Josh. 1:8 “Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed.”
The book is the book of the law. “Study this Book of the Law continually.”
THIS BOOK involves our Mouths “It shall not depart out of your mouth.”
THIS BOOK includes our Minds “Meditate on it day and night.”
THIS BOOK indicates our actions “be sure to obey all that is written in it.” “so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it and making sure you practice everything written in it.”
THIS BOOK AND a prosperous LIFE – “for then thou shall make thy way prosperous, and then thou shall have good success.” “Only then will you succeed. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed.”
Last eve I paused before a blacksmith’s door
and heard the anvil ring the vesper chime.
And looking in, I saw old hammers on the floor,
Worn by the beating years of time.
“How many anvils have you had,” said I,
“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”
“Just one,” said he, then with a twinkle in his eyes,
“The anvil wears the hammers out you know.”
And so I thought, the anvil of God’s word,
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon.
Yet though the noise of falling blows was heard
The anvil is unharmed—the hammers gone!
I want to talk to you about the most important book in your possession – the Bible.
I want to talk to you about the book most likely to change your life for the good – this Bible. I want to talk to you about the book that is the best weapon against sin – this Bible. I want to talk to you about the Book that presents God, God’s plans, Gods instructions, and Gods’ salvation – this Bible. I want to talk to you about the book that should motivate you, inspire you, teach you, comfort you, and encourage you – this Bible!
What do we know about the Bible?
1. It is the only inspired Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” 2 PT 1:21 “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2. It is a profitable Book. 2 Tim. 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
3. It educates. Rom. 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
4. It has power beyond us. Heb.4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
5. It changes one’s life completely. 1 PT 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever.”
6. It is a guide. PS 119:105 “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
7. It purifies against sin. PS 119:11 “Your word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against You.
8. It is all truth. John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
A couple went to England to shop in a beautiful antique store. This trip was to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery, and especially teacups. Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked "May we see that? We’ve never seen a cup quite so beautiful. As the lady handed it to them and suddenly the teacup spoke, "You don’t understand" It said, "I have not always been a tea-cup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My master took me and rolled me pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, Don’t do that. I don’t like it! "Let me alone," but he only smiled, and gently said; "Not yet!” "Then. WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. ’Stop it! I’m getting so dizzy! I’m going to be sick!’ I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, quietly; ’Not yet. ’He spun me, poked, prodded, and bent me out of shape to suit himself and then...... Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled, knocked, and pounded at the door. “Help! Get me out of here!" I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, ’Not yet’." When I thought I couldn’t bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. Oh, that felt so good! "Ah, this is much better," I thought. But, after I cooled, he picked me up and he brushed and painted me allover. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. ’Oh, please; stop it, Stop it!’ I cried. He only shook his head and said. ’Not yet!’ Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up. Just then, the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited------- and waited, wondering "What’s he going to do to me next?" An hour later, he handed me a mirror and said ’Look at yourself.’ And I did. I said, "That’s not me; that couldn’t be me. It’s beautiful. I’m beautiful! "Quietly he spoke: "I want you to remember, then," he said, "I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you’d have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn’t put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn’t done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life. If I hadn’t put you back in that second oven, you wouldn’t have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you. "The moral of this story is this: God knows what He’s doing for each of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us, and expose us to just enough pressures of just the right kinds that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect will. So when life seems hard, and you are being pounded and patted and pushed almost beyond endurance; when your world seems to be spinning out of control; when you feel like you are in a fiery furnace of trials; when life seems to "stink", try this.... Brew a cup of your favorite tea in your prettiest teacup, sit down and think of this story and then, have a little talk with the Potter.
The Bible is the Way to Belief.
The Bible is the way to life.
The Bible is the way to action.
The Bible is the way to reality.
God is not satisfied that we just hear the Word, or even memorize the Word and meditate on it. God is satisfied when we obey the Word of God. James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”
If you only hear the Word of God and do not obey it, you are deceiving yourself into thinking that you are right with God.
What value is there of talking, memorizing, meditating, and obeying the Word of God in this life?
As one memorizes, meditates, speaks of, and does God’s Word, they will be prosperous and they will have success.
1. My prayer life will improve. JER. 29:7 "Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." MT 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Jam 5:16 “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
2. There will be less anxiety or worry in my life. I PT5: 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. PS 94:19When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. MT 6:25"Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
3. There will be victory over sin. 1 JN 5:4 “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
PR. 2:5 “Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 6For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7He holds victory in store for the upright; he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. JN 1:29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! RM 6: 17But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 1 JN 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 5:18 “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.”
4. There will be future reward. PS 19:11 "By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Pro. 13:21 "prosperity is the reward of the righteous." MT 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, LK6:23 "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. EPH 6:8because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does. Rev. 22:12"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
5. There will be an unleashing of the power of the Spirit of God in my life. Col. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Eph. 5:18-19 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” This would indicate that being filled with God’s Spirit and being filled with God’s Word are parallel.
