Two things chains can't bind

Some have tried but of course they failed. Had they been successful we wouldn’t have one on our desk or beside our bed. Yes, the enemy from time to time has used its most powerful and sophisticated weapons to wipe it off the face of the earth and to erase it from the minds and hearts of people but the Bible always comes out on top! It has never been defeated nor will it ever be.

The Apostle Paul was feeling the isolation of imprisonment when he wrote the second letter to his fellow laborer Timothy. He had been arrested for preaching the Gospel and sharing the truth with the cities of the ancient world. He was considered a menace to society – an evil doer, guilty of crimes against humanity requiring imprisonment. Quite frankly, I might have come down with the blues had I been thrown into prison for such a noble cause. I might have questioned the Lord’s purposes in allowing such a thing to happen to me. “Why is this bad thing happening to me…is God not good? Has God lost control of the agenda – it doesn’t make sense to me that I am locked up in this dark, dank prison when I was honoring the Lord and serving Him so faithfully and especially when I was doing such an important work. Why this?”

But here’s what dear Paul wrote to Timothy:

Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead, the offspring of David

As preached in my gospel

For which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal.

But the Word of God is not bound!

2 Timothy 2:8-9

In the cold, damp dungeon Paul was reminding Timothy to keep focused on Jesus Christ. Yes, men can arrest and chain a Christian and throw them behind the walls of a prison; but they can not chain or bind the spirit of a believer who is focused on Christ. Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead! Just as Christ arose mightily from the grave, so a Christian’s spirit can leap over the walls of a prison trial when their thoughts are focused on the Lord Jesus.

“Yes, I am bound as a criminal and I have been curtailed, restricted and limited to this old cell but ….”

But ‘what’, dear Paul? What are you going to say next? What’s behind the huge smile of victory on your face? Why did you just throw your fist into the air triumphantly?

“Why? Because they can bind me with their strongest chains and restrict me – but there are two things they can’t stop: 1) they can’t stop me from thinking about Christ and 2) they can’t stop the Word of God from spreading. It can’t be bound. It will triumph every time.”

In 2007 remember this:

• when you pass out a fridge magnet with a Bible verse on it,

   

• or leave a Seed Sower text hanging on a door knob,

   

• or leave a Gospel tract on the seat you vacate on the bus

   

• or give a New Testament to a friend,

   

• or share a Gospel CD with the Word of God being preached,

   

• or build a website to promote the truth of the Scriptures,

   

• or mount a little Bible verse at your work station,

   

• or write a verse on a napkin at the restaurant,

   

• or insert a little Gospel verse in the holiday cards you send out,

   

• or use a verse signature at the end of all your emails…..

   

….when you do these things, never underestimate the power of the Word of God and what it will accomplish!  The Word of God can NOT be bound. It is the Living Word and it is powerful and sharp – even if we are desperately dull at times. (Hebrews 4:12) The Word of God is just as mighty and just as powerful as God is Himself – it has no limitations!

Let’s end on this note – two things that can’t be bound or crushed: The spirit of a Christian focused on Jesus Christ and the Word of God. And that will be true in 2007 as well! By the way, if the Lord spares me, this weekend I will send you some Bible Reading Plan options for 2007. If you were on the Bible Bite distribution last year this will be a repeat. For those who struggle with reading their Bibles daily, consistently and systematically, a ‘reading plan’ helps to keep you focused. Plan to follow a plan in 2007.

If you would like to be removed from this list, send a blank email but insert in the 'subject line' these words: "Bible Bites - Remove Me from List."  Otherwise, I will keep sending these Bible Bites to you on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  If you would like to add a friend to the list, please forward their name and email address to me.Be sure to enjoy the Lord today.Warmly in Christ,

Peter Ramsay

Barbara Walters - Will She Make It To Heaven? Read the latest story on: www.heaven4sure.com