Today, since it is Sunday, I am going to share a sermon that was preached by our anointed pastor, Greg Taylor (First Christian Church in Clinton, Illinois.) His title was, "The Word of God is our Authority." My toes were stepped on very badly today. I had to come home and apply bandaids - no kidding. I don't spend enough time in the Word. Sometimes, sad to say, I don't spend any time there.
This is what he shared today. We should:
- Embrace the PURPOSE of God's Word.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
- Embrace the PRIORITY of God's Word.
James 1:22-25, "Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does."
- Embrace the PATH to follow because of God's Word.
Psalm 119:105, "Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path." (spiritual flashlight)
- Embrace the PENETRATION of God's Word.
Colossians 3:16, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."
- Embrace the POWER of God's Word.
Hebrews 4:12, "For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
- Embrace the PLACE of God's Word.
1 Peter 2:1-3, "Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."
And Greg is very good at always providing practical application to our lives:
- Make sure the Word of God is your MOST IMPORTANT book.
- Practice makes PERFECT! (in the Word daily)
- Quality vs. Quantity? TIME IS TIME!
- More than just reading - it is finding out WHAT IS GOD'S WILL for my life.
- More than just reading, put the Word into PRACTICE.
So, as Greg says every Sunday, "the bottom line is" we must read THE BOOK. How else can we be ready to fend off Satan's temptations? How else can we know what God's will is for our lives? Well now, I guess I better go read The Book!
