The Living Word of God
One of the biggest misconceptions about the Bible is that it’s just another book.
In fact, many Christians treat Scripture as if it’s just a collection of ancient letters and books that inform us about God and religious matters.
While the Bible is certainly a collection of ancient documents, it is also much more than that. It is the very word of God. The Bible is inspired by God, which means He spoke through humans to create these letters and books.
More than that though, God’s Word is living and active. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible to speak to us even today. This is what makes Scripture distinct from any other book.
James tells us in James 1:22-24 that the power of Scripture doesn’t just come by hearing it, but by living it out.
Scripture has the power to radically change the way we live, but we must take the effort to first read it, and then do what it says.
James says that anyone who reads Scripture and doesn’t follow God’s way is only deceiving themselves. We think we are following God simply by reading His Word, but God desires that we live out the truths of Scripture in our own life.
This is what it means to follow God’s way rather than our own.
Take a moment to consider a few ways you can begin to live out the truths in Scripture. Spend some time in prayer asking God to reveal to you an area of your life to transform by His Word. And then, resolve to not just hear God’s Word, but to do what He says as you follow after Him.
Run Your Race
We all know it—life isn’t easy.
Sometimes challenges can arise that are so difficult we may want to throw in the towel. Whether it's an overwhelming circumstance, the demands of family life, or the pressures of work, it can sometimes feel like too much. When we find ourselves wanting to quit, the book of Hebrews gives us a powerful encouragement to hold onto:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
Hebrews 12:1 NIV
“Witnesses” refer to believers who have gone before us, those whose lives are a testament of faithfulness to God. Their presence reminds us that we're part of a larger story, a legacy of faith that spans generations.
This scripture also urges believers to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." Hindrances may be easy to see, such as sinful distractions that...