Is there a difference between the two? Yes, even though both are the Word of God.
The Bible uses two Greek words to describe the Word of God. The first one is Logos, which means the whole Bible as the Word of God.
The second Greek word is Rhema. This means the Sword of the Spirit. It’s still the Word of God but it is a specific portion of the Word of God. It is when the Holy Spirit speaks to you through God’s Word with certain verses regarding a specific situation. The Holy Spirit may point out some verses that will encourage you about something or the Holy Spirit may point out some verses that will help you to see that you are sinning in some way, and He wants you to repent to restore fellowship with God in your life. We need the Sword of the Spirit to protect us from evil. We also need it to reach our “heart.” When someone opens their heart and soul to put their faith in what Jesus did for them on the cross by shedding His blood and dying for their sins and their sins’ penalties, it is the Holy Spirit Who helps them see the Truth of salvation and God’s forgiveness. The Holy Spirit also gives, forgiven believers, spiritual strength to overcome evil and also to do God’s will, which helps them to grow in their faith.
For example, in another blog post, I told you how God spoke to me through some verses in Psalm 27, Psalm 28 and Psalm 30 during the time of my kidney and liver transplants. Five months before my transplants, God gave me Psalm 27:13-14 and Psalm 28:6. After my transplants, God gave me Psalm 30:2. They are printed out at the end of this post as a reminder of God’s specific message to me. These verses are the Word of God, yes, but the Holy Spirit pointed them out to me to encourage me that God was with me through this entire difficult time. That is “rhema” meaning the specific Word of God meant to specifically help me at that time. .
I think that is so cool! I can’t tell you how excited and encouraged I was to read those verses and God didn’t stop with Psalm 27:13-24 and Psalm 28:6. He continued to speak to me after my transplants with Psalm 30:2.
You know, I’m getting all revved up again about it. What a great God that I, and maybe you, serve if you have put your faith in Jesus as your Savior and Lord.
God is so loving, compassionate, and giving. He gives joy and peace, He is patient, kind, good, personal, faithful, gentle, righteous (holy), and just. God has so many characteristics as well as, so many Names throughout the Bible, such as Holy One, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Healer, Redeemer, Comforter, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Son of God. . .and there are many more!
I don’t know how long God will use my transplanted organs to keep me going but just so you know, it’s been 17 years, as of September 17, 2007, so far. I know God has an appointed time for me to either die a physical death or be taken up to Heaven with Jesus at the Rapture when He removes all true Christians from the earth and takes them to Heaven and then the 7 years of Tribulation begins on the earth, including an evil world leader whom the Bible calls the anti-Christ.
If you don’t yet know Jesus, I suggest you, in humility, come to grips with the fact that you are a sinner who needs to repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus’ shed blood and death on the cross to pay for your sins and their penalties. Jesus died so you could believe in Him and go to Heaven with Him for Eternity, instead of you paying for your own sins in hell for Eternity.
In John 14:6, “Jesus said, I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Please put your faith in Jesus! Please!!! I am praying that the Holy Spirit will help you to see your sinfulness and need for Salvation through Jesus. There is no other way to get to Heaven, which is Paradise.
Here are my specific transplant verses:
Psalm 27:13-14 says, “13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord, in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 28:6 says, “Praise be to the Lord, for He has heard my cry for mercy.”
After my transplant:
Psalm 30:2 says, “Lord my God, I called to You for help, and You healed me.”
Thanks for reading. I hope it has impacted your “heart.”
Sharon
sharborr.blog 