R681 The Word Of God, Pt.1

God has an encouraging word for you and me today.

The Bible-based printing of Dr. Don Wilton as we study the book of Hebrews together. He headed to Hebrews chapter 4 in just a moment as we open God's Encouraging Word with Dr. Don Wilton well-known seminary professor, evangelist, pastor for over 25 years and probably most well known as the pastor of Dr. Billy Graham if you haven't seen his book to read his book called Saturdays with Billy. It is a tremendous blessing is available both in hard copy and on audio form can find all the links on our website@twonline.org that's TE W online.org today, as we open the word to get another phone line is open as well and 866-899-WORD would love to pray with you anytime 866-899-WORD 9673 Bible is a very very precious word over the decades, and over the centuries so much as been said about the Bible that has been discussed as being debated being analyzed scrutinized criticized this God. I think just about anything that you and I could ever imagine could ever happen to anything has happened to the word of God and yet the word of God abides forever.

Today we going to be studying one of the most precious and most wonderful of all subjects and that has to do with the word of God. I love the Bible. I certainly don't understand all of it.

I've tried to. I've tried to study it, but I don't necessarily understand all of it, but I want you to know today that I believe all of it every single word, even those parts that I don't necessarily understand because this book. The Bible is about God. You know when you talk about God. There is so much about God that we could never know because of who he is. He's God all this Bible is the centerpiece on the mantelpiece of First Baptist Church in to be the centerpiece of every Christian's life, not to be the centerpiece of our marriage about businesses of everything between noon and everything that we say this word which is a lamp and a life we going to be speaking today about God's word because it's right here in Hebrews chapter 4, I want you to turn with me to Hebrews chapter 4 we going to be looking at just two verses today and God has found it necessary to insert. I believe something that is so vital to every believer's heart and the concerns this wonderful word of God.

All I want to read it to you.

Found in Hebrews chapter 4 in verse 12, is what the Bible says about itself for the word of God is living and active. It is sharper than any double-edged sword. The word of God penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, the word of God judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account to my friends.

I'm going to do something today that I don't know that I've ever done before.

Is your cost. This may be a first. And yet it might not.

I'm certainly careful not to apply in absolutes at this juncture, but I made it read to you my introduction how do you like that I have people from time to time comment and say to me, pasta it just seems to me that you have very few notes in front of you and I'm I'm ready to tell you that that is true for the most part most of the notes I have was the outline that I give to you to help you in your own study in to be able to help you to take notes. That's what I bought in front of me just in case I cannot see the screen as far as you can, but I don't have extensive and exhaustive notes and it's interesting that you know why I don't have major notes. Have you ever been in a school classroom with all the teacher does is read to you out of a textbook you know how you spell that BORING boring I've ever had a teacher who walks in and sits down the stands only tribal liens on typing and says all right paying six begin. I used to have some history teachers who did that. And boy did they make history more then I had some history teachers who would come in and I want to tell you something folks they made history come alive because they were involved in the subject. Well, I cannot do this on my own because I'm not able to do that, but by God's grace and through his Spirit. I will go and I will prepare over the weeks of God, who put these things in my heart to and I coming on Sunday mornings and on other occasions and I have a basic outline of and I get up and I preach it not also the Lord every Sunday Lord, would you say a whole lot of things that I had no idea I was going to say and you know folks I don't want you to be overly impressed with my scarf often tell me they say now pasta. We have three morning worship services from time to time. Stephen come to me or Sala somebody and say G pasta. I wish you would say that in the early service and on-site to them what was it exactly that. I said, and now you know why we record Lee services folks so that we can get it. There are times many times when I'm preaching that quite honestly and frankly there are things that I find myself sharing with you that I know only God could put that in my heart. Now that's cold inspiration when I stand here and speak to you. I am preaching to you, God willing, under God's inspiration, not Don Wilton. I'm all asking the Lord to speak through me as he does for you in the choir sings it's not you, singing you are the instrument of God's grace. When you are playing a musical instrument. Yes, you got ability to play that competent and play those drums and things, but God.

God speaks he he flows through us.

Now there is so much that I want to say to you by way of introduction, this morning that I knew that it would take me the next three weeks so I just wrote it down so I'm going to read my introduction but you gonna need to have to listen carefully as folks I'm about to share with you some of the most wonderful truth concerning the word of God is weeks like to contextualize and try to understand what it is that God is saying to our hearts. Listen carefully when George Mueller was 90 years of age he was honest how many times he read through the Bible. He replied I've never kept the exact count but approximately 200 times, and the 200 reading of the word of God was fresher than any of the others I find new truth. Each time I read the word of God Charles Haddon Spurgeon said of this. He said that the Bible is a vein of pure gold unalloyed by any earthly substance.

It is a star with a spare son without a block life without darkness. I without paleness, although it cannot be said of any other book that it is perfect and pure. Dr. RG Lee said this of the Bible, God inspired the infallible word inspired in totality.

Regenerative empower personal and application God's will of God blessed me in unity God. Listen to this. Andrew Jackson said this of the Bible that looks so is the law upon which our public stand. Patrick Henry said this of the Bible. The Bible is worth more than all other books ever printed George Washington said this of the Bible. It is possible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.

Charles Dickens that Greg novelist say this is not quote the New Testament is the very best book that ever was or ever will be known in the womb harassments said these astonishing words about the Bible. These holy pages will summon the living of God's mind, they will give you Christ himself.

Christ talking Christ dying Christ rising the whole Christ in a word, they will give him to you given intimacy so close that he would be less visible to you, even if Eastern before your very eyes. Now my friends, the story of the Bible is Christ and his plan of salvation.

To summarize, the Bible ruin and redemption ruined by sin and redemption by the blood of the cross of Christ Jesus.

So what about this by the Bible is a library.

I listen to the Bible is a library of 66 different books written by 40 authors over a period of about 1600 years. These writers were kings too were priests. One was a physician to with fishermen to worship in this, and so on and on and all Paul was a Pharisee and the theologian. For example, Daniel was a statesman. Matthew was a tax collector. Joshua was a military leader, Ezra was a scribe DMI was a cupbearer and so the list goes on. Despite widely divergent backgrounds and eras of its authors, the Bible presents one major theme throughout, from Genesis to Revelation. What is that feed the restoration of God's elect through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now the word inspired means God breathed is not a beautiful spike. The word inspired means God read all Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable. Second Timothy chapter 3, all Scripture is inspired by God that speaks to the plea Marie verbal inspiration of Scripture. Now, boys and girls, if you listening this morning. I know that's a big mouthful the plea Marie verbal inspiration of the Bible plea Marie verbal inspiration is the only type of inspiration that the Bible teaches what it means is that all words of the Bible are inspired and what that means is that this Bible is full. It is with a mixture of error is completely, absolutely 100% from Genesis to Revelation. Now the question is this relates to what is called the Apocrypha because of you that all religious students. You would've heard of that big word in the Apocrypha, the Apocrypha means hidden books. The Apocrypha is a collection of hidden books written from about 200 BC until about 100 A.D. 300 year period of time. 200 years before Jesus died until about 70 years after Jesus died before he was born and go off to.

He died the Apocrypha was never considered and has never been considered as part of Scripture by any Bible scholar.

Now the question is this. When were the books of the Bible recognized as inspired. The answer is that the books of Scripture were immediately recognized as inspired. The moment they were written.

There was no waiting period for the Scripture to be established is another big word by the way we talking about all kinds of things. The Apocrypha means hidden books. Cameron literally means the standard of authority that determines that the Bible is absolutely true. The inspired, infallible and inerrant word of God.

When was the canon of Scripture established the entire canon of Scripture was established as soon as the book of Revelation was completed in the first century. Early in the first century future church councils. All they convened. If you study church history to recognize the canon of the new state church which was established off to Constantine's conversion. In fact, off about 250 years off the unbelievable persecution of the Christian, the state church did not even authorize the canonization of Scripture, the state church barely recognize the obvious heavenly authority of the books of the Bible which had been a firm since the apostolic age began when is the apostolic age, the apostles, with those men who had witnessed literally the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. So the apostles with those who lived and lived immediately during and following the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul, the apostle Peter the apostle John and the disciples as we know them so well in the top pull one of the apostles. He called the gospel Scripture by quoting Luke chapter 10 in first Timothy chapter 5 in 60 A.D., about 25 or so years off to the death of Jesus. All recognized all the Old Testament and the Gospels as the inspired word of God. Peter gave equal authority to the apostles and pulled alongside the Old Testament equal to them the word of God. In second Peter chapter 3 the New Testament church knew that Paul's writings with the inspired word of God way back then in the first century, the entire Bible as we have it today was recognized as the word of God by the church of the apostles who the way back.

In the first century.couple of other thoughts and I'm gonna move on the Bible my friends is superior to all other books ever written so as to be unique stands in a class all by itself.

It is superior to science and philosophy have been written concerning those disciplines in wisdom literature and otherwise take, for example, in 1903. That famous scientist and those of you that have studied science will remember Herbert Spencer, one of the most notable scientists, a brilliant man, Herbert Spencer culminated his Longman will recognize scientific career by saying that the universe is made up of five elements, what with those five elements, time falls action space and matter what.

Herbert Spencer didn't know. In 1903 was that he was actually unknowingly quoting Genesis chapter 1 and verse one, which I preached on on Wednesday night. Why in the beginning time, God falls created action.

The heavens space and the matter. Please forgive the interruption will return in just a moment with the rest of today's message with Dr. Don Wilton but he insists I remind you we are available 24 hours a day as a matter fact on this phone number 86689. That's 86689673. In this day and age of texting and typing sometimes the opportunity to speak with someone to have someone pray for you and hear them pray for you by name, is a remarkable blessing matter what you're going through Dr. Don Wilton say we would be honored to be one of your 2 AM friends any time you can call 866899 word again that's 866899673 and if you would prefer to go keyboard keyboard will be chew on our website@twonline.org that's DEW online.org while you're there, sign up for the daily Encouraging Word devotional from Dr. Wilson. You can receive an email of sonically via email every day like a hard copy would produce a courtly version you're welcome for that as well. Absolutely free is all available on our website that DEW online.org that's DEW online.org about today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton violets go even further than that. Dr. Montoya, William. Again, some of you I know have studied if I remember studying him when I majored in English literature in one of my degree professor at Brown University professor of Sanskrit for years and for years brother forking years. One of the things that profess about. Prof. Williams did compile the study of any company and into the Bible with these words. This is what Prof. William said parley me if you will, on the left side of your study, type, place your own Bible on the right side will box over the wide gap between the two, so there is a gulf between it and hold the so-called sacred books of the East, which serves the one from the other aptly hopelessly and forever the religious writings of the East are not in the same class with the word of God web go back to the Emperor Diocletian boy.

He was a troublemaker. Diocletian if you remember you history created a column in Nicaea at the column. Even to this day still reads extinct of nominee Chris story directly translated, that means that the name of Christ is extinct yet.

22 years later. The Council of Nicaea met with insight of that same column to declare that the Bible is the word of God. What about the French philosopher that infidel Voltaire born in 1694. What did Voltaire say Voltaire made that bold unabashed pronouncement that within 50 years the world will hear no more of the Bible, yet 50 years off the Voltaire's death. We know the Geneva Bible Society. Used Voltaire's house to print and distribute fibers in the mid 20th century, the British Museum purchase from the Russian government. The fourth century New Testament manuscript called signee Atticus. I'm one of those unfortunate beings who have studied part of signee Atticus and you got a good microphone my lens. You can have a look at not tell you it is an awesome study of signee Atticus with petition both discovered in a Monastery on Mount Sinai in 1858 on the same day signee Atticus was purchased for $2.5 million voltage is first addition manuscripts were selling for $0.13 on the streets of Paris. Ladies and gentlemen, I simply want to make an announcement to you today that the word of God is living and active.

It is sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing of the soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the hall thing. In all creation is hidden from God, sign, and everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom those of us who are in Christ must give an account the word of God shall abide forever).

I may know this morning and so it is my friends will forever you and I will as well. We are created by God is eternal creatures were going to be alive forever, either with Jesus with God in heaven were separated from him he began to think about that perhaps what you've heard today from God's word is challenge she would you like to speak with someone to have someone pray with you answer some questions and talk to you more about that.

We're here to do that it 866-899-WORD that's 866-899-9673. Perhaps the most important decision that needs to made is not making call to us but calling out to God's Dr. Don Wilton tests in these final moments together.

Are you ready to give your heart of life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanted to pray this prayer with me today. Dear God, I know you love me very, very much and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that I don't do it on my day.

I repainted myself I can face my sin and I invite you to my life by faith in Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that pray for me. The first one to welcome you to the family of this is one of the I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying for you and how very important for us so that we can talk to connect to the right place you can begin this wonderful journey in just a moment. I'm in a come back with the final you just rededicated gave your life to Jesus for the very first time. Welcome to the family to celebrate with you to tell somebody to tell us, give us a call right now it 866-899-WORD and Dr. Don would love to send you some free resources.

That'll help you grow in that decision. Our number again is 866-899-9673 email us at online@tewonline.org G are tremendous resources as a matter fact, Dr. Don was sure about great resource to help you on a daily basis grow in your faith. The Encouraging Word's most requested resource is the daily Encouraging Word daily Encouraging Word is a daily devotional made available in a quarterly booklet were delivered each morning in your email inbox. If you would like to request this free devotional.

Please call 866-899-WORD that's 86689967349 EW online.org that's online.LI thing TL The Encouraging Word to the viewer or listener supported ministry. Thank you for listening to know if your outer website signing up for the daily Encouraging Word devotional Dr. Don Wilton or other resources, I pray you take a moment and dig deeper about your The Encouraging Word of the last decade we have seen thousands of people give their life to Christ because of the debased teaching Dr. Don Wilton every single day. We have more opportunity networks will only do that when the resources are available.

Prayerfully consider getting involved with us financially love to hear from the tales of online online getaway closing thought to my pastor and chief encourager Dr. Don Wilton UMI about our beloved nation how much I love you know maybe about here from meaning. Meaning we love them. My thing, they are real and I want you to join with trying to go on to them and their families and loved ones, let's do that right now showing just before we go Jesus on joining with thousands of people) praying for our members writing right members many seasons in the ways to connect our phone number. It 866-899-WORD 866-899-9673 or online at tewonline.org