Day 72
Hebrews 4:1-13 NIV
1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world.4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” 6 It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. 7 Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.9 There remains, then, a Sabbath‑rest for the people of God;10 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living 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. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
The Word of God is...
I just wanted to focus on the last section of this scripture. The Word of God is "living and active" "Sharper than any double-edged sword". The Word of God "penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow." The Word of God "it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart".
Living and active -
Many people read books and novels that seem to come to life as they begin to envision some element of the character's life and relate to the emotions of the passages. The Bible is different, it doesn't simply inspire our imaginations though it can inspire us to dream bigger. God's Word is a live because it has the power to make the dead live! The Word is alive because it never grows old or irrelevant. It is active because the Word continues to work as generation after generation discovers the truth of the Word. It is active because it isn't just some man inspired words on a page but it is God's Word made alive by the Holy Spirit. We read God's Word again and again but always seem to find something new and relevant for our situation. Even when we pull out the Old Testament classics that we have been reading since we were children we seem to find new nuggets that challenge and inspire us.
Sharper than a double-edged sword -
The Word of God is like a sword because it can cut away the undesirable areas of our heart. The Word trims away the flesh and awakens the spirit to it's truths. The Word of God cuts to the quick when we are lost or guilty of a sin against God, this sharp word inspires us to confess and repent.
The Word Penetrates and divides -
God's Word can break through even the hardest of hearts as the Holy Spirit directs and convicts. The Word penetrates and divides, since God communicates with us spirit to spirit the Word of God is contrary to the flesh and appeals directly to the spirit. This Word is absurd to natural thinking but when it penetrates to the spirit it has the ability to awaken the dead and cause us to experience the new birth.
Judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart -
The Word of God is our guide and it judges us when we read it with an open heart. It is through this judgment that we are able to escape a final judgment and be found without Christ. The Word quickly reveals the character of God and exposes the weak areas of our spiritual walk. The Word of God speaks to the heart of man, it reveals the purpose of our hearts.
This is powerful Word that we are dealing with tonight. Paul has said it all here by showing us the importance of God's Word. It is important to read it and then digest it. It is important that we learn this Word and speak it. This Word quickens our faith. The faith that pleases God. While no one can mandate that we read God's Word we can say that in order to grow in Christ as we should be we cannot simply depend upon Sunday morning sermons to give us all the Word we need.
Blessings,
Pastor Larry
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