God’s Word
Abundant Life - SBC October 1, 1997 (Wed. P.M.)
A dozen carpenters sawed boards to make flooring.
The foreman measured every board with a carpenter’s square, (a L-shaped rule that forms an exact right angle)
If a laborer cuts a board at other than a right angle, the fit will be crooked, and the board must be recut to conform to the carpenters square.
For the Christian, the Bible is the instrument by which every spiritual thought is to be squared.
Every idea is to be accepted or rejected according to whether or not it meets the STANDARD of the WORD OF GOD as illuminated by the HOLY SPIRIT
Scripture Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even the division of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
"THE WORD OF GOD" - this is referring to the written word the Bible.
"LIVING" - The Word of God is LIVING - it is constantly and actively alive.
"POWERFUL" - The Word of God is powerful - it is energizing
"CUTTING" - The Word of God is "Sharper than ANY two edged sword
It is able to pierce even the "division between the soul and the spirit".
It is sharp enough to divide these two invisible and nonmaterial parts of a man.
"PIERCING" - The Word of God is able to "pierce the joints and the marrow"
The joints represent the outward movements of a man - our actions and deeds
The marrow represents our hidden thoughts and beliefs just as marrow is the hidden but VITAL part of our bones.
"DISCERNING" - the Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the HEART.
It is the WORD that JUDGES us, not we who judge the Word
Our Bible contains approximately 810,700 words - About 4 times as many as any other book of average length
Our Bible only contains approximately 6,000 different words compared to the over 20,000 that Shakespeare used while writing his plays
The average word in the Bible contains only 5 letters
these short words are full of the deepest meaning possible and are worthy of our earnest attention and study
Some of these 5 letter words are:
FAITH
GRACE
PEACE
SAVED
SERVE
GLORY
JESUS
Words small and size, but infinite in meaning and joy for us.
"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 joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (KJV)
The word of God is quick
It is very lively and active …especially in seizing the conscience of the sinner - in cutting him to the heart - and in comforting him and binding up the wounds of the soul
IT IS POWERFUL
It convinces powerfully
It converts powerfully
It comforts powerfully
An old Scottish lady was right when she said, "I often tremble on the rock, but the ROCK NEVER TREMBLES UNDER ME."
The Word of God is the guarantee of our salvation and the ground of our assurance.
There is nothing evasive about the message, it is direct and sure.
This is the reason why so many people find comfort in the Word of God.
This sword is powerful to batter down satans kingdom.and to set up the Kingdom of Jesus Christ upon the remains
This word is Sharper than any two edged sword
It will enter where no other sword can and make a more critical dissection
It "pierces even to the division of the souls and spirit" dividing our soul from it’s habitual prevailing temper
it separates the pride and lust from our soul so we can become humble and loving.
The WORD will turn the insides of a sinner out and let him see all that is in his heart.
"For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword."
How do we overcome the devil in everyday life?
First we need to recognize that the devil is a defeated foe
The Son of God came to undo the work of the devil
The crucifixion of Christ, which looked like a victory for satan at first was in fact a GREAT VICTORY for us!
A victory won by the power of God!!
It was at the Cross that Jesus took your sins and my sins
God laid our sins on Christ, so that when our Lord bowed His head and said, "It is Finished" It was finished.
God’s master plan was complete
Then..we are to resist the devil
If we resist him, Scripture says, he will flee from us.
Jesus did not overcome the devil by arguing with him, but simply by quoting scripture.
JESUS USED THE WORD!!!
That is why it is so important to read, study, learn and memorize scripture passages!!
The Word of God is ALIVE and POWERFUL
It has the power to bring truth to us in a powerful way
It can cut through all the garbage
Through all the smoke and mirrors that we and satan put up
It can cut directly to the chase....to our heart
and reveal the true thoughts and intents that live there
We cannot hide from the convicting power of the Word
We need to simply agree with the Word, ask forgiveness, repent and submit ourselves into the living - loving arms of God.