weekly sermon
9-2-07
The Book of Life
Last week we discussed another way of living our Christian life, finding a
church home. We discussed how important it was to attend and be a big part of
your new or current church home. This week is another addition in our continued
series of how we are to live our Christian life. This week we will discuss
reading the Bible.
There is a need for us to read the Bible daily. We should search it, and
meditate on it day and night to feed and nurture your spiritual life. Let us
take a look at what I am talking about, by searching the scriptures and calling
on a few verses. In Psalms 1:1-3 it says, "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. (2)But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and
in His law doth he meditate day and night. (3)And he shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his
leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." If we look
at these verses we see that if we meditate and study on the word keeping NOT in
the ungodly, but staying in the Godly, we will be like the tree, which is
constantly watered. If you have ever been to a desert area you see that without
water it is barren and without much vegetation. However if you have ever been to
an area that has a lot of rainfall you will see that it is a very green area,
with much fruit and vegetation. This is because the moisture is constantly
supplying nourishment to the vegetation. The word of God is the nourishment for
our spiritual life, constantly shedding light of knowledge to us. Psalms 119:105
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." The word of God is
a constant light, or knowledge, unto our path, or our walk in life. We have
talked in the past about being prepared against our enemies, and that knowledge
was our way of being prepared. This would be us reading and studying our Bibles
daily to insure that we have the weapons necessary to stand against our enemies.
2 Corinthians 10:4-7 "(For the weapons of our warfare are NOT carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (5)Casting down imaginations,
and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" Showing here
that our weapon IS the knowledge of God. If you look in Ephesians 6:15, this is
talking about the full armor of God and what that armor consists of, and how to
dress with it. "And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;"
The gospel is the good news, the holy word of our Lord. In 1st Peter 2:2, Peter
tells us how to grow spiritually, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of
the word, that ye may grow thereby:" If you read chapter 1, particularly in
verse 23, you will see that Peter is talking about his readers being born again
in Christ. So in this verse here he is talking about the newborn babes, being
the new born in Christ. They hunger for the milk of the word.
Not only do we need to read and study the Bible to gain knowledge for our
warfare against our enemies, but we also need to study and grow in the word so
we will be knowledgeable to the laws of our Lord God. We should be daily
striving to gain the approval of God, that we may live forever in His graces. 2
Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
When we talk about dividing the word of truth, there are 6 things that the word
of God is able to do:
First we discussed that it would prepare us to be strong against your enemy,
just as it said in 2 Corinthians as being our weapon against the Non-carnal.
Next, it will make one wise unto salvation. Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
It also will produce faith as it states in Romans 10:17, "So then faith [cometh]
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." This reading of the word is how we
get our faith.
Next it builds you up, and shows you your inheritance. I love this verse,
because if you are down, depressed, or just plain feeling sad, this will really
pick you up. Acts 20:32 "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the
word of his grace, which is able to BUILD you up, and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified." Look at Gods mighty grace. Give Him
praise.
It makes Jesus Christ known. John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye
think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." We KNOW that
we have eternal life if we conform to the scriptures we read, but more
importantly we should study them and show them, in the world, that they should
testify of Christ Himself. If we truly live as we should, it is to exalt the
Father.
And finally it makes the man of God perfect. Colossians 1:28, "Whom we preach, warning
every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man
perfect in Christ Jesus:"
If we look at all I have talked about during this study, we can see that I have
talked about how reading the Bible will arm us for battle against evil, how it
will give us faith, how it will nourish our spiritual life, how it will light
our path, and mostly, how it will exalt our Heavenly Father. If we are going to
exalt our Lord Jesus, then we must learn to become a good minister for Him. You
have heard or actually read a few times in the past, if you follow my weekly
sermons, that we are to be ministers for Christ, proclaiming Him to those around
us, to those we love, and to those we don't even know. If you look in 1 Timothy
4:6, it states, "....thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up
in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained." As we
can see here that the Bible is telling us to nourish up in the words of faith,
we seen earlier that our faith comes from the words of the Bible, and through
these words we will gain the knowledge to become the ministers we should be to
honor our Father.
And lastly let us look at one other verse. This verse is a direct commandment
from Jesus Christ Himself about reading the Bible. 1 Timothy 4:13, "Till I come,
give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." Notice He says to
read, then spread the word, and know the doctrine. We should all want one thing,
to honor our Heavenly Father, to bring lost souls to Christ, to find the lost
sheep, to lead the ones back that went astray. The only way to do this, is to
remain steadfast in the word, be knowledgeable of the word of Christ, reading
daily to remain fresh, and armed fully with the weapons to stomp out evil, and
exalt God at the same time.
I titled this, the book of life, for two reasons. First, this Bible that I am
talking about us reading constantly, that is OUR book for our life. But if we
follow the commandments and laws, that we have looked at during this message,
our names will be written in the Lambs book of life. This book of life puts our
names in the Lambs book of life, forever. Now can you see why it is so important
to read our Bibles daily?
If you have a Bible, OPEN IT.
If you open it, READ IT.
If You read it, BELIEVE IT.
If you believe it, LIVE IT!!"
I read something the other day that I found very appropriate for this lesson.
A TRIBUTE TO THE BIBLE
The Bible is not an amulet, a charm, a fetish, or a book that will work wonders by it's very presence.
It is a book that will work wonders in every life, here and hereafter, if acted upon and obeyed in faith and sincerity. It is God's INSPIRED revelation of the origin and destiny of all things, written in the most simple human language possible so that the most unlearned can understand and obey it's teachings. It is self-interpretating and covers every subject of human knowledge and need, now and forever.
As a literary composition, the Bible is the most remarkable book ever made. It is a divine library of 66 books, some of considerable size, and others no larger than a tract. These books include various forms of literature-history, biography, poetry, proverbial sayings, hymns, letters, directions for elaborate ritualistic worship, laws, parables, riddles, allegories, prophecy, drama, and others. They embrace all manner of literary styles in human expression.
It is the book that reveals the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. It's doctrines are holy, it's precepts binding, it's histories true, and it's decisions immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. The Bible 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 Heaven is opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is it's grand subject, our good is it's design, and the glory of God it's end. It should fill your memory, rule your heart, and guide your feet in righteousness and true holiness. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully, meditatively, searchingly, devotionally, and study it constantly, perserveringly, and industriously. Read it through and through until it becomes part of your being and generates faith that will move mountains. The Bible is a mine of wealth, the source of health, and a world of pleasure. It is given to you in this life, will be opened at the judgement, and will stand forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the least to the greatest of labor, and will condemn all who trifle with it's sacred contents.
If you do not know, beyond a shadow of a doubt,
that your name appears in the Lamb's book of life then
you need to say a small simple
prayer with me.
My Lord and Saviour, please come into my life and save my soul, and put my name in
the Lamb's book of life, and forgive me of my sins. Amen.
If you have said
this little prayer with me, then we believe you have received salvation. Now you
MUST find a good church home, profess this
salvation to your pastor, read your Bible daily, feeding on the knowledge,
as we have discussed, and to become the Christian that
Jesus Christ intended.
With Love in Christ,
Pastor Stone