Authority of God’s Word
·
God’s Word
Reveals God.
John 5:39-40
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think
that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify
about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (Lu 24:27, 44; Jn 1)
·
God’s Word is
Precise and Eternal.
Matthew 5:18
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth
disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by
any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. (one
jot or one tittle)
A wealthy woman who was traveling overseas saw a bracelet she thought was
irresistible, so she sent her husband this cable: “Have found wonderful
bracelet. Price $75,000. May I buy it?”
Her husband promptly wired back this response: “No, price too high.”
But the cable operator omitted the comma, so the woman received this message:
“No price too high.” Elated, she purchased the bracelet. Needless to say, at her
return her husband was dismayed. It was just a little thing—a comma—but what a
difference it made!
B. Flynn, The
Twelve
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will never pass away.
·
God’s Word is
necessary for Genuine Salvation
Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
·
God’s Word is
Alive and Powerful.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and
active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
o
Reaches the
innermost being of a person bringing conviction produced by Holy Spirit
o
The Word
discriminates what is spiritual and what is “soulish” or natural.
o
We desperately
need a supernatural discerning agent of God‘s Word… Alive & Judges
o
In a study of
a typical week: Read Bible - Daily, 13%; 3 times a week, 32%; Not at all, 43%.
Barna
Research Group, 1992
·
God’s Word is
Truth that Liberates from Sin.
John 17:17
Sanctify them by the truth; your
word is truth.
John 8:32
"And you shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free."
·
God’s Word is
Vital for Spiritual Life.
Matthew 4:4
Jesus answered, "It is written:
'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth
of God.'"
(Pew Bible page 437)
Psalms 119:9-16 9
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living
according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do
not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your
word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise
be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I
recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice
in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I
delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
10 B’s 2 A New U...
1. Be Seeking
10
I seek you
with all my heart; (seek- diligent, search, follow after, pursue)
2. Be Focusing
do not let me stray
from your commands (stray- wander, be deceived, err, mislead)
3. Be Memorizing
11
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you. (hidden- private, secret place)
4. Be Worshipping
12
Praise
be to you, O LORD; (praise- thank,
worship, bow, kneel down, to bless God)
5. Be Learning
teach
me your decrees. (teach- to learn.
Instructed, diligence, skill, expert)
A man in Kansas City was severely injured in an explosion. Evangelist Robert L.
Sumner tells about him in his book The Wonders of the Word of God. The victim’s
face was badly disfigured, and he lost his eyesight as well as both hands. He
was just a new Christian, and one of his greatest disappointments was that he
could no longer read the Bible. Then he heard about a lady in England who read
Braille with her lips. Hoping to do the same, he sent for some books of the
Bible in Braille. Much to his dismay, however, he discovered that the nerve
endings in his lips had been destroyed by the explosion. One day, as he brought
one of the Braille pages to his lips, his tongue happened to touch a few of the
raised characters and he could feel them. Like a flash he thought, I can read
the Bible using my tongue. At the time Robert Sumner wrote his book, the man had
“read” through the entire Bible four times.
The
Wonders of the Word of God, by Robert L. Sumner.
6. Be Verbalizing
13
With my lips I recount all the laws
that come from your mouth. (recount- declare, speak, talk of, recount, as in
celebrate, to inscribe)
7. Be Obeying
14
I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches. (following- journey, way road, action)
Think of the Scriptures as an absolutely accurate map. A map tells you how to
get to a certain destination. But just looking at a map won’t automatically
transport you to Arizona or England or Peru. Getting to those places means you
have to make the effort…pay the cost…take the time for travel…stay at it until
you arrive. In a word, persevere.
So it is in the Christian life. God’s map is reliable and available. It is also
clear and direct. But there is no hocus-pocus in its pages that automatically
sends its reader by way of a magic carpet. Please don’t misunderstand. I love
God’s Word! I am more convinced than ever in my life that its trustworthy truths
are of inestimable value. But although the Bible may be a trustworthy book, it
is certainly no magic potion that you rub on yourself three times a day to chase
the devil away. Nor is it something you take internally with a pious promise to
God, hoping that the next morning you will suddenly know and experience all its
truths.
8. Be Mediating
15
I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways. (mediate- ponder, muse, pray, commune)
9. Be Loving
16
I delight in your decrees;
(delight- fond, good acceptance, {fall in love with})
10. Be Applying
I will not neglect your word.
(neglect- forget, oblivious, loose memory of {put it into practice})
Making Application...
·
Steer
into a New Life Direction.
·
Safeguard
a Time and Place Daily.
·
Submit
to Personal Preparation.
·
Systematically
Read & Apply God’s Word. (NOT
legalistically – chpt a day keeps devil away)
·
Sense
and Obey when God Speaks to You.
·
Soar
to New Spiritual Heights.
A New Year – A New You…
God’s Word -
“This Book is the mind of
God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the
happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding; its
histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise,
believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you,
food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the
pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s
character. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell
disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of
God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read
it slowly, frequently, prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory,
and a river of pleasure. Follow its precepts and it will lead you to Calvary, to
the empty tomb, to a resurrected life in Christ; yes, to glory itself, for
eternity.
Pick up & Begin your Yellow Bible Reading
Plan Today!
Have a Wonderful 2007!
