The Power of God's Word

Earlier this week I posted these words: The work of God in Jerusalem was prompted and supported by the prophet/preacher, who may very well be the most powerful individual on earth. Those proclaiming the Word of the Lord are not powerful because any power resides in them, but because there is power in God’s Word. There is power in God’s Word proclaimed by God’s people. Ephesians 6:17 calls God’s Word the “Sword of the Spirit.” Hebrews 4:12 says, “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.” There is nothing more powerful than the Word of God.

The prophet/preacher may very well be the most powerful individual on earth because he proclaims the Word of God. But here is the problem: If you attend church ever single Sunday in a year, and listen to every sermon, you will have been exposed to 26 hours of teaching in a year. If you watch a one-hour television show ever day, you will have been exposed to 365 hours of television in a year. Some of us watch more than that, and some watch less. Television is not the issue. The issue is the lack of exposure to God's Word. If you miss every other Sunday you are only exposed to 13 hours of Bible teaching in a year. That is only 15 minutes a week. Imagine you decided to eat only 15 minutes a week. Imagine you decided to spend time with your spouse only 15 minutes a week. Imagine a young family where the parents only spent 15 minutes with their children in a week. We can't live on 15 minutes a week. That is why it is so important to be reading and thinking on God's Word daily. That is why it is such a privilege to have Bibles available to us. Today, go to church, listen to the sermon, take the Word of God seriously, but don't expect that a 30 minute sermon will carry you for a week any more than one meal on Sunday will carry you through the week. 

Psalms 1:1-2

Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the LORD,

and on his law he meditates day and night.