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Jesus Talk
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“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13
Have you ever read a paragraph, chapter, or book and realized that you really didn’t get it? For some reason, your mind didn’t hang onto the words that were reading. Maybe you were day dreaming of something else as your eyes were following along the sentences; you thought you were reading until you got to the end and realized that you really didn’t read it because you have no idea what you just read. Unfortunately, that happens to me way more often than I would like to admit to.
How about with your Bible reading? Unfortunately, it is no different when it comes to my Bible reading. This morning, I got to the end of a section, and I realized my mind was somewhere completely different. And so, I started over. And then I came to the last statement in the verse above:
“which is at work in you believers.”
This statement was a wake-up call to me this morning. The sentence leading up to this statement gives us what is at work in these believers; “the word of God.” I looked up the phrase, “is at work”, to really get a grasp of what is being said here. This phrase means to “produce an effect”.[1]
The word of God is to “produce an effect” in the people that read it. It is not to just go in one ear and out the other. It is to go in, fill our mind and our heart until the message penetrates us so deeply that our thinking and actions become what God desires.
Let’s apply this:
Since God’s word is to “produce an effect” in me; What does this mean for me?
- As I read God’s Word, I need to meditate (think and mull over) on it so that it can really produce change in my mind and heart. I need to work at getting something out of it so that can become God’s man.
- I should be prepared to give God’s word to others when I have the chance so that it can “produce an effect” in them that God desires.
When I allow God’s word to change me, I will grow in my desire to share His word with others!
My encouragement for us this week: Work at allowing God’s word to change you. Don’t just allow the words to escape you; really work at allowing God’s word to penetrate your heart and mind. As we do this, we will become more effective in sharing His word with others.
Have a great week being changed by God’s Word and giving His word to others!
[1] Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, AMG’s Annotated Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, 2117.
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“So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present.” Acts 17:17
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