“For the word of God is living and powerful, 

and sharper than any two-edged sword, 

piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, 

and of joints and marrow, 

and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

my twocents…

wow. can you hear the power in this verse?! i pray that as we study God’s Word together, through the course of time, you can agree with me that there is so much power in the Word. we become stronger and wiser and better in every way, as we are renewed by this amazing blessing of the Word. the Word is literally alive. the Word is God. 

the Word works through each of His readers, His believers, to cut down right to the point that matters uniquely to the individual. that’s why is so important to meditate on the Word as often as possible. more than daily. as often as possible. to let it work through every inch of our body, soul and spirit. the Word is our lifeline. our life truly depends on this living Word. 

this is also why an argument of Bible translations being unreliable is just farfetched. God works through His Word, and God is all-powerful. He works through thousands of languages, dialects, and mediums that we aren’t even aware of, to speak to His children. so while others are debating over the use of thee and we, God is working wonders in a way we just can’t even begin to grasp. of course, when believers are thirsting for more of the good Word, it’s only natural for God to grant those wishes and to steer them to new material and new findings, whether it be through ancient Bible versions, scrolls and other artifacts. it can also be through nature, animals and human interactions. God provides for each as they need. 

as we meditate on His Word, we hold it deep in our hearts and allow it to reinforce our sense of the Holy Spirit residing within us. in our times of need, Holy Spirit speaks through us and gives us the right words in certain situations. isn’t it crazy to this that this all-powerful, living Word is coming from my mouth?! God is so great, honestly, words just can’t describe…

when we bring God’s Word into interactions with others, we don’t realize how deeply it can affect someone. it can pierce to their soul and spirit. the Truth can set them free. the Word, sharper than any two-edged sword, can cut through your friend’s (or enemy’s) chains. praise Jesus - how amazing a gift He is!

may we meditate on God’s living Word as often as possible, wield it when we are called to, and carry it close to our hearts everyday. rejoice in this amazing Truth. 

2/22/23

"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”

my two cents…

faith is a natural part of us, wound into our very fibers. the Lord created this whole earth, including us, by His Word and before that there was nothing. faith is a component of who we are and everything that exists in our life. our words are spoken and then they manifest for better or for worse. His Words created our existence and His Words are always good.

now why is it so hard for us to have faith, to act in faith? why does it feel awkward and uncomfortable for us? faith is in our makeup, isn't it? our Father created us in this way, so what we create shall be done the same. any other ways are not ways of creation, but ways of destruction. its like using a hammer to a screw. a screwdriver to a screw would mean progress, but a hammer to a screw would destroy the construction. why do we live in a reactionary state, just responding to stimuli? we react in worry and fear, and there is the hammer again, trying to nail in the screw. wrong tool! we cover our ears to the Truth and then wait for ‘an event’ to happen to us, and then react. and in this way we are exercising fear and strengthening it through exercise. if we had sought God and His Word and remembered His promises, the interpretation of ‘the event’ would be much different. events that happen to us are lessons for our development, opportunities for exercise. will you exercise fear or faith? which will you strengthen? if you want your faith to be strong, it needs to be the first tool you grab, it needs exercise, it needs to be practiced. every moment, every scenario can be a testing ground for faith. identify those scenarios that beg a reaction, that beg the need for a tool to be used. 

responses to scenarios that include worry, anxiety, fear, and a rush to ‘fix your own problem’ are symptoms of choosing (and exercising) the wrong tool. God doesn’t give us reason to worry. He’s already promised good tidings of great joy to all of us. He's promised that He will take care of us. any response of fear is not derived from the Spirit. so then how do we handle our battles? Here are some Words of direction:

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

“O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” 2 Chronicles 20:12

admit that we cannot fix our own problems. we cannot succeed in any battle, any challenge, without leaning on the Lord, setting our eyes on Him, praising Him, and admitting that we cannot do alone what He can do through us. this is faith. this is screwing in the screw with the screwdriver. God knows how to orchestrate everything, and He does, for us. we cast our cares on Him and keep our eyes on Him. it doesn’t mean we are idle and inactive, but we have the awareness to hear His direction, and an ongoing dialogue making sure we are taking the right steps. it’s like driving a car to a place unknown, relying on our Passenger, the Holy Spirit, to tell us the directions, every turn, the speed limit, interpreting our surroundings and keeping us comforted through the storms and moments of decreased visibility. we can’t lean on our own understanding -  we don’t even know where we’re driving to! 

for many of us, this is a tough transition, especially those new in Christ. we have been exercising and strengthening fear for a long time. it’s time to put fear on the bench, to never let him in the game again, and to get faith in there. faith will get stronger and stronger over time, and the plays will become easier. faith will surely bring home the win.

1/6/23