Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive 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.”
The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God, the B-I-B-L-E!
If ever a song could make the “Sunday School Top Hits List,” it would have to include The B-I-B-L-E. After all these years it remains a staple in children’s gospel music. The downside of those familiar songs (and truths) we learned in Sunday School, however, is our tendency to relegate them to the past as we become more sophisticated.
Well, I’m happy to say after all these years, the B-I-B-L-E is still the book for me. I have a library of books…old friends I cherish. They ignite my imagination and broaden my thinking. They stimulate, entertain and educate me. They’ve taken me to pre-revolution France, to the streets of London, to Narnia, to Middle Earth. They serve as my dessert at the end of a long day. But no book, even the most beautifully crafted, contains the power of the Bible.
The Bible lives. Its words actively connect with our souls to bring conviction, encouragement and counsel. It reveals the extravagance of God’s love for us and teaches us how to respond. It explains what is and why.
We have no other means of developing our faith than through the Bible. Researchers Greg Hawkins and Cally Parkins studied people in 1000 churches. Their findings: “Nothing has a greater impact on spiritual growth than reflection on Scripture. If churches could do only one thing to help people at all levels of spiritual maturity grow in their relationship with Christ, they would inspire, encourage and equip their people to read the Bible.”
Our faith does not grow through the good works of busy-ness but through Scripture-ness.
I hope the B-I-B-L-E is the book for you. I hope its easy accessibility isn’t causing you to take it for granted. I hope you feast on it every day. I hope you let it transform you. If you don’t have a regular pattern of reading this ever-timely, victory-enabling, soul-sustaining, living Word of God, I can’t think of a better time to start than now.