Leaving Rebellion Behind....transformed by His word.....

"Sin will keep us from Bible study and Bible study will keep us from sin." An old Swedish proverb, I tweaked a bit!

For many years, my mom, a dear friend, Terilynn and I led a Bible study I was asked to write, for the homeless women, of the Orange County Rescue Mission. Their input during study, blessed and was unforgettable. One lady, had a favorite Bible passage, she loved to share. Her heart for God's word, was beautiful to me. Her appearance was one of physical rebellion, having gone against all her natural beauty. She had red and bluish green, died hair, sported many tattoos and displayed many, mostly, facial piercings. Her deeply held conviction and transformative message, is imprinted on me forever. Her message was clear. God used the following passage, to "change her to her core" and save her. Her testimony is short and strong. So memorable. The passage is as follows, where Saul and Samuel are talking....
1 Samuel 15:22-23 So Samuel said: "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king." 

She would repeat, "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry, because you have rejected the word of the LORD." These words transformed her. Rebellion and rejection go hand in hand. Acceptance and obedience go hand in hand. One builds, the other destroys. We all need changing. The word of God changes, saves, grows, convicts, set's free and much more. Jesus, the Living Word, is available to all, in all ways, always. This unforgettable homeless woman, had become obedient to come to Bible Study, putting rebellion in her past and blooming words of saving hope, on her pierced lips! She bloomed hope!  She had become, His!

God's word is the greatest power known to man. This is what I know after walking with Him for over 50 years and studying through His word every year from Genesis to Revelation. So great. So great salvation. So great!