Spring Training Chapel #2 2/23

Deeper Dive into the Word

Joshua 1:8 ESV

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

The idea of studying the Bible and meditating on what it says is not just being told to Joshua.

Listen to what Moses writes to the Israelites in Deuteronomy,

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Deuteronomy 6:6–9 ESV

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Seems a little excessive, no?

Why is Moses basically telling them to think about God and His word all the time and to talk about it all the time with our kids?

Listen to what Moses goes on to say in the next verses

Deuteronomy 6:10-

Deuteronomy 6:10–12 ESV

“And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

So what is our natural tendency when it comes to God? When do we seem to “need” Him, and when do we seem to forget about Him?

So Moses’ reminder to the people is this, “when things get good, don’t forget about God.”

It’s natural to go to God when things get tough, God not only expects that, but He welcomes it.

Those times we are more open to talking to God, questioning God, begging or pleading to God, more likely to interact with God.

But the disappointing thing about humans is that we easily forget about God when things are good and we forget all that He’s done for us and also that we desperately need HIm.

Our good times are an illusion, we feel strong, capable, in control, like we’ve accomplished something, like we don’t need God.

But nothing could be farther from the truth.

So why, when things go bad, does it seem as if God is far away?

Has God gotten farther away from us?

No, we know the answer to that. It’s not God that has gotten far away from us, it’s us who’ve allowed ourselves to drift away from God.

1. God is good and He’s given us something we need

2 Timothy 3:15–17 ESV

and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

They knew the Word and it made them wise for salvation. There are many in this world who are wise, but worldly wisdom will be of no use when our eternity is on the line. In fact, for many, it’s worldly wisdom that will keep them from salvation, from embracing Godly wisdom. For some it’s hard to believe God exists, or that He would become a man, or that He could be killed, or that Jesus is the only way to heaven, that He is God. But these things are all true, and belief in them leads to eternal life with God.

The scriptures are profitable for teaching, reproving, correcting and training in righteousness. The teach us the right way to live by God, they are able to show us our wrong ways of living or thinking as they correct those wrong ideas. They, if we will allow it, can train us to live right by God and right with people.

They also point out to us that we as a man of God will be equipped through our study and application of it for all the good works that God has for us to do.

2. God’s Word is meant to be a revealer of who we are

James 1:22–25 ESV

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

James 1:22-

What does it mean to be a doer of the Word? We must not only read and study it, but also think about it, see what it is saying to the intended audience but also to us. Is it pointing out a sin in our lives, something we should be doing? Then we are to apply what it is saying to our lives.

James writes the word is like a mirror. Why do we look in a mirror? It’s not vanity I hope, but to see any flaws, things on my face or hair, or in my teeth. Why? So we can fix it.

We would never seem a big green thing in our teeth, right in the front, then walk away completely forgetting it was there. No, we would immediately do what is necessary to remove it.

James is saying the same to us. When we see something in the word and it speaks to us, we need to immediately do something about it.

3. Ultimately, God’s Word reveals Him

The Bible teaches that God is a holy God. The idea behind the concept of holiness is "separation." It comes from a word meaning "to separate or cut off." God is separate, or cut off, from everything that is sinful and evil-He cannot tolerate sin. John wrote this truth in figurative language.

The Bible teaches it us the character of God. He is loving, forgiving, merciful, full or grace, patient not wanting any to suffer but all to repent, He’s kind and good and worthy of our trust.

The Bible also

Ultimately, the Bible teaches us about redemption and Jesus. The Bible is God’s love letter to His creation to let us know that we are loved and He will rescue us. It describes our rescuer, the Lamb or God, and tells us that we will live and reign forever with Him, the Lion of Judah.

Listen to what it says in

Hebrews 1:1–3 ESV

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

:1-

Jesus is God, showed us the love of God for us and rescued us from our desperate situation and separation from God.

With the Bible we have the opportunity and unbelievable privilege to know Him and hear from Him and to become more like Him.