Hebrews 4:12—”For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Normally, when we have a heart-to-heart chat with our family and close friends, they are able to reveal to us our habits, or ways, that annoy them. Then, we try to change that behavior because we love them. As children, our authority figure helps us become aware, and to change, what society wants of its members. Spouses shed light about each other during the course of their marriage – what they like, or dislike, about each other.
As believers, we have a Father who loves us so. When we have a relationship with God, we talk to Him everyday (about everything) to have Him guide us through our life in His ways. Now, what if we are not yet there – in our relationship with God? What if we have only recently heard about God, His love for us and Christ’s gospel? How do we know about ‘what God desires for us’? Never fear. God has taken care of each and every one of us. He has told us His Ways via a life manual that He has left for us, His Word – The Bible.
The Bible contains the dos and don’ts to be a part of God’s Kingdom and to please Him. It is not like reading a fiction or nonfiction, paperback or published leather-bound book. God’s Word is alive and full of power (it is active, operative, energizing, and effective). It changes the reader’s thoughts, actions, beliefs, words and other worldly things. Bible readers begin to see their world (and life around them) through God-colored glasses. They are aware of God’s likes and dislikes and want to obey their Father so that He is pleased. It makes a soul that has long been proud, to be humble; and a perverse spirit, to be meek and obedient. The sword of God’s Word cuts off to separate sinful habits that have become a natural part and that are rooted deeply in the soul. Bible readers begin to act, speak, and even dress different, for example, readers will want to do what Jesus did – in humility and service; readers will avoid gossip and use their mouths to glorify God and to build their fellowmen; Bible readers will abstain from their former revealing clothes styles to replace them with clothes that display confidence and authority, clothes that represent the child of a King. The Word of God helps us identify our faults and weaknesses. It helps us discover our vile thoughts and actual purposes of our heart, the bad principles behind them, and the sinful ends they act toward. The Word of God cuts through, exposes, sifts, analyzes and judges our intentions; it discerns our thoughts and desires of our flesh(soul). The Word shows us all that is in our heart. It thus helps us stay true to our spirit – to listen and obey. The Word of God also convinces, converts, and comforts powerfully. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.
The advantage that we get from the Word of God is this – when we read it out loud, in faith, the echoes of our voice is the affirmation: the affirmation of God’s promises, the affirmation that we are what the Word says we are, we have what the Word says we have, and we have the ability to do what the Word says we can do! Today, come and use the Word of God in your life wisely.
