Loving The Word - Part 1 of 2

O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise! Thou for it's of my God and King, the triumphs of His grace! This is Lassare Bradley, Jr. welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible Hour. As we continue our study in the Psalms, this next section is entitled, Loving the Word. So having considered that the Word is settled, it's wonderful then that we love it because we know it's God's Word.

It's to His glory and for our benefit. I hope you'll take time to write. Mention the call letters of the station over which the program comes to you.

Our address is Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. How would you describe the Word of God? Would you say that it is difficult? That it is challenging?

That it is hard? That it is bitter? Or would you think of saying it is sweet? Let's look at Psalm 119, verse 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth. He says that the law of God, the statutes of God, the commandments of God, the Word of God is sweeter than honey.

In Psalm 19, verse 10, more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Let's look at this next section of Psalm 119, which begins with verse 97. O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditations.

I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I might keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments, for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way. Our subject is loving the Word.

O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day. If it seems a little difficult to really reach the place that you can say, I love the Word of God, what may be some of the hindrances? You may readily say, I respect the Word of God, I believe the Word of God, I study the Word of God, but can you say, I love it, and it's sweeter than honeycomb?

If you're not able to go quite that far, there are some reasons. One of them might be that you have been influenced by worldly philosophy. A person begins to read the Bible, but all the while, in the back of their mind, they're questioning even the validity and the authority of this book. How can I know a person may say, this is really the Word of God? I've heard a lot of people say that there have been grave errors made in the translations over the years.

How can I be sure of this? Or it may be that a person and their educational pursuits have been exposed to many philosophies and concepts that are diametrically opposed to the basic teaching of the Bible. So there's this struggle, there's this conflict.

Here's some writings of respected individuals, highly esteemed in the world, very well educated. Here's what they say, here's what they have written, here's how they think, and that doesn't coincide with what I'm reading in the Bible. So a person in such a frame of mind finds it difficult to say, I love the Word, because there are many questions with which they are struggling regarding it. Isaiah chapter 44 verse 24, Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretches forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself, that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad, that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish. So there may be many wise men, that is, they consider themselves to be wise, and they're honored by others as being wise, but God says that He makes their knowledge foolish. Notice He begins here by saying that He is the God that stretched forth the heavens alone. He is the God that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.

He didn't need any help, it was not a difficult task for Him, God is the sovereign Creator. And so it certainly would indicate in this passage of scripture that anybody who denies the biblical account of creation is in the category of those that the Lord is turning backward. He is refuting the erroneous thinking of these who profess themselves to be wise, making their knowledge foolish. And of course this same principle is made clear in the New Testament as Paul writes to the church at Corinth, 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 19, For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise?

Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? So we have vast writings, we have books by the thousands that have been written, all kinds of opinions, all kinds of philosophies. Men come forward with their pretense of having such deep understanding, and yet multitudes of them deny the very existence of God. And His Word says, The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. So it doesn't matter how much information they have accumulated, how much research they have done, how impressive their works may be, if God is left out, if God is ignored, they're described as being fools. Why then would one who believes in God, who wants to honor and serve Him, be so enamored by and impressed by the professed wisdom of the world?

God's in the process of destroying that wisdom, He brings it to nothing, and so God's people ought not to be influenced by it. For the moral person may find it difficult to say, I love the Word of God, because as they read, they have been influenced by false teaching. Not somebody who denied the existence of God, or who substituted human philosophy for what the Bible teaches, but somebody who has distorted the teaching of the Bible.

One who is seeking to bring others into bondage through their legalistic concepts. Paul deals with this in writing to the church at Colossae. Colossians chapter 2 and verse 8, Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. If then you're reading the Bible, but you have been influenced by this philosophy, this which is described as being deceitful, it's the tradition of men, it's the basic elements of the world, it's not according to the teaching of Christ, it's not going to find joy, it's going to be a drudgery, it's going to be a burden that's imposing things upon you, which were never intended, a burden that you were not supposed to have to bear. Verse 18, Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. Whatever the basic error might be, if a person is reading the Bible, and has been greatly influenced by false doctrine, or maybe reading it for the very purpose of trying to defend that concept, it's not going to find great joy in it, and will consequently be hindered in reaching the point that the psalmist reached when he says, I love thy word. If an individual is reading the Bible simply for the purpose of debate, had a discussion on biblical issues, I want to get back to that person, I want to prove I'm right, and it's always trying to prove a point, win an argument, then the joy and blessing of communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ with the reading of the word is going to be lost. As we read his word, we want to know what he says. We want it to be drawing us closer to him for communion and fellowship with our Savior Jesus Christ.

And then that which hinders may well be that the person reading is simply full of worldly interest. If there's not an appetite, if they're already full of something else, then the word is not going to be sweet. Proverbs 27 verse 7 says, The full soul loathes and honeycombs, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. The person that's already full, he put the honeycomb in front of him, and back in Bible days that was the basic sweetener that was available.

And how many times have I said, I've really got a sweet tooth, I want something that's sweet, and so you put before them a beautiful comb of honey, which should be appealing and attractive, and they're not interested in it because they're already full, they've eaten something else. Well, if you should be consuming so much of this world, reading so many other materials, full of a desire to be entertained and caught up with all of the worldly activities that are so prevalent, you really don't have an appetite. You come to the word, but you're not hungry and thirsting after it. On the other hand, to the hungry soul, the person that really has a desire to know, I want to understand, I believe this is God's word, I want to get the message out of it, even that which is bitter becomes sweet. In other words, you find a passage that's convicting. There's a bitterness to it because it shows you your error and your failing, but even that's sweet. Because you say, I thank God that He included in His word something that I needed so desperately. I needed to be confronted, I needed to be convicted, and so even that becomes sweet. Again, failure to reach the point of being able to say of a truth, I love thy word, may be because of sin that is being harbored in one's heart.

If sin has not been confronted, confessed, and forgiveness found by bringing it before the Savior, there's going to be interference. First Peter chapter 2 verse 1 says, Wherefore, laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby, if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. You know how a newborn babe desires milk. It's a very strong desire.

It's their main focus in those early days. And it says if we're going to have that kind of a desire for the word of God, there's something has to be done. We have to make room for it. Lay aside all malice. In other words, if you come reading the scripture, and you're all bent out of shape, and you're mad at somebody, or you're harboring a long-held grudge, or you're refusing to forgive, it says if you've got malice in your heart, you're not ready. You're not coming to the word in the right spirit. You're not going to really drink of it in a way that the babe would desire the sincere milk of the word, if there's hypocrisies.

You're not being honest before the Lord, genuine in your commitment, and walk before Him. You're jealous. You're full of envy. Evil speaking. You're talking about other people. You're putting them down.

You're trying to exalt yourself by constantly focusing on somebody else's faults. All of these things have to be laid aside before the word of God is rich and sweet and meaningful to us. And then sometimes the interference may be just nothing more than a rebellious spirit.

In other words, you see what the word of God says? And somebody says, I know that's what the Bible says, but I'm just not prepared to do that. That's not the way I want to handle it. I don't think it's going to work in this case. I'm not in full agreement with that.

What is that? That's rebellion. That's saying, yeah, I read it here in black and white, but that's not for me. Must mean something else. Certainly doesn't apply to me. Or, on the other hand, it may be like that individual in the parable that Jesus gave when He said that there were those two men, one who said, I go, sir, to the field and work, but He never went. So a person may say, oh yeah, that's what it says, and I'm going to attend to that, but they don't. Never do it.

What is that? Rebellion. Jeremiah chapter 17 verse 23, But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction. How sad when a person becomes stiff-necked, rebellious, will not hear, will not receive instruction, determined to go their own way, do their own thing, no matter what the Word of God says. Ezekiel chapter 33 verse 31, And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them, for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after covetousness. God is saying through the prophet that the people come, they sit there as my people, they hear your words, and with their mouth they say all the right things, but their heart is not right, and lo, thou art unto them a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument, for they hear thy words, but they do them not. They hear the words, but they don't do them. They may read the words for themselves as they read the Scriptures, and they hear them preach, but they will not do them. These are things that may well be a hindrance in reaching the point to be able to say, I love thy word. But on the other hand, think of some of the reasons for loving it. First of all, it is God's book.

That's reason enough. You know, if you happen to have an autographed copy of a book by a well-known writer, you may be kind of proud of that. It's a special treasure.

You're happy to tell somebody, look at the book that I have. This is valuable. Or, I knew this author personally, and he gave me a copy of this book and signed it.

But think about it. To have a copy of God's book, that surpasses every other book that's been written. To have God's book, the Bible, in your possession. Think about what a blessing the printing press was to make it possible for the Bible to be so widely circulated. You know, in years gone by when they were using scrolls, not everybody had a scroll with their own personal copy. Certainly, no one had all of the books of the Bible as their own private possession. But we all have our own Bible.

Probably most homes have several copies of it. And yet, do we really treasure it and appreciate it as we ought? Considering that it's God's book, we ought to love it. God inspired it.

God directed those that penned the words. And the subject matter. It's about God. You know, there's some books you could read that would be rather boring. Some books that have very little meaning, very little significance. Some books where people are bragging on themselves. And that's not all that interesting to read.

But think about it. God's book is about God. And surely we have a desire to know more about God. Now, the handiwork of God is all about us.

We can see His creation and know that He is God and that He is the Creator and He does rule. But in His Word, we learn more about His power. We learn about His purpose. We learn about His love.

We learn about His mercy. What a valuable book to be learning about God. And then, in this book, there's so many marvelous, interesting, inspiring stories.

Real stories. Not fictional, but stories about what God has done providentially in years gone by. God's providence in fulfilling His purposes. You read about a man named Abram, a worshiper of idols. And God, according to his sovereign purpose, having made choice of him, called him out of his homeland, pulled him away from his idolatrous practices, revealed himself to him, made a covenant with him. And in that covenant, there was the promise of the Messiah who would ultimately come to save men from their sins. And you just trace the details of Abraham's life, and see how Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. This is a remarkable story.

Look at how God is at work. And then, here's Jacob, running away from home. His only concern at this point is to get away from his brother.

He fears for his life. He lays down his head that night to rest, and the Lord visited him. The scripture says he found Jacob in a waste-howling wilderness, led him about, instructed him, made him the apple of his eye. When it says that the Lord found him, it didn't mean that God had to hunt all over the place and finally locate him. God obviously knew where he was, but the place where he was, was in the wilderness.

And that's where the Lord found him. Jacob wasn't seeking God. Jacob wasn't there to have a prayer meeting.

Jacob was running away. But God visited him. And he wrestled with the angel of the Lord, and he touched his thigh, so from then on, Jacob walked with a limp. Just a reminder that he'd had a little encounter with God, and that God was at work in his life. And then Jacob has those troubled times when he believes his son Joseph is dead.

And he believes that Simeon is possibly never going to be seen again. And then has this remarkable surprise when all of these wagons show up, laden with the delicacies of Egypt. This is a time of famine. He sent his sons down there because he fears that they're going to perish with hunger. And he looks out and sees all of these delicacies being sent, and he just, well, he faints.

He just, more than he can handle. Hardly believe the sight. What an amazing thing. And on top of that, they say, Joseph is alive.

Get on board the wagon. We're taking you down where you're going to be fed. Wonderful story, isn't it? The rest of the world is starving to death, and Jacob and his family are being fed. And Jacob's son Joseph is the administrator who opens up the storehouses and sees to it that the food is distributed.

God is at work. Don't you love the Bible that gives us such valuable information? Gives us such stories that inspire us to believe that the God who handled things back then is still the ones in charge now, and he's still looking after his people, and he's still a covenant-keeping God? And then as years passed and Jacob's descendants became slaves, they were in bondage, and how could they ever get out from such a state? Pharaoh gives the edict that the male children two years of age and under be put to death. And there's this little baby named Moses, and God has a purpose for Moses. He's going to use him to deliver the people from this bondage, but the king says they've got to die. But Moses' mother, being a woman of faith, built this little ark, put her baby in it down by the riverbank, waits, has her daughter Miriam wait to see what will happen.

And of course, there are people that like to say, well, you know, it's just one of those things. Wasn't this a lucky turn of events? No, my friends, this is the action of the sovereign God of heaven that the king's daughter comes there to bathe. And we would expect that if she found an Israelite baby, she'd say, call the soldiers, here's one more, my father says he's got to die. But she opens it up, and he was a beautiful little child, and she said, let's take him home.

I want him for mine. And so Moses' sister steps up and says, I suppose you'd like to have a babysitter to help out, wouldn't you? And she says, I'd know a good one. And so Moses' mother comes into the palace and takes care of her own son, and Pharaoh foots the bill. The very man that wanted to put them all to death.

Amazing, isn't it? I wonder if the son was to say, I love thy word. I love thy law, thy testimonies, the remarkable things that are in it. And then Pharaoh, eventually, when Moses appears before him, says, who is the Lord that I should obey him? By the time ten plagues were meted out upon that land, and the whole nation was devastated, he knew who the Lord was.

And these people who had been in bondage for four hundred years marched out, facing the Red Sea, and so the waters part came across dry shod, and on the other side sang, the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. We're victorious. God's with us.

God's leading us all. And then for forty years he sustained them in the wilderness, and eventually parted the waters of Jordan that they came across that river and into the land of promise. In spite of their failings, in spite of their idolatry, in spite of their terrible sins, God did favor them and bless them in a remarkable way. And you read those individual accounts of how the three Hebrews that said, our God's able to deliver us, we're not going to bow, we're not going to worship this image, we're not going to worship this king, we're not going to bow down, if it's his pleasure he can deliver us, if it's not, we're still not going to bow. And God brings them out of the fiery furnace without even the smell of smoke upon their garment. And Daniel refusing to give up prayer, just because the kings say you're not to pray to any other god but his own pagan vanity, and Daniel continues to pray, and he's put into the den of lions, and he's brought out the next morning. Everything's fine, no harm, because God visited that place. The Lord himself was present to close the mouths of those lions. Children know these stories, but they're more than just little stories, they're actual accounts of what God has done for his people in times past. I hope the message has been a blessing to you.

If you would like to help with the support of the program, you can do so by going to our website at BaptistBibleHour.org and make a donation there. Now until we greet you at this same time tomorrow, this is LeSaire Bradley Jr. bidding you goodbye and may God bless you. Praising my Savior! Praising my Savior! Praising my Savior! Alleluia!