Now if I understand this verse correctly, God is telling us that he has maginified his Word above all, even his name. Now I don’t want you to misunderstand or to think that his name is not important, because it is, in fact if you will turn over to Exodus 20:7, we see here where God gave moses the ten commandments on Mt. Sinai and in Verse 7 he says " THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN, FOR THE LORD WILL NOT HOLD HIM GUILTLESS THAT TAKETH HIS NAME IN VAIN" God is here saying that we ought to reverence the name of God. You know I looked up that word vain and it means to use it in a useless manner, and let me say I hear many today use God’s name in a useless manner, for ex. have you ever heard or say for yourself for that matter, O MY GOD, or O MY GOSH, you see that’s useing God’s name in a useless manner, and we ought to speak his name with the utmost reverence, with the highest respect, God himself says in PHILIP. 2:9-11 " WHEREFORE GOD ALSO HATH HIGHLY EXALTED HIM AND GIVEN HIM A NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME. THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW OF THINGS IN HEAVEN AND THINGS IN EARTH AND THINGS UNDER THE EARTH AND THAT EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER." You see that’s how important his name is., But here in Psalm 138:2 we see where God has placed his word even above his name. You know I preached a message some time ago on genuine faith and we saw where a person who has this kind of faith will #1 Committ His Life to God, #2 Will have confidence in his God #3 Will be Loyal to the one who has called him out of darkness into his marvelous light, But my friend you mark it down our Loyalty, our Confidence, our committment will depend upon our loyalty to this Book, or His Word, If we are to ever be used of God, we will 1st of all have to be a student of the Word. I don’t care what you are endeavering to do for him, Preaching, Teaching, Wittnessing, you see your church will never be more spiritual than you the people are, and you the people will be only as spiritual as your committment to this book., WE MUST AS GOD’S CHILDREN GET IN THE BOOK. You look at those that God used and you will find that they knew what thus saitheth the Lord. Look at Elijah when he went to wicked king ahab he quoted Deut 11:16-17, Daniel it is said that he purposed in his heart, why, because he knew what God required of them, Peter’s sermon on the day of pentecost quoted from Joel and Psalms, you see I find that God blesses those that are devoted to his word.
BUT WHY HAS GOD PLACED SO MUCH IMPORTANCE ON HIS WORD, EVEN TO THE POINT WHERE HE HAS MAGNIFIED IT EVEN ABOVE HIS NAME. wHY IS IT SO VALUEABLE? TURN TO
#1 John 3:5 IT BRINGS SALVATION
We find where Nicodemus comes to Jesus and when he sees him he tells him in verse 3 "VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD." Now nicodemus didn’t understand so Jesus goes a little farther to explain in verse 5 "VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD" Now let me say I’ve heard preachers preach that he is making reference to water baptism, but I don’t believe he is WHY because turn to Rom. 6:3-4 "KNOW YE NOT, THAT SO MANY OF US AS WERE BAPTISED INTO JESUS CHRIST WERE BAPTISED INTO HIS DEATH. THEREFORE WE ARE BURIED WITH HIM BY BAPTISM INTO DEATH;THAT LIKE AS CHRIST WAS RAISED UP FROM THE DEAD BY THE GLORY OF THE FATHER, EVEN SO WE ALSO SHOULD WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE." You see Baptism is a type of death not life, not birth. Now if he is not refering to baptism then what, Turn to EPH.5:26 Here he is telling the wives to be in subjection to their husbands, and to Love them even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, why verse 26 " THAT HE MIGHT SANTIFY AND CLEANSE IT,WITH THE WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD." You see when he mentions water he is making reference to the Word of God. You see when the Word of God is read and preached in the power of the Holy Spiritit will bring CONVICTION to the Heart. Listen to me it is this Book that shows us #1 WERE LOST Rom. 3:23 " FOR ALL HAVE SINNED, AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD." Rom. 5:12 "WHEREFORE,AS BY ONE MAN SIN ENTERED INTO THE WORLD, AND DEATH BY SIN; AND SO DEATH PASSED UPON ALL MEN, FOR THAT ALL MEN HAVE SINNED;" Now according to that were all born sinners, there are no exceptions. Now it also shows
#2 THE PRICE FOR SIN Rom. 5:18 "THEREFORE AS BY THE OFFENSE OF ONE JUDGEMENT CAME UPON ALL MEN TO CONDEMNATION...." What condemnation? DEATH or eternal seperation from God. Rom. 6:23 "FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH...." Now itr also shows me
#3 CHRIST PAID THAT PRICE Rom. 5:8 "BUT GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US IN THAT WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS CHRIST DIED FOR US." See that word Commendeth it means he Demonstrated or Proved that Love How by taking my place and dieing for me by taking my sins upon himself 1 Peter 2:24 "WHO HIS OWN SELF BARE OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BODY ON THE TREE THAT WE BEING DEAD TO SINS, SHOULD LIVE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS; BY WHOSE STRIPES YE WERE HEALED." You see he came for one purpose and that was to die for me and you. So how do we get born again, by doing what it says in Rom.10:9-13 "THAT IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, AND SHALT BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, THOU SHALT BE SAVED. FOR WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION." Verse 13 "FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED." You see if your saved it is because of what God has showed you in this book, and the Holy Spirit convicting you. REMEMBER THE TITLE OF THE MESSAGE THE WORD ABOVE ALL. What else
#2 THIS BOOK WILL HELP US TO GROW
Turn over to 1 Peter 2:2 "AS NEW BORN BABES, DESIRE THE SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD; THAT YE MAY GROW THEREBY." Listen to me you will never grow unless you get in the Word, you see this is Heaven’s Manna for Earth’s Hunger. Now follow me, when you get saved you are to add to that new found Faith. Turn over to 2 Peter 1:5-10 {READ} Look at what it says giving all DILIGENCE that means to put an effort into it, what are we to add to that Faith #a Virtue, thats Purity, #b Knowledge, that understanding God’s Word or learning how to rightly divide it, #c Temperance, That learning self control, #d Patience, that’s learning to have sticktuedness opr not giving up when adversity comes, #e Godliness, learning to live a consecrated life, #f Brotherly Kindness, Learning to love your brother’s and sister’s you should read 1 John 3:14-18
very little brotherly kindness shown in our churches today. #g Love, that speaking about AGAPE Love the kind that Christ had for you and I. But notice if you will verse 9 then read verse 10. You see if we add to this Faith these things we will never fall Remember the title of the Message The Word above all.
#3 Help us to live a Sanctified Life John 17:17 "SANTIFY THEM THROUGH THY WORD; THY WORD IS TRUTH" You see we are to be seperated from the world. Read 2 Cor. 6:17, Eph. 5:11, Titus 2:11-15, 1 Peter 1:15
#4 COMFORTS US. Read 1 Peter 5:7, Ps.55:22, Is. 41:10
#5 INCREASES OUR FAITH Rom. 10:17
#6 KEEPS US FROM SINNING Ps. 119:11
#7 GUIDES US Ps. 119:105
What’s the title of the Message THE WORD ABOVE ALL
#8 REVEALS GOD’S WILL FOR OUR LIFE
#9 SHOWS US WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
WHAT A MARVELOUS BOOK IS IT ANY WONDER THAT GOD HAS MAGNIFIED IT EVEN ABOVE HIS NAME. ALL WE NEED TO DO IS AS IT SAYS IN 2 TIM 2:15 " STUDY TO SHOW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, A WORKMAN NEEDETH NOT TO BE ASHAMED, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH."
IF THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO YOU, TELL SOMEONE ELSE ABOUT IT THAT THEY TOO MIGHT BE BLESSED
