Celebrating 100 Brief Words

3 Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ”

⁶ that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ ⁷ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:3, 6-7 NKJV.

On February 2009 I wrote and emailed the first Brief Word.  A few family and friends were brave enough to register and receive it.  Since then, its circulation has grown.  Now it goes around the world, and people in places I am amazed at contact me to say they receive and are blessed by Brief Word.

This edition marks the 100^th Brief Word.  Amazing.  I thank God for this, and am humbled when I hear where it is going, who is receiving it, and what is does in their lives.

The vision for it is simple; to be A Biblical Brief Word, to equip, guide and inspire.  Something we can read in a few minutes, that is firmly based in Scripture, is practical, Christ centred and can be lived out in every-day life.

The people of Israel were crossing the river Jordan.  The Lord instructed Joshua to get twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel, to take a stone each, carry them to the other side, and set it up as a sign, a memorial to future generations.  It would be a reminder of the faithfulness and deliverance of the Lord.

Sometimes it is good to look back.  Not longingly, as Lot’s wife did desiring the past, but to look for lessons, and to see the hand of God at work.  (Often its not until we look back that we see God’s power at work).

We live in the present, we dream of the future, but we learn eternal truths from the past.  We learn from the past.  We live in the present.  We look to the future.

I feel a bit like that on this occasion.  100 Brief Words.  It is a milestone.  It is something to rejoice about.  A total of over 96,700 words, and 967 words average per Brief Word.  People from all walks of life receive it; students, professional workers, homemakers, bishops, drivers, mothers, fathers, pastors, prisoners, church planters, evangelists, and retired.  It goes into countries I have never been to, is ministering into nations, communities and cultures I have only dreamt of influencing.

Brief Word – A Collection, the book, was released which is a collection of the first 40 Brief Words.  It is available from www.goodwords.nz

Brief Word – A Collection, Volume 2, the next 40 is on the drawing board, (watch this space).

Different versions of a Brief Word have made their way around the world into other articles, or a sermon, or an encouraging text or email.  Brief Word has been delivered at Bible schools, preached over national radio, and used as a guide for devotions.  That’s just part of the feedback I get.

The Word of God is amazing.  It goes out and accomplishes things.  It is living!  It is Christ speaking!  When we read, listen to, receive and (through whatever means) take in God’s Word, we are receiving not just words, but God’s living spoken creative Word.

If you know me a little I hope you’ll know I have a love for and a passion for the Bible.  I just love God’s Word.  All my life it has been a staple in my daily diet.  I am blessed by it, encouraged by it and challenged and changed by it.  I am inspired by it, driven on by it, and even held captive to its principles and truth.  Which is a good thing!  God’s Word is my comfort, my life, my hope.

It is a goldmine of truth.  It is a treasure trove of jewels.  It is an ever-giving well of life.  It is immeasurable, inexhaustible, unfathomable, in its ability to reveal new truths and old truths in fresh ways.

And I firmly believe, that the Bible can be all of that and much more to every person!  If only we’ll take the time to delve within its sacred pages, we will discover things we never saw before, things that will only help us along the way on our continual fashioning into Christlikeness.

I also believe, that quantity time, always leads to quality time.  There’s just no other way.  Whatever time we have, in whatever way in God’s Word will always be good.  But the more time we take, the better it becomes.

Brief Word, is all about God and His amazing Word.

Often in life we are just in need of some fresh perspective.  A Godly perspective.  And the thing is God’s perspective brings freedom from the past, context to the present, and clarity for the future.

But the best thing about God’s Word is that it draws us into a deeper relationship with Him!  That’s the greatest benefit of The Bible.

And at this time we sure need to know God.  Personally.  Strongly.  Intimately.  All around the world, the coronavirus has wreaked havoc.  It has taken much from some; jobs, savings, a future, even life itself.  When something like this reaches to the very foundations of our lives, it is important that those foundations are strong enough to take the testing and provide security for the structure above.  God’s Word and an intimate relationship with the Living Word, Jesus, is that strength we need.

But the virus has actually given us things.  Lockdown brought home many of the values we know and love, and we saw them presented on TV: family time, games, creativity, reading, study, learning, freedom to just be at home, understanding that the freedom from appointments and stuff to do, isn’t such a bad thing.  Even in the worst crisis God can bring a silver lining.

What memorial stones are there in your life?  Maybe an event, a season, the birth of a child, the accomplishment of a goal, the change in circumstances.  They remind us of what the Lord did, of His provision, His protection and his peace.

There is a great need for God’s Word all around the world.  There is a great hunger for it.  So on the occasion of the 100^th Brief Word, would you join me in prayer, that Brief Word would be a word in season to life after life, that it would reach into communities and cultures we can’t physically get to just now, and that it would point people to Jesus!

Thank you for being a reader of Brief Word.

My prayer for you and for this and every Brief Word, is that it will encourage a deeper walk with Jesus.  That it will encourage an inspire to press into God and His Word, and thereby discover purpose and peace.