The Blessing of Scripture
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John Bunyan, who wrote Pilgrim's Progress, testified, "Read the Bible, and read it again, and do not despair of help to understand something of the will and mind of God, though you think they are fast locked up from you. Neither trouble yourself, though you may not have commentaries and expositions; pray and read, and read and pray; for a little from God is better than a great deal from man."
There was a time we would say that we all believed that the words of scripture was a great deal better than the words of mankind. But as modern statistics have shown this is just no longer the case. Look at the kinds of conferences and books many modern evangelicals attend and read. Interesting… what if I ask a couple questions… Would you be interested if I told you that today I will give you the secret of how we can be truly happy everyday of our life? Would you be interested if I told you that today I will be giving you the secret to true joy. If I tell you today of the secret to never ever ever be put to shame… would you be interested. A new book was written by one of the richest men in the world and he wanted to share with you the secret of his success and happiness. I bet it would be standing room only if he were here today. But I will give you the secret today and it is simple… it is the Bible. Common be honest … did you feel a little let down. Because in our culture today there is a premium on the knowledge and wisdom of man more than we do the scriptures. The attendance of Bible preaching churches dwindle and the real rise of self-help prosperity wisdom of man success principles of pragmatic post post modern proverbial presentations of the popular personalities of media, music, moves, and money Sunday morning seminars and conferences.
There has been a real shift in the priorities of what we are looking for in our culture that in many ways have swallowed up the church. The church is no longer a counter culture institution, but one that has become a part of the culture. What do you think would happen to the modern church if the modern culture collapses? If the church collapses too, then we were part of the culture. But the church for many caught in the worldview of the culture see the church as useful not as vital. If there there is a principle that I learn that helps me be a better person and more successful in life then awesome. But the church also helps me to be OK with myself if I start to feel like I am a failure in life … it helps with my self esteem knowing that at least I know that rich and successful people have it better than me now, but when we all die, I’ll be OK in heaven and they will be burning in hell… so in the end I am a better person. (Whew now I feel better).
And yet in the end we would still want to be a rich and successful person and even risk going to hell for it. Best thing during this series is to be honest. The Bible tells us that we can have it all with the scriptures… its saying the same thing. I posted couple nights ago on social media… the same sermon. If a preacher would preach a sermon about the secret of how we can have it all and not lack anything, it would be standing room only. But If he would preach a sermon on contentment maybe not. But the sermon is about the same thing. Those who are content do not lack anything. Ahhh… but its different in our minds. Not lacking because we have everything is what is one thing… no lack because we are content with what we have already have is another. But is it? Joy and happiness that comes from the ways of the world is better than the happiness we get from the Bible. God would disagree with you. And He would know right? Lets take a look at the Blessed ABC’s… Aleph.
Joyful are people of integrity,
who follow the instructions of the Lord.
Joyful are those who obey his laws
and search for him with all their hearts.
They do not compromise with evil,
and they walk only in his paths.
You have charged us
to keep your commandments carefully.
Oh, that my actions would consistently
reflect your decrees!
Then I will not be ashamed
when I compare my life with your commands.
As I learn your righteous regulations,
I will thank you by living as I should!
I will obey your decrees.
Please don’t give up on me!
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
Joyful Joy
A Heart After God’s Heart
Will Not Be Forsaken
The first thing we will look at today is the true joy that comes from communing with the Lord trough the keeping of His word. Second, we will see what it is for the heart to be after God’s own heart. Finally, we will look at the prayer for the Lord to never forsake us, and we saw this wonderfully fulfilled in Christ and Christ alone.
Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world cause us to to lose hope and trust in the power and sufficiency of the Word of God for happiness, it is the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of the scriptures that will open our hearts and mind to the Joy we find in Christ and the heart after God’s own heart.
I. Joyful Joy
- Blessed are You.
A. This is the account of what I’m calling the blessed ABC’s which is the account of the Hebrew Alphabet. The First letter is Aleph. And we will go letter by letter in this series. Make sure you join me and my family this summer and read Psalm 119 everyday till the first day of fall. Summer time 119.
B. Do you want to know the way to blessing and happiness? Blessed or happy are those who… Who strive to live a life of integrity. Who follow the instructions of God. Those who obey His laws. Those who search for the Lord with all of their hearts. Those who do not compromise. And those who walk ONLY in the ways of the Lord. Those who strive, who follow, who obey who search, who do not compromise and who walk ONLY in the ways of God.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
“If you love me, obey my commandments.
C. Obviously this is not the message we are getting from our world today. It is the exact opposite… the culture is counter. We are encouraged to seek success at all cost over even having integrity. Don’t follow the instructions of a outdated antiquated and illrelavant book follow the success principles of successful people. The world tell us not to follow the Lord with all of your heart but to follow your own heart (Existentialism) that is the only way to have true meaning in your life. Oh yes… compromise. That is the only way to have unity and connection with the culture… to be relavant you gotta be able to compromise. The very willingness to compromise is the essense of what it is to be post modern today. Ok fine follow the Lord but know that He is not the only way. You gotta respect the many many ways for spiritual fulfillment. Its not just Jesus only… It can be Jesus and Buddah. Jebudda. You can have Jesus and Psychics. Mormonism is just as valid. All roads lead to heaven.
D. This is the message we are getting from the pattern of this world. This is what they are saying is the way to true joy the way to true happiness the way for true blessedness. This is the way to not only survive but to thrive. Yeah I know the Bible is important but its not working for me right now. Its not making me happy right now. And this is a common theme growing in the modern church.
Chuck Colson tells a story… At the height of her fame as the other woman in the Ivana and Donald Trump breakup, Marla Maples spoke of her religious roots. She believed in the Bible, she told interviewers, then added the disclaimer, "but you can't always take [it] literally and be happy."
E. Are we gonna continue to follow the the ways of the world, the pattern of this world, the philosophy of this world, and the great deception of this world. God is telling us today what will bring us real happiness… will we believe God or the world. It is the word of God that will bring us true happiness. It is following the standards and directives of the scriptures that will make us happy and fulfilled. No more messing around with this… go all in and trust the word of God. Don’t you think that God knows what will bring us true joy? It is searching for the heart of God, it is not compromising that clear truth of the Word of God, it is living in obedience to what He commands us...
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
And to walk in His way and His way only believing that His way is the only way… like Christ said I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
F. This is the way to true happiness. This is the way to true joy. This is the way to true blessedness.
II. A Heart After God’s Heart
- Seeing the heart of David.
A. The psalmist knows the command of God to follow His words and his directives. It is the truth… God has commanded us to follow His commands. And it is the disposition of the people of God to desire to follow them. David yearned to follow the law of God. He loved the law of God and it was his desire to follow the law of God. Oh that I would do what it is you command. This is pouring out of the heart of the psalmist… to do all that Lord desires. He has a heart for the heart of God. I want my life to reflect all the the Lord desires of us. I want my actions to reflect the heart and desire of God. And even more… as I do it, as I learn it, as I reflect the decrees of God… I will be eternally grateful for all that the scriptures will bring to me.
B. Is this the passion and desire of our hearts today? Is it our hope and dream to do and to be all that the heart of God desires for us? Is our passion for the Lord? Is there a passion for the scriptures. Is there a passion for the word of God? Is there a passion for the Lord?
C. This is a big deal. This is no small thing. When we became Christians we have received a beautiful transformation, the wonders of the new covenamt.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
D. When we became Christians the Lord wrote His law on our hearts… meaning. We will love and desire His law, His directives, His word. If you do not love His law, if you do not desire to do what He commands, if you dread hearing what the Lord desires of us, then there is something wrong. Maybe the law is not written on your heart. Maybe the problem is so much deeper than we think. Maybe we are thinking we are something we are not? Maybe in the end we will hear depart from me I never knew you.
III. Will Not Be Forsaken
- He will never leave us nor forsake us.
A. But it does not to be this way today. Even for those of us who love the law and have a heart after the heart of God, we do not keep the law. And like the psalmist we beg the Lord to be patient with us. To never give up on us. To never forsake us. Even the words that our Lord cried out while He was on the cross.
B. The beautiful thing is… our Lord did not forsake us. Our Lord did not leave us. Though all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Though there is no one on earth who always does good and never sins. Though the wages of sin is death. Though we are all by nature children of wrath.
C. Our Father did not forsake us, but our Lord was forsaken on the cross as he bore our sins upon His shoulders and paid the price for our transgressions. Jesus lived the life we should have lived and he died the death we should have died. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures and he was buried and he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. He came to seek and save that which was lost. He became sin who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of of God in Christ Jesus.
D. And the promises continue… If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. If you confess your sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. These things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God and that by believing you will have life in His name.
E. This is the wonder and the comfort we receive from the Word of the living God. The Bible. The scriptures. The very breath of God. The promise of life and life more abundant. The promise that brings the everlasting hope. The promise we get from the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Aleph. The promise that He who began a good work in us will be faithful to bring it to completion at the day of the Lord.