“Making the Most Of Your Bible!”
Joshua 1:7-9
“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you[b] shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Your bible is absolutely vital in your life. The bible is your manual for how-to live-in Christ. The scriptures are infallible, which means totally trustworthy. The scriptures are also inerrant, meaning without error. But I want to add one more thing here. The scriptures are living. Hebrews 4:12 tells us the word of God is “living and active.” Living means the God who gave it is alive to administer it. That’s what “active” means. God is actively blessing and administering His Word. The bible is not a good luck charm or to be used in a pagan way. We need to get the most out of our bibles. Here are two thoughts extrapolated from Joshua 1:7-9.
First, I want to begin with a warning:
“this book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth”
In other words, don’t try to follow the Lord in the way we think would be better or by the teachings you learned in Egypt, but by the Word from the God that delivered you. Follow God the way He told you too, then you will have success. Joshua implies warning when he says don’t depart from it.
Today there are many who misuse the bible. They grab verses like candy and audibly speak them over their finances or health claiming that if they say the word out loud that somehow a miracle will occur. God doesn’t operate on the agenda of what we say but from the inward heart of what we believe. The Pharisees had a lot to say and quoted the bible more than anybody, yet they were far from God. God warns us in Isaiah 29:13 and Matthew 15:8. These two verses are crystal clear that speech not being true to the heart is offensive to God. Let me tell you, God will not honor His Word on your behalf if all you want is the blessing without care for the blesser. He seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and truth, that’s what the bible helps us do. Let’s read these two verses.
Isaiah 29:13
“Therefore, the Lord said:
“Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,”
Matt.15:8 “These people [a]draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
The bible was never intended to be a remote control by which we demand God meet our demands by our self-imposed terms. May I say to you that God’s word is not a toy, it’s not a magic wand for you to wave over your every wish. God is not obligated to meet our demands when we operate outside of His will. The bible is Gods idea not our idea. God gave us His Word to reveal our sin and His holiness. Romans 10:17 says that “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Paul said this within the context of saving faith. However, there have been many times in my life that I have sensed Gods leading me in this or that and He provided in miraculous ways as I prayerfully and fearfully clung to Him via His promises. God has used verses in my life many times to lead me to a crisis of trust. In other words, I have been where all I’ve had is His Word. I’m a living witness to His faithfulness. Our faith cannot override the will or nature of God. God’s Word is meat indeed, it is powerful yes, but it is holy and should be treated as such. Therefore, lets draw near to God in true worship, through His Son Jesus with our hearts and our faith. The doctrines we teach must steer clear of the “prosperity gospel” or the “name it and claim it movement”. The gospel we teach finds its victory over sin, the world. The gospel we teach is centered in the birth, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God didn’t send His Son to make us wealthy or immune from suffering, even though He can and does at times. God sent His Son to save the lost and gain our worship and willing obedience. God loves you, He loves you enough to author a book that spans over a 1500 year time period. He loves you enough to get a bible to you that has words that declare eternities past and point to eternities future. He loves you enough to write a bible that tells you about hell, judgment and condemnation in hopes you want go there by refusing His Son. He loves you, and tells about heaven and eternity and how to get there. The bible is a book that does not sugar coat life at all. It tells things as they truly are. How precious our bibles are and how wonderful it is to meditate upon its precepts.
Secondly, we need wisdom to navigate life’s obstacles:
“that you may prosper wherever you go”
Gods Word is a treasure trove of wisdom. Years ago, the bible was used in our schools to teach our children the fear of God and the beginning of wisdom. There was a time when kids were encouraged to bring their bibles and to read from them. Right now, America is being tested. This is a good time to wipe the dust off the bible and dive into its truths. You say but I don’t understand it. Just start reading it and let God help you understand it. That’s His job. God loves to help folks grasp His Word. If you could live to be 500 years old you could never grasp all the wisdom of this book. God’s Word is inexhaustible, some say its like an onion. About the time you grasp a layer there comes another and another and another. As we learn the stories and verses in the bible, we make better decisions. God will use His Word and at key moments the Holy Spirit will bring up a verse or example of scripture to lead you to make the right decision. Moses had to trust the wisdom of Gods Word to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Joshua had to warn Israel of the importance of Gods Word and not to depart from it to the left or right. Elijah and Elisha refused to be conformed to the wisdom of this world and sought Gods direction obeying His Word. King David shares the secret of his success in the Psalms. Psalms chapter 119 is filled with encouragements to study, memorize and meditate on scripture. Peter confessed that Jesus had the Words of eternal life.
Conclusion
Let’s make the most of our bibles and listen to what it says. There are many ways to get God’s Word daily. You can read it, listen to sermons as you work or rest on 90.3 FM. The creative things we can do to grow in Christ are there. As we grow our faith is strengthened and our light shines bright. God bless you as you look for ways to minister to others the love of Jesus.
Bro. Bruce Rudd