The Grass Withers And The Flowers Fall, But The Word Of Our God Endures Forever.

The Bible tells us that even though the grass withers and the flowers fall, the word of our God endures forever. Life is fragile and the things of this world are temporary and perishable, but the word of God will last forever.

This is a guest post by Beth Harris. She is a wife, mother, Bible study leader and volunteer editor for markalanwilliams.net.  

I’m so grateful that the word of our God endures forever. God’s word has sustained me through many dark and difficult times. For nearly 30 years, it has been my light, compass, strength, hope and joy. Through times of sickness, loss of loved ones, financial hardship, and heartbreak; the word of God has been my anchor in the storm.

The Lord has spoken to me through His word and counseled me in making decisions. Over the years I have underlined, highlighted, dated and memorized Bible verses. I have defended the Bible and depended on the word of God; even when I despaired of losing everything else.

Life is full of change. One season ends and another one begins. The grass withers and the flowers fall during Autumn in preparation for Winter. In the same way as nature, our lives are only temporary.

A person is considered to be in their prime when they have reached the pinnacle of their strength, vigor or success in life, but then people decline with age; just as grass withers and flowers fall.

All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” (1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV)

However, the word of God is always in its prime. The Bible’s strength, vigor and success never declines. It is just as relevant and pertinent today as it has always been.

The word of God endures forever, because God is everlasting.

The Bible is unique and unequaled. It is extraordinary because it is God-breathed.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (NIV)

The Bible is God’s word to deliver truth; wisdom for living, hope, power, salvation, healing, transformation and revelation. It teaches, corrects and trains us so that we can serve the Lord.

There is no other book that can make and substantiate the claims that the Bible does.

God’s Word, includes His promises to believers. People may mean well but, even those with the best intentions may have to break their word on occasion. However, God always keeps His Word.

Still, as wonderful and precious as the Word of God is, many have tried to discount, destroy and challenge the Bible, but it has continued to stand the test of time. In fact, people who have sought to discredit the Bible often become believers and staunch defenders of the Christian faith.

There’s no better book with which to defend the Bible than the Bible itself.” –Dwight L. Moody

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive 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.” (NIV)

The word of God is living. It convicts our inner most thoughts and desires; it judges our thoughts and attitudes.

The Bible is one of a kind because the Word of God endures forever.

How many other books can make this astonishing and true claim that they will last forever?

Do you read the Bible regularly?

Have you made a decision to believe and receive Christ? Click here if you would like to now.

Your thoughts are welcome! You can leave a comment below.

Help Spread the Word! If you found this article helpful, we’d love for you to share it with others on social media or otherwise. This will help get the Word in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Thanks for your help!

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8 | CLICK TO TWEET

Additional resources about related subjects on this site:

• 3 Wonderful Ways to Read the Bible

• 4 Reasons You Can Love and Trust the Bible Today

• How Digging in the Dirt Proves the Bible is Reliable

• Have You Written Your Own Bible?Beware of Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

• Podcast: How do we know we have the right books in the Bible?

• Podcast: Why do some Bible versions omit certain verses?

• Video vlog: Twisting Scripture

NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth

The Lord Loves Righteousness And Justice…

the earth if full of His unfailing love.

The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love.” (Psalm 33:5 NIV). I have to admit that I started getting discouraged when I started thinking about the first part of this verse and how the Lord loves righteousness. That’s because I know how sinful I am and I know that I can’t measure up to His perfect standard.

This is a guest post by Beth Harris. She is a wife, mother, Bible study leader and volunteer editor for markalanwilliams.net.

Later in the day, I realized that I was feeling badly because I was only focusing on His righteousness and justice. I neglected to consider the rest of the verse about His unfailing love. I had temporarily forgotten about His mercy and grace. As I contemplated the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross which satisfied God’s righteousness and justice; my hope was restored.

Then I went to Walmart and as I approached the checkout lady, I noticed that her name tag said Mercy. I was quite surprised but, I think that God led me to this checkout line at Walmart to remind me of His mercy. I remarked on what a beautiful name she had and that her name reminded me of God’s mercy for us through Jesus Christ. She agreed and said,

“Yes He is merciful.”

I am grateful that the Lord loves righteousness and justice. I think that He has created human beings with a desire for these. In fact, we have an inherent sense of morality.

I believe this is true because I usually feel strongly and even indignant when I see acts of mistreatment. I’m sure you do also. In fact, most of us don’t like it when we and others are denied justice.

Why do we have these desires and feelings?

I think it’s because the Creator Himself made us in His image and we feel this way because He loves righteousness and justice.

The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.” (Psalm 103:6 NIV)

Do you love to see justice served? What about when the bad person in the movie gets what’s coming to them? We may express joy or relief. That is until we realize that we are not good either and we lack righteousness as the Bible explains.

• Romans 3:11 says, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” (ESV)

• Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, “Remember: there’s no one on earth so righteous as to do good only and never make a mistake.” (CEB)

• Ezra 9:15 says, “Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.” (NIV)

We wouldn’t like God to treat us as we deserve, because then He would have to judge and punish us for our sins.

But, God’s righteousness and justice were satisfied on the cross where Jesus died a sinner’s death and took the full punishment for our sins. He was condemned instead of us. 

God chose to forgive and save us because of His kindness and love. He knew we could never be good enough to meet the demands of His righteousness and justice. So, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ who never sinned to die for us.

• Titus 3:4-7 says, “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (NIV)

• “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30 NIV)

• 1 Peter 2:24 says, “‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’” (NIV)

• 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (NIV)

In an incredible exchange Jesus became our sin so that we might become His righteousness.

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” (Romans 1:17 NIV)

We are saved by grace alone and declared righteous through faith in what Christ did for us. We are not saved through good works or anything we can do.

We’ll all stand before God one day. We must choose now to either face Him with our own imperfect righteousness or with the perfect and only acceptable righteousness of Christ.

However, it isn’t enough to just know what Jesus died for us. Each person must personally believe and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior to be forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life.

Have you ever made a decision to believe and receive Christ? Click here if you would like to now.

Your thoughts are welcome! You can leave a comment below.

Help Spread the Word! If you found this article helpful, we’d love for you to share it with others on social media or otherwise. This will help get the Word in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Thanks for your help!

“The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth if full of His unfailing love.” Psalm 33:5 | CLICK TO TWEET

Additional resources about related subjects on this site:

• Who Needs Jesus, I’m a Good Person

• 5 Fantastic Spiritual Senses that Lead to Faith

• Facing Death Fearlessly

• How to Prepare for Eternity Now and Face Death with Confidence Later

• How to Overcome the Agony of Discouragement and Find Hope Again

NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth

This Is The Day The Lord Has Made; Let Us Rejoice And Be glad In It.

This Bible verse is a great reminder that the Lord has made each day; therefore, we should rejoice and be glad for each one that He gives us. However, there is one specific day that I think should make us rejoice and be glad above the rest.

This is a guest post by Beth Harris. She is a wife, mother, Bible study leader and volunteer editor for markalanwilliams.net.   

There are many special days that the Lord has given me to rejoice and be glad. These are significant days in my life. Some include, the day of my birth, my wedding day, the days my children were born and the day of my salvation.

January 1, 1989, is the day that I prayed to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. This was the day the Lord made for me to rejoice and be glad because He planned that I should hear, understand and respond to the Gospel message.

I think God wants us to rejoice and be glad each day. We can rejoice and be glad that we are alive and for the blessings that we have.

Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (NASB)

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)

But is it possible and reasonable to ask us to rejoice and be glad always? The answer must be yes, because the Bible says that it is God’s will for us.

Choosing to rejoice and be glad are decisions that we can make. But, if you are like me there are times when you don’t want to rejoice and be glad due to feelings or circumstances.

Certainly, there will be occasions when it is appropriate to grieve and express sorrow especially when we are suffering. But, even then it’s possible and helpful for us to look for the blessings in trials.

In fact, the Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Philippians and the verses about rejoicing from a prison cell. This was a time when he could have chosen to complain, but he chose to rejoice instead.

Joy can often seem elusive, but I have found one of the best ways to be rejoice and be glad is to count the blessings God has given me. To help me focus on them, I started a journal as suggested here in this article about the importance of thanksgiving. To date I have over 7,000 entries.

One reason that Christians can always rejoice and be glad is because of the Gospel. Even though Jesus was rejected when he came to earth and was crucified. It was part of God’s plan of redemption for us.

Psalm 118:22-23 says, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” (ESV)

Jesus referenced Psalm 118:22-23 to speak about Himself in Matthew 21:42 where it says, “Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone: this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?”’” (ESV)

Jesus became the cornerstone because He is the foundation of our faith.

Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (ESV)

We can always rejoice and be glad about the Gospel and the day of our salvation.

Maybe you have not yet received Christ yet and you may be thinking as I did prior to becoming a Christian, that God certainly wouldn’t want to hear from me. That I have sinned too much or gone too far and the truth is that we have sinned too much for Him. Everyone has sinned too much because even one sin is too many for a holy God.

But, we can rejoice and be glad because the Gospel or Good News is that Jesus Christ came to save sinners by grace through faith!

Jesus wants to hear from us. He came to die on the cross and take our punishment for us. He rose from the dead and He is alive. In Jesus, there is forgiveness and eternal life.

Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12 NIV)

Have you believed and received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Click here if you would like to now.

Your thoughts are welcome! You can leave a comment below.

Help Spread the Word! If you found this article helpful, we’d love for you to share it with others on social media or otherwise. This will help get the Word in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Thanks for your help!

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 | CLICK TO TWEET

Additional resources about related subjects on this site:

• 4 Ways to Find Contentment Now

• How to be Joyful When You Are Really Suffering

• How to Handle the Death of a Loved One

• The Best Quick Biblical Answer to Suffering

• Four Steps to Climb Out of a Pit of Depression

• How to Grow Through a Season of Loss 

• How to Overcome the Agony of Discouragement and Find Hope Again

NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth