Sunday Night Sermon Series - The Bible Energized Life [Psalm 119]
Delivered By
Dr Tom Hover
Delivered On
October 3, 2022
Central Passage
Psalm 119
Subject
Sunday Night Sermon Series - The Bible Energized Life [Psalm 119]
Description

Sunday Night Sermon Series (September 11,18,25. October 2, 2022)
The Bible Energized Life
Psalm 119
INTRODUCTION: If we do not know, love, understand, practice and obey the Word of God, we will not be victorious Christians. Blessed is the Bible student who comes to God’s Word with an open mind, a loving heart, a submissive will, and a sensitive imagination.   People today need truth.  Someone in Kenya once wrote this prayer:  “Lord, from the cowardice that dares not face new truth, from the laziness that is contented with half-truth, from the arrogance which thinks it has all truth, good Lord, deliver me. Amen.”   Psalm 119:165 “We are not what we think we are; what we think - we are.” Did you understand that? You are what you think. Proverbs 23:7 If that is true and if knowledge is power, we need the knowledge of the Word of God to have spiritual power. We need to be molded, motivated, and managed by the Word of God.  And yet for many people, the Bible remains a closed book, a mysterious book. They really do not understand it. There is no cheap way, there is no lazy way, and there is no magical way to understand the Bible. But it is not impossible. As a matter of fact, it is joyful and thrilling. Isaiah 28:10             Psalm 119 is the largest Psalm in the Bible and each of the 176 verses deals with the Word of God, to help us to know and understand His Word. here are three wonderful principles from the Word of God that when all three are done together will energized in a powerful way every believer.       WE ARE ENERGIZED WHEN:
I.  WE APPRECIATE THE VIRTUES OF THE WORD OF GOD
II.  WE ASSIMILATE THE VITALITY OF THE WORD OF GOD
III. WE APPROPRIATE THE VALUES OF THE WORD OF GOD
WE ARE ENERGIZED WHEN:
I. WE  APPRECIATE THE VIRTUES OF THE WORD OF GOD      
Some great people in the pasted who appreciated the virtues of the Word of God.      
George Washington:“ It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and Bible.”
Abraham Lincoln: “ believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book.”
Samuel Adams:  He who made all men hath made the truths necessary to human happiness obvious to all… Our forefathers opened the Bible to all.”  Noah Webster:  “All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.” [Noah Webster. History. p. 339]
“The Bible was America’s basic textbook in all fields.” [Noah Webster. Our Christian Heritage p.5]
Andrew Jackson:   That book (The Bible), sir, is the rock on which our republic rests. “If we do not appreciate the virtues of the Word of God, then we will have no desire to learn or know the Word.  Virtues of the Word of God:
A.)  It is a timeless book.   Psalm 119:89,Psalm 119:152
The Bible is the book that refuses to die.    Psalm 119:160,I Peter 1:25
Seven Wonders of The Word
1. The wonder of its formation - the way in which it grew is one of the mysteries of time.
2. The wonder of its unification - a library of 66 books written by 40 different writers many who never met the other over 1500 years, yet total unity in one book.
3. The wonder of its age - most ancient of all complete books.
4. The wonder of its sale - best - seller of all time and of any book.
5. The wonder of its interest - only book in the world read by all classes of people.
6. The wonder of its language - written largely by uneducated men, yet the best book of all time from a literary standpoint.
7. The wonder of its preservation - the most hated of all books, yet it continues to exist.(As the best seller )
A.)  It is a timeless book.
B.)  It is a truthful book.  Psalm 119:142, 119:15, 119:160, John 17:17,II Timothy 3:16-17,I Corinthians 14:37-38, Hebrew 5:12-14, Romans 3:4, Matthew 4:4
C.) It is a treasured book. Psalm 119:72,Psalm 119:103,Psalm 119:127
THY WORD
Thy Word is like a garden, Lord,
With flowers bright and fair;
And everyone who seeks may pluck
A lovely cluster there.
The Word is like a deep, deep mine;
And jewels rich and rare
Are hidden in its mighty depths
For every searcher there.

Thy Word is like a starry host
A thousand rays of light
And seen to guide the traveler,
And make his pathway bright.
Thy Word is like an armory,
Where soldiers may repair,
And find for life’s long battle-day
All needful weapons there.

Oh, may I love Thy precious Word;
May I explore the mine;
May I it’s fragrant flowers glean;
May light upon me shine.
Oh, may I find my armor there;
Thy Word my trusty sword,
I’ll learn to fight with every foe
                  The battle of the Lord.
Edwin Hodder  A person who merely samples the Word of God never acquires much of a taste for it.
II.  WE ASSIMILATE THE VITALITY OF THE WORD OF GOD          
The Bible is a living book.   Hebrews 4:12   The word “quick” comes from the Greek word ZAO which means “ALIVE.”  
It is the word from which we get our word “Zoology.” And the word “Powerful” comes from the Greek word ENERGES  which MEANS “Effective.”  his is the word from which we get our word “Energy.”    The Bible is alive. It is effective. It will energize!   The Bible is alive, why it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me. John 6:63
The ultimate purpose is the equipping of the believers who read it.
A.) Pray over it.  Psalm 119:12,
What will happen when we pray over it?
1. Our eyes will be opened. Psalm 119:18,Luke 24:45
2. Our hearts will be stirred. Psalm 119:36
3. Our minds will be enlightened. Psalm 119:73    Go to your Bible Regularly, open it prayerfully, Read it expectantly, Live it Joyfully!
B.) Ponder it.     Psalm 119:15  The most desirable time to read and ponder the Bible is as often as it is humanly possible. Psalm 119:147-148
When reading the Bible, remember that it contains many different forms of speech: see poetry as poetry, prophecy as prophecy, precept as precept, promise as promise, and proverb as proverb. The Bible is to be interpreted both figuratively and literally.  Example: McDonald’s yellow arches are a symbolism of something real. The sign tells of a real actual restaurant. When you read symbolism in the Bible, find out what the symbol stands for and then literally apply it.
Ask these questions when pondering and studying the Bible:
1. Is there a promise to claim?   2. Is there a lesson to learn?
3. Is there a blessing to enjoy?   4. Is there a command to obey?
5. Is there a sin to avoid?           6. Is there a new thought to carry with me?
When studying the Scriptures: Read it through, Think it clear, Write it down, Pray it in, Live it out, and Pass it on.
C.) Preserve it.   Psalm 119:11, Psalm 119:16
1. Memorize the Scriptures.
2. Memory comes with concentration, motivation, and use. 
In his book, How To Study the Bible for Yourself, Tim LaHaye lists seven things the Scripture memory can do for you:
1. It will give you victory over sin.
2. It helps you overcome worry.
3. It will give you a confidence in sharing your faith.
4. It speeds up the transforming process.
5. It assists you in discovering God’s will for your life.
6. It helps in your other Bible studies.
7. It outfits you for unlimited service to God.
D.) Practice it.   The Bible is the constitution of Christian civilization.
Study the Bible to be Wise, Believe it to be Safe, Practice it to be Holy!
Psalm 119:1-5, The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives. The Bible promises no loaves to the loafer.  John 7:17 ,Luke 8:18
E.) Proclaim it.  Psalm 119:13,Psalm 119:27
Unfortunately, what some people call “Bible study” is too often just a group of unprepared people exchanging their ignorance. Psalm 119:46
Let the Word of God be constantly in your mouth.   GOD’S Word! Stow it in your heart, Show it in your life, Sow it in the world. Psalm 119:17
The more of the Word of God you give away, the more of it will stick with you.
WE ARE ENERGIZED WHEN:
III. WE APPROPRIATE THE VALUES OF THE WORD OF GOD    
Warning: This Book (the Bible) is habit-forming .Regular use: causes loss of anxiety, decreased appetite for lying, cheating, stealing, hating.  Symptoms: increased sensations of love, peace, joy, compassion.
The Bible knowledge you have will become transformational.
A.) It will be a source of victory.  Psalm 119:45
B.) It will be a source of growth.  Psalm 119:32
A sermon on Sunday is designed just to whet your appetite. If you don’t learn how to feed yourself the Word of God, you’re not going to grow. I Peter 2:2
C.) It will be a source of joy. Psalm 119:54, Psalm 119:111, John 15:11
D.) It will be a source of power.  Psalm 119:28, Hebrews 4:12
E.) It will be a source of guidance. Psalm 119:105
Example: A small town newspaper in Texas advertised.  “Read your Bible know what people ought to do. Read this paper to know what they actually do.”
Conclusion: John 5:39, John 3:16-18
Then the Bible becomes our spiritual food to nourish us that we might grow in grace and serve Christ. It is our sword for fighting Satan and overcoming temptation. ????
Example: Found in Billy Sunday’s Bible!
Twenty-nine years ago, with the Holy Spirit as my Guide, I entered at the portico of Genesis, walked down the corridor of the Old Testament art galleries, where pictures of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Isaac, Jacob, and Daniel hung on the wall. I passed into the music room of the Psalms where the Spirit sweeps the keyboard of nature until it seems that every reed and pipe in God’s great organ responds to the harp of David, the sweet singer of Israel.
I entered the chamber of Ecclesiastes, where the voice of the preacher is heard, and into the conservatory of Sharon and the lily of the valley where sweet spices filled and perfumed my life.
I entered the business office of Proverbs and on into the observatory of the prophets where I saw telescopes of various sizes pointing to far off events, concentrating o the bright and morning Star which was to rise above the moonlit hills of Judea for our salvation and redemption.
I entered the audience room of the King of Kings, catching a vision written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  Thence into the correspondence room with Paul, Peter, James, and John writing their Epistles.
I stepped into the throne room of Revelation where tower the glittering peals, where sits the King of Kings upon His throne of glory with the healing of nations in His hand, and I cried out:
All hail the power of Jesus’ name!   Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem   And crown Him Lord of all.