Read Hebrews 4:1–12
“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
Leading up to Hebrews 4:12, the author speaks about a Sabbath rest that God has for us. While this Sabbath rest was offered to the Israelites, their disobedience and unbelief kept them from entering it. Now, this Sabbath rest is provided to those in Christ, but the author of Hebrews warns us not to take it for granted like the Israelites did so that we won’t fall by the same sort of disobedience.
The author of Hebrews then talks about the power of the Word of God, comparing it to a double-edged sword. With swords, there are different types of blades, each designed for a different purpose. Some are meant for force, while others are meant for accuracy. A double-edged sword, sharpened on both sides, is uniquely designed to pierce its mark with precision.
As we learned from James, the Word of God shows us what we’re really like, and as we learned from Jeremiah, God’s Word has the power to crush our sin-hardened hearts. Now here in Hebrews, we find that the Word of God is a double-edged sword, able to pierce to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow. Essentially, this means that it can penetrate to the very core and essence of who we are. But the author also says that the Word of God is living and active, meaning that it doesn’t just pierce our heart, showing us who we are and convicting us of our sin, but it has the power to transform us from the inside out.
As we live out our salvation in Jesus, we don’t want to fall by the same disobedience and unbelief that the Israelites did in the wilderness. But as we read the living and active Word, this double-edged sword will pierce us, showing us what’s really in our hearts and transforming us more and more into Christ’s image as we respond in repentance and faith.
Reflect:
1. Faith and repentance are gifts from God that draw us closer to him. Have you thanked him for these gifts?
2. What areas in your life are you in faith to see the Word transform?
Pray:
“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
O Lord, thank you for your living and active Word that transforms me from the inside out. I choose to abide in it even as it cuts through the hard places of my heart. Lord, I repent of when I have conformed to the world’s standards. I pray that you would transform and renew my mind as I meditate on your Word daily. Increase my faith and make me more like Christ as I read it. Amen.
GOD’S WORD TRANSFORMS US.
Day 5
The Word Is a Sword
Hebrews 4:1–12, Ephesians 6:13–17
Why Abide?
Every Nation has always placed a high premium on the power, truthfulness, and benefit of Scripture. God reveals himself to us through his Word, by which he transforms and empowers us. In 2022, we’re calling everyone to a renewed commitment to read, understand, believe, and obey God’s Word. Thus, our 2022 consecration devotional material will focus on metaphors that refer to the Word.
Introduction
Deuteronomy 8, Matthew 4:3–4, Luke 4:1–4, John 4:34
Read Deuteronomy 8:1–20 “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” — Deuteronomy 8:3 Bread was central to the diet of the ancient Near East. Even today, many cultures have a bread that is unique and prevalent to their diets. There is the crunchy baguette in France, the unleavened roti in India, the spongy injera in Ethiopia, the thin tortilla in Mexico, and the soft pandesal in the Philippines. But in Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses declares that man doesn’t live by bread alone. While the Israelites were in the wilderness, God provided for them by raining down manna, a bread-like food, from heaven. Now, as they prepare to enter the Promised Land, a land of plenty, Moses takes time to remind the people who fed them in the wilderness. And even though they will no longer need bread to rain down from heaven in the new place they are going, their dependence on God remains the same. It is in trusting and obeying God’s Word that they will live and thrive in the land. They need his Word like they need bread to survive. In the same way, our dependence on God’s Word should be like our reliance on bread. Each day of this fast, our bodies will crave more and more the nourishment that bread provides. But it is this craving, this almost all-consuming awareness of our need for food, that this metaphor of God’s Word as bread becomes all the more relevant to us. Just as our bodies crave bread, we should crave God’s Word, living in constant awareness of our need for him and his words every day. In fact, we learn in John’s gospel that Jesus himself is the very Word of God. He calls himself the “bread of life,” promising that whoever comes to him will never hunger or thirst. When we come before him and fill ourselves with God’s Word, we can receive his salvation and be truly fulfilled. God’s Word is true. God’s Word is powerful. And it is through God’s Word that he reveals himself to us, and we are transformed and empowered to live for him. As we go into a week of prayer and fasting and our hunger for bread grows day by day, may our appetite for God’s Word grow even more. Reflect: 1. Think of a situation when you had to depend on God. Give him thanks for sustaining you through it. 2. What verse or passage has kept you encouraged this past year? Take time to praise God for his Word being trustworthy and powerful in your life. Pray: “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” — Deuteronomy 8:3 God, thank you for the gift of the Bible. Through your Word, you speak to me and remind me that you are for me. You show your everlasting character, and I learn to hear your voice as I read and meditate on scripture. Lord, help me build a daily desire to abide in your Word, a desire that would grow throughout my walk with you. Your Word nourishes my spirit and fulfills my heart. As I pray, fast, and consecrate myself to you this week, may my understanding and love for you grow as I draw nearer to you. In Jesus’ name, amen. GOD’S WORD SUSTAINS US.
Day 1
1 Peter 1:13–25, Mark 4:3–9, Mark 4:13–20
Read 1 Peter 1:13–25 “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God . . .” — 1 Peter 1:23 In this verse, Peter tells us that it is through the imperishable seed of the Word of God that we have been born again. What does he mean by this? In God’s Word, we find the good news of what God has done in Jesus Christ to save us. And it is through the good news found in God’s Word that one is born again. But God doesn’t just uncover his plan of salvation through his Word. He reveals his very self to us. That’s why Peter calls it the living and abiding Word. Peter compares the Word of God to an imperishable seed. What’s interesting about a seed is that it’s dry and dull with little evidence of life before you plant it. But once it’s in the proper condition, planted in damp and nutrient-rich soil, life bursts forth from it as we eagerly wait above the surface for those signs of life to appear. Just like a seed needs to be planted in the proper condition for life to spring forth, God’s Word is waiting to be planted in the good soil of a believing heart. And then, by the Holy Spirit, his Word will germinate, take root, and grow, bringing life and beauty to whatever it touches. When we open up the living and abiding Word of God, we encounter the God of the universe, the one who created all things and is making all things new. And when we meet him, our lives can’t help but be transformed. There may be areas of your life that have felt dry. Maybe your love for the lost has waned, or your passion for God’s mission has been quenched. God’s living and abiding Word will never lose its power to touch every dull, dry, and dead area of your life, causing it to burst forth with new life that is lasting and eternal. And as his Word touches and transforms our lives, we can’t help but sow this imperishable seed, sharing the good news of what Jesus has done to save us, wherever we go. Reflect: 1. Think about when you first heard the gospel. Did someone share it with you? Reflect on that moment, thanking God for his salvation. 2. Since the Word is living and abiding, what are some areas of your life it can renew this week? Pray: “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God . . .” — 1 Peter 1:23 God, I believe that your Word is an imperishable seed that can renew every area of my life. I can bring my brokenness, confusion, and insecurities before you, knowing that you make me whole, confident, and secure through the seed of your Word. You have brought me from death to life and are faithful to finish the good work you began in me. Lord, I pray that you will continue to change my life to reflect your love to others around me. Because of your Word that you’ve planted in me, I can be bold to share your gospel wherever I go. Amen. GOD’S WORD MAKES ALL THINGS NEW.