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.
An elderly lady was returning home after a church service when she was surprised by an intruder. She discovered a man robbing her home. “Stop!” she shouted, “Acts 2:38!” (Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins).
The burglar froze in place, allowing the woman to call the police and report the burglary calmly. When the police arrived and detained the man, the officer curiously asked him, “Why did you stop when she cited scripture?” The burglar, still shaken, replied, “Scripture? I thought she said she had an ax and two .38s!”
While the story brings a smile, it also highlights a profound truth—we frequently underestimate the power of God’s Word. It is readily available, and within easy reach, yet we often fail to use it to speak victory into our situations.
God desires for our faith to flourish, but how does faith grow? As it is written, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God!” [Romans 10:17] By dedicating ourselves to studying His Word, we unlock new spiritual insights, soak in its wisdom, and grasp His Will. Billy Graham once remarked, “If you are ignorant of God’s Word, you will always be ignorant of His will.”
I am convinced that God continues to communicate with us through His Word. Howard Hendricks once stated, “God wants to communicate with you in the 21st century. He wrote His message in a book. He asks you to come and study that book for three compelling reasons: it’s essential for growth. It’s essential for maturity. It’s essential for equipping you, training you, so that you might be an available, clean, sharp instrument in His hands to accomplish His purposes.”
He concluded by saying, “So the real question confronting you now is: How can you afford not to be in God’s Word?”
When we study the Word, we’re not just reading text but engaging with God’s voice, preparing ourselves to serve His purposes. Thus, the challenge is clear: we must prioritize and value our time studying His Word. By doing so, we will be fully equipped for His service. [2 Timothy 3:16-17]
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
How to display the above article within the Worthy Suite WordPress Plugin.
[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Last week, I did a series of devotionals on the Dead Sea scrolls. As I’ve been pointing out the archaeological discoveries as well as their prophetic significance, I’ve saved the best for last! Recently discovered fragments of the Bible in the Dead Sea region containing two passages of Scripture are incredibly relevant. I spoke of the passage in Zechariah last week.
When we study a translation of a Scripture passage we often miss out on the nuances hidden in the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament). Often, it’s not that a word is mistranslated, but that rendering the meaning in one English word is difficult if not impossible.
When Moses sent out the 12 spies to report on the condition of the land of “milk and honey”, ten of the spies brought back a bad report. They focused on the giants, and the great obstacles in their way. They walked with eyes set on the physical realm and said within themselves, “We are but grasshoppers in the sight of these giants!
Living in Israel all these years, I often encounter amazing stories of God’s deliverance and grow increasingly fond of listening to the fascinating ways He shows His power. During our tour in England recently, we met a man whose family experienced a great miracle during WW1. He tells this incredible story…
In this world we will face all kinds of obstacles, trials and tribulations and we should be wary of any doctrines or teachings that say we shouldn’t have to face these things. Why? Because the Lord said we will have tribulations. So the encouragement He is giving is simply this: You’re going to face trials, but GOD is greater than any problem you will face in this world!
When the prophet Jonah entered Nineveh, he gave a message of hopelessness — in 40 days your city will be destroyed! He did not say, Nineveh will be destroyed “unless”, but emphatically prophesied destruction to the people of the city — seeming to say their situation was hopeless. Yet hearing this message …
If you were to visit Paris, you could see the statues of two men, both named Louis.
The first is of Louis XIV, France’s absolute monarch. He represents one of the supreme achievements of greatness through power. His philosophy of life was that the whole nation and the world, should serve him.