Life In The Word Series

Introduction

A. The Barna research group did a survey that shows that only 18% of "Born-Again" Christians read the Bible everyday. Even worse, only 23% read it at all (Whitney, 32).

B. We cannot grow as Christians without a daily dose of God’s word.

Paul gives us five reasons why we should read the Bible on a daily basis.

I. It has been given by God

A. God Breathed

1. Inspired by God (NKJV)

2. "God Breathed"

3. "By the inbreating of the Holy Spirit, men spoke or wrote the actual words of God" (Leggett, 465).

4. 2 Peter 1:20-21

B. God’s Breath

1. If ever there was a time when the church needed the breath of God it is now.

2. We live in a world that is against everything we believe, and we need God’s word to sustain us.

3. Just as we would not think of going a day without nourishing our bodies, so we must not go a day without nourishing our souls.

Next, Paul tells us the Scripture is profitable.

II. Profitable For Teaching

A. Teaching

1. Illustration: My dog loves to jump up on people, so I had to teach him to sit.

2. Just as my dog needs to be taught to sit, so we have to be taught to be righteous.

3. Rom. 3:10

B. We Have a Lot to Learn

1. Illustration: "One of these days I’m gonna have to have a long talk with that boy."

2. God’s ways are not our ways.

3. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts.

4. Ps. 25:4

Scripture is also profitable for conviction.

II. Profitable For Conviction

A. Conviction

1. Reproof: "to show people their sins and summon them to repentance" (TDNT, 222).

2. We can look at ourselves the way we think we are, or we can look at ourselves the way we really are.

3. One of the jobs of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is to convict, or convince of of sin.

4. One of the ways that he does this is through the word.

B. The Convincing Word

1. Heb. 4:12 (NLT)

2. Illustration: Old musician’s saying: "Tape doesn’t lie.

3. The true measuring stick of where we stand with God is his word.

4. If we do not spend time in God’s word it is difficult for God to show us where we need to change.

Scripture is also profitable for Correction.

IV. Profitable For Correction

A. Correction

1. Once the Holy Spirit shows us what to change he also shows us how to make it right.

2. Correction: "restoration to an upright position or right state" (Leggett, 465).

3. One of the reasons that Jesus came was to reconcile us to God.

4. Rom. 5:11

B. Making It Right

1. The word of God not only teaches us when we are wrong, but it shows us how to do it right.

2. Rom. 12:2 (NLT)

3. We must think the way that God thinks.

4. We do this through the word.

Finally, Scripture is profitable for...

V. Profitable For Training

A. Training In Righteousness

1. Illustration: Getting in to basketball shape is different from being in football shape.

2. We have to train for righteousness.

3. It doesn’t come naturally to us, so we have to train ourselves to be righteous.

4. Is. 64:6

B. Thouroughly Equipped

1. Spending time in the word of God prepares us to be like him.

2. We are created in Christ for good works.

3. By spending time in God’s word we have what we need for good works.

4. Through God’s word we are made complete.

Conclusion

A. Scripture is profitable because:

1. It has been given by God.

2. It teaches us.

3. It convicts us.

4. It corrects us.

5. It trains us.

B. No spiritual discipline is more important than God’s word.

1. It was given to us to encourage us (Rom. 15:4).

2. It is God’s special revelation to mankind.

C. Are you reading God’s word daily?

D. A day without the word of God is like going into battle without your weapon.

There is life in God’s word!