Hebrews 4:12 - Sharper Than Any Two-Edged Sword.
Hebrews 4:12 - Sharper Than Any Two-Edged Sword.
Hebrews 4:12 (ESV) For the word of God is living and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and
of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and
intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) For the word of God is alive and powerful. It
is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul
and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost
thoughts and desires.
The Bible is not dead but living. It lives both because God
brought it into existence and because the Spirit of God brings its
message to life in our hearts. It has God's power to provoke change in
our lives. [Life Principles SB By Charles Stanley]
The Word of God is not simply a collection of words from God, a
vehicle for communicating ideas; it is living, life-changing, and
dynamic as it works in us. With the incisiveness of a surgeon's knife,
God's Word reveals who we are and what we are not. It penetrates the
core of our moral and spiritual life. It discerns what is within us,
both good and evil. The demands of God's Word require decisions. We
must not only listen to the Word; we must also let it shape our
lives. [Life Application SB]
The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in
the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every
command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it
brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature
and re-creates the soul in the image of God. ED126
The Bible has been banned, burned, scoffed, and ridiculed.
Scholars have mocked it as foolish. Kings have branded it as illegal. A
thousand times over it the grave has been dug, and the dirge has begun,
but somehow the Bible never stays in the grave. Not only has it
survived, it has thrived. It is the single most popular book in all of
history. It has been the best-selling book in the world for years!
There is no way on earth to explain it. Which perhaps is the
only explanation. The answer? The Bible's durability is not found on
earth; it is found in heaven. For the millions who have tested its
claims and claimed its promises there is but one answer - the Bible is
God's book and God's voice...
The purpose of the Bible is to proclaim God's plan and
passion to save his children. That is the reason this book has endured
through the centuries... It is the treasure map that leads us to God's
highest treasure, eternal life. [Grace For The Moment SB By Max Lucado]
Anyone who has ever had surgery knows how scary it can be.
The fact that surgeons cut and stitch every day does not help,
either. We still feel anxious and frightened about having our bodies
opened up, even in the simplest procedures. If not for anesthesia, the
operation would be indescribably painful, but even with the help of
unconsciousness we know that we will be vulnerable and helpless during the
procedure. And afterward, some kind of painful recovery will follow. No one
can blame anyone for feeling nervous about all that.
As scary as surgery is, there is a nonphysical operation that
scares some people even more. The writer of Hebrews clues us in as to
who the doctor is, as well as what instrument he will be using to
perform this surgery. No anesthesia is needed here, only a humble and
willing heart. Are you open to spiritual surgery by the divine Surgeon?
God uses his Word to work on our lives as a surgeon uses a
scalpel (Hebrews 4:12). It cuts through our pretender's skin. It goes
after the cancerous sinful growths that infect our character. It
attacks our spiritually diseased condition.
For this very reason, many people fear the Bible. They fear
the discomfort and pain in confronting and dealing with their
spiritual problems. They fear the changes that will take place in their
character and life. But changes for good should not be feared, for God
removes from our character only what harms us - our sinful attitudes and
behaviors.
Do not be afraid to read the Bible. Let God do corrective
surgery on your thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. Although it may be
painful now, the end results will be well worth the discomfort you may
experience. [The One Year Through the Bible Devotional by Dave Veerman re
Heb. 4:9-13]
Does God's word ever cause you discomfort? When you read the
Bible does what you read make you uneasy? Do you find when you listen
to sermons, that the Scripture seems aimed directly at you? You are
experiencing the reality that the word of God is alive and can read your
thoughts and judge your intentions.
When God's word speaks to you it is always for a purpose. God
knows your heart and knows what you need to do to bring your life into
conformity to Christ. If you have a problem with sinful talk, the word that
comes to you will address the tongue. If you are struggling to
forgive, God's word will confront you with His standard for forgiveness.
If pride has a stronghold in your life, God's word will speak to
you about humility. Whatever sin needs addressing, you will find you
are confronted by God's word on the matter.
One way you can escape the discomfort of conviction is to
avoid hearing God speak to you. You may neglect reading your Bible and
stay away from places where it is taught. You may avoid those whom
you know will uphold the truths of Scripture. The best response,
however, is to pray as the psalmist did: "Search me, O God, and know my
heart" (Ps 139:23). Regularly allow the word of God to wash over you
and find any sin or impurity (Eph 5:26). Always make the connection
between your life and what God is saying to you through His word. Make a
habit of taking every word from God seriously, knowing that it is able
to judge your heart and mind. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry
and Richard Blackaby]
ILLUSTRATIONS
I woke up in one of those dreadful moods, already prejudiced
against the day ahead. I spoke to the Lord about it - asked Him to
jump-start my spirit and help my attitude shift. Nothing. I still felt like
the day was out to get me.
Sometime later, I decided to pull out some index cards with
Scripture verses on them, words that God had used to speak encouragement
to me at critical moments in various situations. I read through
each one, remembering the power I felt when they impacted me at those
moments. Little by little, my attitude shifted. The day wasn't out to get
me; I was sent into the day by a powerful God who had already
ordained my steps. Whatever happened on this day, I would overcome.
The Spirit of God is always with us and in us, but sometimes
we can sense His practical Presence only in the Word He inspired.
God is present when we read His Word and affirm its truth, when we
let the living power of the Word sink into us and shape us. It's
entirely possible to read and study the Bible without experiencing this
living power - plenty of Pharisees, philosophers, and skeptics have
done so throughout history, and so have we at times. But when the
Word lands in the fertile ground of faith in our hearts, things
change. God goes to work. He inhabits the words He has spoken, and they
take on a vitality that transforms.
If you're in need of God's Presence, you can always find it
one way or another in His revelation. Don't just read His words; let
them speak. Let them change your day - and your life.
Lord, I need to experience the living power of Your Word.
Whenever I thirst for You, lead me to the verses that reveal Your voice
for that moment. Use them to shape me from within. [The One Year
Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
A young woman was packing a suitcase for a long trip. She
said to a woman who was watching her, "I'm just about finished. I
only have to put in a guidebook, a lamp, a mirror, my favorite love
letters, a microscope, a telescope, a volume of fine poetry, a song book,
a few biographies, a package of old letters, a sword, and a set of
books I have been studying." The onlooker gasped, "How do you intend
to get all that in your suitcase? It's almost full now!"
The young woman replied, "Oh, all that won't take much room."
She then walked over to a table, picked up her Bible, placed it in
the corner of her suitcase, and closed the lid. Winking at her
friend, she said, "And I even got in a loaf of living bread."
The Bible says of itself that it is "fresh" with every
reading - it never grows stale. The Bible is always applicable to life,
no matter where one lives. The truths of the Bible are unshakable -
they will last forever and never go out of style. Voltaire once said
that in a hundred years, the Bible would be a forgotten book, found
only in museums. When the hundred years were up, however, Voltaire's
home was occupied by the Geneva Bible Society! Feed your children a
healthy portion of the Bible today. Consider it "heavenly food." [God's
Little Devotional Bible re Lev.22:31]
There was once a Shakespearian actor who was known everywhere
for his one-man show of readings and recitations from the classics.
He would always end his performance with a dramatic reading of
Psalm 23. Each night, without exception, as the actor began his
recitation - "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" - the crowd would
listen attentively. And then, at the conclusion of the psalm, they
would rise in thunderous applause in appreciation of the actor's
incredible ability to bring the verse to life.
But one night, just before the actor was to offer his
customary recital of Psalm 23, a young man from the audience spoke up.
"Sir do you mind if tonight I recite Psalm 23?"
The actor was quite taken back by this unusual request, but
he allowed the young man to come forward and stand front and centre
on the stage to recite the psalm, knowing that the ability of this
unskilled youth would be no match for his own talent.
With a soft voice, the young man began to recite the words of
the psalm. When he was finished, there was no applause. There was no
standing ovation as on other nights. All that could be heard was the
sound of weeping. The audience had been so moved by the young man's
recitation that every eye was full of tears.
Amazed by what he had heard, the actor said to the youth, "I
don't understand. I have been performing Psalm 23 for years. I have a
lifetime of experience and training - but I have never been able to move
an audience as you have tonight. Tell me, what is your secret?"
The young man humbly replied, "Well sir, you know the
psalm... but I know the shepherd."
It's not enough to just know the content of the Bible - its
stories, its sayings, and its teachings. Unless you know the author, the
Bible is nothing more than just another book. But when you put your
faith in Jesus Christ and have entered into a personal relationship
with God the Father, the Bible truly becomes "living and active -
sharper than any double-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12). Williams-RD-MG
[Williams-RD-MG@micmac.redstone.army.mil]
I remember being present some years ago in a church in South
Wales when a debate was held between a university professor and an
ordinary coal miner. The subject was: "Is the Bible true?" The university
professor presented his arguments in a clear fashion, and I remember
feeling quite sorry for the miner as I imagined some of the difficulties
he might face when making his reply. After the professor had
finished, the miner stood to his feet. And for over an hour, I witnessed
one of the most amazing demonstrations of the Holy Spirit at work
that I have ever seen in my life.
The miner began by asking everyone to bow their heads as he
prayed a prayer which went something like this: "Lord, I have not had
much education, but You know that I love Your Word and have spent my
life searching its pages. Help me now to say something that will
convince my friends here that Your Word is true." He then proceeded to
demolish the arguments of the professor simply by quoting appropriate
Scriptures without making even a simple comment.
When he finished, there was thunderous applause. The
professor's well-articulated, highly intellectual arguments had been torn to
pieces by the sharp edges of the sword of the Spirit - by that and by
that alone.
O Father, the more I hear, the more I want to hear. For I was
created by Your Word, designed according to Your Word, and I can never
remain content until I am indwelt with Your Word. Teach me even more.
In Jesus' name. Amen. [Selwyn Hughes devotional in Every Day With
Jesus Daily Bible]
There is power in God's "word" to transform sinners into saints.
[SDA Bible Commentary]
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON EXPERIENCING GOD:
http://sda.biggytv.com/watch/Revive!_-_Dwight_Nelson:_Experiencing_Gods_Grace/revive/
RECENT BIBLE PROPHECY SERIES ON REVELATION:
http://revelationtodaylive.com/live
ONLINE BIBLE STUDIES: THUNDER IN THE HOLY LAND
Send email request to fggibbs@aBible.com
