THE BIBLE, the Word of God does the Work of God!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
Psalms 119:11 Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.
PSALMS 107:20 HE SENT HIS WORD, AND HEALED THEM, AND DELIVERED THEM FROM THEIR DESTRUCTIONS.
You do err not knowing the Word of God, or the power contained there in (Matt. 22:29, Mark 12:24.)
Today I ponder a very basic thought:
Bible reading and Bible study.
I for one, believe that dirty lifes grow from dusty Bibles.
We buy tapes, CD’s, video’s and books
to tell us how to live and we never invest time and
effort in Bible reading and study.
We often quench our thirst from muddy springs.
Growing up in Oliver Springs, TN., we often drank
out of the springs around the house, rather than
return home for a drink.
If my older brother drank first he would stir the
water and it would become muddy.
(That was OK, I did the same to him?)
We must guard our hearts and lives for the lack of knowledge can kill. We need to approach the Bible first hand, personally.
Jesus warned us:
You do err not knowing the Word of God, or the power contained there in (Matt. 22:29, Mark 12:24.)
We have many anemic, weak Christians that quote many sources other than the word of God.
This is not necessarily bad to learn from the focal point of other teachers, but we must have the safety of first hand experience from in-depth study.
The lack of personal Bible study can limit growth and set many dangerous opportunities ahead.
I thank God for teachers and preachers, but nothing should take the place of daily Bible reading and study.
I think we need both, reading and study.
Here is my opinion of personal Bible study ...
Daily Bible study functions like a sifter.
Mom used a sifter to cull out the bad.
We are to try the spirit,
1 John 4:1, and what shall be the standard measure
of truth.
(Romans 3:4.) There comes many false teachers and
false prophets that will deceive many,
I call this SLICK WILLYs, that will deliberately
laugh and take the money to the bank.
2 Timothy 4:3-5
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ( TO HAVE A RESTLESS DESIRE OR HANKERING FOR SOMETHING) ears; 4..... and SHALL BE TURNED UNTO FABLES.
We will see more and more ministries focusing on what people want to hear...
THERE WILL BE A CRY FOR GOSPEL ENTERTAINMENT, make us laugh and feel good.
There will arise successful ministries that cater to this need.
The only way to avoid this terrible cancerous growth will be to know the WORD.
There is a line I often say that is so profound, THE WORD OF GOD DOES THE WORK OF GOD!
So your enemy, seeking to devour you and your family, he laughs when we lack the real, balanced understanding of the Word of God.
I am amazed at how our youth today,
know all about Barney (they can sing his songs
verbatim),
they can quote so many poems and clever clicks,
they can tell you telephone numbers,
and quote commercials right and left,
BUT THEY KNOW NOT THE WORD OF GOD.
There is an enemy silently laughing, for the day comes when he will lead the youth into sex and drugs and rebellion, all because they don’t know the Word of God.
How do you think they will ever love and keep the commandments of the Most High, if they never learn them?
It will be easier to forget about God and grow doubt, where there is limited knowledge of God’s Word.
Great men of God know this truth,
THE WORD OF GOD WILL KEEP YOU FROM SIN, AND SIN WILL KEEP YOU FROM THE WORD OF GOD!
David clearly states:
Psalms 119:11
THY WORD HAVE I HID IN MY HEART, THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST GOD.
TO HAVE A SUSTAINED REVIVAL THERE MUST BE BIRTHED A HOLY FEAR, AWL, RESPECT FOR THE BIBLE.
I once heard a great preacher do a touching sermon.
He quoted the "Wall Street Journal,"
The "Jerusalem Times,"
"News Week," and he addressed many fables,
but never once did he quote the Bible directly or
indirectly.
I use many illustrations and examples, but they are
absolutely worthless without the LIGHT of the WORD.
1 Timothy 4:2
Paul warns young Timothy: "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared (dried up, withered, parched, injured) with a hot iron."
We find many reaching to elevated positions in public and they have a lack of private devotions.
You can never arise in public above your private
prayer closet.
There is a danger of just doing Bible study looking for sermon material.
This can be dangerous.
The Bible must first be a personal tool to growth
and refreshment.
Burnout comes from a match being applied to dry, empty days.
Our enemy is looking for EMPTY, swept, and
garnished vessels. (Matthew 12:44)
One cannot live by bread alone. We must find the LIVING WORD ... THE RAMA ... THE PERSONAL TO YOU WORD OF GOD.
Many study the Bible as a way to argue and debate, to prove my point and prove you wrong.
This is against the Word,
for 2 Tim 2:23 and Titus 3:9 warns about
this usage of the word,
avoid foolish and unlearned questions, contentions,
and strivings about the law that gender strife and
are vain and unprofitable.
One more reason we must be Bible students is to AVOID PRESUMPTIONS.
I have followed in the hospital where the preacher
said, "They will be healed by this time tomorrow and
go home and live for many years."
During the night they died.
I have followed behind a preacher that said,
"It will be a baby boy and he will arise to be
greater than Billy Graham."
The baby was a girl and born dead.
There arises out of the desire to see everything be
the best,
a stupidity of assumption that God will do as I say.
This spirit of presumption is not from the Word or
from God.
In Biblical days, they would stone to death a
priest that misinterpreted the facts.
This tended to cause presumption of the word of God
to be limited.
Today, there is a cry that is heard,
"I knew you were wrong about that, but I liked the
message, so messanger try again?"
In the early 50’s, a man named Walter Bales wrote a sad song, Dust on the Bible, dust on God’s Holy Word ...
On the table side by side the Bible and the TV Guide? Which is our guide?
God may there arise a love for the Bible as never before.
May the anemic, lacking of force and a lacking of interest, be healed.
May the chant from the church and from the people of God be ...
Teach us O, Lord.
Know our heart and may we know Your Heart,
GOD’S Word ... will bring deliverance.
PSALMS 107:20 HE SENT HIS WORD, AND HEALED THEM, AND DELIVERED THEM FROM THEIR DESTRUCTIONS.
I once heard a story with a neat lesson.
There was an old man that lived in the mountains
of eastern Kentucky. The old man had a big family.
One day one of the old man’s grandsons approached
him with a problem.
The Grandson said, "PAP, I read the Bible and I
don’t understand it, and what I understand I forget
as soon as I close the Bible covers. What’s the use
of reading the Bible!"
The Grandfather ordered the grandson to get the
basket they used to carry the heating coal into
the house and run down to the river and bring back
a basket of water to the house.
To please his grandfather, the lad grapped the
basket, ran to the river and got a basket of water.
The lad ran back to the house with the water.
By the time the lad reached the house the basket
was empty.
The grandfather chided the young boy, hurry and
go bring me a basket of water. DO IT NOW!
The lad ran quickly from the river, the basket
was full when he left the river, but by the time
he arrived at the house the basket of water was dry.
After his third trip, the boy told his granddad, it
is no use, I can not retain the water in the basket
until I get here. It is useless.
The grandfather looked at the disgusted young boy,
and said, "So you think it is useless?"
"Yes! Pap it is useless to try!" the boy repliied.
The Grandfather said to the boy, "BUT LOOK AT THE
BASKET, CAN’T YOU SEE SOMETHING?"
THE SMALL BOY WAS AMAZED, AFTER THREE TRIPS TO
THE RIVER, THE DIRTY COAL BASKET WAS CLEAN.
Pap said, " See, that is what the Word of God does
to you. As you read, you say you don’t retain and
understand it, but your basket is cleaned.
THE WORD OF GOD DOES THE WORK OF GOD!
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
Enlarge my hands and pass to others
