The Word of God in the Life of the Believer
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How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
A Reminder Because I’m forgetful
At times in our lives, we have the tendency to forget things that we are familiar.
We take things for granted, because have those things so readily available to you us.
But an over abundance of something often produces a lack of desire.
We are so used to having something that we rarely even give thanks for it.
This is a problem specifically in America.
If you don’t believe its a problem in your own life and in the lives of your children, hop on a plane and go to a place without running water.
Go to a place where the people are struggling just to survive each day, not knowing where their next meal will come from.
There a few thing in this life that I can say
I’ll never forget going to Africa and watching the children literally run beside our vehicles as we came into their village because they thought we might be bringing them something.
Ill never forgot on the last day on the ground in Africa , handing out Bibles to those who had professed faith in Christ and had walked through the discipleship class.
They took those Bibles for some of them, it had now become the most expensive thing they owned.
But more than that, it had now become the most precious thing in the world to them.
We saw people in groups reading the Bible to those who did not get one because we didn’t have enough.
We saw an older man spend all day underneath a tree just reading.
I saw a passion for the Word of God unlike anything i had seen before in my life.
7,948 miles away in America, 87% of American households have Bibles.
The average number of Bibles per house, 3.
LifeWay Research surveyed 1,000 Americans about their views of the Bible and found significant splits in how familiar they are with Scripture. One in five Americans, LifeWay Research found, has read through the Bible at least once.
That includes 11 percent who've read the entire Bible once, and 9 percent who've read it through multiple times. Another 12 percent say they have read nearly all of the Bible, while 15 percent have read at least half.
About half of Americans (53 percent) have read relatively little of the Bible. One in 10 has read none of it, while 13 percent have read a few sentences. Thirty percent say they have read several passages or stories.
Americans also differ in how they approach reading the Bible. Twenty-two percent read a little bit each day, in a systematic approach. A third (35 percent) never pick it up at all, while 30 percent look up things in the Bible when they need to. Nineteen percent re-read their favorite parts, while 17 percent flip open the Bible and read a passage at random. A quarter (27 percent) read sections suggested by others, while 16 percent say they look things up to help others.
Americans are split over the nature of the Bible as a book. Four in 10 say it's a book worth reading over and over, while 13 percent say it's worth reading once. Twenty-two percent prefer referencing the Bible on an as-needed basis. Five percent say the Bible is a book not worth reading at all, while 19 percent are not sure.
A number of reasons keep Americans from reading the Bible, according to LifeWay Research. About a quarter (27 percent) say they don't prioritize it, while 15 percent don't have time. Thirteen percent say they've read it enough. Fewer say they don't read books (9 percent), don't see how the Bible relates to them (9 percent), or don't have a copy (6 percent). Ten percent disagree with what the Bible says.
Overall, Americans seem to like the Bible but don't have much urgency about reading it, McConnell said.
So I have to ask you this morning: Where are you in those statistics?
As I look at the statistics, I disagree with the conclusion the writer makes.
The article writer here concludes that American like the Bible but they do not see the urgency in reading it.
My conclusion is this: If they liked it and if they, if we truly believed that the Bible is God’s word, then we would read it.
I cannot express enough to you the importance of reading your Bible.
We are going to look at 8 verses of Scripture today, and with these 8 verses we find 8 Essential Truths regarding the Word of God and the Life of the Believer.
Pick up with here in verse 9:
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.
Essential Truth #1
Essential Truth #1
The Word of God guards our life.
The Word of God guards our life.
Listen to this question:
How can a young man keep His way pure?
The life and times for the Psalmist is no different for us.
The question here carries with it the impossibility of the task apart from direction.
The only way for a young man to keep His way pure, is by guarding his life according to the Word of God.
If he doesn’t guard his life according to the Word of God, He will not be pure!
I believe this is self evident in our world today.
Think of the young men you know.
Are they guarding their lives according to the Word of God?
Some of them may respect the Word of God. They may even claim to Christ followers, but does the Word of God have the final say in their lives.
According to this verse, its not enough simply to respect the Word. We must keep our lives by it.
“With the greatest care, a man may go astray if his map misleads him, but with the most accurate map he will still lose his road if he does not take heed to it.” Spurgeon
Two problems:
People guard their lives by everything but the Word of God.
People know the Bible is the correct map, but they pay no attention to it.
Both will find you wandering outside of purity.
Look in verse 10
With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Essential Truth #2: We must earnestly seek God in His Word.
Essential Truth #2: We must earnestly seek God in His Word.
What are we looking for when we go to the Word of God?
Why do we study the Bible?
Is it simply to fill our minds with facts?
So that we can win Bible Trivia?
Is it so that we can learn THE RULES?
no none of that. Look at what it says here.
With all my heart I have sought You!!
Do we find rules? Yes.
Do we learn facts? Of Course.
But the reason why we study the Word. The reason why we study the commandments. The reason why we mine the deep riches of every chapter, every verse, and every word is because we find God there. We seek him, and when we find him and truly know who He is, that is when we see obedience.
I have sought you, and the presumption here is that He found him.
That then leads to His next statement:
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
An understand and a knowledge of God creates in us the desire to not offend this God.
Why?
Because in the Word, we find God for who He is.
He is our Creator. Our sustainer. And HE is Holy.
The more we know about His holiness, the more we desire to please Him.
but to know Him we must seek him.
Are you seeking Him?
Essential Truth #3: We must treasure His Word.
Essential Truth #3: We must treasure His Word.
Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
Probably one of the most popular verses in all of Scripture.
In fact this is one of the verses that composes our Pledge to the Bible.
KJV uses the Word hide. But I think treasured captures the meaning.
Its not that we are hiding anything from anyone.
If you have something you treasure, something that is worth a lot to you, you keep it close.
This passage has often been used in relationship to the memorization of Scripture.
The storing away of Scripture in the mind.
However, this passage does not talk of storing it in the mind. it speaks of hiding it in one’s heart. I do believe that memorization is aa part of this, but, but one can fill the mind and leave the heart unaffected.
It can come into the mind and be something we remember
The goal here is treasuring Scripture in you heart. Its growing to love the Word and the words because there you find God.
Illustration: I treasure when my wife tells me she loves me.
I treasure when my girls tell me they love me.
Those words I store in my heart. I know they love me.
In the same way, we go to the Word and we store those things in our heart.
This treasuring is for a purpose.
That we may not sin against God.
How does storing His word in our heart keep us from sinning.
it reveals to us His divine and perfect will. And we know that his will for us is good, So we store His Word.
This guards us against sin because we know what brings Him glory and what does not.
Essential truth #4: Be Taught By the Lord.
Essential truth #4: Be Taught By the Lord.
Blessed are You, O Lord; Teach me Your statutes.
This verse has two parts.
A sentence of praise, and then a request.
He says, Blessed are you O Lord
He knows who this God is and He praises Him for who He is.
Then He makes a request.
Teach Me Your Statutes.
David desires to be taught by God Himself.
That is what we should desire every time we open the Word of God, whether it be at home or here.
We need to be taught by the Lord Himself if we are to learn His heart.
While there are many great teachers and preachers in this world, they pale in comparison to the Lord who teaches us.
Pastors and preachers tire out. Some fail. Some pass away, but one teacher remains faithful throughout the ages to teach His people His word and it is the Lord Himself.
We need to be taught by the Lord.
Number 5:
Number 5. We proclaim His Word he taught us.
Number 5. We proclaim His Word he taught us.
With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Your mouth.
Psalm
We have a duty.
We must preach the Word.
With my lips.
That which the Lord has given me, I will use for you and for the proclamation of your name.
illustration: Topical vs Expository
We tell of all the ordinances of Your mouth.
The Lord’s expectation of us and the desire here of the Psalmist is to teach all of His ordinances. We don’t leave one Word untaught.
To miss a Word, is to miss God.
To fail to tell of all His words is to starve those to whom we preach and teach.
This is why I believe it is thoroughly biblical and beneficial to all of us to preach through books of the Bible.
Today is a break from what we normally do, but rest assured, we will be back in John, and when we finish that book, we will sekk to learn of God and to worship Him well through the preaching of another book, and then another one.
“The Bible contains 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, and 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 charter. Here too, Heaven is 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 and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.
It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. It is the Word of God. Treasured it in your heart that you might not sin against your God.” (Slightly adapted, author unknown).
Number 6- We rejoice in Every Word.
Number 6- We rejoice in Every Word.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.
The treasure we find there is worth more to us than all riches.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
How sweet they are.
How precious is the word of God to you?
Are they sweeter? Do they mean more to you?
Because that is exactly the place you should be if you are seeking God in His word and finding him there.
Number 7: We meditate on His word
Number 7: We meditate on His word
I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways.
Struggle
yOU HAVE TO PREACHING
The desire is to get gOD
Illustration
you dont get that by just picking up the Word of God for 2-3 minutes closing and getting back to the important things.
Its only when we meditatie, that we regard His ways
Counsleing-
Number 8- We do not forget His word.
Number 8- We do not forget His word.
I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.
“The Bible contains 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, and 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 charter. Here too, Heaven is 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 and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.
It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. It is the Word of God. Treasured it in your heart that you might not sin against your God.” (Slightly adapted, author unknown).