Essential 8: # 4- Bible Intake for godliness
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· 5 viewsBible intake is imperative for the believer.
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Dispense as written
Dispense as written
Many prescriptions typically have patents on them so many odd years and then they are open for generic alternatives to be produced
I remember the first time we purchased a generic medicine after the patent was lifted
Man what a price difference
However on the some prescriptions the doctor will mark this box: Dispense as written
Many things in life we can get by with generic substitutes
But for the believer there is no substitute for daily intake of God word
Its must be dispensed and applied as written
The Bible is full of excellent passages concerning the authority, beauty and power of the Word of God
If you want a whole chapter on this- just read Psalm 119
Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors.
My soul clings to the dust;
give me life according to your word!
Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
I do not forget your law.
At midnight I rise to praise you,
because of your righteous rules.
I am a companion of all who fear you,
of those who keep your precepts.
The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;
teach me your statutes!
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
Full of great truths about God word
But also
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.
Joshua is commanded to mediate on Gods word and in that there is great success in prosperity for when we do we are setting our eyes on the treasure of heaven
keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Solomon implores his son to listen to the his commandments to keep him from sin
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.
The word is to be taught to our children daily
Parents thats our job- and Daddy more so than than Momma
I say that because who did God call to in Garden after Adam and Eve sinned
Adam- its was Adams role to lead in godliness and it was his role to tell Eve dont eat that fruit- remember Gods word
But he answered, “It is written,
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Gods word is life for the believer
and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
The Word of God is the main offense weapon God has given us
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
How do we find out what the speed limit is? We look for sign
How do you find when a certain hunting or fishing seasons come in? You check the regulation book
How is it that we become obedient? We read the Word of God
For it is upon this, we apply everything against
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Isnt it amazing you can be reading the bible and then find yourself, or your situation, or your struggle
Its almost as if the Book isnt just a book
There isnt a part of your life that Word of God cant get to or make new
To the very marrow of our bones
Church I can go on and on here on these
We have heard them, We know the importance
But yet without fail this is an area quickly forgotten
I read of a pastor who went to the bush in East Africa and described the church as being as close to Corinth as possible
Just a mess
As he investigated the problem- he realized the pastor had just a few sermons more like childrens bible stories that he knew and every 7 weeks it started back up
Do know why? no one had a bible, not even the pastor
Said one person has some spiritual maturity and this is because he lived somewhere for time and had attended a bible teaching church
Here is the part that gets me “Its one thing to be unfamiliar with the Scriptures when you dont own a Bible; its another when you have bookshelf full.”
We have ample copies, bible studies and biblical apps- and therefore we have no excuse.
Donald Whitney- “There is simply no healthy Christian life apart from a diet of the milk and meat of Scripture.”
“Regardless of how busy we become with all things Christian, we must remember that the most transforming practice available to us is the disciplined intake of Scripture.”
So with that we will look briefly at 2 Tim 3:14-17
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 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.
Paul is once again encouraging young Timothy onward in life and godliness
Vs 14- you keep on holding to the faithful teachings of Gods word remembering who taught you these things
Mom and Grandma= Lois and Eunis
Not to mention elders in his church
Also Paul- Timothy went with Paul in Acts 16 on some of his missionary journeys
Vs 15- Paul makes it clear that his mom and grandma taught little Timmy the truth from a young age
What did they use? the OT
Paul goes even further and says its these that have power to give you understanding of the Messiah and there is enough Gospel here in there for you and I to be saved
Many people look at the OT and say its not needed because we have the NT now
But beloved, because of the NT many many more OT truths come alive as we see its purpose revealed in Christ
OT was the same book Jesus and the disciples taught
Vs 16- Iron cladding all Scripture
Even at that time, Pauls writings and some of the disciples writing were already being declared Scripture
Every word of Scripture is God breathed- literally the exhaling of the God
knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
As Joel, Nahum, Malachi, Moses, and Paul
All was empowered by the HS using the faculties and mind of each of those men, which is where we see different writing styles and tones
Not only is it all breathed out by God, it is all profitable
Even some of the difficult to understand ones- all profitable
We were studying an extremely hard passage this past Wednesday and I had to remind myself of
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
This isnt a useless passage- but a blessed one
Every word gives just another glimpse at the glory and goodness fo God
Paul says profitable in 4 ways
Teaching- for showing us how to live our life in this world
Rebuke/ Reproof- call out our sin and declares it wrong
Correction- restore a person to from their errors and sins
Training in Righteousness- develop and mold us into Christ image- as a parent trains there child in righteousness
Thats important- its not enough to teach our kids to be the best mannered although important
Its not enough to teach them how to present themselves well in social settings- although important
We tend to make a habit of training good people more so than godly ones and some of that falls back at times on our laziness to set the example first
Its a life long pursuit beloved
Gods word is the tool
Vs17- God has given us these truths so that we would be complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work
His word is sufficient- No new words needed
-IF we needed new words are needed then Scripture isnt enough to make us complete and God is a liar
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
By the power of God- he has given all we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ
Where do we find this knowledge? In his word
Its through the word of God
Because he has called us into his family and glory- he has made great promises to us in that we have new nature and new life in Christ and are free from the old world of sin
Where do you find these promises? In His word
Today we have walked all in different passages concerning the Word of God
So as we close I want to make 3 brief points on ways we need to consume or take in Gods word
1. Public preaching of the word
-We are not called to be lone ranger Christians
-Its not enough to say Ill just do house church and never assemble with the local body
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
I understand Covid has created many issues with people attending church
Many watch faithfully online- I see you post online you watching or even text/call me afterwards
Its encouraging to see
Im not going to jump here long but I do believe its needed
If 6 days a week we are fine to go everywhere else in a virtually unrestricted manner but on Sunday CDC protocols become iron clad we may have a bigger issue at hand
School is back- Kids are seeing other kids, riding buses, etc
Beloved, we cant forsake public preaching of Gods word
2. Private reading of Gods word
-Sunday cant be the only day we read Gods word aloud
-We must make time to read Gods word
there are great devotional books our there
“For the Love of God” D A Carson- daily devo on the reading your doing
Solid Joys- Piper daily devo app
Ligoneer App- Daily devos and preaching
GTY- Daily devos and preaching
LWF App
Bible for Kids App
All which will be 10x more reputable than the stuff many find out there in some christian book stores
Pg 29- Donald Whitney- 1990 statistics
3. Meditating on God’s word
-notecard method- put verse you read that day on a notecard and read over it
-journal- write down the main truths you find in the Word that day
-Ask questions like these- What did I learn about God, Christ, me? How do this apply today?
This also involves deeper study than 5-10 minutes- It requires searching and chasing down other scriptures to investigate the truth
Deeper understanding requires deeper digger and more praying
Any of this without the goal of godliness is wasting time.
Beloved, Im not perfect in these regards- Im the pot calling the kettle black each week, but I do know we are here to encourage one another onward in Christ.
I hope you are encouraged today.