Doing It Differently According To His Word!

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. Luke 1:26-38 KJV

ACCORDING TO THY WORD!

The angel Gabriel brought the Word of the Lord to Mary in the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy. In Mary's whole life experience she had never heard of such a possibility as the Word declared, yet her humble response was, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word"

Eight times in the Psalms we encounter the words "according to thy word".

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Psalms 119:9 KJV

My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word. Psalms 119:25 KJV

Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word. Psalms 119:41 KJV

I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word. Psalms 119:58 KJV

Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. Psalms 119:76 KJV

Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word. Psalms 119:154 KJV

Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word. Psalms 119:169 KJV

Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word. Psalms 119:170 KJV

Our mouth and lips must be in sync with our heart, and our heart must be in sync with the Word of God. What proceeds from our mouth comes from our heart, and is therefore what we believe, for with the heart man believes.

What takes up the major portion of our heart will be what constantly seeks its expression through our mouth.

If we teach and follow the commandments of men we will only experience that which pertains to men, and will miss out totally, terribly and tragically on the liberty and freedom of God.

BEWARE THE TRADITIONS OF MEN!

Worship becomes vain when our doctrine is derived from the commandments of men. Here's what Jesus had to tell the scribes and Pharisees of Jerusalem:

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Matthew 15:7-11 KJV

(Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Isaiah 29:13-14 KJV)

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. Matthew 15:18-20 KJV