“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
Are you tired of a shallow faith that hasn’t grown in recent years like it should have? Do you miss the zeal you had for God in a past season that has grown a bit cold? Has life brought you more questions and new struggles that you need new understanding to overcome and endure? Does your Christian faith feel like it’s on autopilot, and you’re just going through the motions? Do you get the sense that a lot of the Bible teaching you’ve had is like a weak barbecue sauce that has been so watered down that it’s lost its flavor? If this sounds like you, then Hebrews has some passionate, enthusiastic, and urgent invitations.
When you read the Bible humbly and expectantly, the most amazing thing happens. The author meets with you to help you learn and apply what was written. This is precisely what Hebrews 4:12 means, saying, “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.” Because God the Holy Spirit wrote the Scriptures through human authors, He will meet with you as you study Hebrews to understand what it says (information) and give you power in the Spirit to obey what it says (impartation), which changes your life and legacy (transformation).
If you are ready to stop settling for a shallow faith and dig your roots deep in Hebrews, the following invitations should motivate you to urgently and passionately take God the Spirit up on His repeated invitations throughout Hebrews:
- 4:14-16 – Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
- 6:1 – Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God…
- 10:22-24 – …let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…
- 12:1-3 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
If you want to dig your roots deeper, you must go all the way back to the Old Testament. Sadly, most Christians know far too little about the Old Testament. This is what we will begin to discuss in tomorrow’s devotional.
Which of the above-mentioned verses speaks to you the most in your current season?
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