When I think about His word being God-breathed, my mind goes back to Adam. There lay this dust form of a man. Yet, when  God breathed into Adam’s nostrils, he became a fully functioning man.

Hebrews 12:4 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

I love 1 Chronicles 28:9 in the Amplified. It says, “…For the Lord searches all the wanderings of the thoughts…” He knows when our mind wanders off into lustful thoughts, worry, fear, self-will, etc. Nothing is hidden from His eyes. Hebrews 4:13.

When God’s word is hidden in our heart, it is powerful to keep us from sinning. Psalm 119:11. Verse 2 says, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart.” 

They looked back instead of to the Lord when they faced the impossible. He delivered them from their bondage in a marvelous way,. He could be trusted in their present. Warning to us: don’t look back.

He fed them with manna for 40 years. Their clothes did not wear out. He gave them water out of a rock. Psalm 78:40-41 says, “How  often they provoked Him in the wilderness, and grieved Him in  the desert! Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.”

Psalm 106:14-15 says, “But they lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.” We limit the Lord when we act independent of Him. 

God-breathed words are our daily manna. He has given it to us to sustain us in our trials, to fortify our faith when we face the impossible, and to bring course correction when we veer off His path of righteousness.

2 Timothy 3;16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” All means everything without exception.

Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” I love to read autobiographies, and biographies because I learn first hand how they navigated through their impossibilities.

The record of the children of Israel is a biography. 1 Corinthians 10:6 says, “Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not  lust after evil things as they lusted.”

What happened at the dead end before the Red Sea? Exodus 14. They were afraid. Verse 12 says, “…it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” How often we resist God’s way and grieve the Holy Spirit.

The enemy of our soul sets traps in unsuspecting ways. His goal is to derail us. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

When we read God-breathed Scripture, it separates the wheat from the chaff. When we hang out with ungodly folks, their chaff gets into our minds. This applies to relationships but also who we listen to. Our media is full of propaganda that is designed to lead astray. Be careful little ears what you hear.

Ephesians 2:10 says that the good works which are part of His purpose for our lives were prepared before time began. Our progressive sanctification is a journey to conform us to His image. Romans 12:2 reminds us to not allow the world to conform us to its image. 1 John 2:15 says to not love the word or the things in the world.

2 Timothy 2:20 says, “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.” As I meditated on this verse, my mind was taken back to 1 Corinthians 3:13. It says that everyone’s works will be revealed by fire.

Our fiery trials purify our faith. They burn up the wood, hay, and stubble things in our lives that have crept in to pull us away from our foundation of faith. That includes wood-type relationships. 1 Corinthian 15:33 says that evil communications corrupt good manners. 

We are influenced by those we hang out with. Be careful who you listen to. 2 Timothy 3:8 says that men of corrupt minds resist the truth. Romans 1:18 says that we suppress the truth through unrighteousness.

Paul charged Timothy with words that are timeless. 2 Timothy 3:14 says, “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.” Read the word ‘must’ as all capitals with an explanation point.

In 1987 we were in another country on a short term mission trip. The people in the churches were so beaten down by their pastors. Their bones were dried up like Ezekiel 37:11. We had four pastors in our team. As they spoke God’s word, the folk’s spirits revived.

God-breathed words are the food our spirit thrives on. If anyone speaks to you in a way that defeats you, it is not the truth. God’s word builds up. It is designed according to 2 Timothy 3:17, “That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Romans 8:9 says, “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you…” Here is the tension between our flesh and our spirit man. This verse is our position in Christ. It states truth that is not altered.

Yet in our progressive sanctification we are in the process of becoming more like Christ. We still veer off into our flesh. The Holy Spirit is present to empower us to resist. Yet it requires us to yield to His promptings.

Quarreling: harsh words, heated arguments, demanding one’s rights ~ opposing with fleshly barbs. Proverbs 15:1 gives us God’s way. It says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

In 2 Timothy 2:14 Paul wrote out a reminder for Timothy. It says, “Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.”

Verse 23 says, “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.” Strife and quarreling are fleshly ungodly behaviors. They spring up from unresolved issues when we fail to guard our hearts. Proverbs 4:23. 

James 4:1 starts with a question. “Where do wars and fights come from…?” Verse 2 in the Amplified says, “You are jealous and covet (what others have) and your desires go unfulfilled…You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain (the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness that you seek), so you fight and war…” What a display of our flesh.

Paul went on to charge his son in the faith. 2 Timothy 2:3 says, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Our trials are warfare. God has designed them to bring up hidden dross that would weaken and undermine our faith.

However the enemy of our soul seeks to derail us. He uses temptations to turn us from walking in the Spirit to walking in our flesh. Therein lies the battle for our mind. James 1:3 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.”

Jesus endured the cross because of the joy set before Him ~ us. Joy is an irrevocable gift. Don’t let the dirt of grumbling and complaining cover it. Hebrews 10:36 says, “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” Grace-strength comes as we embrace humility.. The same grace that saved us keeps us.