporary prophecies or “words” from God have to first be consistent with God’s previous prophecies, teachings, or revelations in scripture. Very simply, God will not contradict Himself.

Some of my most memorable times of God’s dealings with me personally, and many of my most powerful revelations from the Holy Spirit, have come during those intimate times of prayerful reflection on God’s word. The same was true of men like John Wesley, Charles Finney, Jonathan Edwards, the Apostle Paul, and others—men who lived and ministered in the Spirit’s power. The written word of God is our most valuable resource and a treasure-filled storehouse of knowledge, wisdom, and power. It is the book of the Spirit, and its pages are filled with life. As we pursue the Spirit-empowered life, let’s make sure we simultaneously develop a heart hungry for God’s word. The Author loves His book and is honored and pleased when we do also.

In Second Timothy 2:15, Paul exhorted Timothy to make every effort to correctly understand and teach the word. Time, effort, and diligence are required to properly interpret the ancient scriptures, but it is a discipline that is rewarded richly. Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” Many of God’s greatest treasures in scripture are “hidden,” in a sense, and require a seeking and determined heart to uncover. But we are told that this noble search is a kingly pursuit and that our efforts will certainly be rewarded.

During the Jesus Movement in the 1970’s, I was attending Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California. One Friday night, I decided to drive down to a church service at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, which was the hub of the Jesus Movement in Southern California at the time. I was amazed at what I found.

I had heard and read many reports about the youth revival that was sweeping California and about thousands being baptized in the ocean and being set free from drugs and selfdestructive lifestyles. What I hadn’t counted on were the crowds of long-haired young people swarming into the church carrying well-worn bibles. In my years as a pastor’s kid and then as a pastor, I was not used to seeing so many bibles in such terrible shape! These people were obviously serious about reading the bible. I have discovered since then, that many of the historic revivals, including those documented as far back as the Old Testament, included a renewed hunger for God’s written word.

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