1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:06,730 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,790 --> 00:00:13,219 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,260 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: to Daily Devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stonge, and 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:22,900 Speaker 1: today's devotion is inspired by Hebrews 4, verse 12, which says, 5 00:00:24,140 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: For the word of God is living and active, sharper 6 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,350 Speaker 1: than any two-edged sword. piercing to the division of soul 7 00:00:32,630 --> 00:00:37,070 Speaker 1: and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning 8 00:00:37,130 --> 00:00:42,410 Speaker 1: the thoughts and intentions of the heart. When followers of 9 00:00:42,490 --> 00:00:46,110 Speaker 1: Christ get serious about spending time reading through the content 10 00:00:46,250 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: of God's Word and giving careful and prayerful thought to 11 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: that information, they begin to experience some notable changes in 12 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: their lives and in their perspectives— God's Word cuts to 13 00:00:58,780 --> 00:01:02,530 Speaker 1: the heart of the topics it addresses. He uses His 14 00:01:02,590 --> 00:01:06,010 Speaker 1: Word to grant us insight into the issues present in 15 00:01:06,090 --> 00:01:08,650 Speaker 1: our own lives, as well as the issues that may 16 00:01:08,670 --> 00:01:11,110 Speaker 1: be present in the lives of those we interact with. 17 00:01:11,890 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: God's Word forces us to examine our motives and hold 18 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,980 Speaker 1: them up to the light of the gospel. The Word 19 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: of God is used by Him to convey wisdom to us. 20 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,570 Speaker 1: By nature, we are prone to drift toward embracing follies. 21 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,509 Speaker 1: But the Scriptures help us to value wisdom, obtain it, 22 00:01:30,980 --> 00:01:35,260 Speaker 1: and convey it to others. Above all else, the Word 23 00:01:35,300 --> 00:01:39,130 Speaker 1: of God points us to Jesus Christ. It reveals our 24 00:01:39,230 --> 00:01:41,790 Speaker 1: need for Him and shows us that He is the 25 00:01:42,030 --> 00:01:46,630 Speaker 1: only solution for filling the void in our hearts. There's 26 00:01:46,690 --> 00:01:50,900 Speaker 1: a road from every portion of Scripture to Jesus. Is 27 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,780 Speaker 1: that something you can see when you're reading God's Word? 28 00:01:54,530 --> 00:01:57,470 Speaker 1: Can you discern the many ways the scriptures are seeking 29 00:01:57,510 --> 00:02:05,500 Speaker 1: to point your heart toward Christ? Let's pray. Lord, we 30 00:02:05,540 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 1: thank you for your word, and we thank you for 31 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: the privilege that it is to be able to read 32 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,260 Speaker 1: this portion of scripture today from the book of Hebrews. 33 00:02:12,980 --> 00:02:14,820 Speaker 1: And Lord, you show us in this portion of your 34 00:02:14,889 --> 00:02:20,090 Speaker 1: word that your word itself is living and active, and 35 00:02:20,110 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: it points out deeper level issues that we're wrestling with. Lord, 36 00:02:25,380 --> 00:02:28,460 Speaker 1: your word exposes what's going on in our minds and 37 00:02:28,500 --> 00:02:31,310 Speaker 1: what's going on in our hearts and what our real 38 00:02:31,410 --> 00:02:35,109 Speaker 1: motives are. You show us things about ourselves that we 39 00:02:35,150 --> 00:02:38,870 Speaker 1: wouldn't naturally perceive. And you teach us how we're to 40 00:02:38,950 --> 00:02:41,989 Speaker 1: interact with one another in a way that honors your 41 00:02:42,070 --> 00:02:46,010 Speaker 1: character and honors your nature. Lord, you also show us 42 00:02:46,070 --> 00:02:49,029 Speaker 1: in your word that your son Jesus Christ is the 43 00:02:49,090 --> 00:02:53,150 Speaker 1: solution for all that we need. Your word points us 44 00:02:53,190 --> 00:02:56,870 Speaker 1: to your son. Your Word honors Your Son, and Your 45 00:02:56,910 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: Word shows us that salvation is found in no other 46 00:02:59,910 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 1: name other than the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord, 47 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 1: we're grateful for the fact that You've given us access 48 00:03:07,139 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: to Your Word. And we're grateful that not only do 49 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,470 Speaker 1: You teach us about Yourself as we go through the 50 00:03:13,530 --> 00:03:16,450 Speaker 1: content of Your Word, but You're also teaching us about 51 00:03:16,530 --> 00:03:19,690 Speaker 1: our own lives and about our own intentions and what 52 00:03:19,730 --> 00:03:22,690 Speaker 1: it looks like for us to become fully devoted followers 53 00:03:22,770 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: of Yours. So Lord, we pray that we would make 54 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,470 Speaker 1: your word a priority in our schedule. We pray that 55 00:03:28,500 --> 00:03:31,510 Speaker 1: it would be our habit to spend time each day 56 00:03:31,610 --> 00:03:35,070 Speaker 1: looking at your word and thinking about it and praying 57 00:03:35,130 --> 00:03:38,390 Speaker 1: to you regarding its content so that we would implement 58 00:03:38,430 --> 00:03:40,590 Speaker 1: the teaching you've revealed to us in it in our 59 00:03:40,630 --> 00:03:44,170 Speaker 1: day-to-day lives. Lord, we thank you for the ways in 60 00:03:44,210 --> 00:03:47,190 Speaker 1: which your word teaches us to interact with others, whether 61 00:03:47,230 --> 00:03:50,950 Speaker 1: it be our friends, our family members, our spouses, our children, 62 00:03:51,410 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: our co-workers, our neighbors, whomever we come in contact with. 63 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: You teach us what it means to be your ambassador, 64 00:03:59,100 --> 00:04:02,810 Speaker 1: and you help us to represent you well. So thank you, Lord, 65 00:04:02,850 --> 00:04:05,870 Speaker 1: for all of these blessings, and thank you for giving 66 00:04:05,910 --> 00:04:08,570 Speaker 1: us a moment today to be able to focus specifically 67 00:04:09,050 --> 00:04:12,890 Speaker 1: on a small portion of your word together. We thank 68 00:04:12,930 --> 00:04:15,310 Speaker 1: you for all of these things, and we pray this 69 00:04:15,410 --> 00:04:18,049 Speaker 1: all in Jesus' name. Amen.