piercing – Praying Pint

29.r. “Let the spoken and written word of Christ have its home within your heart”

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Proverbs 3:6   In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Hebrews 4:12-13  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.  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Psalms 119:11   I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9    And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Job 23:12    I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.

Jeremiah 15:16   Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.

Let the spoken and written word of Christ have its home within your heart, mind, and soul. Let it dwell and permeate every aspect of your life – in what you say, think, and do. Teach spiritual things and advise, encourage, and train one another with all godly wisdom. Hunger and feed on the Word of God. Thirst and drink in its living water. Let your hearts be filled with overflowing thankfulness to God in psalms and spiritual songs. Why does the Word of God, through Paul, express these godly living encouragements? Because there is no half way service to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in our lives. Worldly and fleshly temptations continually bombard and tempt us. How are we to fight these temptations? Do we think we can skip through life on the fringe of truly honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do? Do we think we can be lead by the Holy Spirit when our hearts and minds are far from His Word? Do we think we can desire, seek after and live for the pleasures of what this world has to offer? Do we think God is unable to see all of what it is we say, think, and do?

Our hunger and thirst for His Word and our obedience, reliance, and trust in Him ought to be continually growing and maturing us in our daily lives. How can this happen if our hunger and thirst is for only godly crumbs and we eat to full satisfaction from worldly and fleshly feasts? It is not merely spending time in His Word. We need to cultivate a desire and seeking of it. Our eyes of discernment will be opened through it. Our understanding and knowledge of the grace, mercy, and love of God will grow and mature. Our lives will reflect the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Worldly and fleshly temptations will be recognized for what they are, and as the hymn proclaims; “And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”.

14.x. “But all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

John 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

John 1:48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

John 5:42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me.

John 6:61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this,

Matthew 9:4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?

Matthew 9:25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them

Psalms 44:21    would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.

Psalms 33:13-15    The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;  from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,  he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.

Hebrews 4:12 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. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Proverbs 15:3     The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Jeremiah 17:10    “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

1 Chronicles 28:9   for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

If we truly believed what these verses are proclaiming would our thoughts, words, and actions be different? How would people treat you if they knew some of the thoughts that you harbored in your mind about them? How would people look at you and judge you if they knew the thoughts you allowed to anchor in your mind? Greed, lust, pride, hate, worry, fear, etc…. If these were exposed for all to see would you even want to leave your house? We know what these private thoughts are and we hide them. We may not let others know of them because we would be greatly embarrassed were they exposed for all to see. The thing that we don’t think about is the fact that when these thoughts are in our minds, God knows. He knows the root of the thought and the purpose and intent your heart is taking thinking about it. He sees it clearly as if your thought was spoken or written out or the action taken. He Knows!!! Nothing is hidden from Him. What we think is hidden within the dark privacy of our mind is fully and clearly seen by Him.

Because of our sinful nature, we cannot stop wicked and evil thoughts from popping up in our head but we certainly can recognize them, take them captive, and discard them as fast as they came in.

The problem is we don’t recognize them or we choose to recognize but we explain them away. We just grab a hold of a thought and allow it to run its course over and over again in our minds. It can soon become an endless loop and at some point what we think has been just a thought becomes action. Words spill out of our mouth or we take action. This will happen when we do not believe Jesus sees and knows all of our thoughts and what we allow to take root. Scripture, God’s Word, will expose thoughts, intents, and actions that are not honoring to Jesus Christ. His Word will expose the areas in our thought life that need to be confessed and turned away from. His Word is a light into our hearts, mind, and soul. We will do well by spending more and more time in His Word so that we can recognize and take captive those thoughts that are not honoring or in obedience to Jesus Christ.

14.h. “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,”

Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

Job 28:28   And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Psalms 33:18    Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

Psalms 111:10    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding

Psalms 112:1     Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!

Isaiah 50:10    Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

Acts 9:31    So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

Hebrews 3:13    But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 10:24    And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

Hebrews 4:12-13   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.  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Do you ever wonder if we rightly apply God’s Word when it says; Exhort one another, Stir up one another, Greatly delights in His commandments, fear Him”. How do we exhort and stir up? Do we do it with kindness, forgiveness, love, being at peace, being hopeful, being joyful, being anxious about nothing, singing praises, honoring Him above all else? How do we rightly apply God’s word? I think it starts with reverence, thankfulness, and awe of God and His grace, mercy, and love. It is very personal and resides deep within our hearts and mind. The hunger and thirst for His Word are greater than things of this world. His Word takes first place. These intentional choices and God-honoring commitments are not to be taken lightly. We ought to be on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ. Examine your heart and mind. Are Jesus Christ and God’s Word filling you up into a blazing fire of a life that honors and glorifies Jesus Christ or is it an ember without as much of a spark? Read His Word and allow and yield to the Holy Spirit in its application in your life.

1.q. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword

2 Chronicles 1:7 In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.” And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father, and have made me king in his place. O Lord God, let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.” So Solomon came from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem. And he reigned over Israel.

1 Samuel 16:7   But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

1 Kings 8:18     But the LORD said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.

1 Chronicles 28:2    Then King David rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God, and I made preparations for building.

1 Chronicles 29:17-18   I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you.  O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you.

Hebrews 4:12     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.

What would God see in your heart that no one else can see or know? What do you think is hidden and only yours to ponder and think about? What occupies your thoughts that you think no one knows about? God for certain knows everything in your heart. He not only knows the thought but the intent behind the thought. We get tested by God. Deuteronomy 8:2 “You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” Ecclesiastes 3:18 “I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.”

God alone tests us so that we will see the error in our ways, how we talk, how we think, how we act. It is because of His love for us that He does this. He wants us to grow, understand, and gain knowledge of Him through the grace and mercy demonstrated in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. In this gaining knowledge and understanding, we must be shown (tested) what is truly in our heart and mind so that we can freely repent from it and freely choose to turn away from it to honor, serve, follow and obey our Lord and Savior. If we are not tested I fear our growth will become stagnate and we will become complacent and neglectful.

Oh God, give us ears to see and a mind to understand the greatness and awesomeness of Your grace and mercy. Speak loud and clear to our heart so that we know Your testing and see clearly that from which we need to confess, repent and turn away from. Strengthen our understanding of scripture as we intentionally choose to each day to be in Your word for Your honor and glory.

5. But all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:12    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. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Luke 8:11    Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

Psalms 119:130     The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

Isaiah 55:11     so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Jeremiah 23:29     Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

1 Thessalonians 2:13     And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

Ephesians 6:17    and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

Ephesians 5:13     But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,

Is God alive? Is God dead? Would people know if God was alive by looking at how you live and speak? Would they know you believe God was alive by how you live each day? These are pointed questions that should pierce our heart. If you believe God is alive your life should reflect His word in your life. It is not something that you can put in a closet and pull out on special occasions. His word (meaning you hunger and thirst for it) is active and alive in your life. It guides you, comforts you, convicts you, encourages you, gives you hope, gives you peace, gives you strength, and speaks to your heart, soul and mind.

God’s word does not return void, it will accomplish that which He purposes. How does His word become active and alive in our lives if we spend little to no time in it? It can’t. You can never have His word active in your life if there is no word in your life. Do we believe His word when it says “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

God’s word is active in the lives of those who believe and hunger and thirst for His word in their life. They find their day has no purpose if His word is not in it. They find no satisfaction in what the word has to offer, their satisfaction comes from His word. They walk this earth with the full armor of God.

It is so sad to see the culture consuming the hearts and minds of so many who claim to be in Christ but our culture has convinced them that a full life in Christ can be found without much effort. Our culture tells us that going to church once per week and being a good person is a fulfilling life. This is a lie. A day without His word should be like a day without food or 2 minutes without oxygen. His word should be what sustains our very being.

Oh that we would live in His word rather than trying to blend His word into the culture we live in.