242 – Spiritual Weapon

I would like you to consider three quotes.

First quote

According to americanbible.org, 

“…the number of printed English translations and paraphrases of the Bible, whether complete or not, is about 900.”

Second quote

According to Lifeway Research, 

“About half of Americans (53 percent) have read relatively little of the Bible. One in 10 has read none of it, while 13 percent have read a few sentences. Thirty percent say they have read several passages or stories.”

Why is it that so few people read the Bible when so many English translations are available to us? I wonder if it has anything to do with our third quote.

Third quote

According to Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

      12       For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

Ok, I can’t see you, and you can’t see me. So, let’s be honest with ourselves for a moment. Do we really believe Hebrews 4:12? I mean come on, right? Do we believe that the word of God is living and powerful? Crack the cover open, flip to any page, and what do you find? Something living? Something powerful? Am I not just looking at words printed on a page? Reading on in the verse we are told it [the word of God] is sharper than ANY two-edged sword….? What??? Come on! It pierces, divides, and discerns. This can’t be talking about physically right? There must be some meaning behind the words. But wait, it does say it divides not just the soul and spirit, but of the joints and marrow – joints and marrow are physical…I’m confused. I don’t get it, so let’s just forget it! Let’s you and me go get a cup of coffee and talk about something else!

I don’t understand it, so why read it? I don’t know how to study it, so why bother. It just doesn’t make sense so I’ll just listen to a sermon once a week – or maybe I’ll tune in to a radio preacher too.

I hope you understand that I’m attempting to make a point. We either do not believe what we read in the Bible, I mean not really, or we don’t understand it. Or maybe we don’t see how it could be applicable to our lives. 

Read Hebrews 4:12 again. I think that many people DO believe Hebrews 4:12. They know that the very words pierce our souls and …is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. I think that’s why many non-believers avoid contact with the Bible, and sadly why we sometimes too neglect God’s word.

Let’s consider one more verse.

Ephesians 6:17 (NKJV)

17       And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 

Two different verses in two different books of the Bible written by two different authors both refer to the Bible [word of God] as a sword. Swords are for battle. They are not defensive, but rather offensive weapons used in the hands of a warrior.

How are we doing? Feel like we’re losing the cultural war? Maybe there are not enough trained swordsmen among us. How are you doing personally? Down, discouraged, depressed, failing? 

Get into the Word of God! Spend time in the word of God. Spend time with the Word of God. It is alive, it is powerful! Why does it pierce and divide? It pierces and divides because it is the truth.