Why We Need the Word Now More Than Ever

      Recently, I have completed a wonderful book which I commend to you entitled "The Whole Armor of God" by Iain M. Duguid.  It is an excellent discussion of the armor with which the Lord has provided to believers as described in Ephesians 6:10-18.  However, one section really stood out to me in importance for us at this time.  We need the Word of God which is described by the Apostle Paul as the Sword of the Spirit.

     Certainly a sword is thought of as a weapon that can be used to defend ourselves.  The catch is that we need to know how to use the weapon if we are to be effective in combat.  Likewise, having a Bible that sits on the shelf gathering dust does us no good unless we open the pages and read it prayerfully.  Knowing how to skillfully handle God's Word is a powerful tool not only in sharing Christ with others but in also defending our belief in the Lord.  The more we know who God is and who we are in relationship to Him the more successful we will be in tearing down false arguments against our faith.

     When we think of the Olympics, we admire the athletes that compete because we know they have spent countless hours developing their skills in their chosen sport.  No one would dare compete who had not prepared physically for their event.  They are committed to doing their very best.  How about us as followers of Christ?  We say we believe, but are we willing to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us as we read God's Word?  There are many ways we can study the Word  by using a reading plan (I have personally followed a wonderful five day plan through the Bible in a year for some time now), getting into a Bible study with others, sitting under the preaching of God's Word on a regular basis to name a few.  I even found a wonderful Bible App called "Dwell" that offers the Bible to be read by various people with a beautiful music background.  Perfect for meditating on the Word as you drive down the highway.  It also allows you to hear someone read it as you read along in your Bible at the same time.  There are so many helps available if we will apply ourselves to learn how to wield the Sword of the Spirit.

     Secondly, the Word of God is a means of pruning us as we read it.  Trust me, I am no expert in tree trimming but here in Florida, if we do not prune our shrubs, trees and bushes, they will become overgrown quickly leading to problems.  In addition, pruning helps to direct the growth of the plant.  God does the pruning in our lives too.  As we read the Bible, He may make us aware of a sin that we need to confess.  Our Lord also may allow trials in our lives that drive us to seek answers in the Bible.  Honestly, pruning may not feel good at the time, but we must remember that God is doing a work in us to direct our growth that we may become more like His Son.  No one can bear good fruit unless we abide in Christ, His Word and yield to
the master skills of the Father who prunes us with care.

     Finally, Iain Duguid in his book likened the Bible to a scalpel.  I had never really thought about that before.  This past week, I had a procedure done on my face to remove a small growth.  A cancer cell had been identified so they had to go deeper to make certain they got it all.  I had stitches and some discomfort, but by far, that is much better than not having this removed.  In the same way, as we read God's Word, it goes deep into our hearts and searches out what we need to have taken away.  Hebrews 4:12-13 says:  "The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."  This is a wake-up call for all of us.  

     As we read and pray over the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will work in our hearts.  He will teach us to wield it as a Sword for our defense.  The Lord will work on pruning us so we can develop the fruit of the Spirit in greater abundance, and He will surgically remove those things in our lives that hinder us in our walk with Him.  This is why we need the Bible more than any other book today.  Just look at our world around us.  There are so many who need to know the truth.  We must be willing to become a student, a workman that is worthy of his hire as the Bible says.  So, if you haven't already, dust off your Bible and dive in.  God has so much to show us, teach us and reveal to us in the pages of His Word that will never pass away.  May He give us a heart on fire for His truth!  Selah!