Importance of THE WORD
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Importance of Reading and Memorizing Scripture
01-01-2023
Welcome to 2023
How cool is it to have Christmas Day on a Sunday last week and now this week we have New Years Day
What amazing celebrations those are
Last week we celebrated Jesus’ Birth
That God is with US
That could not be truer than with the Birth of the Savior Jesus
This morning as we look to the New Year
When you think of the New Year you probably think of New Years Resolutions
Maybe you have planned some New Years Resolutions
That is awesome and great
I am sure though are aware of the stats on New Years Resolutions
From looking it appears the Babylonians claim they were the first to make New Years Resolutions and celebrate the New Years
They believed that if they kept their word, their gods would look favorable on them through the new year
We can praise God that, that is not our case with God
Some quick stats on News Years Resolutions
https://discoverhappyhabits.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/
In the US some 41% make New Years Resolutions and some 9% at the end of the year feel they have been succesfull
after 1 wk 75% are still successful
after 1 month it drops to 64%
and after 6 months it is at 46%
I don’t share those with you to say don’t even set out to do something
But for you to understand that it will require work and follow through on your part
As you begin this New Year I want to encourage you to make a resolution or commitment to reading your Bible
And for you to understand that will require some work and follow through on your part
It is not something to be taken lightly
As believers in Jesus Christ do you understand how important the Word of God is to your life?
Is the Word of God the most important in your life?
Or church is it just something you read occasionally?
If you are wanting to be successfully in 2023 it doesn’t start with a news years resolution
It does start with THE WORD OF GOD
Want to know how to be successful in 2023
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
The way to start 2023 off on the right foot
The way to grow in 2023 is to put into action
As believers in Jesus Christ if you can expect to grow in your walk with Jesus
If you expect this year to be different than last year
If you expect this year to be different at Maranatha Baptist Fellowship
Then church it starts with putting into action the things of the Bible
Do NOT conform to the things of this world
We have talked about not looking like, not sounding like, not doing anything like the World
being Different because God has called us up out of the things of this World and to be set apart
So church do not conform to the things of this world
But
If you are not going to conform to the world then there is something else you should be doing
You should be renewing your mind
To get your mind right each and everyday
each and every moment
The way you renew your mind is but spending time with God and His Word
Church that is done each and every morning
When you do that, when you spend time with it does change you and changes your mind so that you are prepared to go out into the world and be a light
We get instruction from Gods Word to know Gods will
That is how we renew our minds by reading and spending time in Gods word
This is how we should be starting out new year of 2023
That is how we do it church by committing to reading Gods Word
To put that into action maybe its signing up for a Bible Reading Plan on your phone if you use your phone for Bible Reading
Maybe it is taking one of these plans that we have up front and committing to reading through the Bible this year of 2023
Or maybe its finding another plan and someone else to help hold you accountable as your commit to reading through Gods Word this year
By simply spending time in Gods Word it will renew your mind and help you stay focused on your relationship with Christ
That would seem like it could be the sermon all by itself
But wait there's more
11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
The Psalmist is sharing the reason He is hiding God’s word in his own heart
It is not just wasted knowledge
The purpose to memorize and dwell on the Word of God
So that we would not continuing sinning
The BIBLE is Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth
A purpose of the Bible is to instruct us
That is why it is oh so important that you and I begin to memorize it
Adults we make it a point to bring our kids to AWANA and a lynch pin of AWANA is to memorize scripture
Timothy Award in AWANA
If a student earns this award it means they have completed all books of 4 books in the TnT Program
That is 137 verses they have memorized by the time they are through the 6th grade
WOW that is absolutely amazing
So if they go through the AWANA Program the entire program from Puggles through TnT
That is a total of 274 verses
Moms Dads, Aunts and Uncles, and Grandparents, and Adults
Anyone and Everyone
We put so much importance on getting our kids in and through the AWANA program one of many that focus on the Word of God, getting them to Sunday School that has memory verses
Children’s Church, VBS, and any other ministry that I may be missing that has a focus on Gods Word and the memorization of Gods word
If it is important for our kids to be memorizing scripture, then we must ask the question is it important for us
Let me answer that for you
It is important
And Church when we spend time in Gods Word, and with Gods Word
We grow as a believer
Because when we do that
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
When we memorize Gods Word
When we dwell on Gods Word
We grow as a believer
Not only does it help you refrain from sinning, but it also helps you remain focused on Gods Word
We know learn more about God and His character
It also prepares us to be used by God when He so desires
It keeps Gods Word at the forefront of your mind through out the day if you commit to memorize scripture
When its always on our mind it is always on our tongue, and shared with those around us
That is why it is oh so important for you and I as believers in Jesus Christ to memorizing and dwelling on Gods word
What a great way to start out 2023 to commit to memorize scripture
For those kids here this morning, how cool would it be for your parents and the adults in your life to be memorizing scripture as you do
So maybe we also commit to memorizing scripture this morning
See the Word of God is and should be our lifeblood
It is
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”
This is how Jesus answered Satan when Satan was tempting Him
Notice that Jesus in being tempted went right to scripture, He didn’t go and tell a friend, He didn’t say I need some time away, no Jesus went right to the Word of God and quoted it why because He KNEW IT
You will say yes but its Jesus and I will say yes and you have that same Spirit inside you if you are a believer in Jesus Christ
Jesus is our example of how to handle ourselves in this world and Jesus constantly went back to the Word of God
So again if we read about Jesus memorizing and quoting scripture, and spending time praying, and having an intimate understanding of Gods Word because of the time spent with God the Father and in the Word
Then just maybe just maybe we should be doing just that Church
The Word of God is so important
The word of God is what gives us energy to get up in the morning
It’s what keeps us humble when the world wants to offer us gold and silver, when the world wants to put the spot light on us
It’s what lifts us up when we are surrounded by pitch black darkness, when we are in the midst of the storm
It’s what keeps us connected to other believers
Church, the Word of God give us a hope that this world is desperately searching for
It’s what gives us a peace like nothing this world has seen
The Word of God through Pray and the Holy Spirit is our connection to God
It is good for our soul
It is energy for our Body
Church it is from God and should be held in high regard. It is what guides us in the crazy world we live in today
That is why the Word of God is oh so important and should be treated as such
Church it is time that we recommit to being students of Gods Word
To read it, to memorize it to dwell on, and allow it to effect our entire lives!
This morning as we move to our time of invitation
Maybe you are here this morning and do not have a personal relationship with Jesus
Then this doesn’t make sense, this making the Word of God oh so important does not make sense to you
I would invite you this morning to the front and meet with someone and they will be able to show you through scripture how you can begin a personal relationship with God this morning
Or maybe you are here this morning and you already have a personal relationship
And this morning you have heard how important the Word of God is but you struggle to make it a priority
Maybe its lazy
I would invite you to the front and spend sometime in pray and make a decision in your heart this morning to begin to make the Word of God a priority in your life
The altar is open