Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Opening Scripture

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Opening Prayer

Most Merciful God, I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry, and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me, that I may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Hebrews 4:12-13

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 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 account.

Reflection  

Today’s text ought to be one of your memorized passages. It succinctly describes the unique authority and power of God’s Word as expressed in our Bible. The writer wants to make sure his listeners know that he hasn’t simply been giving a history lesson. God’s Word is a solemn instrument of divine judgment that is eternally present in the moment.

Rather than being “dead” and “dormant,” the writer describes God’s Word as “alive” (zōn) and “active” (energés). It is wonderfully vibrant and supremely effective!

The “aliveness” of Scripture recognizes that all life originates from God’s creative initiative and is continually sustained by His will. “For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). God’s Word is always full of life and completely present in the moment.

The “energy” of Scripture conveys the idea of something that is fully operative, powerful in its working, and therefore certain to achieve its intended result. The term describes not mere activity, but focused, fruitful efficiency grounded in God’s own power.

On top of that, God’s Word has a penetrating capability that is “sharper than any double-edged sword.” It cuts straight to the innermost being of a person, judging “the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Scripture reveals our actual motive and intent. It has the unsettling ability to reveal our true selves to us!

If we are honest, our inner lives are often a strange mixture of conflicting desires and motives. We possess the divine presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, along with our original fallen nature. On our own, we are incapable of doing what’s right. Only the Spirit of God can produce spiritual fruit in our lives.

He does that largely through Scripture. As we read and reflect on God’s Word, God’s Spirit applies God’s Truth to our hearts and minds. We are then able to walk in the light of its teaching.

The writer concludes today’s passage by reminding us that we all “must give account” for our choices and actions. Each of us is responsible for deciding what we will focus on and how we invest our time, energy, and devotion.

The good news is that we are not expected to guess what is “right” or live out God’s will by ourselves. “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13).

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

The daily struggle to submit to the Spirit and deny the old nature is common to all followers of Jesus. The Apostle Paul summarized it well in his letter to the Romans.

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it” (Romans 7:14-20).

Paul contextualizes this challenge in his letter to the Galatians. “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want” (Galatians 5:16-17).

Hopefully, you recognize that this passage comes right before our summer text, which emphasizes the fruit of the Spirit. When we submit ourselves to the Spirit’s control, we embrace the fact that “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” As we grow closer to Jesus, we increasingly have our minds set on what the Spirit desires.

Part of the challenge in the Christian life is that we never “arrive” in our sanctification. With Jesus as our example – the Pioneer and Perfector of our faith – we always have room to grow. We can never fully plumb the depths of His knowledge or achieve the heights of His godliness.

If we were only comparing ourselves to the sinful world around us, we might feel pretty good about ourselves. In fact, our “standard” – as Paul explained to the Philippians – is “to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

In Romans 8, Paul goes on to describe the “victory” we can have as we live a dynamic life in the Spirit. “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’”

When is the last time you realized that the living and active Word of God was revealing the true thoughts and attitudes of your heart?

Are you intentionally seeking to allow God’s Spirit to increasingly take control of your life?

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!