Living Words, Living Hearts
The Scriptures become living bread when the risen life of Jesus rises within us.
Devotional Credit: Open Windows by T. Austin-Sparks
Photo Credit: Unsplash
The reading for today challenges us to look beyond mere familiarity with the Scriptures and into the life they are meant to impart. T. Austin-Sparks points out that the true value of the Bible is not found in our ability to quote it or in the prestige we gain by knowing it well. Rather, it is found in the livingness of Jesus shining through its pages. He warns that we can have all the teaching, all the tradition, and yet remain unchanged if the risen life of Jesus does not become our own. In his loving yet searching way, he invites us to face this personally and honestly.
Sparks notes that our religious background, our participation in meetings, and even our zeal for truth can leave us as “passengers” if we are not alive with the risen Lord. He suggests that we may have gained knowledge without allowing it to become a vital factor in our lives. It is a sobering thought that we could be deeply engaged in Christian activity yet miss the Life Himself. He encourages us to examine whether we are simply observing or actually participating in the resurrection life of Jesus.
The answer, Sparks insists, lies in the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus is not only an event in history; it is the life-changing reality that must take place within us. Being raised with Him is not merely doctrinal; it is meant to be experiential. Sparks reminds us that this life is imparted to those who turn from mere tradition and receive the living Jesus into their own hearts. He calls us to move from knowledge to living union, from tradition to experience.
As we reflect on this, we thank T. Austin-Sparks for pointing us to the living Jesus rather than to static knowledge. His words lovingly remind us that the Scriptures are a doorway to Life, not an end in themselves. We are encouraged to come to the Lord Himself, to let His resurrection life fill us, and to allow His Word to become flesh in our experience. May his message stir us to seek the living presence of Jesus and to let the Word become alive in us today.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, you can know much about the Bible and yet miss the One who is its Life. I invite you to come to Me, not just to facts about Me. The Scriptures testify of Me; they point to the risen Jesus who lives in you. Do not settle for knowledge without life. I have raised you together with Him, and His resurrection life is yours.
As you read My Word, allow Me to breathe My life into it within you. Let My Spirit make it alive, not merely letters on a page. You have been made new in Jesus; the old has gone, the new has come. You are no longer a passenger; you are a participant in His life. His risen life is at work in you, enabling you to live beyond human effort.
Do not be content to hear about resurrection; experience it. Trust Me to make you alive with Him, to infuse every part of your being with His life. Let the Word dwell in you richly, guiding you into joyful obedience. This is not tradition; it is reality. It is not history; it is your present life in Jesus.
Scripture References: John 5:39-40; Colossians 3:1-4; Romans 6:4-11; Ephesians 2:4-6; 2 Corinthians 3:6; John 14:6; Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:11; John 15:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 1:27; Philippians 3:10; John 10:10.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of following a recipe for bread. You can memorize every step, list each ingredient, and repeat the instructions flawlessly, but until you mix the flour with water and yeast and allow the dough to rise, you still do not have bread. The recipe is valuable only when it leads to a living loaf that fills the room with its aroma. In the same way, the Bible’s value lies in the life of Jesus rising within you. It is not enough to know the words; they must become living bread by the power of His resurrection.
As you read Scripture today, ask yourself not just what it says but how the risen life of Jesus can be expressed through you. When faced with a moment that requires patience or kindness, you might quietly say in your heart, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me in this situation, making Your Word alive in me.” Then watch Him shape your response with His life.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that Your Word is alive because You are alive. You have raised me together with Jesus, and Your life within me makes the Scriptures more than words. I rejoice that I am not a passenger but a participant in Your resurrection life. I rest in the reality that Your life in me is my strength and my sufficiency, and I trust You to live through me today.