RED LETTER DAY
PSALM 119:105
MAY 4, 2003
Parkersburg Baptist Church
Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
How often do I challenge you to be in God’s Word? It’s rare that I don’t mention being in the Word on a Sunday morning. Why do you think I mention it so much?
Today I want to speak to you concerning God’s Word. How many have ever heard of the Gospel Group New Song. The title of my message today is the title of one of there recent hits, “Red Letter Day”.
The lyrics go something like this:
Every day before the rush gets started; I get down on my knees.
And I pray, Lord I need You here to guide me, Please speak to me.
And something happens that I can’t explain, His Word starts talking to me and I’m out to face this world again.
I do believe it’s going to be a red letter day, I do believe it’s gonna be another chance for me, to take His word and walk by faith. I got smile with every step I take, Knowing He is here with me, it’s gonna be a red letter day.
I had a friend call me up and tell me, How he struggles through each day,
I told him that I didn’t have all the answers, This world’s a crazy place,
I’ve learned to hide God’s Word in my heart, So I can have it with me when the pressures of the day start.
Then it goes back into the chorus and in the last chorus, these words can be heard:
So many hidden treasures in God’s Word for us to find,
The mysteries and secrets that are there to bring us life.
How many of you have a red-letter edition of the Bible? What is the purpose of the red-letter edition?
John 1:14"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
Now based on that verse, I want them to publish a Bible that every word is in red. If Christ is the Word, and the Bible is the Word, doesn’t it make sense that every word in the Bible is Christ’s?
Think about it, do you believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the writers? Well, couldn’t the Holy Spirit have inspired every person whose conversation is recorded in the Bible, so that it would have been recorded the way we have it today?
Many people say that the Bible is not relevant any more. There have been heresies in the church that have said the Bible was not inspired that it was just man’s account and was all myth.
There have been heretics that have said that the prophecy in the Bible was written after the event happened, and was written in such a way that it only seemed as if the event was yet to happen.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
This marvelous book has stood the TEST’S of time, archaeology, scientific accuracy, and fulfilled prophecy. Cities and empires have faded away but the Bible remains indestructible despite its many enemies and critics.
Its pages have pointed the way for millions thru the ages to find forgiveness, peace, joy and the way to heaven.
Is it any wonder the devil has tried in every conceivable way to discredit it, misquote it, and mis-interpret it and to keep people from reading, believing, and obeying it.
Folks this book, God’s holy Word has the answer to every problem known to man.
That is why I challenge you to pick it up and read it every day. And there is a difference in reading just to be reading and really reading something to get something out of it.
Get into God’s Word so that you can have a RED LETTER DAY. KNOWING THAT CHRIST IS GOING TO BE WITH YOU EVERY STEP YOU TAKE.
The Bible was designed to assist the believer in spiritual growth and practical service. It can fill a need in the life of a Christian and change his or her life-style
FROM GUILTY TO NOT GUILTY
FROM DEATH TO LIFE
FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
FROM HATRED TO LOVE
FROM WEAKNESS TO POWER
FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM
FROM TRIBULATION TO TRIUMPH
FROM GRIEF TO JOY
FROM GLOOM TO GLORY
FROM DEFEAT TO VICTORY
FROM FAILURE TO SUCCESS
FROM FEAR TO FAITH
FROM I CAN’T TO I CAN
People we need to read God’s word and expect to get something out of it. Jesus said that we couldn’t live without the Word of God. (Luke 4:4 KJV) "And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."
Every Word of God. Now what do you suppose Jesus meant by “every Word of God”?
He meant just what he said, EVERY WORD. Not just the parts that strike your fancy, not just the parts that are dramatic and full of action. EVERY part of the Bible is important and Christians need it to LIVE.
Preacher, I don’t read the Bible everyday and I seem to be doing all right. Are you really all right? Are there any problems in your life that you just can’t seem to get rid of?
Do you have problems with your spouse and children continually? Are you ever overwhelmed and just don’t know what to do next? Are there times in your life when you have no idea what is going on?
Don’t tell me that you are doing all right. None of us is doing all right. Every one of us has sin in our lives, none of us are perfect, and the only thing that can motivate us to go unto perfection as the writer of Hebrews puts it is the Unaltered, Infallible Word of Almighty God.
(2 Tim 3:16 KJV) "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"
(Heb 4:12 KJV) "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
(Josh 1:8 KJV) "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
God told Joshua that in order for him to be successful in the conquest of the Promised Land, he had to know the law, he had to quote the law and he had to meditate on the law.
Now, I believe that we can apply this to the Bible, for us to be successful in our conquest of the world, BTW what is our conquest? Isn’t it to win the lost? If we are to be successful, then we must know the Bible, Quote the Bible, and meditate on the Bible.
Let me challenge you yet another time to get into God’s Word on a daily basis. We need it in order to live the life that Christ wants us to live.
Now, I don’t want a show of hands, but let me ask you a question, how many of you enjoy reading the book of Numbers, and all the genealogies that are contained in the Bible.
How many, and again no show of hands, but how many of you have ever said, I hate to read that part, or I can’t stand that part of the Bible.
Let me tell you what God’s Word says about those thoughts.
(Prov 13:13 KJV) "Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded." The NIV says, “He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded.”
(Isa 55:11 KJV) "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."
That tells me that if the word of God is in your heart, then it will accomplish the pleasure of God in your heart, IF you submit to HIS will for your life.
WHEN YOU FAIL TO STUDY GOD’S WORD YOU STOP GROWING SPIRITUALLY. WHEN YOU CEASE TO GROW SPIRITUALLY YOU START DETERIORATING IMMEDIATELY.
WHEN YOU STOP CLIMBING YOU START SLIPPING. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, YOU CAN NEVER ARRIVE SPIRITUALLY IN THIS LIFETIME. THERE IS ALWAYS A HIGHER PLATEAU TO BE REACHED SPIRITUALLY.
(2 Tim 2:15 KJV) "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
No other book written has caused thieves to become honest; drunks to be changed into sober non-drinkers; drug addicts to be freed from their slavery and have their minds and bodies restored.
Prostitutes forsake their lives and become chaste wives and mothers; wayward men to return and be faithful husbands and fathers; murderers to ministers. Homosexuals forsake their abominable lifestyles and become ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and win the lost for God. And I could go on and on.
Folks, God’s word is for everyone. It is not just for the preacher to use; it is for your use as well.
Billy Graham has a resource, that is called Word’s of Wisdom, A Journey through Psalms and Proverbs. I called to check and see its availability, unfortunately, it is out of print, and they have zero on hand.
But this book gives a 31 day reading plan that gives 5 of the Psalms and 1 Proverb per day to read. Billy Graham has been doing this for many, many years. By following this plan, you will read the books of Psalms and Proverbs each month.
In his forward, Dr. Graham says, the Psalms will tell you how to get along with God and the Proverbs will tell you how to get along with your fellow man.
Don’t you want to know how to get along with God? Don’t you want to know how to get along with your fellow man?
If you answered yes, then the way to accomplish that is to get into the Word of God on a daily basis and make sure that it is in your heart. Let me challenge you to start a reading plan like this on your own.
Read five Psalms and one Proverb per day. Read this everyday and start reading other scriptures so that you can read the entire Bible.
Strive to read the Bible through in a year. How many of you read these 400-500 page novels? How many of them do you read in a year, 5 or 6?
Well, reading the entire Bible through in a year is like reading 3 of those novels. Most Bibles depending on type setting are around 1200 pages.
Can’t you do that for God? Can’t you spend time in his word?
Every country, city, school, and business has to have laws or rules; every game must have rules. God the creator of all things set forth His laws in a book—the Bible—so man would not be in doubt as to His rules.
More than that, He sent His only begotten Son to this earth to be the Living Word, confirming that which had been written.
Folks, the Bible from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 is all about Jesus Christ. He is in there from the first prophecy concerning his first coming in Genesis 3:15 to his second coming in Revelation 22:20 where Jesus Christ himself says that He will come quickly.
I believe that He is going to come quickly. His coming is going to be so quick that many will be caught off guard. We need to be ready, we need to be watching. We need to be prepared for the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
How can we prepare?
• Read the Bible
• Pray
• Confess and Repent
• Serve
• Tell others to get them prepared
If you are here today and you have no relationship with Jesus Christ. How about making preparations for the Lord’s soon coming. Accept Him as Lord and Savior of your life, get ready to leave this world and go to your eternal home.
I asked this question last week and I will ask it again, Are you ready to die?
If you don’t know how to answer that question, then you need to get into God’s Word and find the answer.
