Gods Word
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The Word of God
The Word of God
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O Lord God of hosts.
A little boy found in a dark closet the family Bible, covered with dust. “Mama, whose book is this?” he asked. “That’s God’s book,” she replied. “Well, Mama,” the little fellow said, “don’t you think we had better give back to God then? We never use it.”
When Stanley started across the continent of Africa in search of Mr. Livingstone, he carried with him seventy’three books. As the days and weeks passed, he obliged to throw away those books one by one until there were all gone except his Bible. He didn’t throw that one away, he treasured his bible. He read it through 3 times on that remarkable trip.
Once a librarian at the University of Edinburgh asked a professor to pick out from the library all the books on his subject that were no longer needed. He replied, “Take away every book over ten years old, except the Bible.” Unlike humanity’s literature, that becomes obsolete after a few years, the Bible has stood the test of relevancy for centrueies. It is the one book that lives through the ages. It has stood the test of time.
How many people have you talked to that say the Bible is just to difficult to understand and is too boring. When the fact is they’ve never opened the book and have thus cheated themselves of real joy, comfort, peace, and eternal salvation. Jesus said
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
Jesus found the Scriptures helpful in resisting the devil in knowing and following His Father’s will. We can do the same.
Points to Ponder
Points to Ponder
Let’s consider some points that it would be well to remember:
The Bible is the best-selling and most read book in the world.
Why? It answers our most deepest longing of our human hearts - to be loved, and to belong
Christians believe that the Bible is inspired.
Why? Peoples’ lives are changed through it’s influence It’s prophecies come true It has God’s answer to the most vexing human problems. It shows how sinners can be saved.
Through the centuries people have been willing to die for this Bible.
Why? Because the Bible reveals God’s love for the human race, and this love is manifest in Jesus. Because of this love Christians want to show their love and loyalty to Him. Peace and contentment come from being with Him.
Many have no interest in even reading the Bible.
Why? They feel trapped, with to many demands on their time. They would rather devote their time to having “fun” in their own way. So many people feel that “religion” would only interfere with their plans. The Bible invites, Ps 34 8.
Taste and see that the Lord is good!
How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him!
Without that experience, they are the losers.
People study the Bible a great deal.
When I discovered your words, I devoured them.
They are my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name,
O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
Just like Jeremiah these people have discovered that the Bible becomes the joy and rejoicing of their hearts. The more you study the more satisfying and fascinating it becomes until nothing else brings you as much pleasure as spending time with the author of the Word. But isn’t that way with anything. The more time you spend with something or someone the more you know them better. You can’t develop a relationship with your spouse or your girl friend or fiance unless you spend time with can you? We come to know the Lord from the study of His Word and you then can become as wise as the mountain goat.
A mountaineer, hiking in dangerous mountains above the timberline, was crossing the snow crust of a glacier. Using his ice axe and ropes, he carefully edged along the steep slope. Suddenly, he noticed what indicated to be a puff of smoke rising from the hanging wall just below him. Past experience indicated that this was the first signal of an avalanche!
At that moment he saw a mountain goat feeding on a nearby ridge. The animal stopped, tensed, and the big humped back quivered under it’s whit fur. It too recognized danger in time to run. Instantly, it bounced to an ice wall, sized it up, and sprinted out of sight. The mountaineer new that wild goats know their mountains. His only chance of safety was to follow that goat. If there was a way of escape that goat would know it.
Running to the ice wall, he slammed his axe into the marks the goat had made with his hooves, and heaved his body up the route the goat had taken. Ledges and hand grips he never expected appeared. Struggling, he rolled onto solid rock just as he hard the terrible roar of the avalanche covering the trail he had left a few moments before. The alert wisdom of the mountain goat that knew these high mountains saved both their lives.
As we get to know our Bibles and that knowledge improves, God will send us messages for every emergency enabling us to escape Satan’s temptations.
So let’s look at some verses to see what messages we can find.
Nuts and Bolts
Nuts and Bolts
1. What can Bible study do for a person?
1. What can Bible study do for a person?
15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.
I like the way that the New Living Translation puts this. It talks about childhood here, but the idea is the same. If we study fill our minds with the Bible, we will receive wisdom and salvation because we have gotten to know and trust Jesus. The essential purpose of the Bible is not merely to record history, nor even to describe the nature of God. The Bible was written to show men how they may be saved from their sins. When we understand that, then we can go to Jesus trusting that we can find pardon in Him and what he did for us at the cross.
2. What consistent reports do Bible writers give as to the real source of their writings?
2. What consistent reports do Bible writers give as to the real source of their writings?
2 “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.
8 But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord,
And of justice and might,
To declare to Jacob his transgression
And to Israel his sin.
25 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
These all acknowledge that the Spirit of the Lord generated the words spoken by the prophets. If you read on there in Acts Paul actually goes on to quote what Isaiah said. The Bible is full of the directions given directly from the Lord to man. Moses time after time went to God and came back with direct answers from His mouth. Matthew and John gave us actual words from Jesus’ lips - again words from God.
3. Based on his own experience and study, what did Paul conclude concerning Scripture usage?
3. Based on his own experience and study, what did Paul conclude concerning Scripture usage?
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
It’s a little easier to understand if read from the NLT,
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
4. How did God communicate with Bible writers?
4. How did God communicate with Bible writers?
6 Then He said,
“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream.
15 Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying,
Vision, dreams, direct communication - God has multiple means letting us know the words he wants us to understand. We have the written word for our own personal revelations for what the Lord would have us do and learn.
5. What examples of prophecy found in Isaiah were fulfilled in the life of Christ?
5. What examples of prophecy found in Isaiah were fulfilled in the life of Christ?
3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.
What is a definition of prophecy?
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Prophecy
PROPHECY An oral, divine message mediated through an individual that is directed at a person or people group and intended to elicit a specific response.
Everything that Isaiah talked about was fulfilled in Jesus’ life. Jesus life and death is an explanation of many parts of and fulfillment of the Old Testament.
6. What three words did Jesus repeatedly say that show He accepted the Bible as the authority?
6. What three words did Jesus repeatedly say that show He accepted the Bible as the authority?
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Did anyone see the answer in there? It is written.
7. Which was more important to the Jews of Christ’s day? Tradition or the authority of the scripture?
7. Which was more important to the Jews of Christ’s day? Tradition or the authority of the scripture?
7 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
Your answer? Definitely tradition. The entire Talmud in standard print is over 6200 pages long. The Talmud is the basis for all codes of Jewish law. Talmud literally means instruction in Hebrew.
8. How did Jesus describe those who didn’t accept the word of the prophets?
8. How did Jesus describe those who didn’t accept the word of the prophets?
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Would you have Jesus describe you that way? If He were describe us as foolish we wouldn’t be sitting here now, but it’s so easy to loose our direction. There are so many “opinions” on what the understanding should be of this or that passage. Hold fast to the things you have learned. When you study, before you open up God’s Word ask for the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts.
9. How is it possible for us to understand and be blessed by a book written over a period of 1,500 years by thirty nine different authors?
9. How is it possible for us to understand and be blessed by a book written over a period of 1,500 years by thirty nine different authors?
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
Paul tells us that he spoke
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
So, though the Bible has been written by thirty nine authors, they were all inspired by the same Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is both the author and revealer of biblical truth, and it continues to speak to us today through the Scriptures.
10. What did Jesus say about the authority of the Bible and its witness to His life and ministry?
10. What did Jesus say about the authority of the Bible and its witness to His life and ministry?
39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.
Jesus tells us that if we want to find and develop a relationship with HIm, we will find all we’ll ever need to know in God’s Word. Jesus tells us the Scriptures testify of me.
Words to Remember
Words to Remember
Revere: To regard with awe, to venerate
Divine inspiration: God-breathed; divine influence exert upon.
Infallible: Absolutely trustworthy
Vision: A revelation from God, at times involving the future
Imbued: Filled deeply with
Keep these words in mind with you dig into the Bible, and I as I said before, ask for the Holy Spirit to show you what He wants you to see in the verses you’re reading.
The Differences
The Differences
An atheist: One who denies or disbelieves in the existence of God.
An agnostic: One who holds that the existence of God is unknown and unknowable.
A Christian: On who accepts Jesus Christ as his Saviour and exemplifies in his/her life the teachings of Christ.
Do I Truly Believe
Do I Truly Believe
The Bible is filled with “exceeding great and precious promises”. But do I, do you, do we, value and use them?
The shabby old man studied the object in his hand. He started toward the door of the jeweler’s shop and then stopped. Fingering the rough-looking stone, he muttered to himself, “Won’t hurt to as, It’s been lying around home so long. Might aw well find out if it’s worth anything.” Screwing up his courage, he stepped foreward, hesitated, and finally opened the door. The expert jewel cutter smiled, “May I help you?”
“Yes, my father found this red pebble when he was a boy. My mother put it in my suitcase. Been lying around the house ever since. The kids played with it. The baby cut her teeth on it. A rat dragged it to a hole, but I found it. Things been mighty rough with us - real hard times. Been tempted to see if it had any value, but kinda hated to part with it. Been in the family so long. Think it might be worth cutting and polishin’?”
The expert craftsman studied the stone for several minutes. Then he spoke, “Mister, your pebble isn’t just an ordinary rock. It’s is a pigeon’s-blood ruby.”
The old stone proved to be flawless, perfect ruby weighing nearly 24 carats. It was perfect in color and texture - beautiful, clear, full of red fire, and worth up to $250, 000.
For years the old man and his family had struggled with poverty, gone without, and suffered want. All the time they had on their shelf that which could have changed everything. But they didn’t realize its value.
We too, have a treasure in our homes. The bible. Filled with precious words from our father, the God of the Universe. At our fingertips we have valuable promises that can change our lives and solve our problems. We shouldn’t be like that old man and let it lay unused when we need it so much.
Think about each of the following statements carefully and if in your heart, you agree with them embed them there and never let them go.
I believe that the Bible pictures a loving God who longs to communicate with me, although I often forget about Him and go on doing my own thing.
I believe that holy men of God were inspired with the message of my Bible
I believe that as I get to know Him better by reading His Word, I will feel less stress and be happier.
I’m going to find time every day to read my Bible so I’ll know Jesus better.