Nothing is more 'evergreen' than the Word of the Lord
"Evergreen" is a journalistic term used to describe written material (called "content" nowadays) that is always informative and useful, because it is not about a single news event. An "evergreen" story in a print or online publication would provide information that is not linked to a specific date or time, such as a feature story about the restaurants, dog parks or churches in your town.
Earlier today, I listened to an online presentation about how to write "evergreen content" on the Web, and when the speaker said, "Nothing lasts (literally) forever," this got my attention. If you believe the Bible, it would get your attention too, because you know there is something that lasts literally forever. That something is the Word of the Lord.
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away," Jesus said, as recorded in Matthew 24:35.
"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever," Isaiah wrote, as cited in Isaiah 40:8, and Peter echoed this conviction in I Peter 1:24-25.
“ All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
But the word of the LORD endures forever."
I pulled the quote above from Biblegateway.com , and I notice the quotation marks. He seems to have been quoting from Isaiah. Anyway, he follows with this:
Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
Jesus Christ is the Word of God, God incarnate, the living Word of God. This is the message we have received from the gospel. The eyewitnesses of the Lord's life, death and bodily resurrection testify to us that the Word of the Lord endures forever. This should encourage us, no matter what we are facing.
When I am having a bad day, am discouraged, in a bad mood, not focusing on the Lord, or engaged in negative thought processes, I am tempted to ask, "What does the resurrection of Jesus have to do with this mess that I am experiencing?" Have you ever asked that? I confess. I have asked it. And God is so kind, so patient, so longsuffering toward me.
I recently lost my father. That is, he "passed away." Now, I believe that he believed in Jesus and had received the free gift of salvation, and, yes, that takes away much of the sting of death for me, but that does not take away the reality of grieving a loss, missing my daddy, wanting to be with him.
I suppose it could be considered a positive outcome of losing a loved one in the Lord if losing someone who has gone to be with Jesus makes a person more interested in heaven. In any case, the Lord's comfort while I mourn has brought me closer to my heavenly Father. And if people can pray from heaven, I believe my dad is praying for me. I know for sure Jesus is.
The Word of the Lord is "alive and sharper than any two-edged sword," the Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:12. This is my hope when I face difficult situations, fearful circumstances, undesirable conditions. The Word of the Lord endures forever, and it is alive. He is alive. Jesus is alive forevermore, and His Word is life. Keeping focused on this truth is getting me through the loss of my dad.
"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live," Jesus said in John 11:25. This is all the hope I need as I continue to grieve and to pray about how the Lord wants me to live in light of this new reality.
Today I have an issue with a gentleman who ran into my car yesterday. This is bad because I just traded in another car I had accidents in that were my fault. But this one wasn't. I am trusting that God will work out all the details. I cannot bear to think about it. I cannot bear to look at the place where the man hit me. I am just thankful that this as well as other calamities that occur on a daily basis are not what I have to focus on throughout this life that Jesus said would be full of tribulation. I can keep my mind on the Lord and be in perfect peace, as the Bible says in Isaiah 26:3.
I'm so glad the Word of the Lord is evergreen. Anything from the Word of God is relevant and eternally meaningful, helpful, comforting, encouraging, and makes everything else fade away in comparison, like that song, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace."
May you be blessed today as you look into His face, his truth, and His Word, and may His peace surround you by the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Earlier today, I listened to an online presentation about how to write "evergreen content" on the Web, and when the speaker said, "Nothing lasts (literally) forever," this got my attention. If you believe the Bible, it would get your attention too, because you know there is something that lasts literally forever. That something is the Word of the Lord.
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away," Jesus said, as recorded in Matthew 24:35.
"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever," Isaiah wrote, as cited in Isaiah 40:8, and Peter echoed this conviction in I Peter 1:24-25.
“ All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
But the word of the LORD endures forever."
I pulled the quote above from Biblegateway.com , and I notice the quotation marks. He seems to have been quoting from Isaiah. Anyway, he follows with this:
Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
Jesus Christ is the Word of God, God incarnate, the living Word of God. This is the message we have received from the gospel. The eyewitnesses of the Lord's life, death and bodily resurrection testify to us that the Word of the Lord endures forever. This should encourage us, no matter what we are facing.
When I am having a bad day, am discouraged, in a bad mood, not focusing on the Lord, or engaged in negative thought processes, I am tempted to ask, "What does the resurrection of Jesus have to do with this mess that I am experiencing?" Have you ever asked that? I confess. I have asked it. And God is so kind, so patient, so longsuffering toward me.
I recently lost my father. That is, he "passed away." Now, I believe that he believed in Jesus and had received the free gift of salvation, and, yes, that takes away much of the sting of death for me, but that does not take away the reality of grieving a loss, missing my daddy, wanting to be with him.
I suppose it could be considered a positive outcome of losing a loved one in the Lord if losing someone who has gone to be with Jesus makes a person more interested in heaven. In any case, the Lord's comfort while I mourn has brought me closer to my heavenly Father. And if people can pray from heaven, I believe my dad is praying for me. I know for sure Jesus is.
The Word of the Lord is "alive and sharper than any two-edged sword," the Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:12. This is my hope when I face difficult situations, fearful circumstances, undesirable conditions. The Word of the Lord endures forever, and it is alive. He is alive. Jesus is alive forevermore, and His Word is life. Keeping focused on this truth is getting me through the loss of my dad.
"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live," Jesus said in John 11:25. This is all the hope I need as I continue to grieve and to pray about how the Lord wants me to live in light of this new reality.
Today I have an issue with a gentleman who ran into my car yesterday. This is bad because I just traded in another car I had accidents in that were my fault. But this one wasn't. I am trusting that God will work out all the details. I cannot bear to think about it. I cannot bear to look at the place where the man hit me. I am just thankful that this as well as other calamities that occur on a daily basis are not what I have to focus on throughout this life that Jesus said would be full of tribulation. I can keep my mind on the Lord and be in perfect peace, as the Bible says in Isaiah 26:3.
I'm so glad the Word of the Lord is evergreen. Anything from the Word of God is relevant and eternally meaningful, helpful, comforting, encouraging, and makes everything else fade away in comparison, like that song, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace."
May you be blessed today as you look into His face, his truth, and His Word, and may His peace surround you by the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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