Class Lesson January 1, 2017

Put on your Roller Skates

and

let's Celebrate 2017!

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Do you remember Friday nights at the skating rink?

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE 

Weight loss is consistently the top New Year’s resolution each year. What’s not consistent is how we go about achieving that goal: 

• The 1910s emphasized chewing your food 32 times—once for each tooth. 
• The 1930s gave us the Grapefruit (or Hollywood) diet. 
• The 1970s started the trend of over-the-counter diet pills. 
• The 1980s introduced exercise videos by celebrities from Jane Fonda to Richard Simmons. 
• The 1990s gave us low carb, high protein diets. 

Who knows what’s next? Trendy diets are always based on what “experts” say is relevant. But they change as much as our waistlines. 

Our lives should be based on something far more reliable than the latest trend. Psalm 119 points to the one Source that is always consistent, and therefore, always relevant: God’s Word. 

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Psalm 119:89-91 

89 LORD, Your word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness is for all generations; You established the earth, and it stands firm. 91 They stand today in accordance with Your judgments, for all things are Your servants. 

Only two things will last beyond this world: the Word of God and the souls of people. To spend eternity in heaven with God, we must commit our eternal souls to God and to the truth of His eternal Word. 

The psalmist affirmed the “forever” nature of God’s Word by proclaiming it to be “firmly fixed.” When pillars are set during a construction project, they are put there to stay. If the pillars are moved, the building will collapse. The Word of God is the pillar that upholds our lives. It is perfectly grounded and stands firm. In addition, the psalmist noted that God’s Word is “firmly fixed in heaven.” The Bible is transcendent; it’s above and beyond us. It’s outside the reach of human opposition on earth and spiritual opposition in the heavenly places. 

The Bible isn’t the book of the week, or even book of the year. It’s the book of the ages! As the prophet Isaiah declared, “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever” (Isa. 40:8). 

The psalmist also affirmed God’s faithfulness visible in His creation: “You established the earth, and it stands firm.” God spoke our world into existence, and because it stands firm, we can trust that all God speaks will stand firm. But the heavens and the earth don’t stand on their own. God sustains them, “for all things are Your servants.” God is in control, and creation serves Him. 

This, then, is the confidence we have in Christ and His Word. He is in charge, and His Word on our behalf is timeless and faithful.

Psalm 119:92-93 

92 If Your instruction had not been my delight, I would have died in my affliction. 93 I will never forget Your precepts, for You have given me life through them. 

Continuing forward, the psalmist zoomed in on the faithfulness of God’s Word to help us in all our troubles. Having established that God’s Word is unchanging and settled (vv. 89-91), in these verses he proclaimed the Bible to be sufficient for whatever we face. 

Notice that being devoted to God’s instruction didn’t keep the psalmist from affliction. Even so, his delight in God’s Word sustained him through trouble. Note the progression and relationship between affliction and God’s Word.

• “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (v. 67). 

• “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I could learn Your statutes” (v. 71). 

• “I know, Lord, that Your judgments are just and that You have afflicted me fairly” (v. 75). 

• “If Your instruction had not been my delight, I would have died in my affliction” (v. 92). 

The Word of God was an anchor of the soul that held the psalmist fast in the midst of a raging storm. He experienced rescuing grace because he had a proper attitude toward God’s Word. Delighting in Scripture activated its power in his life. The psalmist found joy in God’s Word—a joy that carried him through every situation. 

This delight led the psalmist to vow: “I will never forget Your precepts.” Forgetting God’s Word is a matter of the will. Consequently, remembering God’s Word requires more than just thinking about it. Remembering includes doing and persevering.

As the apostle James wrote: “The one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does” (Jas. 1:25). 

The psalmist’s pledge of obedience reflected sincerity, not perfection. He had determined in his heart to please God. When pleasing God is our heart’s determined desire, it will be clearly and consistently evident in how we live. 

The psalmist readily made this vow because he knew the instructions and precepts in God’s Word are life giving: “You have given me life through them.” The psalmist felt like he was at the point of death, but the Word of God revived him. This is the power of God’s Word. It can put us back on our feet again.

Psalm 119:94-96 

94 I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts. 95 The wicked hope to destroy me, but I contemplate Your decrees. 96 I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your command is without limit. 

God will always take care of those who belong to Him. Confident of this, the psalmist prayed: “I am Yours; save me.” This specific prayer for salvation was not about forgiveness of sins; it was about deliverance from affliction. 

If you belong to God, not only will you be with Him in heaven, but God will be with you in the midst of trouble here on earth. 

The psalmist gave a specific reason why the Lord should save him: “for I have sought Your precepts.” Like us, the psalmist was not perfect. But he was able to say with honest conviction that he had attempted to build his life on the instruction of God’s Word.

We need to remember that God’s help isn’t contingent on the perfection of our lives. If that were so, we’d all be doomed! Thankfully, God is the God of grace; He gives us what we do not deserve—even as He took upon Himself the sin and death we do deserve. God saves those who seek Him. 

Even so, walking with God doesn’t mean we’ll be immune from trouble. The psalmist certainly knew and experienced this: “The wicked hope to destroy me, but I contemplate Your decrees.” We will face opposition. But like the psalmist, we can still stand firm on God’s promises and His Word. In fact, when ungodly people come against us, we should hold closer to the Scriptures. We must not allow what other people do to change our devotion to the Word of God. 

As he contemplated the decrees of God, the psalmist saw how perfect God’s Word is: “I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your command is without limit.” The Hebrew word translated as “perfection” speaks of the intended end or completion of a thing. Even the best things in this world are limited, finite, and tainted. Everything this world offers is inadequate, incomplete, or insufficient. Not so with the Word of God. “Your command is without limit.” This is a poetic way of saying the Word of God is perfect, complete, sufficient, limitless, and undefeatable. 

God’s Word is right and true because God Himself is right and true. The Bible speaks perfectly to whatever needs we face because it reflects God’s character and power. Therefore, we can always rely on the relevance and sufficiency of the Scriptures, just as we can always rely on Him.

LIVE IT OUT

God’s Word is relevant to our lives and will always be so. Consider the following suggestions for responding to that truth this week: 

• Study daily. Use a devotional guide to help you engage God’s Word each day. Examples include Open Windows, Journey (for women), and Stand Firm (for men). Visit lifeway.com/devotionals for more information. 

• Journal regularly. Start a journal in order to record what you learn as you study God’s Word—and to keep track of what you need to obey. Be sure to look back at your journal often in order to monitor your progression with the Scriptures. 

• Share freely. Be intentional about telling others what God is teaching you through His Word. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks the reason why you have put your hope in Christ (see 1 Pet. 3:15). 

There have been times in history when the Bible was a social expectation—even fashionable. But while societies change, God’s Word will always remain the same.


Teacher's Notes

In July 2016, a game called Pokemon GO was released. People played the game on their smartphones, using the phone’s GPS to find and catch the Pokemons (small fictional creatures that are roaming around). The goal is to catch as many Pokemons as possible. The game was highly popular – around July 18, almost 45 million people were daily active users. At the end of August, popularity had declined some and there were around 30 million users. News stories in the summer months reported that one man quit his job to travel around and try to catch all the Pokemons (there are 250). Two other men fell off a cliff while chasing Pokemons. And another man fell into a pond. 

What trends or fads were once a big deal in your life?

(Remember the Pet Rock?) 

Our lesson this week is trying to get us to make God’s Word as big a deal as we would the latest trend or fad. We look to doctors to help us with our health needs. We look to the legal system to protect us and administer justice. We look to family and friends to support and encourage us during difficult times. We need others; we need each other. However, any one of us can only do so much for the other. There is a limit to our help! 

Not so with God. He is the perfect, all-powerful Creator who gives life. Furthermore, He protects us and sustains the life He gives. We find and see these and other attributes of God in His Word. Our lesson this week contrasts the practical, limitless durability of God’s Word with the limitations of even the best efforts and thinking of mankind.

Futurist David Zach says that we should: "Play with Fads, Work with Trends, and Live by Principles." This is easier said than done because in modern times we are too often Seduced by Fads, Ignorant of Trends and Resistant to Principles.

Why don’t we see God’s Word as the Big Deal that it is?

What’s missing between what God’s Word says and what people are interested in?

People don’t see it as relevant. Why might this be? 

Relevant: closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand. (pertinent, applicable, material) Remember the quote from the video? “If it doesn’t fit my lifestyle, if it isn’t practical on a day to day basis for me, then I don’t consider it worth the investment.” To consider God’s Word not worth the investment is the same as saying that God Himself is not worth the investment.

I’m reading a book that Charlie & Joy Saylor have given me: The Power of an Eternal Perspective.

• The book says that all Christians must make a paradigm choice: the decision between what is and what seems to be, what will last and what won’t – between the eternal and the temporal. The choice we make is between that which God says will endure and that which won’t. Followers of Jesus will naturally want to be a people who treasure what God says is a lasting treasure. To value what God values, we have to shift from allowing other people and the world around us (Trends & Friends) to shape how we see things to allowing what the Bible (God’s Word) says to shape our view of life. We are constantly under pressure to cave in to viewing things like everyone around us does.

• Paradigm: a typical example or pattern of something; a model.

Today, Psalm 119 says that God’s Word reflects His character and power – and always will.

We will look at three truths and points that the psalmist makes about the Bible.

I. God’s Word is Timeless Psalm 119:89-91

89 Lord, Your word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness is for all generations; You established the earth, and it stands firm. 91 They stand today in accordance with Your judgments, for all things are Your servants.

While trends come, and go, God’s Word is established in heaven. The psalmist thanked God for His unchanging nature. To say of God that His Word is settled in the heavens reassures the psalmist that no matter what adversary or opposition may come, God’s established order cannot be shaken. With the uncertainties of this world, it is good to know that our God remains certain. He can be counted upon as faithful both today and tomorrow. 

Only two things will last beyond this world: The Word of God and the souls of people. To spend eternity in heaven, we must commit our souls to God and His eternal Word.

I want you to think for a moment about this first question: When did you first encounter the Bible in a meaningful way? What made that encounter meaningful to you?

• REFERENCE POINT - STAKING OUR LIVES ON THE WORD OF GOD: Can you imagine living alone in darkness for six months? During his first Antarctic expedition, Admiral Byrd flew to the South Pole all by himself. He built a small hut to shelter himself from the brutal six-month-long winter night. Blasts of arctic wind and biting, blowing snow buried his small hut every night. Each day, Admiral Byrd shoveled his way to the surface of the snow. When he broke through, the light was so dim he could see only a dozen yards. If he left his hut, he used the stovepipe sticking out of the snow as a reference point to find his way back. One day when he turned to go back, he could not see the stovepipe! Although panic threatened to overwhelm him, he refused to move. He knew the danger. If he wandered about looking for his hut, he would probably get further and further away. Instead, he drove a stake into the snow. Using it as a center, he paced around a large circle looking for the entrance to his hut. He kept one eye on the stake and searched through the darkness with the other. Not finding the hut, he extended his radius and made a bigger circle. The third time he tried, his circle was so large, he almost lost sight of his stake. He returned and resolved to make one more attempt with an even larger circle. As he made that fourth round, he strained his eyes to their limit to peer through the darkness. He knew if he lost sight of the stake—his reference point—he would quickly succumb to the ice and snow. But the fourth time, he walked right into the hut’s tunnel.

• Do you ever feel like you are wandering through darkness in your life? All of us feel that way at times. Circumstances can overwhelm us. Ailing parents, loss of a job, high mortgages, too many bills, family crises, sickness, and other problems can make us wonder how we will ever find our way. The world tells us that we have no reference point to help us solve our difficulties. Definite standards and rules are obsolete and intolerable. The future is unknowable and unchangeable, so we should live it up now. But as Christians, we do have a reference point—the Bible. When we stake our lives on its teachings and principles, God gives us guidance on how to live. When we love, trust, and obey Him and His Word, we will enjoy the abundant life He has promised every believer.

• When I realized how relevant God’s Word is to my daily life. Daily morning devotions.

• The Bible is not a history book, a psychology text, or a scientific journal. The Bible is the description God gave us about who He is, and His desires and plans for humanity. The most significant revelation is our separation from God by sin and God’s provision for restoration through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. Our need for redemption does not change. Neither does God’s desire to reconcile us to Himself. The Bible contains a great deal of accurate and relevant information. The Bible’s most important message—redemption—is universally and perpetually applicable to humanity. God’s Word will never be outdated, superseded, or improved upon. Cultures change, laws change, generations come and go, but the Word of God is as relevant today as it was when it was first written. 

Our lesson says, the Bible isn’t the book of the week, or even the book of the year. It’s the book of the ages! As the prophet, Isaiah declared, “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever” (Isa. 40:8).

The words firmly fixed (v. 89), established (v. 90), and stands firm (v. 90) are key words in these verses. 

Why is it important to know that God’s Word will never change? 

• The psalmist affirmed the “forever” nature of God’s Word by proclaiming it to be “firmly fixed.” When pillars are set during a construction project, they are put there to stay. If the pillars are moved, the building will collapse. The Word of God is the pillar that upholds our lives. It is perfectly grounded and stands firm. In addition, the psalmist noted that God’s Word is “firmly fixed in heaven.” The Bible is transcendent; it’s above and beyond us. It’s outside the reach of human opposition on earth and spiritual opposition in the heavenly places.

Point: The Bible is eternal. It remains true in every generation. 

While trends come, and go, God’s Word is established in heaven. The psalmist thanked God for His unchanging nature. To say of God that His Word is settled in the heavens reassures the psalmist that no matter what adversary or opposition may come, God’s established order cannot be shaken. With the uncertainties of this world, it is good to know that our God remains certain. He can be counted upon as faithful both today and tomorrow.

The book I’m reading says that people seem more apt to hope for eternity when life is very tough. Why might this be?

• Many of us living on earth now are among the most affluent and comfortable people who have ever lived here. We have more pleasures than kings once knew. We control our climate with a thermostat. We can go wherever we choose by various modes of transportation. We can command all the great orchestras of the world to play whatever we want at any given moment on phones that fit in our pockets!

• These blessings can bring with them an unfortunate consequence: life in the temporal here and now can feel so comfortable that we really can come to prefer it over any hope of a promised eternal home. This would be a terrible mistake – because we are living an illusion instead of the truth. 

• This is why moments of brokenness are a gift. They rescue us from complacency and build our longing for what is better.

II. God’s Word is Life-Giving Psalm 119:92-93

92 If Your instruction had not been my delight, I would have died in my affliction. 93 I will never forget Your precepts, for You have given me life through them. 

The Psalmist moves in the previous verses from speaking of the forever (v. 89) to speaking of the today (v. 91). And in verses 92 and 93, he reminds us that God’s timeless Word is also God’s Life-Giving Word for the following reasons: But what does the psalmist mean?

A. It gives delight (v. 92). What do you think he means when he says, “If Your instruction had not been my delight, I would have died in my affliction.”? God’s Word gives us joy when we live according to His instruction - we find strength and help for our walk, even in the midst of afflictions. God’s Word delights for it teaches us how to live. God’s Word speaks direction to our steps. 

B. It gives life (v. 93). What do you think he means when he says that God had given him life through the Word? God’s Word gives us the source and secret of life. It revives the brokenhearted and downtrodden. It restores the fallen. It breathes a fresh beginning for each day. God Word created life and it recreates life in those who receive it. When God infuses His Word into our life, refreshment and rejuvenation come into our being.

How have you experienced ‘life’ as a result of God’s instruction? 

• The psalmist clung to God’s Word.
• Because God’s Word was his delight, his primary focus in life, it brought him life in the midst of the persecution he was enduring.

Point: Obeying God’s Word gives joy and direction in difficult times. 

In the midst of our ever-changing world, God’s Word sustains us through every challenge. Our spirit is truly willing, but our flesh is weak. The psalmist had experienced the life-giving power of God’s Word and it had sustained him in the depths of his affliction. Therefore, he boasted in God’s Word and pledged to persevere in remembering and obeying it. Paul wrote that we should actually boast in our weaknesses in order that God’s power may rest upon us. God’s Word is sufficient for whatever we face. It does not keep us from affliction, but it allows us to overcome it. With it, we might find joy and fulfillment in this life, but without it, we face nothing but despair and bitter disappointment.

The psalmist said: I will never forget Your precepts, for You have given me life through them.  

The concept of remembering! What is important about this?

• This concept is important to God, it’s emphasized throughout the Bible.
• Remembering was a central focus for God’s people in biblical times and today.
• This means much more than just recalling an event. Just as “hearing God” means “obeying God,” in a similar way remembering involves a change in living based on what God has done in the past for us.

III. God’s Word is Perfect Psalm 119:94-96

94 I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts. 95 The wicked hope to destroy me, but I contemplate Your decrees. 96 I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your command is without limit. 

Obviously, the psalmist is going through and has gone through some sort of persecution here because he asks to be saved. On what basis, does he ask to be saved?

• I am Yours – and our lesson says that God will always take care of those who belong to Him. The psalmist knew this.

• For I have sought Your precepts – this is important to remember, because God’s help isn’t contingent on our perfection, if it were we would be doomed. But God’s Word is perfect and we are expected to engage His Word, or as the psalmist put it, “I have sought Your precepts.”

It’s important to remember, that walking with God doesn’t immune us from trouble. The psalmist certainly knew and experienced this: “The wicked hope to destroy me, but I contemplate Your decrees.’ We will face opposition.” 

When the wicked threatened, the psalmist turned to God’s Word for aid. He sought the solution from God, not himself. [Verse 96] could be an excellent summary of the Book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes (called “the Preacher” or “the Teacher”) examined all of life’s activities without God and declared them to be futile. Yet when life is lived to the fullest—that is, in relationship with God—it can be perfect (in the sense of being complete or fulfilling). The psalmist’s phrase all perfection likely refers to all of life’s activities without God, in that it has a limit (the human concept of perfection that excludes God, His laws, His ways, and so forth). The psalmist contrasted God’s command—it is without limit—with the activities of people apart from God, which are limited. In other words, the psalmist stated that God’s Word is eternal. 

Jesus’ warned about the need to invest our lives in that which has eternal value (see Matt. 6:19-21). The psalmist knew that true satisfaction and fulfillment in life flow out of a relationship with God and a life lived in obedience to His Word. When we come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we begin living life as God meant for us to live it. As Jesus, Himself proclaimed, “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance” (John 10:10).

Our lesson asked us this week, how can we be sure that our study and seeking of God’s Word actually leads us closer to God? What do you think? Are there any specific steps we can take to allow God’s Word to deepen our connection with God Himself?

How can we ensure that engaging God’s Word leads us to grow closer to Him? What specific steps can you take to allow God’s Word to deepen your connection with God Himself? 

1. Conviction - Conviction is feeling the drawing of God’s presence in your life to surrender to Him in a particular way. Conviction is also the sorrow we feel when we fail to surrender to God. Conviction is a beautiful gift from God that draws on our emotions for the sole purpose of bringing us back to where we belong: in the presence of God. In short, when you feel that faint drawing on your heart to get right with God, to admit your sin, to say you’re sorry, to seek Him more, that’s conviction. Listen to Him. Immediately. You’ll find His life there.

2. Repentance - Repentance is getting raw honest with God. Talking to Him about what we’re feeling. Hiding nothing. Withholding nothing. Throwing our guts up before God and getting the whole rotten mess out before Him. Repentance is how God cleanses the deepest places of our soul. It’s also how He ushers forth the power of His Holy Spirit to transform our lowly selves into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. Bypassing a lifestyle of true repentance before God will quench the Holy Spirit’s available power from manifesting itself in our daily lives. If we want to stay aware and sensitive to God each day, living a lifestyle of repentance before Him is vital. Repentance is taking full responsibility for every thought, action, word, misdeed, and all areas of pride, self-reliance, ways we’ve not heeded God’s conviction, or lack obeying Christ. In short, repentance is buckling our knees to the authority and character of God. The moment we feel guilty. The second we sense the Spirit’s “no-no” in our hearts. Instead of waiting until we “feel like it,” we don’t allow ourselves the room. Living a lifestyle of repentance is walking in step with the holiness of God today—right now. Repentance releases the pent-up dam for a fresh release of the presence of God. It restores the joy of our salvation, and the oneness we delight in with His Spirit, and hunger to have more of, with God. Repentance secures our safety, restores our vision, and opens the lines of communication and intimacy between God and us. 

3. Teachability - Having a teachable heart is also vital for knowing God more, for keeping what we’ve already attained in Him, and for actively engaging with God from day to day—even being used by Him. Having a teachable disposition before God not only blesses Him, it allows Him to use us in greater measures. Why is this so? Because the one who has a teachable heart is yielding to His conviction by surrendering themselves fully; plus, they are showing signs of great humility and obviously yielding in repentance before Him too. Those who are teachable get to enjoy the secret things of God because they’ve proven themselves trustworthy enough to share His heart with. When we walk with God, His ways are not like our ways. We must yield to His leadership, His way of doing things, Him calling the shots and us simply following. But oh, when we follow. This is where the “more” is found. Having a teachable heart is looking to God as our source of life, not comparing ourselves with others to the right or to the left. Seeing what they’re learning, doing, or not doing. Our eyes are on the Great Teacher, not pinging here and there and everywhere, giving us a serious case of spiritual A.D.D. Having a teachable heart is a willingness to listen to our Instructor and to do what He says—and the sooner the better for God to receive highest worship and our greatest joy.

4. Intercession - Intercession is living in a place of open dialogue with God for you and for others. Where conviction draws us to God, intercession keeps us before God. It positions Him in the most prominent place for everything pertaining to life, to godliness, to His will and work in our lives, as well as His will and work in others. If a crisis comes up and we turn to God in prayers, calling on Him to act, throwing the situation and circumstances before Him, that’s intercession. Intercession is more than the simple act of praying but it’s throwing all things before Him and calling on Him to move, to act, to intervene, and to respond. Intercession is not about having polished and primped prayers for others to be impressed by. Intercession is living a humble life before God, welcoming Him into every area of our lives and the lives we are bringing before Him, and keeping our ear to His chest to hear His heartbeat. Intercession is not just praying; it’s listening for His plans, purposes, and areas where He is inviting us to join Him in the work He has in mind and desires to do. In short, intercession is leaving the shallow shores of “God bless our food, our lives, and our dog,” for the much rougher waters where God is teaching us “to will and to work for His great pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 ESV). Even the deeper waters of praying for ourselves: “God, if You do not keep my head above water, I won’t make it.” Or the deep waters of praying for our families: “God, if You do not keep all of us treading these dangerous waters, we’re all sure to die. You alone are our only Help, our greatest victory, and our ultimate joy. In Jesus’ mighty, saving, powerful name.”

Point: When we are in a right relationship with God, we can count on Him to deliver us. 

In closing, the psalmist writes of seeing the end of all things and finding no perfection. Even the best of human desires, designs, and dreams fall short of finding complete fulfillment. Our world is limited, tainted, and finite. Therefore, nothing can be perfect. As we grow older, we tend to accept this as a fact. Some use it to excuse their lack of desire or motivation to change. However, God’s commands are limitless, pure, and eternal.

Man’s ways are bound, but God’s precepts are boundless. Man’s ways are finite and limited, but God’s testimonies are eternal and unlimited. Therefore, wherever God guides, His Word provides. Whatever the need, God’s Word is sufficient. Whatever the question, God’s Word provides the answer. Whatever the struggle, God’s Word brings peace.

God’s Word can be trusted. No matter the culture, the time period, or the circumstance, God’s Word can deliver because it’s power is derived from the source and the source is God Himself. Therefore, we should look to it for any and every decision we face and then abide by its every principle.

The Bible is an ancient book – actually a collection of ancient books – written by men who were moved by the Spirit of God. In that sense, God is the true Author of Scripture. Therefore, though ancient in time, the Bible is relevant because God Himself is relevant. 

Reasons why God’s Word continues to be relevant for our day.

1. God is still God

2. Sin is still sin

3. Man still needs redemption.

4. The missionary commission still stands.

5. Our inner needs are ever the same.

6. It gives hope in the present.

7. It tells of the final victory of Christ.

God’s Word

Just use me – I am the Bible.

I am God’s wonderful library.

I am always – and above all – the Truth.

To the weary pilgrim, I am a good strong staff.

To the one who sits in gloom, I am a glorious light.

To those who stoop beneath heavy burdens, I am sweet rest.

To him who has lost his way, I am a safe guide.

To those who have been hurt by sin, I am a healing balm.

To the discouraged, I whisper glad messages of hope.

To those who are distressed by the storms of life, I am an anchor.

To those who suffer in lonely solitude, I am a cool, soft hand resting on a fevered brow.

O, child of man, to best defend me, just use me!

Wrap It Up 

There have been times in history when the Bible was a social expectation— even fashionable. But while societies change, God’s Word will always remain the same. 

Hope to see you on Sunday! 

In His Love, 

David & Susan