Gtcotr/ss082210
The Bible is The Word of God, Holy and incorruptible, inerrant in its original context, truth for all the ages of time, law to every generation, and final authority both in heaven and in earth for all eternity.
God directly and divinely handled each word and:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)
God not only gave His anointed Word to mankind in written form but He has also preserved it for every generation, divinely moving on the hearts of men who have treasured it, translated it into various languages, printed and distributed it to the masses, and preached it throughout the world in every age.
God has never had to revise His Word because truth does not change with the times. He said it right the first time and it will last for all time.
Not only did God divinely inspire each scripture but He also arranged the placement of the books of the Bible into their successive order, not a chronological order, but rather a divine order according to His multi-faceted purpose and will.
When we read the Bible, even though it may be broken down into book, chapter, and verse, we realize that many times God carries a thought on into the next section, beyond the bounds of what often seems natural to man’s normal reading habits. There is a definite overlapping of thought by divine order and placement.
Allow me to show you an example: You are most like familiar with the account of a man named Job, divinely recorded in a book of the Bible given that same name.
Even though most scholars agree that Job is likely to be the oldest book in the Bible, it finds its place in the middle of the canon of scriptures, well after much later written books like Joshua, Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.
Why? Who decided these things? --- God did by divine appointment and purpose.
Just because man had a hand in it does not mean that man was responsible for it.
Almost everything God wants done, He finds a man to do it.
Ok - remember --- we are talking about the divine inspiration and divine authority and divine order of God’s Word. Back to the example of Job:
This past week I had opportunity to read through the book of Job. It is a fascinating book filled with wonderful pictures of God and Sovereignty. It is an account which will definitely stretch one’s perspective of life and the trials which may be encountered.
For a number of reasons I have purposefully developed a habit of reading a little bit further than the end of a thought, chapter or book in the Bible. I tend to be an “extra mile” kind of guy who does more rather than less.
Well, when I finished the last verse of the book of Job, I continued reading on into the next book, which is the book of Psalms. This is not the first time I have done this and once again this past week I was reminded by God just how important it is to give God His final say.
(Production Notes: I will not read the following passage word for word but will skim through the verses to give context – I will endeavor to be clear enough for you to follow me from verse to verse)
Turn with me to:
Job 42
6 (And Job said to God) … I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
7 ¶ And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends: for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.
8 Therefore take to you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.
10 ¶ And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11 Then came there to him all his brothers, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought on him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers.
16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
17 So Job died, being old and full of days.
Reading out of the book of Job and into the book of Psalms we find that God confirms the conclusion of Job in Psalms 1 by immediately saying:
Psalms 1
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law does he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water that brings forth fruit in its season; his leaf shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper.
So … the whole conclusion of Job’s life, trials, and triumph, can be summed up in the first three verses of Psalms 1.
1. Do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly …
In this day and age people seek everywhere for answers to life’s desperate questions. They read self-help books, ask advice from friends, go online and take tests, consult with psychics, read horoscopes and get options from people they have never met in chat rooms and discussion forums --- however the answer they need is not going to be found among the ungodly or gotten from those who don’t even know you or care about but who only want to be your friend.
The Word of God is the one and the only source of truth and direction in life and all who would counsel you otherwise are ungodly.
Allow me to tell you the truth as God’s Word declares:
• Lying is sin
• Murder is sin
• Premarital sex is sin
• Extra-marital sex is sin
• Same gender sex is sin
• All sex outside of the covenant of marriage as God intended and attested to by the Holy Scriptures is sin
• Child abuse and child neglect is sin
• Greed and Covetousness is sin
• Disrespecting or dishonoring our parents (including God) is sin
• Putting anything before God in our life is sin
• Disobeying the Word of God is sin
Do not be lured into following anyone or anything who would tell you otherwise. There is only one way to recover from sin … Repent before God!
2. Make the Word of God your delight …
Once we have repented we can recover ourselves from the effects of sin by returning to the Word of God and making God’s Word our delight and our meditation, in the good times and in the bad. (Meditate day and night)
The more of God’s Word we ingest and digest, the greater His counsel will become in our hearts and minds. His Word will clean us, refresh us, strengthen us and help us recover ourselves from the effects of sin.
We must make God’s Word our daily bread and create a habit of need for His Word as food for our soul. We do this when we discipline ourselves to seek after and live by the Words of the Holy Bible. Only through the Word of God can we be set free and Recover from sin.
Once we Repent before God and Recover from sin, we will:
3. Be Restored by God
(v. 3 And he shall be like a tree …)
Only God can restore what life has taken, what others have robbed, or what the devil has destroyed. And God will restore to us … just as He did in the life of Job.
Job came to a new appreciation of God, His Word, His Power and His Goodness. Won’t you give God a chance to bless you …?
Don’t follow after ungodly counsel …
Commit your life to walking in the counsel of God’s Word, without regard as to the troubles you face, why they came or whose fault they seemingly are … stay right with God and let Him have His final say.
You can trust His Word and remember: If it’s bad, God’s not finished yet!
