Address—Jim Hyland
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To the book of Second Timothy.
Second Timothy chapter 3, Second Timothy chapter 3, and we'll begin reading at verse 14.
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and has been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them, and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scriptures given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect.
Thoroughly furnished unto all good works. And then I'd like to read a verse or two in first Peter.
First Peter chapter one.
And verse 23.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever, for all fleshes as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass, the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. Well, I had it on my heart to look at some verses this afternoon and take up a line of things.
That I realized some of the young people here have heard me take up before. And yet I feel burdened in taking up these scriptures because I trust that these scriptures that we look at briefly this afternoon will encourage our hearts as to the importance of God's Word in our lives. Young people, you need God's Word in your life. You need to read it each day. And the scriptures we're going to look at, I trust, will show how this applies in a practical way to every part of our Christian pathway.
It's vital. It's a vital part of Christianity. God has given us His precious word, and we have just read together that the word of our God endureth forever. We have a book in our hands this afternoon that is unlike any other book in this world. Do you realize that this book, God's Word, is the only book in this world that's living? That's why you'll never exhaust it. And that's why I believe for all eternity there's going to be a fresh enjoyment of the unsearchable riches of Christ.
As we have those things before us, when we're safe home in the Father's house, I say you'll never exhaust this book. Every book that man writes can be exhausted. Perhaps you've had a book that you particularly enjoyed, and after you had read it and time passed, you enjoyed it so much that you picked it up and read it once again. And on the second reading, you found there were things you missed the first time. And then perhaps some further time passed.
And you picked up that book a third time, and we'll suppose even a fourth time. And no doubt each time you picked it up, there was something that you had felt you missed before. But you know, every book that man writes, as comprehensive as it may be, as interesting as it may be, you can always exhaust it. You ever have a book? And after you read it several times, you said, well, there's no more we can get out of that book because every book that man writes can only contains so much information.
But this book is, I say, like unlike any other book in this world. It's the word of God that liveth and abideth forever. But I began with this portion in Second Timothy because this is what we might say is the beginning. You know, when we take up a line of truth in scripture, it's always good to go back to the beginning. And what is the beginning for us in our Christian pathway? Well, it's that time when we came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.
That time when there was a work of grace in our souls and we realized that we were sinners, but we also realized that God had full and abundant provision and pardon for us. It was, I say, a new beginning in our lives, just like Israel in the Old Testament. You know, when they were under the ******* of Pharaoh and Egypt, a picture to us in the Old Testament of Satan in this world, God said that he was going to deliver them.
And God did deliver them from that ******* and he redeemed them by the blood of the Passover lamb.
Not only so, but he delivered them through the Red Sea, and they looked back and rejoiced that their enemies were dead and that they had complete deliverance. And God told Moses to say to the children of Israel, this month shall be unto you the beginning of months. This was a new time in Israeli history.
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They were no longer under the ******* of the Egyptians. They were now redeemed to Jehovah. It was a new beginning for them. And I know that most of us here, if not all, look back to that time, some of us over a few years. Perhaps there are some here who no doubt look back over many, many years. But doesn't it rejoice our hearts to think of that time when in some way we heard or read the word of God, it was presented to us?
And it showed us our need as sinners and also God's way of salvation.
And here in the verses that we began with the Apostle Paul is writing to a young man named Timothy. And Timothy had the privilege of growing up in a home where the word of God was valued. I had by the grace of God such a privilege. Not that I always appreciated it, but I look back and rejoice to think that I had the privilege of being brought up in a home where the word of God was read on a daily basis. And we know that Timothy had a God fearing grandmother.
And a godly mother who no doubt brought the Scriptures before him, because Paul reminded Timothy that he was to continue in the things that he had learned and been assured of, and he was to continue in those things that he had heard from a child. Now I realized that perhaps there are some here this afternoon who were not, are not, were not brought up in a Christian home. Perhaps your parents aren't even glad you're here this afternoon. But there are many of us who have had the privilege and do have the privilege at this very moment, of being brought up in a Christian home.
Do you value it? And do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior? You've heard the way of salvation.
I have no doubt if I were to go up and down these rows this afternoon and take the time to speak to each one individually, not just the young people, but the boys and girls and those who are older, I have no doubt that each one here could give me some answer as to how to be saved. You know the verses from God's Word. You've had the way of salvation explained to you from mothers and fathers, perhaps grandparents. You've come to the meetings and you've heard the word of God opened and read and the way of salvation explained very clearly from God's precious word.
But I want to say at the outset of this meeting, if there's someone here and you're not saved, all the way of blessing is open for you and open your ears this afternoon to hear God's word, it says he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. It says to faith cometh by hearing and hear and hearing by the word of God. And that was my point in reading this, these portions, because every one of us here who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.
It's been the result of hearing the word of God in some way, because Timothy was reminded that from a child he had heard the word of God and that it was the word of God that had made plain to him the way of salvation. That's what he means when he says which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. It's the Holy Scriptures that show us God's wonderful plan for sinners. How would we know God's way of salvation?
Apart from the word of God, but God has spelled it out for us very carefully. In the Word of God, the way of righteousness, it says, is so plain that a way faring man, though a fool, may not err therein. God's desire is that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
Because Timothy not only heard these things from the time of his childhood, but Timothy had made these things good to his own soul. Here was a young man brought up under the sound of the word of God, but a young man who had come to know the Lord Jesus as his savior. And he says here, through faith, which is in Christ Jesus, Timothy had come to trust in the finished work of Calvary. He'd come to trust the Lord Jesus and the Precious Blood for his salvation. Have you come to that point in your life?
It's one thing to hear the word of God from the days of your childhood, but oh, it's a solemn thing to refuse it.
I suppose there will be many in the lake of fire who will have the memory of sitting on their parents knee and hearing the word of God. Many who will have the memory of coming to gospel meetings, perhaps even the memory of coming to young people's get togethers such as we have before us this week. And yet they will be in a place of torment. They will have a memory because it says the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. Well, Paul goes on to remind Timothy.
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That all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. And so I want to go on and look at this.
But I might just say before we do that I read the verses in Peter because I believe too, it's not just hearing the word of God, but it's the Word of God applied in the power of the Spirit that God uses to impart divine life To us. It says we're born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible by the word of God that liveth and abideth forever. I can't save one soul, you can't save one soul. But we can present the word of God.
And it's the sword of the Spirit. It's not my sword. It's not your sword. It's the sword of the Spirit. And when it's used in communion with the Spirit, then there's power. And it says it's living and operative and saw. The gospel has been preached unto us, and I trust every one of us here have believed the gospel of our salvation. But as I say, that's the beginning. But it's only the beginning. And so Paul goes on to remind Timothy.
All Scripture was given is given by inspiration of God and is profitable, and he gives a list of things that it is profitable for. And then he says that the man of God, God, may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. In other words, he says, Timothy, if you're going to be a useful vessel for the Lord's glory, if you're going to be a useful servant, all you must take up the word of God. And I have every confidence that I as I look into the faces of my young brother in this afternoon.
That you have a desire in some measure to follow and to serve the Lord. I trust it's true of each one of us, but we really can't take up an intelligent service for the Lord without taking up God's word. And so, as I say, I want to look at some scriptures that show how this applies to every aspect of our lives. Young people, I realize that Christianity is a very practical thing. It begins with that time when we're saved, but then it takes exercise.
It takes purpose of heart. It takes energy of faith to go on day by day and year after year for the Lord as we're left here. And I I know there's problems. Youth is experiencing a great deal of difficulty today. But I want to tell you before we go on, we have a wonderful resource in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His precious word, this book is more up to date than the daily newspaper.
It fits what's happening in 1998. In fact, I've been recently enjoying how when Peter wrote to the Saints, he said I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and I want you to notice this little expression and be established in the present truth.
You know, this book is the present truth. In other words, it's relevant for what's happening today, because you might look at some of us who are a little further along and say, well, you don't understand. You don't know how dark it's become and what we have to face. Well, young people, perhaps, I don't. I know things are darkening in this world. I know the enemy is busy today to vie for your affections, to interject every kind of thought and activity, to keep you occupied with the things of this life.
But I do know this. We have the present truth before us. I know that this book is able to help you and to guide you and to keep you even. In 1998 have sometimes said when we were growing up there was a large bookcase in my parents hallway. And in that bookcase where a number of books, they went from the shelf by the floor right to the ceiling. And often those books were pulled off the shelf and read as we were growing up. But there was a shelf of books up near the ceiling that really only collected dust.
Except that on some occasions, perhaps a snowy afternoon or a rainy evening, we would pull those books down and we'd look at them, as we sometimes said, just for a laugh, because they were old books that my parents studied when they went to school and why, We find that we found how outdated they were. The books that we were using in school at that time were what we would think were so much more advanced than the things my parents studied, and men's philosophies and ideas change.
Ways of teaching, perhaps some of the books that I studied just a few short years ago, If we were to bring them here this afternoon, you'd say, oh, we've left those books behind long ago. We've moved on, we've made progress in science and all these kind of things, But all the word of God doesn't change. The word of God lives and abides forever. And I just want to impress upon you this afternoon that this book is relevant to your life right now, in 1998.
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And it will do the same tomorrow. As long as we're left here, this book is sufficient light and instruction for our pathway through this world. Well, with these things in mind, I'd like to go first of all to the 23rd chapter of the Book of Job.
And verse 12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips.
I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
Well, we spoke of how when we're saved, God imparts to us divine life.
And if we can be healthy, fruitful Christians here in this world, we must feed the Newman.
Just like in natural things, those of us who have children know that we're concerned on a daily basis for making sure that those children eat healthy meals, because if they're going to grow properly, they need good, substantial, healthy food. Each one of us take the trouble to eat perhaps three good meals a day. And yet in doing that, I wonder if we have the same exercise as to the new man.
We take such pains to take care of the body and the natural.
And rightly so. We're not our own. We're bought with a price, and our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, and we need to be concerned about those things. But what about the spiritual? Here was a man named Job, one of the earliest writers in the of the Word of God. And what did he say? Oh, there was something that was more to him than just eating three good meals a day. And that was the word of God. I've esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
Do we value the word of God in that way? Jeremiah said. Thy words were found, and I did eat them.
And they were unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart, and when the Lord Jesus was here.
He spoke to his own in John's Gospel, chapter 6, and he spoke of feeding on the bread that came down from heaven.
And that bread was Christ himself, because how are we going to feed on Christ?
Young people, how are we going to feed on Christ? How are we going to feed the new man?
We must take up this book and read it. There's a little hymn we sung when we were younger. Feed on God's Word in the morning. Feed on God's Word at noon. Feed on God's Word in the evening to keep your heart in tune. And we need to feed on the bread that has come down from heaven. And I say that bread is Christ himself. And you know, wherever you pick up and read the word of God, the subject is always Christ. Now, I might just say to at this juncture that I want to encourage orderly, consistent reading of the word of God.
There are times when we take up this book and we perhaps do a little study and we follow a line of things through the word of God. And that's right and proper because God has woven the truth in a way that doesn't encourage laziness. God never encourages laziness in our Christian pathway, and he's woven the truth in the sense that it says it is the glory of God to conceal the thing. The honor of kings is to search out the matter, and we're exhorted to search the scriptures and so on.
But I do want to encourage you to take time to orderly and consistently read the word of God.
But wherever you read, the subject is always Christ, whether it's the Old Testament or the New Testament. When you take it up and read it, have an exercise to see Christ in every line. Let me give you just a couple of examples from the New Testament to show how even the Old Testament brings before us many aspects of the person and work of Christ. When the word Jesus spoke to the two on the way to yes, it says, beginning at Moses and the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures. That was the Old Testament, the things concerning Himself.
Because it all spoke of Christ. It says there too, that he spoke of the things that were written of him in Moses, in the Psalms, and in the prophets, And so again it speaks of Christ. I've enjoyed it too, in connection with the Ethiopian eunuch who was sitting in his chariot, reading the word of God, the book of Isaiah, the 53rd of Isaiah, and when Philip, directed by the Spirit of the Lord, climbs up in that chariot to to speak to the eunuch.
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The eunuch said to him of the portion he was reading. He said, I don't know who the prophet is Speaking of. Is he Speaking of himself or some other person I know? I love what it says. It says, beginning at the same scripture he preached unto him, Jesus. I just think of it this way, young people. It wouldn't have mattered where that man was reading in the Old Testament, the Evangelist could have begun at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus, because it all speaks of Christ. And I might say too, that when we read the word of God, we need all the word of God.
You know, I'm saddened to find that there are some Christians today who are discrediting the Old Testament, setting it aside as not being relevant and important. Well, it's true, we need the New Testament to get the life and work of Christ and the fundamental principles and doctrines of Christianity. But I believe too, we go back to the Old Testament and we see it illustrated. The Old Testament is God's picture book. It's full of illustrations of men and women and their stories, and that these things show us clearly.
What it is to be sheltered from judgment, what it is to have a friend who cares for us. What it is to have a hope and a home at the end of the pathway. And we need to go back and to read these Old Testament stories. I believe this too. Young people, that God has given us examples of men and women and young people, even boys and girls, who were placed in all kinds of similar situations to that which we passed through.
Even in 1998, And maybe when you read these stories at first, they don't mean a whole lot to you.
Maybe they're just interesting stories, but familiarize yourself with them. And when you're placed in a similar situation, the Spirit of God can bring these stories back to you and make them good to your soul, because we have these examples to show us the blessedness of obedience to the word of God.
To show us the folly of disobeying, we don't have to wonder if sowing wild oats bears a fruit in our lives. No, we have those who are disobedient, those who went their own way. What kind of fruit did it bear? Fruit for God's glory? No, indeed, whatsoever. A man soweth that shall he also reap. And so read these stories, familiarize yourself with them, because the Spirit is the remembrance. And so the Lord Jesus said.
Of the coming of the Spirit. He will bring to remembrance all things that I have spoken.
Unto you well do we esteem the words of His mouth more than our necessary food. Now we're not going to turn to it, but I would challenge you to read the 16th of Exodus sometime in this connection. And I'll just mention a couple of practical things that I have enjoyed there in connection with the gathering of the manna. Because the children of Israel, as we were just singing a few minutes ago, were in a wilderness. They were in a wilderness where there was nothing to sustain life, and God gave them the bread from heaven.
He gave them that manner, and he gave it to them every morning. Now we're not passing through a physical wilderness like Israel.
Passing through a spiritual wilderness and young people, there's nothing to sustain the Newman in this world. There's plenty to feed your lusts, but there's nothing to sustain the new man. I say there's plenty to feed our lusts, and it seems it's very difficult to even drive down the highway anymore without seeing something to feed your lust. It's hard to stand at the checkout line, at the grocery store, at the department store without seeing something there in front of you.
To feed your lust. But the children of Israel were given that manna, and they needed it every morning.
And we need the word of God before we go out into a spiritual wilderness sometimes said that if I make sure my girls.
Eat a good substantial breakfast before they go off to school. They're not going to be so apartment at recess to want something that isn't good for them because their appetite has already been satisfied with good wholesome food. Do we satisfy our appetites with the word of God? Because I believe if we do that before we go out into the world, we're not going to be so vulnerable to those things that are offered on every hand. And young people I know it takes exercise to get up a few minutes earlier.
I know it takes real discipline to open your Bible and read a few verses before you rush off to school or to work, but all you'll find it'll be a blessing in your life. And I believe too, you'll find you'll develop an appetite for the word of God.
You know, at first it may take real discipline. And you may say, well, I don't just seem to have the appetite I wish I had. But let me use an illustration again that I've sometimes used. You know, when I was growing up, I was a very picky eater and I really didn't care for vegetables at all. And one of the vegetables that I particularly abhorred was peas. Well, my mother told me why I could refuse those things at home, but when I was out, I had to eat them. And I found, as I travel a little amongst the Lord's people.
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That often the vegetable that served is peas, and not only so, but often the sister will serve the plate in the kitchen.
And so I've had no choice but to eat peas. But I want to say this about eating peas, that having having had to eat peas on a regular basis.
The word of God, you'll develop an appetite. But I think there's something very encouraging too in the gathering of the manna, because it wasn't the amount that they gathered that was so important, it was what they did with it, because it says some gathered more. That is, if you have time in the morning to read a couple of chapters.
Thank God for it. You'll never have anything over. We need all of this blessed book we can possibly get.
But then it says, and he that gathered little had no lack. That is, if you only have time to read a couple of verses.
Read those verses and take them with you. I say take them with you because it was when they meet it into their Omer and took it with them a certain measure that he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack. I believe taking it in your Omar and taking it with you and dipping out of that Omar during the day would perhaps bring before us the need of meditation because young people, it's not enough to read a portion in the morning. close your Bible and never consider what you've read during the day.
David said, oh how I love thy law. It is my meditation all the day. It's difficult to meditate in this busy world, isn't it, where you're bombarded the minute you leave your home with all sorts of information and activity? Maybe years ago, a brother could work at the bench and have his Bible there and meditate on scripture. Maybe a brother could go out and work on the land and have his mind occupied with the word of God. But you can't drive a run a computer like that, can you?
You can't drive down the freeway like that. It takes all you've got to survive in school and in Business Today. But we need to discipline ourselves, to take time during the day to meditate on God's word. You know, when the Lord Jesus came to that home in Bethany and Mary sat at his feet and heard his word. It's interesting what Martha said when she came and complained. She said, Lord, carest thou not. I want you to notice this that Mary hath left me.
To serve alone. You know, Mary let the work go. She had to leave something to sit at Jesus feet. They'll never be such a thing as saying I had plenty of time for the word of God. You're always going to have to leave something, and I just want to exercise our hearts. This afternoon, when you have a minute during the day dip into your Omer, take that manner that you've gathered in the morning. Meditate on it, Timothy was told. Meditate on these things. Give myself holy to them, That thy profiting may appear unto all.
We need to take time to meditate. And I say again, we'll find that God knew just what we were going to need for the day. But before we pass on, I'd like to make another little application from that incident in Exodus 16, because I realized that I look into the faces of some of us this afternoon who are fathers. And I just want to say something to those of us who are fathers and have children and young people in the home. Because usually when we see the artist depiction of the Gathering of the Manna.
Usually it's the ladies that are depicted as gathering the manna, but if you notice carefully there in Exodus 16, you'll find that it wasn't the ladies that gathered the manna. Every man was to gather for his household, bringing before us responsibility of the head of the home.
And as I grew up in a Christian home, I have the memory of a father who rose every morning to sit at the end of the breakfast table with an open Bible so that he could read a portion. It wasn't all very much. Maybe it was only three or four verses. Maybe he made little, if any, comment on that portion.
But I believe there was a man who gathered for himself and for his household. Let's be exercised that we would gather manna for ourselves and for our wives and for our children. Well, we need God's Word. We need to feed on God's Word, and we need to meditate on it like David all the day. Now let's turn to the 119th Psalm for a little different thought.
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Psalm 119 and verse 9.
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed. Thereto according to thy word, verse 11. Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against they. Well, we've spoken of the importance of God's word in our Christian pathway as food for our souls.
But now I'd like to apply this portion in connection with the cleansing effect that the Word of God has on our pathway.
Isn't it interesting that it's the young men that are addressed here because God knows that when we're young.
We're going out into a world where there's defilements. All that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. But we need the washing of water by the word that we hear so often about wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way. Oh, it's by taking heed there, too, according to thy word, it's like a brother who's now with the Lord used to often tell us in my home assembly in Smith Falls, where I grew up, he said when he came home from the office in the evening.
He felt like he needed a good wash, and he wasn't talking about soap and water either.
He was talking about the cleansing effect of the word of God. So maybe, if I can sum it up in this way. When we get up in the morning, we need to feed on the manna. We need to satisfy our souls with Christ, the bread of heaven. Then we need during the day to meditate on what we've read. And then when we come home at night, we've been in a world of defilement. We need the washing of water by the word. You see, it applies to every aspect of our Christian lives. It's just as if God would say there isn't any time of the day that you don't need God's word.
Before your before your soul. It's the truth of feet washing that we hear so often about. When the Lord Jesus was about to depart out of this world, he gathered his disciples into the upper room and the first thing he did was wash their feet. And it wasn't really literal foot feet washing that he was bringing before the disciples. I say that because he said what that I do now thou knowest not, but thou shalt know hereafter. They knew he was literally washing their feet. But he said you won't know the spiritual application of this.
Until the Spirit of God is come and makes it good to your soul. And we need young people to seek to wash one another's feet. What does that mean?
Oh, it simply means to encourage one another in the Lord. When we're together as young people, what is the subject of our conversation? I don't say there aren't natural things that we enjoy and so on, and we have been enjoying many things here already this weekend. But what is really the focus of our conversation? Are we enjoying the Lord so much in our souls? Have we let Him wash our feet that we can wash one another's feet? This isn't just something for the older brethren. This isn't just something for those who are a little farther along in their Christian pathway. This is something for each one of us.
Do you seek to encourage your fellow young person in the Lord? You might not always be appreciated.
But it's a necessary work. Young people. I know there's plenty to discourage today. We don't have to look for things to discourage. There's plenty on every hand. But what we do need to do is open this blessed book, let it have the cleansing effect that it does. Let it wash our feet. Let the Lord Jesus wash our feet through this blessed book. And then seek to encourage one another in the path of faith and service through through this world. Thy word have I hid in my heart.
That I might not sense sin against thee. You know, that's the key, young people. It's getting the truth of God down into our hearts, isn't it? You've heard me say this before, but let me repeat a little saying I have sometimes presented in this connection. You know, the entrance of the truth is through the mind, isn't it? Because there has to be a knowledge of the word of God. We read it and we're thankful for a sound mind that can take in these things we read. But that's not the dwelling place of the truth. And then we might say the the channel is the conscience.
Because the conscience must always be reached, young people, this book is written for our consciences. But that's not the dwelling place of the truth either. The dwelling place is the heart. And when the truth enters in that way, enters through the mind, reaches the conscience, and dwells in the heart, Oh, then it has a practical, purifying effect on your life and mind. Are we opening our hearts to take in the precious truth of God, not just merely our minds?
Not just reading the word of God. So we have some good knowledge of the scripture so that we can impress others with a good knowledge. Nice to have a good knowledge of the Scripture, but all let's get these things down into our souls, because then, and only then will it have a practical effect on our lives. When I see a young person who really wants to please the Lord, and I look at their life and there's a manifestation of Christ in their life, and I see they're really seeking to follow the Lord.
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All I know there's a young person who's got the truth of God down into their heart. Because young people, there's only one way to be a true disciple of Christ, and that's to have a heart where there's only one object in it. Because I believe where our hearts are, then our feet will follow. Well, let's look at a portion later on in this same Psalm.
Psalm 119 and verse 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet.
And a light unto my path. I might just say before I comment on this verse that this Psalm is really a very remarkable Psalm. You know, I believe that David realized if he was going to have light and instruction for his pathway, if there was going to be power in his path of faith and service, it must come from reading and taking heed to the word of God. Because this is the longest chapter in the Bible. And I counted one time there's two or three, but in almost every verse there's some reference of the word of God.
Either called by precepts or thy commandments, or thy word some reference to God's word. Oh, how David valued the word of God, you know, it says in Samuels day. The word of the Lord was precious in those days and there was no open vision. But here we have bibles on every hand, every one of us here I suppose came with a copy of the word of God, and Bibles can be purchased at such a little price. And yet is it really valued our bibles really read.
Young people, do you read your Bible? Do you read it each day? Do you find it your light and instruction? You know, I've noticed a little progression in the Psalms in connection with this verse that we just read. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Because back in the 27th Psalm, David said, teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path. I trust that's the desire of each of our hearts here this afternoon. I trust that we have a desire to know.
The will of God for us in our lives. Because it says if any man desire to do his will, he shall know he wants to show you the way. He doesn't want to make it so complicated that you can't find out what his will is.
All my ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
If I don't know the mind of God for me in my Christian pathway, the hindrance is not on God's part. He wants to show me, but it's a path that's not discerned by the natural eye. It's a path that the vultures I have not seen. It's not walked in in natural strength because the lion's Welt has not trodden upon it. It's a path discerned only to those who are with exercise, prayerfully reading the word of God.
You know, sometimes I have talked to folks, some who are young and some who are not so young, and they say something like this. Well, I'd like to know what the mind of God is for me in my life, but I just can't seem to find it out. But, you know, you talk to folks like that and you pretty soon realize they're not reading their Bibles. We cannot know the mind of God for our pathway without opening this book and consistently reading it in an orderly fashion.
I know I mentioned this earlier, but let me just echo something because I believe that's really the way God directs our footsteps when we are orderly, daily reading the word of God. Maybe you've experienced this. There was some decision in your life, something about school, something about a friend, something at work, and you were just reading in the portion that was your normal portion for that day. And all of a sudden you saw the answer there. It was just the Spirit of God taking that scripture. Maybe it never meant that to you before.
Maybe they'll never mean that to anybody else, but that was God directing you in that decision, in that footstep that you had to had to take. Because young people, it's not enough just to take the word of God when you're faced with a decision and let it fall open on the table and expect God to direct you in that way. Now I'm not saying that in our weakness God and his sovereignty may not undertake. And I have heard instances where someone opened, let the Bible fall open and their eyes lighted on a verse and that seemed to be the answer and direction for that difficult problem.
I'm not saying the Lord can't work in that way, but I believe more often than not He works by His Spirit as we orderly and consistently read the word of God. So David said, teach me to teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path. He wants to make it plain. Then he recognizes in this scripture that if He's going to have the path made plain, that it's the word that is a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path. But then there's something else in the 143rd Psalm that I've enjoyed just in this way.
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Because David said there, teach me to do thy will. Not just teach me thy will, but teach me to do it. In other words, he said, when you do, make it plain, then give me the grace to take the step, because the Lord may show me something from His word, and I might hold back and say, well, now I wouldn't mind if it wasn't something quite like that. I wouldn't mind if it wasn't such a big step as that. No, David said, When you show me the step from your word, then give me the grace to take that step in faith.
Notice the two things in this verse. It's a lamp unto my feet because he directs us step by step, and as we take those steps, he gives us further light for the next step. But then it says to a light unto my path. Again, young people, it's sufficient light for the whole journey. It will guide you step by step, but it'll guide you until we're safe home in the Father's house. Now let's go to Acts chapter 2.
Acts chapter 2 and verse 42.
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles, doctrine and fellowship.
And in breaking of bread and in prayers. And then notice a verse in First Corinthians chapter 14, First Corinthians chapter 14, and verse 3. But he that prophesied speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort. Well, we've spoken of the importance of the word of God in our lives personally. We've mentioned it as to the importance of the word of God in the family circle.
But now I'd like to apply this in connection with the assembly. There's always the collective side of things, and here we have a list of things given to us that the early believers continued steadfastly in. These are what we might say are the assembly meetings, the meeting for the breaking of bread, the prayer meeting. But I was particularly thinking of this expression. They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. Now I might say here too, in passing.
That the order is very, very important. You know, when you read the word of God, always notice the order. Because when God gives a list of two or more things I speak carefully, He never gives it haphazardly. There's always an order. I might list several things, and there might be no particular reason why I listed those things in that order. God doesn't do that. And I believe the reason the apostles doctrine is mentioned first here is because it was the basis for everything else.
It was the basis for fellowship. It was the basis for breaking of bread. It was the basis for prayer.
And young people, let no man beguile you. There is a need for sound doctrine. It's the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets that we hear so often about, and I've never counted. But in the Epistle to Two Epistles to Timothy, and especially in the second epistle, where there was an undermining of the truth of God and those busy to subvert the souls of the Saints over and over and over again, he exhorts Timothy as to the need for sound doctrine.
We in the verse we read earlier, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. And what's the first thing for doctrine He could say to Timothy? Thou hast fully known, might notice the order here, my doctrine and manner of life. I probably would have reversed the order and said his manner of life and his doctrine. But the doctrine is important, young people. We need to hold fast the form of sound words, and I realize you can spend your whole life on scripture, and you'll only ever have an outline.
But you know, it's not hard to have an outline really, to know what John's ministry is.
What Matthew brings before us Mark Luke to know what the Apostle Paul brings before us in the other New Testament writers.
Even the Old Testament writers, just to have an overview, so that when you take up scripture, you take it up in the light of the whole context. We often hear how important context is when it comes to the word of God. It's not just important, it's vital in understanding the truth of God. Because I believe that every false doctrine that's been propagated and Christendom is the result of directly or indirectly taking scripture out of its context and building a doctrine on something that doesn't conform to the outline of truth that we have.
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In God, in God's Word. But here we find the apostles doctrine is mentioned in connection with, shall I say again, the assembly meetings. Young people avail yourself of every assembly meeting for ministry of the word of God. You know, it's wonderful to be here together for this week. It's wonderful to have the truth of God before us. But if the Lord leaves us here, you're going to go back to the little assembly from whence you have come to go to the reading meeting. Maybe there's just going to be a handful there. And you say, well, we read the chapter and it doesn't seem to be much comment. We don't seem to get a lot out of it.
Or attend the meetings for ministry of the word of God.
You know, when Israel was in the wilderness, one of the things that grieved Jehovah very much was that they despised the manner that God gave them. And don't despise the manner that God gives you in the local assembly meeting for ministry. Because the word of God hasn't changed and the Lord is there and he hasn't changed. And the Spirit can feed us despite our weakness and be at the assembly meetings for ministry of the Word of God. I remember when I was a little younger, brother said to me, he said, Jim, if you purposely miss a meeting for ministry of the word, he said, you may miss hearing something that you may never hear again.
Because the Spirit brings these things out as given liberty. And I believe that while the assembly doesn't teach, it's in the assembly we learn as taught by the Spirit of God. It's to be the pillar and the ground of the truth. And I believe too in the assembly, reading meetings and many meetings for ministry.
We get a balance in the way that we don't get anywhere else. Not that the Word of God needs balance. It's we who need balance. The Word of God is the most balanced book. It's perfectly balanced and perhaps the only book that is. But I believe we get a balance when we come to the assembly meetings and the Spirit of God is given liberty. Perhaps there are those who can bring out the doctrinal principles. Others can make a practical application. If I say something that's wrong, another by the Spirit can correct it.
And I often think of that verse that says Ephraim is a cake, not turned. That's what human nature is.
You put a cake on the griddle and you don't turn it. It gets too well done on one side and not enough on the other. Man is an extremist by nature, and there are so many who will put a man up at the front and they'll get one part of the truth. They'll get one aspect, but no one questions what he says. If he ministers wrong, there's no one to correct it all. We ought to be thankful that God has instituted ministry in the assembly in the way that he has, so that our souls can be fed.
And so that we can be encouraged and refreshed collectively in our Christian pathway.
Well, our time is gone, but I want to turn quickly to one further verse. In closing, one further portion in Jeremiah chapter 13, Jeremiah chapter 13 and verse 15.
Hear ye and give ear. Be not proud, for the Lord have spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God before he caused darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains. And while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if he will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places, for your pride and mine eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears, because the Lord's flock is carried away captive. Well, I read this portion in closing, because young people, it's a warning.
It's a warning to each one of us when we've had the truth of God before us and we refuse it. Then the time comes when perhaps we're stumbling on the dark mountains. We want light and instruction, but we've refused it. And what did Jeremiah say as he viewed the situation of the people of God? I said you had light, you refused that light. And now he said all I can do is weep for you. If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness? And to refuse the light of God is a very.
Solemn thing.
Young people, I implore you not to do it. Don't turn away from God's word. There's many young people that I grew up with. There's many young people that I've known in my experience, and they had the truth. They were like Timothy, brought up in a God fearing home. They were brought to the assembly, but they turned their back on it. They refused the light. They thought they knew better than God. They thought they could choose their own way. And now today they're stumbling on the dark mountains. All I can do is weep for them.
Heart does weep for them. And I just encourage you to take up God's word, value it, read it each day, that it might be food for your soul, that it might be refreshment for your pathway, that it might be light and instruction while we're left here, oh, I trust that we value this precious book. It's going to be our occupation when we get home to glory as we go over the unsearchable riches of Christ. We're going to have this book, I believe, before our souls, for all eternity, and we're never going to exhaust it.
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But he wants us to enter in and enjoy these precious things. Now that there might be fruit and power and testimony and joy in our Christian path, let's pray.