Living Letters - September 21, 2026
A Truth to Believe
God Speaks
The God of the Bible is a speaking God (2 Tim. 3:16). God's speech is both his self-revelation (2 Tim. 3:16; John 1:1–3) and his authoritative action (Gen. 1:1–3; John 11:43). Only the one true God speaks (1 Kgs. 18:26). His words are always trustworthy and true (Rev. 21:5), always powerful and majestic (Ps. 29:4), and never fail to achieve his purposes (Isa. 55:11).
If God did not speak, not only would humans wander about in ignorance, but we would cease to exist (Heb. 1:3). God has been speaking since the beginning of the universe (Gen. 1:1–3), speaks to uphold and sustain it (Heb. 1:3), and will continue to speak for all eternity (Isa. 40:8).
God spoke this world into being (Gen. 1:2), spoke to his creatures (Gen. 2:16), to chosen individuals (Exod. 3:6; Deut. 1:3), to the nation of Israel (Exod. 19:5–6), and to and through his prophets (Isa. 66:2; Heb. 1:1), priests (Exod. 19:24), and kings (Acts 4:24–26). He spoke through biblical authors (2 Pet. 1:21) and definitively through Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:2), who is God's final and ultimate revelation (John 1:1–3).
God continues to speak today through Scripture (Heb. 3:7, 4:12), and his words are not to be trifled with (Rev. 22:18–19). Take heart that, as the God who speaks, God’s words cannot be broken (John 10:35), dissolved (Matt. 24:35), in error (Ps. 12:6–7), untrue (John 17:17), false (Titus 1:2), or ineffective (Isa. 55:11). And because God is eternal, his words are eternal as well (Ps. 119:89).
The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty (Psalm 29:4).
Something about Living
I’m sure you have noticed. Cool winds have begun to blow, and leaves have started to drift from the trees, signaling that fall is arriving.
2026 is about seventy-five percent spent. And yet, a quarter of this year still remains. We each have 14 more weekends until a new year arrives, and 2026 is in the rear-view mirror.
Fall naturally drives us inward. It prods us into new rhythms and new commitments. But have you thought about how you want to finish this year?
Reflecting on our lives is a practical way to obey commands such as "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15-16).
Here are ten questions we are considering in this season to finish the year strong. You may find a couple of them helpful as well.
What will I wish I had completed in the new year that I can work hard to complete right now?
What could I do in the next three months that would place myself under the waterfall of God’s ongoing grace?
What is one thing I could do daily that stirs my affections for Jesus?
What relationship could I deepen or strengthen by gaining a new perspective on and trying a new way to love this individual?
2026 has gone differently than I imagined. How can I re-dream and refocus for the rest of the year?
What three passages of Scripture could I memorize over the rest of this year that would help my heart, mind, and witness for Christ?
Is there a difficult conversation I am avoiding that I could prayerfully complete?
What is something in life that God is increasing calling me towards that I can double down on for the rest of this year?
What area of life isn't going according to my plans that I can surrender to God and stop fearing or worrying about?
Have I given myself to something in 2026 that has not been a wise use of my time? What step can I take today to eliminate it?
A Quote
"From a Christian perspective, God is first and foremost a communicative agent, one who relates to humankind through words and the Word. Indeed, God's very being is a self-communicative act that both constitutes and enacts the covenant of discourse: speaker (Father), Word (Son), and reception (Spirit) are all interrelated."
Kevin J. Vanhoozer in Is There a Meaning in This Text (456)
A Resource
God sometimes uses thinking about making the most of our time as a way to lead us into gutsy, risky, God-glorifying decisions. Here is one of our favorite sermons along those lines by David Platt.