The living word of God

READ: Ezekiel 15,16; Psalms 130; Hebrews 4

SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 4: 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
12 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.

OBSERVATION:  There are 31,173 verses in our Bible. We believe “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Tim.3:16). God uses different verses to touch, inspire, encourage, condemn, correct, and bless individuals, according to their needs and His will. When Martin Luther understood the meaning of “The righteous will live by faith” (Rom.1:17), the great reformation we witness today saw its beginning. Likewise, the Bible continuously touches, transforms people’s lives, and makes significant changes in the world for centuries. There were/are many attempts to destroy the Bible. But the bible remains strong today despite all the opposition and many attempts to destroy it. A French philosopher Voltaire sarcastically said, “A hundred years from my death, the Bible will be a museum piece.” A hundred years after Voltaire’s death, History says that his house became a place to print the Bibles. We can say hundreds of such real-life stories to illustrate the greatness of God’s word. When we pray, preach, and speak about the Bible, we refer to Hebrew 4:12, which is one of the oft-quoted verses of the bible. Many people miss the context of Heb.4:12 and often use it out of context.

Hebrew chapter 4 primarily warns us of the consequences of disobeying God’s words and urges us to “make every effort” to obey God and his words. The Bible encourages, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Some may ask, “why should we obey God’s word?” The answer lies in Hebrew 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and active.” The word of God never dies; It never returns without accomplishing its purpose (Is.55:11). God’s word is alive and active because our God is the living God (Heb.3:12). Jesus said that his words are “full of the Spirit and life” (Jn.6:63). He says, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!” (Rev.1:18). The sharpness of the word of God convicts people to realize their sinful nature and leads them to salvation (Acts 2:37-40). On the other hand, it is the only offensive weapon in our battle against the Devil (Eph.6:17). The word of God is powerful to penetrate even to our innermost thoughts. Jesus knows each person and what is in their heart (Jn.2:25). We must obey God, not just with our lips, but with all our hearts.

APPLICATION: Living God calls me to live according to his word. I can hide nothing from God (v.13). With this in mind, I should always obey God. Not reluctantly or under compulsion, but lovingly I obey God because he first loved me.

PRAYER:  Living God, thank you for the bible you have given in my hands. Lord, give me the heart to honor your word in every way, in reading, obeying, and proclaiming it. Holy Spirit, help me live according to your word and lead me in the way everlasting.

- Arputharaj Samuel
+91 9538328573

Day – 313