"For the word of God is living 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." (Heb 4:12 NIV)
Water in a lake can lay there for months, with minimal movement. It could be
said that it leads a boring, ordinary life. But once the wind picks up, even the
gentlest breeze, movement begins and the lake becomes alive.
We noticed this in Queenstown, New Zealand as we stared at the rhythmic movement
on Lake Wakatipu, brought about by a mere 10 knots wind. With the waves bouncing
higher than the retention wall, passers-by who came too close were greeted by a
gentle shower. An unusual water dance was happening and it was beautiful to
behold.
Our life can also be dull and ordinary. But if you have a sense for adventure,
why not open God's Word, the Bible and let it bringing you alive!
You may think that's not possible. How could a book transform a life for the
better? In the same way the wind transforms a placid, ordinary lake into a
lively personality! "Wind" in the Bible is often associated with God's Spirit,
the Author of God's Word!
"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell
where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the
Spirit." (John 3:8 NIV)
"All Scripture is God-breathed..." (2 Tim 3:16 NIV)
And this author is alive and powerful, so powerful that God's Word, if allowed,
can transform our ordinary lives into an adrenaline-filled adventure where love
and inner peace reign. But how can we get to know Him in this manner if we don't
take the time to read His Love Letters to us?
I was introduced to the Bible by a legalistic denomination. I read it, but it
was just an ordinary boring book to me, one that was in existence to confirm the
dogmas of this denomination. My existence in those days was dull, and trials,
insurmountable.
Many years later, I was invited by someone online to visit his nearby church.
For some reason I did, and as soon as I entered the sanctuary, I felt a presence
unknown to me. God's Spirit was in that place! Later in the service I gave my
heart to Jesus and welcomed God's Holy Spirit into my life.
My life has never been the same since. I am now literally filled with adrenaline
whenever I read God's Word. No more is it a dull, lifeless book to me, but
rather, a tool that God can use to reach me through the Author, God's Holy
Spirit. I can look at the same verse on several different occasions, and each
time God gives me a different message.
It's so alive and powerful that I rely on it for every decision
(At least I try to). I still remember two years ago, when my oldest son,
16 at the time, asked my permission to go to Kenya in February to help build a
kitchen for an orphanage. My immediate reaction was "NO! You have school to
worry about. You can't miss two weeks of classes!"
He looked me in the eye and asked, "Will you at least pray about it?"
How could I say no? Besides, I knew there was nothing to fear: God would see it
MY way!
Not surprisingly, He didn't. And He was quite adamant about it. Every verse my
Heavenly Daddy directed me to was a clear message to let my son go to Africa.
In hindsight, his trip was a huge blessing to all of our family. First of all my
son was able to make a difference in Africa, where he now has many friends. But
even better, his experience while there transformed his life for the better.
God's Spirit came through so vividly that when he came back to Canadian soil, he
was not the same person who left home two weeks earlier. All of his teenage
rebellion mysteriously evaporated and he has become one of the most loving
people I know. He also made up his missed classes and ended the semester with
the highest grade average of his class!
God is in the business of transforming our lives for the better. Tired of your
dreary ordinary life? It's time to fill it with adrenaline! It is time to
experience victory! Get acquainted with God's Word and its Author and discover
real living, life filled with adrenaline as well as
triumph!
"The thief (the evil one) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus)
have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10 NIV)
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.