Breath of Heaven

Why the word of God is the way of life...

• It's living and active, not dead and done.

• It is the everlasting breath and light of life.

• It's God exhaling His love for mankind; away from the worst and toward the best.

• It's the greatest story ever: rescue, redemption, and restoration, and it all centers on Jesus, the greatest person alive.

• It's the breath of Heaven in our hands.

Even in our own hands, our Bible should be held with reverence.

3 Primary questions to ask when you read Scripture

1) Who wrote it?

2) Who did he write to?

3) Why did he write it?

2 Timothy 3:14-15 - Paul is the writer of this letter. His life had been radically changed from being the most highly educated persecutor of the Church to becoming one of the main leaders of the Church and the author of most of the letters in the New Testament.

He wrote to Timothy, his protege. He's pouring out his heart because he's at the end of his life in a Roman prison. He's spurring Timothy on.

Why? Timothy knew about Jesus from the time he was born. The Bible calls itself the "Holy Scripture," it's holy. We're the ones that have dropped off the "holy" part from the title. All Scripture is God-breathed. It's profitable, not narrow or restricting; it increases everything. It doesn't decrease it. It's useful so that we can be faithful. Theopneutros combines the words "God" and "breathe" into one word; God exhaled it.

It's not just words or ink on a page, it's breath on a page.

Hebrews 4:12-13 the Scripture is alive and active. It uncovers us. The uncovering is connected to the living work of the Word of God. The Word can defend itself because it's living and breathing. Isiah 40:8 says the Word of God will reign forever. It traveled from the mouth of God into your hands.

What should be our approach to Scripture?

• Stand in awe at His Word.

• We kneel in surrender under His Word.

• We walk in the illuminating light of His Word.

In Nehemiah 8, the people returned to Jerusalem and were going to rebuild the Temple. They read the book of the Law of Moses, which was actually a book of death because it proved that even on our best day, we cannot keep ten commands. We need Jesus. It's still the Word of God and to be honored and revered. The people listened intently and stood in reverence when the scroll of Moses was opened. They lifted their hands and bowed in worship.

Something shifts in our hearts when the Word of God is read. We should praise God for it. We should be compelled to kneel in reverence. We have so much more than those that went before us and grace is the story of our lives, but we are missing what it is to stand in awe of the Word of God.

Isiah 66:1-2 - God asks a tongue-in-cheek question, but He answers seriously. We are to tremble at His Word.

When was the last time you were reading the Word of God and were compelled to stand in reverence of what you hold in your hands? The Bible isn't just an app you use, it's God's Holy breath on a page. We have to recover how we approach God.

When was the last time you stood, or knelt, or wept as you read the Word of God and had the Lord say over you, "It's ok, the joy of the Lord is your strength."

If you're walking and the Holy Word isn't illuminating your steps then you're stepping towards death.

The Bible isn't a manual for life, it's so much more than that. The Bible is how you see in the dark, that you are a son or daughter through Christ. It's how you breathe.