HeBrews: A Better Blend
How do you grow in your relationship with Christ? By talking with Him and listening to Him; through prayer and reading His love letter to you. His love letter to you is the Bible and there is much said about the Bible by God. Today in our study of the book of Hebrews, I want us to search the scriptures to find why the Bible should be important to us. Let me show you one important reason:
In Psalm 119: 9 we hear the Psalmist say:
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word.
What this verse says to me is the Bible, the Word of God has the power to clean up and change a person if they will read, listen and apply its principles. I know this is true. It happened to me. Sounds good, huh? So how can a book, an ancient book, change a person? Let’s look at our focal verses to try and discern the answer to this question.
Hebrews 4: 11-13 (NIV)
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.
You may be thinking something like this? “Why all this talk about an ancient, boring book, Leah? You talk about it like it was a person and able to impact people’s lives.”
Good question. I used to think that very thing about the Bible…..until I started studying it. I hope to prove to you today that the Bible is alive and able to change your life just like it changed mine. The Greek word used in verse 12 for active is ‘energes’. It comes from two words: en meaning ‘in’ and ergon meaning ‘work.’ Consider the meaning of this word: “Energes was used in extra-biblical Greek to describe freshly plowed land ready for cultivation, a mill in working condition, and drugs effective in bringing a cure. The word of God contains a potency which when unleased successfully accomplishes what gets results and can actualize or realize things.” (Zodhaites Key Word Study Bible p. 1621)
I think we can all understand the portion of the definition pertaining to drugs. When you are sick and go to the doctor, he or she will write you a prescription to help cure your illness. You take the prescription to the pharmacy where the pharmacist fills it, you pay for it and take it home. Up to this point, the medication in the bottle is just a tablet or capsule containing a substance designed to cure a specific problem. The medication has the power to cure your illness, but you must choose to activate that power. Until you actually take the medication from the bottle, put it into your mouth and swallow it, it is has no power. The power is unleashed in your body to cure your illness when the medication is taken.
So it is with the Bible. As long as it lies unread on your shelf or nightstand, it has no power to change your life. However, when it is opened and read, power is unleashed that will produce a heart change in your life.
If you have ever heard me give my testimony, you have heard me talk about how God used a myriad of Bible studies to change me and draw me closer to Him. His Word truly is living and able to change hearts and lives.
MEDITATION MOMENT: Today’s Meditation Moment is really a challenge. If you are not currently engaged in in-depth Bible study, I want to challenge you to get involved in one…just one, but it must be at least 6 weeks in length and it needs to be one that you feel drawn to doing. There are many great Bible studies out there. If you don’t know of one, email me ([email protected]) and I’ll recommend a few for you. I guarantee you it will change your life.
If you are involved in in-depth Bible study, I want to hear which one(s) changed your life.
