“By The Word Of Thy Lips”
Psalm 17:4
Introduction:
1. Read Psalm 17:4 - “By The Word Of Thy Lips”
- How David Describes The Scriptures
- The Words Are From His Own Lips! God Is The Source!
- The Words Are Beautiful And Precious! Like A Friends!
- The Words Are Good And Useful!
2. IE: Man In Kansas City Injured In An Explosion - Face Badly Disfigured - Lost Both Hands - Lost Eyesight Completely - New Christian - Greatest Disappointment Was That He Could No Longer Read The Bible - Heard About An English Woman Who Read Braille With Her Lips - His Nerve Endings In His Lips Also Destroyed - Once, His Tongue Touched Some Of The Raised Characters - Read More Than Four Times Using His Tongue!
- This Man Had A Passion For God’s Words!
- He Recognized That They Are From His Own Lips!
- He Recognized That They Are Beautiful And Precious!
- He Recognized That They Are Good And Useful!
- So He Read “The Word Of Thy Lips” The Only Way He Could!
3. Do You Have A Passion For The Word Of God? The Very Word Of His Lips?
- I Want You To Recognize That God’s Words Are From His Own Lips!
- I Want You To Recognize That God’s Words Are Beautiful And Precious!
- I Want You To Recognize That God’s Words Are Good And Useful!
1. “By The Word Of Thy Lips” There Is Life!
- It Is Through God’s Word That We Have Life!
- 1 Peter 1:23 - “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
- Because Of The Word’s Activity:
- “Being Born Again”
- It Is Through God’s Word We Hear The Gospel, Believe The Gospel, And Apply The Gospel!
- It Is Through God’s Word We Are “Born Again” - New Life In Jesus Christ!
- It Is Through God’s Word We Are “Alive” In Christ - Permanent Condition!
- IE: John Wesley Robbed Returning Home From A Service One Night - Only A Little Money And Some Christian Literature - Thief Was Leaving - Wesley - “Stop! I have something more to give you.” - “My friend, you may live to regret this sort of life. If you ever do, here’s something to remember: ‘The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin’!” (1 John 1:7) - Years Later - Greeted By A Successful Christian Businessman - The Robber! - God’s Word, The Very Word Of His Lips, Gave Him Life Through The Gospel!
- Because Of The Word’s Character!
- “Not Of Corruptible Seed, But Of Incorruptible”
- It Produces, But Does Not Decay!
- IE: Seed Planted Produced Corn - Grew & Flourished - Season Ending, Lack Of Rain, Heat Of The Summer Takes Its Toll - Turn Brown & Brittle Before Being Harvested - Seed Of God’s Word Grows And Flourishes, But Will Never Turn Brittle And Die!
- Isaiah 55:11 - “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
- Because Of The Word’s Permanence!
- “Which Liveth And Abideth For Ever”
* “By The Word Of Thy Lips” There Is Life!
- Receive The Words Of Life From The Lips Of God!
- “Receive With Meekness The Engrafted Word, Which Is Able To Save Your Souls!” (James 1:21)
2. “By The Word Of Thy Lips” There Is Direction!
- It Is Through God’s Word That We Have Guidance!
- Psalms 119:105 - “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
- Our Need Of The Word’s Direction:
- “Unto My Feet” & “Unto My Path”
- IE: Making decisions in the dark can lead to some regrettable consequences. Back in the days before electricity, a tightfisted old farmer was taking his hired man to task for carrying a lighted lantern when he went to call on his best girl. “Why,” he exclaimed, “when I went a-courtin’ I never carried one of them things. I always went in the dark.” “Yes,” the hired man said wryly,” and look what you got!”
- Spiritual Direction - “Paths Of Righteousness”
- The Supply Of The Word’s Direction:
- “Thy”
- “The Word Of Thy Lips!”
- The Purpose Of The Word’s Direction:
- “Lamp” & “Light”
- “We are walkers through the city of this world, and we are often called to go out into its darkness; let us never venture there without the light giving word, lest we slip with our feet. Each man should use the word of God personally, practically, and habitually, that he may see his way and see what lies in it. When darkness settles down upon all around me, the word of the Lord, like a flaming torch, reveals my way.” (Spurgeon)
* “By The Word Of Thy Lips” There Is Direction!
- Follow The Words Of Direction From The Lips Of God!
3. “By The Word Of Thy Lips” There Is Nourishment!
- It Is Through God’s Word That We Are Given Strength!
- Deuteronomy 8:3 - “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” (See Also Matthew 4:4 & Luke 4:4)
- The Danger Of Physical Starvation:
- IE: US News & World Report - People who starve to death each year: 11 million - People who are continually hungry; Ethiopia: 20%, Sudan: 20%, Mozambique: 30-40%
- Physical Starvation Is Real & Dangerous - We Need Food To Live!
- The Danger Of Spiritual Starvation:
- How Many “Christians” Are Starving Themselves Of God’s Word?
- How Many “Christians” Are Continually Hungry - Not Receiving Enough Of God’s Word?
- Spiritual Starvation Is Real & Dangerous - We Need Food To Live - God’s Word - “The Word Of Thy Lips”!
- The Prevention Of Spiritual Starvation:
- “Man Shall Not Live By Bread Alone, But By Every Word That Proceedeth Out Of The Mouth Of The Lord!”
- God’s Word Is Our Bread!
- “Every Word”
- 2 Timothy 3:16 - “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
- It Has Been Given To Us Already! Abundant Supply!
- “Proceedeth Out Of”
- It Has Been Fortified For Us Already! All Nutrients Needed!
- “The Mouth Of The Lord!”
- He Knows What We Need, So He Provides What We Need!
* “By The Word Of Thy Lips” There Is Nourishment!
- Feed Off The Words Of Nourishment From The Lips Of God!
4. “By The Word Of Thy Lips” There Is Cleansing!
- It Is Through God’s Word That We Are Purified!
- Ephesians 5:25-26 - “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,”
- Because Of Its Purity:
- It Has Power To Purify!
- IE: Take A Shower - Bar Of Mud? - Bar Of Soap - It Is Made With Various Ingredients For The Purpose Of Cleaning!
- God’s Word Can Purify & Cleanse Because It Is Itself Pure!
- Psalms 12:6 - “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”
- Psalms 119:140 - “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.”
- Proverbs 30:5 - “Every Word Of God Is Pure!”
- Because Of Its Purification:
- It Is Used By Christ For The Cleansing Of His Church!
* “By The Word Of Thy Lips” There Is Cleansing!
- Wash In the Words Of Cleansing From The Lips Of God!
- How? - Psalm 119:9 - “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
5. “By The Word Of Thy Lips” There Is Joy!
- It Is Through God’s Word That We Receive Delight!
- Psalms 119:16 - “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.”
- It Has Been Said: “Joy Is The Byproduct Of Obedience”!
- “Joy” - The Delightful Response To God’s Grace!
- The More We Read Of His Grace (Unmerited Favor)
- The More We Understand Of His Grace
- The More We Receive Of His Grace
- The More Joyful We Will Be! Delighting In His Grace!
* “By The Word Of Thy Lips” There Is Joy!
- Rejoice In The Words Of Grace From The Lips Of God!
Conclusion:
1. Do You Have A Passion For God’s Word?
- The Very Word Of His Own Lips?
2. Recognize That By The Word Of His Lips, There Is:
- Life / Direction / Nourishment / Cleansing / Joy
- God’s Words Are Beautiful And Precious And Useful And Good!
- Psalm 19:7-10 - “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”
3. Where Is Your Passion For God’s Word?
