[Darris McNeely] Like you, my calendar runs out at the end of December every year. I get a new calendar, begin to think about the next calendar year, as it does impact a lot of financial matters that we have to deal with, and we just normally do a review of recent months, and look ahead, and everyone wonders what will the time bring. We are living in a very challenging time as we all understand, as we talk about that on "Beyond Today" in our magazine and on our "Beyond Today" program, and in these dailies quite often, we're living in a transitional period right now. And with the pandemic, with the threat of wars and rumors of wars on the horizon, and conflict among nations, with great cultural shifts that are impacting our world right now, the gender wars, wokeism and how this is impacting schools, businesses, how we view one another and relate and manage our way through. It is a complete cultural shift that we are managing. I think a lot about that as do you. And one conclusion that I've come to, and I think all of us are going to have to understand as we absorb all of this as we work our way through the massive transition that this world is going through, and its impact in technology, and politics, and government, and relate with the way people think about religion and God, and access all of that, and how we live our daily lives. We're going through a period of upheaval and change.

The one thing that is going to help us, the one thing that is going to be our bulwark, and our shield, and help us deal with it, frankly, for a Christian, for a disciple of Jesus Christ, it is going to be our use of the Word of God, the Bible. The very Word of God, the enduring, lasting, eternal truths of God's word is going to be what stands between us, you, and what is happening in the world around us to help us remain firm, convicted, able to manage and deal with everything that is taking place. It is the Word of God that will be what we use to combat everything that is thrown at us, seeking to change our mind, change our heart, change our focus of life, and get it off of God, His plan, and His hope for...and that He holds out to us of the resurrection and eternal life. The Word of God. That's our anchor. That's our hope.

There's many Scriptures that we could turn to about that. But there's one that immediately came to my mind as I was thinking about it here today. It's in Hebrews 4, where it says, "The Word of God." In verse 12, Hebrews 4:12, "The Word of God is living, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and as a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart." It is living, and it is powerful, it is sharper than any two-edged sword. And it cuts through the clutter, the arguments, the propaganda, the heresy, the sin, the cultural shifting that is taking place. The Word of God cuts through it all. And it is the only anchor, the only instrument that you and I can use to fend our way through the maze, the confusion, that is always being thrown at us in this world today. The Word of God is what is going to be our bulwark and directing us to God and a relationship with him.

I would hope that all of us would think about that as we move into 2022 and wonder what is going to happen next? What will the coming months bring? Let's make a point. Let's make a commitment. That the one thing we can control that is our devotion to God, our reading of the Bible, our connection, a spiritual connection to God through His Word. Our understanding of it will grow deeper, more firm, more convicting, and a deeper lasting commitment than anything we've ever had in our life as we move forward. The Word of God is what is going to get us through and be our shield and protector against the events that are planned and that are being thrown at us every way. Make that your commitment in the coming times.

That's "BT Daily." Join us next time.