TOPIC:‌“You Can't Live Without the Bible” (Universal Bible Sunday)

                  by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌Hebrews 4:9-16

 

‌‌“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper

‌‌than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12)

 

‌The Bible is the believers most precious heritage. Its untimely message has brought hope and comfort to millions of people throughout the world. It is indeed the Christians only infallible rule of faith and practice by which to guide their lives. Is it any wonder that A. W. Tozer wrote: “Whatever keeps me from the Bible is my enemy, however harmless it may appear to be. Whatever engages my attention when I should be meditating on God and things eternal does injury to my soul.” He goes on to state: “Let the cares of life crowd out the Scriptures from my mind and I have suffered loss where I can least afford it.” Tozer hit the nail on the head.

 

‌On this Universal Bible Sunday I want us to come to grips with how to understand the Word of God and how to have an effective Bible study time in which reading and studying it will become profitable for everyday living. Let me mention those elements which help make for an exciting study and effective understanding of God's Holy Word. My approach will not be theological but pragmatical as I want to set forth for all to understand the way to have a meaningful devotional life.

 

I.

 

‌Consider, first of all, the element of SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION. Some people are forever trying to understand the Bible without coming to personally know the Author who wrote it. Without Christ as your Savior and the Holy Spirit as your Guide, you will never be able to comprehend what the Bible is all about. You will be blind to its truths and its message.

 

‌Paul the Apostle was of this persuasion when he wrote these words: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of God; for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Corinthians 2:14). The Living Bible is even clearer: “But the man who isn't a Christian can't understand and can't accept these thoughts from God, which the Holy Spirit teaches us. They sound foolish to him, because only those who have the Holy Spirit within them can understand what the Holy Spirit means. Others just can't take it in.”

 

‌So the man who has not been spiritually transformed will not understand the Bible. Only a new birth experience brought about by the Holy Spirit will give one the ability to grasp the meaning and message of this glorious Book. Only then will the Bible . . .