Day 67: 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.”



Have you ever heard words on a page described in such a way? How can words that are up to 6,000 years old be so powerful?


The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible, working through each author in every word. That’s what makes it so powerful. You may read another old book and be moved by the words and emotions, but only in the Bible do you have the author living inside you to teach you, convict you, and show you the ways of God.


That makes the Word of God a very powerful weapon indeed.


And why is it so powerful? Because it has power. Real power. The kind of power that can change your life and the lives of others.


So here comes the big question: Are you using this very powerful weapon?


A Christian leader should be steeped in the word. The Word of God should just ooze out of them no matter what they’re doing. Our whole life should be a testimony to the Word of God and be an example of living it’s message.


So here’s the thing: you can’t be a testimony to the word or an example of its message if you’re not reading it. You can’t just sit at church, hear a sermon, and soak this stuff up. You have to be in the word all the time.


Having a daily Bible time is a smart idea, and I’m going to bet that you find yourself bored throughout the course of the day, so use that extra time to pick up your Bible and read. Carry one with you. I prefer a pocket New Testament when I’m on the go, and they serve as a handy evangelism tool when you’re talking to somebody about Jesus.


These are the words of life that we’re talking about here, and the way that the writer of Hebrews talks about it, we shouldn’t be taking it so lightly.


Christian Leadership Principle: The Word of God is very powerful, and has real power. A Christian leader should be in the word as much as possible, learning and living it.


Here’s a set of verses to meditate on today: 2 Timothy 3:10-17


Prayer: Father, help me to fall in love with Your word. Help me to love it and live it, soaking it up. Teach me from it. Help me to teach others. Thank You for Your Word and the power it has in my life. In Christ’s name, amen.

Day 41: Colossians 1:9b

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,”



Many of us go through life wanting to know God’s will for us. I have known people who will read books, go to conferences, and join groups in the hope that somehow God will speak some new revelation to them.


Maybe you are that person today. Maybe you are just completely tied up trying to figure out what God wants for you. If you are, then I have good news.


In this verse, Paul is telling the Colossians that he is praying for them constantly that they would have knowledge of God’s will. Then, with uncanny precision, Paul lays out what part of God’s will for them he wants for them: spiritual wisdom and understanding.


Here’s the good news for those of you who are searching for God’s will: God isn’t a God of secrets. He wants you to know His will for you. In fact, He wrote it down for you. That’s right. His word, the Bible, is a detailed plan of His will for you. Now, God may get even more detailed with you, and in that case, I promise you that He will let you know. He is not playing games with you, or keeping things from you. This is the God that set a bush on fire and then spoke out of it to get Moses attention. He can do the same thing for you.


Now, let’s get to this particular bit of God’s will for your life: God wants us to have spiritual wisdom and understanding. Remember way back when we started this devotion what we decided wisdom was: knowledge plus application. God is giving us both sides of this equation right here. This is what Paul is saying. He is praying that the Colossians are given spiritual understanding and wisdom. Remember that they have to have spiritual understanding before they can have wisdom. Paul is praying that God would give the Colossians knowledge plus application.


God wants you to have the same thing. Part of God’s will for your life is that you would understand spiritual things, and then apply them to your life. How do you do that? Read the Bible, and then go and do it.


CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: The Christian leader knows God’s word and applies it to their life. They understand that God’s Will is found in the Bible, not hidden from anybody.


Here’s a set of verses for you to meditate on today: Exodus Chapter 3 and 4


Prayer: Father, make me content to know Your word and apply it to my life. Give me spiritual knowledge and wisdom to live my life according to Your ways. In Christ’s name, amen.