How often has someone told you something that was, "clear, cut, and dry?" If something is "clear, cut, and dry," it is said to be completed without debate, question, or argument. "Clear, cut, and dry" is an old adage that seemingly has been around forever. It's a metaphor reference to grass, hay, herbs, etc., being cut, dried, and thus ready for sale or use.
People make a lot of promises that they don't keep. They break promises over and over again. They give you nothing but empty words, full of disappointments. Some people maliciously break they promises. They will assure you that they will have your back and when that time comes, they are nowhere to be found. A promise is an expectation that a particular thing will happen and when the commitment has been fulfilled, it builds confidence that the individual can be trusted to keep their word. There is One, who would never break a promise, God. "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken and will he not fulfill it?" (Numbers 23:19).
Whatever God says, it will be fulfilled and what He says is always "clear, cut, and dry." God says what He means and means what He says. Moses, a prophet of God, had the task of leading the Israelites out of Egypt into the Promised Land. Whenever they were faced with a difficulty, they murmured, grumbled, and complained. God gave Israel the opportunity to enter Canaan, but they failed because they didn't trust Him. Their failure to trust God, kept them out of God's rest. "Let us do our best to go into that place of rest, too, being careful not to disobey God as the children of Israel did, thus failing to get in." (Hebrews 4:11). Failing to trust God will keep you out of God's rest. Failing to trust what? Failing to trust the Good News, the Word of God, the Bible!
The Israelites failed to trust the Word of God, that was preached to them while in the wilderness. God promised them that He would take care of them and give them victory, forgive them, and be merciful to them. God's word was "clear, cut, and dry." They didn't believe God. They murmured about everything. This was disbelief and disobedience.
God wants us to enter into his rest. For the Israelites in Moses time, this rest was the Promised Land. For us Christians, this rest is a peace with God and eternal life. The Israelites failed to enter the Promised Land because of disbelief. They didn't trust God at His word. God's word was "clear, cut, and dry." Because of their lack of trust, they failed.
God's promises still stands today. He promises that all may enter into His place of rest. In this moment, the most important question is this, are you trusting God? Are you believing what God is saying to you?
"If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that
God raised him fro the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that
you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your
faith and are saved." Romans 10:9-10
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
"But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 24:13"
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to
all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the
world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27
My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I I have told you
that I am going there to prepare a place for you?" John 14:2
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings
like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Isaiah 40:31
"If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity
and their years in contentment." Job 36:11
These are just samplings of God's promises and assurances toward us. The Word of God is living and life altering, as it works within us. It is active and penetrates to the bottom of our lives. It reveals who we are and what we are not. It discerns what is in us, both the good and the bad. "For whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and distress with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are."
The enemy doesn't want us to go to the place of rest, God's Word. He is very clever and he knows how to whisper the most sedative suggestions to us. He knows what the flesh desires and he is very deceiving. We must not listen to the deceptive lies of the enemy. Satan whispers lies through the desires of the flesh. We must believe the unshakable truth of God. God's Word is sharp enough and powerful enough to cut through all the lies and deception of the enemy. God's Word is sharper than any two edged sword and it has the ability to separate the worldly from the spirit. God's word is "clear, cut, and dry."
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