the 10th characteristic of the apostolic church and culture is the ministry of the word in Acts 2 right at the beginning of the birthing of the Apostolic Church it talks about how they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and immediately they were known as ones who were anchored in scripture you know there was a man throughout history one of the Saints his name was St Vincent of laoren and he was known as a holy knowledgeable man and he gained the respect of the community and those around because of his knowledge and understanding of the scriptures you know in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-8 it says now I make known to you Brothers The Gospel which I preached to you which also you received in which you also stand by which you also are saved if you hold fast the word which I preach to you see first of all we need to hold fast to the word that we that that we've been given by the Lord and this is what the Apostle Paul's saying you know and then he goes on if you hold fast the word I preach to you unless you believe in vain for I deliver to you as of first importance what I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures and that he appeared to sephus then to the 12 after that he appeared to more than 500 Brothers at one time most of whom remain until now but some have fallen asleep then he appeared to James then to all the apostles soul and last of all it was it were to one of the untimely born he appeared to me also and again here's this element where these Apostles saw Jesus face to face including Paul how he appeared to Paul for I am the least of the Apostles ures humility who who am not fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God but by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace toward me did not prove vain but I labored even more than all of them yet not I but the grace of God with me whether it was I or they so we preach and so you believed and see this this this element of giving themselves to the word of God is imperative it became the foundation of who they are the Apostle Paul as he writes to these different churches as a father he's referring back to how Jesus he fulfilled the scriptures as the scriptures said and so as people that are Apostolic today how much of us do we refer to the word of God how much have we given ourselves to the word of God is the word of God our foundation and that's the question we need to ask and so we need to re-evaluate our life and understand even when the Bible says from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks the question is you know is the word of God flowing in and out of us because if it's not we need to ask the question why or why not is it because we haven't given ourselves to the word is it because we're not living based upon the truth the foundation of our life is not based upon the word of God you know and so again the apostles they talk about how they've given themselves to the word and the Apostle Paul here says I've even given myself more in a sense of I have given myself I have labored even more than all of them when it comes to really the preaching and the word of God and so have we labored more than others you know the burans they were noble men because they were people that gave themselves to the scriptures they were they they they taught and they they even no matter who they heard the teaching from they will go back and research and revelate and so research and Revelation comes together and so when we think about this how much of the word are we really in you know 2 Timothy 3:16 it says all scripture is inspired by God or other uh versions say all scripture is God breathed and is profitable for teaching for reproof correction training and righteousness that the man of God may be adequate equipped for every good work and so as we're going out conducting good works is a based and are we equipped by the word of God are we equipped by truth because Our Generation we need to be a people of Truth in a culture where there are no absolute truths but we need to understand there are absolutes and there are truths not all truths are created equal but the word truth is defined as that which is the greatest reality and I want to tell you that the greatest reality is Jesus himself whether we see him whether we feel him whether we hear him whether or not um he is the absolute absolute truth and so he is the word of God and so the more we give ourselves to the word we're giving ourselves to Jesus and the more of the word that we're getting in us the more of Jesus we're allowing in us which then flows because whatever is in US flows out of us and so become a people of his word get into his word most people are either all spirit and or all word but there's got to be a balance the word and Spirit coming together was the great expression of God on the earth even in Matthew chapter 3 when Jesus was baptized we're reminded how the spirit of God the Holy Spirit descended Upon Jesus like a dove you know that's the perfect picture of the word and spirit coming together and that birth an incredible Ministry the expression of the Kingdom the expression of the father himself through his son Jesus and so ask the Holy Spirit to give you a passion for the word for his word for him to awaken you because the word of God the Bible says is spirit and life and so when we give ourselves to the word what we're receiving is spirit and life that comes from the very Breath of God because we know that all scripture is God breathed and so ask the Holy Spirit again just to fill you with a passion for for his word and asking for a Revival of scripture in your life right now