Leading The Way - Devotional for August 19
August 19, 2026
The Word of God Is a Cherished Letter
By Michael A. Youssef, Ph.D.
Why are so many people afraid of what the Bible has to say? Out of one side of their mouths, they say it’s just another book, but out of the other, they say, “I don’t want to hear it!” What harm could there be if it’s just another book?
The Truth is the Bible is not just another book. God says His Word “achieve[s] the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). The Bible is not merely words on paper. Those words have God’s authority, power, and strength. Those words have been commanded by God to accomplish His will. This is why God’s Word is hated by so many in our culture. And it’s why Satan will do whatever it takes to stop God’s people from reading the Bible.
Satan’s deception has never changed; he’s a one-trick pony. What he did thousands of years ago in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve he’s doing today with professing Christians. He plants seeds of doubt, saying, “You do not really need to read, believe, and obey the Bible, do you? God’s Word claims to be the final authority, but aren’t you the final authority? Shouldn’t you have the final word over your life and body. You can decide for yourself what is right and what is wrong.” The Bible’s answer to Satan’s deception is found in Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”
Tragically, statistics show that only 50 percent of self-identified Christians read the Bible weekly. Brothers and sisters, this should not be. You cannot claim to love someone and never open the letter that your beloved has sent to you. Why? Because an unopened letter means that you do not want to know or hear from that person. But the Bible is not junk mail to be tossed out or ignored; it is God’s letter to us. We need to open it, read it, and be changed by it. We need to approach it with great excitement and anticipation, eager to hear from our beloved Savior.
Prayer: Lord, help me fight Satan by reading and by resting and rejoicing in Your Truth. May I be a light in this culture as I immerse myself in Scripture. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“ . . . so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).
Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon series Defending a Lion: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW
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Watch Dr. Michael Youssef on this week's broadcast of Leading The Way at LightSource.com.
