A Word from Pastor Blake

September 2020: A Word from Pastor Blake

God’s word: More to be desired than Gold

What does your average day look like? Do you have a time slot devoted to Biblical intake? In the struggle of everyday life, it is easy to neglect the things that are most important. How often do we get distracted by the to do lists at work and at home to the neglect of the word of God? How often do we turn on the television instead of entering the word of God because we want a break from the hardships of life?

We often get distracted from the Bible because we don’t believe it has any real benefit to us. King David in Psalm 19 says that the word of God is to be more desired than Gold. What would you take if I offered you $100 or an hour of uninterrupted Bible time? Maybe this is an unrealistic example but how often do we trade an hour of uninterrupted Bible time for an hour of scrolling social media?

We choose distractions over the Bible because we don’t see the amazing benefits of the word. There have been countless times where I have neglected Bible intake because I thought there was more benefit in being entertained then meditating on the Bible. I intentionally said neglected the Bible because I am not condemning entertainment. That is not the point of this devotional. I want you to see the Bible as better than anything else in life.

David in Psalm 19 says the word is better than gold because of all the benefits found in the Bible. What are the benefits?

  1. The Bible revives the soul (19:7a)
    We are revived when we come to know Jesus Christ as our Savior. Paul in Ephesians 2 says that we were dead in our trespasses in sin, but God being rich in mercy made us alive in Christ. We see Jesus and His work clearly through the word of God. Many of you reading this probably have confessed Christ as your Savior but the gospel continues to revive our soul. When we feel weighted down by sin or feel guilt and shame we can go back to the cross and remember what Christ has done for us. We can know that we are forgiven. Christ has died for all past, present, and future sin.
  2. The Bible gives us wisdom (19:7b,8b)
    David says the word of God makes wise the simple and enlightens the eyes. God’s word shows us how to live and how to live wisely. It gives us wisdom for every situation in our lives. It may not speak directly to our exact situation, but it will enlighten our eyes to see how to handle whatever we are going through. The more you read, the easier it will be to apply different scriptures to the different problems and struggles of life.
  3. The Bible gives us joy! (19:8a)
    I define joy as a feeling of contentment despite the circumstances of life. Joy often goes hand and hand with happiness, gladness, and cheerfulness. Joy can also be found in trying and difficult situations. We often look for joy in places other than God and wonder why we are disappointed! The word is the best source of lasting joy. When the world seems to crash down on us, we can go back to what the word says. We can rest on God’s promises. A lack of joy may mean a lack of scripture intake.
  4. The Bible warns us (19:11)
    I believe the warnings in the Bible are a grace of God. How many pastors have fallen into sin and then been fired because of sin in their lives? The two most common problems are sexual sin and money. We have so many warnings in the Bible about both! The warnings in scripture will prevent you from doing stupid things. There is great reward in keeping the word of God! I have used the phrase Bible intake instead of Bible reading because there are numerous ways to intake scripture. Where do we start?
  • Read the word – Start small and increase over time
  • Listen to the word – Many apps will read it to you. This is great for long commutes!
  • Meditate on the word – Think about it often and apply it to everyday life.
  • Memorize the word – Psalm 119:11 how do you keep yourself from sinning? Hide it in your heart.
  • Talk about the word! – Tell others about what you are reading, ask questions about what you are reading, and be encouraged by what others are reading.

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