The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

I once had a secretary who was really puzzled by this verse. I think she understood most of it, but that last part that said that the Word of God was “able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” – that part, she just could not fathom. How can the Bible judge our thoughts and intentions?

As I studied and thought about this verse, it occurred to me that people don’t read the Bible because it challenges their thinking and their motives.

As a pastor, I encountered a lot of people who didn’t attend church. They often said, “Why, preacher, if I entered church (they meant the building), the ceiling would fall in.” Why didn’t they attend? They knew that the preaching of the Word would convict them of sin. Same reason people don’t read the Bible.

When we read the Bible –not just rushing through it, but reading it carefully—we learn quickly of the things we’re doing that we ought not to do, and of the things we’re not doing that we ought to be doing. It’s called conviction! Yes, as you read the Bible, the Bible reads you! It’s powerful, and it awakens the conscience. And as a two-edged sword can penetrate deeply, so can the Word of God. It brings out the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.

But what about this “soul and spirit” thing? We know we have bodies. The Word tells us that we also have a soul and a spirit (not to be confused with the Holy spirit). See the attachment to this letter, and it will explain it more fully. The overall teaching here is that we learn about ourselves from the Bible, just as we learn about God and Jesus from the Bible. The comparison of ourselves with Jesus shows how far off the mark we are. Yet, the Bible shows us how to become what we ought to become by trusting Him.

So, read, read, read the Bible! You will be amazed at how it teaches His Truth to you. Oh, and be in church tomorrow! Don’t worry about the ceiling.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”