Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any sword, it penetrates even to dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.”

I am not sure how these verses hit you, but they hit me hard! To know that at any moment of the day, throughout my day, everything I think and do is known by God. There is NOTHING hidden from Him. I do not have any secrets. I may have things I do not share with others, even thoughts I do not share with my husband, but God sees them all. He even sees into those deep areas of my heart, even its intent is known. Wow and scary at the same time. Knowing this should make us constant in our efforts to live Holy lives. To constantly take our thoughts captive, making sure they are not a stench in our God’s nostrils. There is not a creature on earth that is not fully known by God. He sees all things, at all times, because He is fully present in the entirety of heaven and earth.

God’s word is not just a collection of words for our enjoyment, it is life-giving and life-changing. God’s word cuts through everything. It reveals exactly who we are and who we should be. It goes deep into our moral and spiritual life and sees all of it. It has the power to discern the good and evil in us, and His word demands that decisions be made. Are we merely going to read his word and ignore what it tells us to do, and how we should live? Are we going to read it as though it is just an interesting set of stories, or are you going to apply those things you read to your life? We must decide to obey God’s word, (all of it) or ignore it. Because it is living and active something has to change. When you read it with the intent to know God, to see yourself in the pages, then it demands you either follow or not.

As you read God’s word ask in advance that it be opened to you. Ask God for wisdom, discernment, and understanding as you read. Take time to think about the words you are taking in. Let them drop from your eyesight to your heart. God’s word convicts, changes and grows us. It will reveal what we think and know. Sometimes it is not pretty. Sometimes I read God’s word and think, oh no, this is me! I want to be fully surrendered to God. I want to obey every word that is written. I want him to be the Lord of my life, and when I get the “Oh no” I need to bow my head and repent of whatever it is that made me say it.

We also must decide if we believe what he says in all our troubles and trials. Do you believe God is with you and will never leave you? Do you trust that all things work together for good? Do you believe he can help you through any circumstance? Do you believe he can forgive you and save you? Do you believe when troubles come that God is with you and that he will not forsake you? Do you believe he is faithful and good? Do you believe that even when heartache comes God has allowed it for a time to strengthen your faith? Do you believe he is the only way, the truth, and the life? Do you believe he is victorious over everything, even when life is hard and evil seems to be abounding? Do you believe he can save that hard-nosed, hard-hearted loved one? Do you believe that when bad things happen, God is still good? These are just some of the decisions you must make, that God’s word demands you make.

We cannot know how to live and be if we do not search the scriptures to find out, and we cannot be those things if we do not apply what the Word says to our lives and hearts. We must do more than read it, we must apply all of it! God knows when we are sincere in our efforts. What we must realize is that one day we will all stand before God, we will give an account. Knowing this should make us want to know him fully, surrender fully, let his word answer our questions, and soothe our hurts. Life can be hard, sometimes brutal. It can feel as though the thought of another day is too hard. Pain and disappointment abound. But know this, God uses all of those things that touch us to complete the work in us. I don’t know how, but I do not need to know the how, I just need to trust his word that says he does.

As we approach this Ressurection Day, (Easter) may we once again with new effort dig into God’s word. May we let this past year of hard, motivate us to know our Lord more fully, to allow his word to change us, heal us, grow us, reveal in us those things that need to change. Let a Ressurection of your heart take place in a new way. Jesus came to give us life, He died so that we might live. There is no question his word cannot answer, no pain so deep he cannot heal it. Your thoughts and concerns are not silly to God, He wants us to come to him as little children, and like a child allow him to comfort us and teach us.

I pray you will enjoy a wonderful Ressurection Day! If you do not read God’s word regularly I encourage you to start. If you do read God’s word I pray that you ask for fresh eyes and discernment that you miss nothing he has for you. And mostly I pray that if you do not know the Lord as your Savior and King that you bow your head and ask him into your heart, and if you do, but feel you need a fresh filling that you bow your head and rededicate yourself to knowing him more fully. The time is drawing near friends, today could be the day of his return, and we are not promised tomorrow, so do not delay! Get to know Him….Read His word…It will change your life….There is power in it….It Is LIVING AND ACTIVE!