R U Ready?
Pastor Joseph Campbell
Sunday Morning • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 48:17
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In the little booklet, What Can the Righteous Do, the very first chapter is entitled, Stand on Truth.
Toward the end of the chapter, it asks the question:
Do you know what the Bible teaches about the doctrines that form your faith and Christian practice?
The inspiration and authority of Scripture
The deity of Christ
The way of salvation through Christ
The New Testament local church
Creation and the sanctity of human life
Gender as the creation of God
The institution of marriage and the biblical family
The holiness of the Christian life
The sufficiency of Scripture for all matters pertaining to life and godliness
If you don’t know what you believe from Scripture, you will be susceptible to faulty theology that undermines biblical truth.
Once that happens, it’s only a matter of time until you no longer have the truth.
Repeating what other people have told you is not enough.
You need to know the biblical reason behind what you believe.
You need to know what the Bible teaches on the vital topics of our day.
I believe that we would all heartily agree with this.
And yet…
An October 3, 2024, article appeared on the Christian Post’s website entitled:
Only 35% of Evangelicals think they're ready to share biblical truths: poll
While the overwhelming majority of Evangelicals believe they have a duty to share the teachings of the Bible, most don't feel prepared to do so, according to a new survey.
When asked if Christians have a responsibility to “share truths from God’s Word with people who hold different views,” 92% agreed, while only 6% disagreed and 2% were unsure.
However, only 35% of Evangelicals considered themselves “ready for most opportunities to share what the Bible says about cultural and hot button issues.”
https://www.christianpost.com/news/only-35-percent-evangelicals-ready-to-share-biblical-truths-poll.html
Why is that?
I took a look at the survey myself.
https://institutefc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024ChristianCulturalEnagementReport.pdf
One of the questions that was asked:
What percentage of evangelicals personally read the Bible daily?
Daily: 37%
Several times a week/Once a week: 32%
Once a month/Several times a year: 13%
Rarely/Never: 19%
Only 37% of evangelicals/Christians read their Bible daily!
Only 37% of evangelicals/Christians read their Bible daily!
Even though…
Joshua 1:8 (KJV 1900)
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Psalm 1:1–2 (KJV 1900)
Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night.
How can we - as Bible-believing Christians - ever hope to have a firm grasp upon what the Bible teaches and what we believe if we are not daily digging into God’s Word to find out what it says?!?!
How can we ever hope to stand upon God’s Truth when we do not know God’s Truth?!?!
How can we ever hope to share God’s Truth with others if we do not know what God’s Truth is?!?!
We must daily read God’s Word.
We must daily read God’s Word.
Job 23:12 (KJV 1900)
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
There’s not a single one of us who does not feed themselves - physically - each day. (And likely multiple times a day!)
If we are Bible believing Christians, there is no excuse for us to not consume God’s Word on a daily basis.
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
Before we can do anything with God’s Word, we must read it!
We must study God’s Word.
We must study God’s Word.
Acts 17:11 (KJV 1900)
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
There is so much that we could discuss regarding the topic of studying God’s Word. However, it can be summed up in these questions:
Do you know God’s Word better today than you did yesterday?
Do you know God’s Word better this year than you did last year?
The greatest tool that you already possess - if you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior - is the Holy Spirit!
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
The greatest tool that you can use, in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, to better understand God’s Word is a dictionary!
The best dictionary to use to help you gain a better understanding of God’s Word is Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary.
Fortunately, you can find that particular dictionary online!
https://webstersdictionary1828.com
https://webstersdictionary1828.com
This is how Pastor Campbell does it!
This is how Pastor Campbell does it!
We must memorize God’s Word.
We must memorize God’s Word.
Deuteronomy 6:6 (KJV 1900)
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Psalm 119:11 (KJV 1900)
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.
Proverbs 3:1–3 (KJV 1900)
My son, forget not my law; But let thine heart keep my commandments:
For length of days, and long life, And peace, shall they add to thee.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: Bind them about thy neck; Write them upon the table of thine heart:
What verse(s) or passage of Scripture are you currently seeking to commit to memory? I am currently seeking to commit the first six chapters of Proverbs to memory as well as the book of Titus.
Pastor Campbell, Where should I begin?
Psalm 1.
Psalm 100.
Does anyone have Evangelist Jerry Sivnksty’s Two Edged Sword Memory Program?
Pastor Campbell, How should I begin?
Write a verse down on a 3x5 card.
Carry it with you.
Read it over as often as you can until you can say it from memory.
Then, review.
This is how Pastor Campbell does it!
This is how Pastor Campbell does it!
We must meditate upon God’s Word.
We must meditate upon God’s Word.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night.
1 (hgh 1), VB. coo, growl, mutter; read in an undertone; speak, proclaim.
To dwell on any thing in thought; to contemplate; to study; to turn or revolve any subject in the mind
Do you, throughout your day, consciously bring God’s Word to mind so that you can roll it over in your mind and gain spiritual nourishment?
Did your parents ever say, “Chew your food?”
Well - spiritually speaking - we need to chew our food!
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Please understand that I am not speaking of learning God’s Word simply as an academic activity. It is much more than that.
Psalm 1:2 (KJV 1900)
But his delight is in the law of the Lord…
Why is all of this important?
Why is all of this important?
Aside from the fact that, if we do not do these things, we will be unable to stand upon the Truth, there is something even more important that we should consider…
This was the testimony of two Chinese believers who had been imprisoned for three years for their faith in Christ. They said:
“You can only grow in jail what you take to jail with you. You can only grow in persecution what you take into it.”
While you may not spend time in jail for your faith in Christ and while you may not endure persecution for your faith in Christ I want you to think of that statement in a slightly different way.
“You can only grow in _____ what you take to _____ with you. You can only grow in _____ what you take into it.”
We will all face trials and difficulties that will try our faith. We must Biblically prepare for those trials and difficulties before we find ourselves in the midst of those trials and difficulties.