Last month, I had the opportunity to attend a leadership conference for women in ministry. It was an incredible two days of worship, teaching, and encouragement, and it left a lasting impression on my heart. I’ve always felt strongly about the importance of God’s Word in my life, but I was freshly challenged while at this leadership event to take what I had learned and impress these life-changing truths onto others. After all, what good is a bunch of knowledge if it isn’t being passed on? We are given much so that we can, in turn, give much to others. When God uses His Word in our lives to change us and strengthen our faith, I believe we were meant to share in community what God has done for the sake of encouraging one another in Jesus Christ.
So, that is what I want to do today. I’m fully aware that there are many of you out there that perhaps have taken the same stance towards the Bible as I did for many years. “It’s a good book. It’s a holy book. It can offer meaningful insights into our lives.” But perhaps you’ve stopped there, not really sure what else to do with these inspired words, unaware of the purpose that God’s Word is meant to have in each one of our lives. I am praying for you today and anyone’s eyes that might fall on these words I’m about to share with you. My prayer is that God’s Word will come ALIVE to you today and that you will begin to embrace His truth like never before. I pray that your exposure to God’s life-giving Word today changes you forever, just as it has changed my life.
- To start, I believe that God’s Word has the power to transform our lives. This is how 2 Corinthians 3:18 describes it:
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
The more time spent in God’s Word (His presence), the more we reflect His likeness. Just like Moses’ face shone so brightly for the Israelites to see, so our lives can shine in this dark world as we are being transformed one degree at a time through exposure to God’s Word.
- Secondly, I believe that God’s Word has the power to cleanse us from within and remove anything and everything in our lives that doesn’t belong. I love how Hebrews 4:12 describes this process:
“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.”
Time spent in God’s Word reveals our true selves, exposes our sin, and if we allow it to, it has the ability to cut out anything that opposes godliness within us.
- Thirdly, I believe that God’s Word is profitable for accountability within community. For those that might doubt its power to transform and to make new, read what 2 Timothy 3:16-17 has to say about this:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Every word in Scripture has been breathed out of the mouth of God; therefore it serves a good purpose in our lives and in our fellowship with other believers. God’s Word not only teaches us about Himself, but also instructs us on how to live a life pleasing to Him. When we find ourselves outside of those boundaries, we have His Word to fall back on as we seek to encourage one another in Christ.
- Finally, I believe that God’s Word is meant to be lived out. It’s not just a self-help book filled with suggestions. James 1:22-25 tells us that we are foolish is we simply just listen to what the Word says but fail to put it into practice.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”
So, if you’re like me at all and have ever wondered what purpose this ancient, holy book can serve in your life, I pray that you are now fully encouraged in knowing that the Bible transforms, cleanses and renews, provides accountability within community, and is meant to be lived out in our every day lives. God’s Word is alive, my friends! Find joy in that!
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