A Habit For Life
12/27/08 AM
Reading: Psalm 119:1-10
Introduction:
It is almost the end of another year; New Years Day will be this Thursday which for many of us means New Years resolutions are in order. And that idea, the desire to make this coming year better then the one now ending, the desire to change for the better, is at the heart of our lesson today. I would like to encourage everyone to begin a new habit in this New Year, what I call a habit for life. This habit will bring benefit to each of us, not only in this next year, and all the years which may follow but more importantly, benefit for life eternal. The 119th Psalm is an epic song to this habit, 176 verses full and almost entirely devoted to the idea of knowing, and keeping, the word of God.
John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of our country, once stated:
"So great is my veneration for the bible that the earlier my children begin to read it the more confident will be my hope that they will prove useful citizens of their country and respectable members of society. I have for many years made it a practice to read through the bible once every year."
The habit I encourage all of us to take up and practice, the resolution I urge us to make (and keep!) is the daily reading of the Bible, the word of God.
I.Why we neglect the word
A.Psalm 119:16 (NASB) “I shall delight in your statutes; I shall not forget your word.”
1.If we are honest we admit we do not always delight in the statutes of the Lord.
a.Now why is that? We know we should read and study the Word of God, but we also know this does not always happen in our daily living.
2.Our Spiritual lives are often like our physical lives.
a.In the same way that we know we are supposed to read and study the Bible, we also know we are supposed to eat right, get plenty of exercise, and floss our teeth.
[To help motivate us all in this regard, I wish to point out why it is so important to develop the habit of daily bible reading...]
II.The power of God’s word to save
James 1:21b (NASB) …in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
A.God’s word saves us by producing faith
Romans 10:17 (NASB) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
1.Without faith it is impossible to please God - Hebrews 11:6
2.Without faith in Jesus we cannot be saved
John 8:24 (NASB) Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.
3.The word of God will produce this faith
John 20:30 - 31 (NASB) Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
B.By God’s word we are "born again"
1 Peter 1:22 - 23 (NASB) Since you have in obedience toqvb://QVB/70648034/syncglossary/35655 the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
1.Jesus stressed the necessity of being born again: John 3:3-5
2.The rebirth involving water and spirit comes when one has received the "incorruptible seed" of God’s word; in particular, the gospel
James 1:18 (NASB) In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
C.God’s word supports the saved
1.Paul frequently spoke of this value of God’s word.
2.(Paul speaks to the elders of the church at Ephesus)
Acts 20:28 - 32 (NASB) Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
3.To the Corinthians (recounting what happened to the children of Israel)
1 Corinthians 10:11 - 12 (NASB) Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.
a.It is the lack of God’s word which has always destroyed the people of God
Hosea 4:6 (NASB) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
III.The power of God’s word to Protect
A.In the word we find the armor of God
1.Ephesians 6:10-13 He supplies the armor necessary to stand firm against evil. His truth, His righteousness; His gospel; His word…
2.Note verses 11 and 13
3.To be able to...
a.“…stand firm against the schemes of the devil”
b.“…resist in the evil day” ...we need, not part, but the FULL armor God provides the Christian!
B.THE “FULL ARMOR OF GOD” INVOLVES...
1.TRUTH, which serves like a belt:
a.It will hold our life together with a sense of direction and purpose
b.The word of God can free us from sin – “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32-34
2.RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is our breastplate:
a.Doing that which is good and right will guard our hearts (emotions)
b.This is the “righteousness of Christ”, that “justification” found only in Him that protects us from the accusations of Satan - Philippians 3:8-11
3.THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, crucial to our ability to “stand”:
a.“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” - Romans 1:16
4.FAITH, which is like a shield:
a.Which can protect us from every “fiery dart” that Satan can throw at us (false doctrine, lusts of the flesh, persecution)
b.This faith comes only from the Word of God – “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17
5.SALVATION, which is like a helmet:
a.In 1 Thessalonians 5:8, Paul speaks of the “hope of salvation” as our helmet
b.It is the “hope” that salvation provides that can protect our minds against things like despair and fear.
6.THE WORD OF GOD, which is the “sword of the Spirit”
a.Here is the “offensive” weapon that Christians must use in their battles, and it is a powerful one! – “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
b.With this “sword” it is possible for the Spirit to “cut to the heart” those who hear the Word:
1)Peter’s sermon: Acts 2:37
2)Those who stoned Stephen Acts 7:54
IV.The power of God’s word to comfort
Romans 15:4 (NASB) For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
A.God’s word comforts us through the hope it gives
1.Paul speaks in this context of the old testament
2.Even it provides assurance of our hope because it tells how God always keeps his promises
B.God’s word comforts us through the blessings it gives
Psalms 1:1 - 2 (NASB) How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
1.Happiness through the stability and nourishment it provides.
2.Note that this happiness comes to the one engaged in daily bible reading! ("day and night")
C.God’s word comforts us through the peace it gives
1.Psalms 119:165 (NASB) Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.
Conclusion
This lesson is given to you at the end of another year in the hope that you will resolve to pick up a habit for life in this coming New Year.
As another year is about to begin, and many resolutions are being made, I encourage you to make daily bible reading one of the top resolutions on your list, so at the end of the next year things may be different, things may be better.
Invitation
