God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeToday I hope to demonstrate the life

& power which comes from the Word of God. I will try to convict you of the need to access this life & power by reading, studying, & getting to know God's Word. I will introduce you to your judge.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeHebrews 4:12 NET For the word of

God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged

sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of

the heart.

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

How true this is. Many will not read and study God's Word

because it is sharp. It cuts right to the core. It will judge us. So many people do not want to be

judged and convicted of what they think, say, or do.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeGod's Word gets personal. It

doesn't pull its punches. It comes at you with both barrels blazing. It

will cut you down, but more importantly it will build you up. You cannot live without it. Jesus

tells us His Words are life in John 6:63.

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

John 6:63 NET The Spirit is the one who gives life; human

nature is of no help! The words that I have spoken to you are

spirit and are life.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeWe can see life coming from the Words of God in a story found in

Ezekiel.The hand of the LORD was upon

Ezekiel, and he was brought out by the Spirit of the LORD and set in the middle of a valley; it was full

of bones.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeHe was led back and forth among them, and saw a great many bones

on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He was asked,

"Son of man, can these bones live?"

He said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

Then he was told, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the Word of the LORD! This is what the

Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put

breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will

know that I am the LORD.'"

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeSo he prophesied as he was commanded. And as he was

prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. He looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but

there was no breath in them.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeThen he was told, "Prophesy to the

breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four

winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'" So

he prophesied as he was commanded, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet-- a vast

army.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeThen he was told: "Son of man, these

bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and

our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them:

'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to

open your graves and bring you up from them;

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeI will bring you back to the land of

Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I

open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.'"

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeDidn't we all not know the power of

God's Word from the first time we heard how He created all things? And

God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. We cannot imagine

the power He has in just speaking and it is. Why do we now not remember to constantly look to His Word for

life? We should take advice from the second stanza of the 119th Psalm.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgePsalms 119:9-16 NET (Bet)

How can a young person maintain a pure life?

By guarding it according to your instructions! 10 With all my heart I

seek you.Do not allow me to stray from your

commands!

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

11 In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin

against you. 12 You deserve praise, O LORD!

Teach me your statutes! 13 With my lips I proclaim all the

regulations you have revealed.

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

14 I rejoice in the lifestyle prescribed by your rules as if they were riches of all kinds. 15 I will

meditate on your preceptsand focus on your behavior. 16 I

find delight in your statutes;I do not forget your instructions.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeCan you truthfully say those your words? Do you seek Him with all

your heart? Do you rejoice in following His statutes? Do you

meditate and consider His ways? Do you delight in His decrees? Do you not neglect His Word? Have you hidden His Word in your heart or

have you slipped it under the table to make it level

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeRemember the POWER in God's Word. God describes the power

in His Word another way in; Jeremiah 23:29 NET My message

is like a fire that purges dross! It is like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces! I, the LORD, so affirm

it!

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

Do you want life? God's Word will give it to you. Not just

physical life to walk around on this earth, but eternal life. Regardless what you might think, we will be judged.

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

Don't you want to know what it is that will judge us, and what that judge is like? What does that judge like? What does that judge dislike? Does the

judge have any advice on how to be judged favorably?

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

In order to answer these questions we must get acquainted with and know the Judge. We have read

today that God's Word will judge us. Are you spending time with

the Judge? The Judge is powerful, we better get to know it.

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

I am reminded of working as a flight instructor. I wanted to know what each examiner’s

routine was and what each of them wanted to see on a the

pilot examine.

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

When a student pilot finished the examine and received their rating I required them to write

down in detail exactly what procedures the examiner had them perform and questions

they were given.

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

Through this process I knew exactly what the judge, the examiner

wanted from the pilot. So in order to more perfectly prepare a pilot I would test them specifically in the areas I knew they would be more

closely examined.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeSo before sending the pilot to be examined I would in essence run them through the examine I knew they were going to receive. I had

them so well trained for the examiner one pilot said, “God

Bless you” before the examiner sneezed.

God’s Word is Life, Power, Judge

There was a Bible College professor speaking to 11,000 teenagers in

Bolivar, MO at the Christ In Youth conference a few years ago. In the middle of his sermon he stopped

and told the youth to read one chapter of the Bible to themselves.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeWhen they were finished they were

to raise their hands. They were unaware that he had started a stopwatch when they began.

When they had all read a chapter to themselves he found that the

average person took a little over 3 minutes to read a chapter.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeMy point for telling you this and his

reason for doing it, is to make this point. It is very little to ask one to spend a little over 3 minutes with God's Word daily? Could you

not spend 10 minutes a day reading 3 chapters from that which

is and will judge you?

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeLet me read one of my favorite passages you have heard me use

often. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NET Every scripture is inspired by God and

useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in

righteousness, 17 that the person dedicated to God may be capable and

equipped for every good work.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeWe have found God's Word is life,

it judges, it is powerful. In addition we have just learned it is

useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, & training in

righteousness to prepare us for every good work. Don't you want

to be prepared for every good work?

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeIf you want life, if you want to be judged favorably, you must get to

know the Word.Heb 4:12 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.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeBelievers’ salvation

and the Work of God. He has given us all we need.

2 Peter 1:3 NET I can pray this because his divine power has

bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich

knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeHe has given us all we need. You will remember a point from God's Word which says to seek first His kingdom and righteousness. How

can you seek first His kingdom and righteousness if you never

open the instruction book? How can we expect to know the way if

we never open the map?

God’s Word is Life, Power, JudgeThe Lord has done His part. He has

given us all we need to see Him. Please don't neglect the eternal life that could be yours. Take God's Word off the shelf, blow the dust

off it, and get to know your judge. It is a win/lose situation. Know the judge and win -- ignore and

neglect the judge and lose.