God’s Word worked in the early Church.
And now, it works in us.
Young Clement (Titus Flavius Clemens) traveled to many nations and learned from many teachers. In Alexandria, he learned from Pantaenus, a Christian. Clement later started his own school for Christianity. He is best know for his trilogy — Exhortation, Instructor and Miscellanies. Today’s quote is from Instructor.
Joshua 1:8 (VOICE)
Let the words from the book of the law be always on your lips. Meditate on them day and night.
Think about God’s Word. “Always . . . day and night.”
Many years ago, I read about a prisoner of war (I forget who). He kept hope alive by meditating day and night on every bit of Scripture he remembered.
If all the Bibles were taken from our shelves and erased from our screens, would we remember enough to keep hope alive? Would it be enough to keep us going, day and night?
My Bible reading took me down a new line of thought. It started in the book of Amos:
Amos 8:11 (NIV)
The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord,
“when I will send a famine through the land—
not a famine of food or a thirst for water,
but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
“Famine.” Shortage. Lack. Of God’s Word. Of the Bible.
I own several Bibles. I can get very version on my screen. Any passage with a few words in the search box.
No Word? How?
Bad walls, no. God’s walls, yes. And a few good walls of our own making.
Proverbs 25:28 (NLT)
A person without self-control
is like a city with broken-down walls.
Self-control – good for us.
The people of Jericho thought thought their walls would keep them safe.
Joshua 6:1-2 (NIV)
Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.
Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands.”
Little did they know.
Lord, teach me to put my faith in your strength — not in precarious walls built by human hands and earth-bound hearts. Your plan always prevails. 
I want God to build my walls.
Isaiah 26:1 (NIV)
We have a strong city;
God makes salvation
its walls and ramparts.
Salvation: the strongest walls ever.
Ezekiel spoke about leaders who plastered over flimsy walls built on false words.
Their walls look good,
but they won’t last.
Ezekiel 13:13-14 (NIV)
Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: . . . I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare.
Be on the lookout for washed out whitewash, crumbling plaster and tumble-down walls. 
Feelin’ shut in during the pandemic?
Hezekiah, an Old Testament king, found himself with his back to the wall. He was sick, apparently dying. What did he do?
Isaiah 38:2 (NIV)
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall
and prayed to the Lord.
Feeling shut in? Follow Hezekiah’s example.
We have a choice — build up or tear down. You’re building, I hope.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (VOICE)
So support one another.
Keep building each other up
as you have been doing.
Leave a trail of support: encouraging words, helpful deeds and uplifting prayers.
