What good is the word?

Despite any personality traits we may feel are lacking that might keep us from sharing the Gospel, God’s word provides all we need.

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, Scripture delivers a message directly to all believers that God’s word is powerful … so we don’t have to be.

Isaiah 40:8 (KJV) – “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

We are to follow Christ’s commands and “love one another with a pure heart fervently.” 1 Peter 1:22b (KJV).

And because we are born again, we have the power of the word.

1 Peter 2:25 (KJV) – “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

And our faith and love for Jesus is not a burden, but an opportunity to joyfully share with those whom God has placed in the path of our lives.

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) – “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

God’s word empowers any believer to share the Gospel of Jesus – the truth and the life.

The apostles set this example for us as they carried forth Jesus’ message to us.

2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) – “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

And how does this help us going forward?

2 Timothy 3:17 (KJV) – “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

The word prepares you, and then you prepare others.

Now, disciple, the word is your sword to pierce through any concerns, fears or challenges – either internal or external – and share the Gospel of Jesus.

3 Questions for now

There is that old adage about the foundation of education: reading, writing and arithmetic.

For believers, the adage is interpreted as: reading your bible and sharing what you learn.

God takes care of the arithmetic, e.g. multiplying the body of believers.

Here are questions to ask when working on God’s multiplication formula:

• What are you reading these days?

• Do you ever feel like you don’t want to read anymore because of all the negative in the news and on social media?

• Here’s something I read in the bible. I think it might help, so may I share it with you?

Simple and direct – let the sword of the word get to piercing into someone’s life.

Be kind. Love others. Be bold.

Shawn’s noodling rant:

(“Noodling” is a term I swiped from my mentor. The meaning is to “ponder” or “think deeply about” a topic that God is challenging us with through scripture or the Holy Spirit, or both.)

Replace burdensome distractions with God’s word

The world today contains a dizzying array of distractions that cause believers to lose focus.

So many distractions, no matter how simple or complex, create problems that may seem too much to handle.

How bad are distractions?

Goldfish show us how bad it is for the average person in this world.

There are studies that have shown (you can use the Goog-lee to research them) the average first-world human today has an attention span of less than a goldfish.

That attention span parameter has fallen in recent years from 9 seconds to somewhere between 5 and 7 seconds. Yes, you can thank all the clickity-clackity of communication devices for all the distraction issues of today.

Essentially our weakened attention spans are under constant assault. Ever be thinking about something and then suddenly realize, what was I thinking about? Distraction is a problem for believers.

Worldly distractions tend to blend together, creating a heavy fog in our mindset, weighing us down mentally.

Many believers continue to carry this heavy burden and lose focus on what is needed in their lives to grow in Christ and reach out to others. I ask myself at the end of the day all too often, what did I do today that I didn’t read the bible as I planned and I skipped praying for others? It’s a crushing feeling when that happens.

When this weight of distractions is seemingly crushing you, “turn to the word.”

God’s word can lift you up, give you strength and help you focus. Distractions can fade away.

Why did we learn how to memorize Bible verses when we were in Sunday School?

So we would have the scripture embedded in our hearts and minds.

Psalm 119:9-12 (KJV) – “9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

“10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

“11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

“12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.”

That is some distraction-bustin’ insight.

Now, disciple, read God’s word, love somebody today, and share the Gospel of Jesus.