The Benefits of Living out God's Word

Opening Question

What are the benefits of these products? What contributions to society do these things do?
* a plunger
* a tv
* a piece of paper
* a cup of coffee

Now, what about a Bible? Is there any benefit to this thing? Don’t give the pat answer of yes…tell me what? What are the benefits to reading the Bible and doing what it says?

Today, we are going to examine and explore some of the benefits of reading the Bible and doing what it says. Because I believe that this one thing can be one of the greatest contributions to your life and a handbook as to how to live your life effectively.

Scripture
The 1st benefit is found in the book of James.

James 1:22, 25: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says... But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
1. What are we do when we read the Bible?
2. What will happen to us if we read and apply what the Bible says?
3. What will we be free from?

When we read the Bible, we need to do what it says. If we do, we will be blessed and it brings about freedom.

So, the 1st benefit from reading the Bible and doing what it says is that we will have freedom from the old rules and regulations that so many of the Jewish people were imprisoned by.

These are not not actual rules, but if you mowed your law on the Holy Day/Sabbath, you would be sinning. If you milked your cow at certain times, you would be sinning. I know they sound like silly rules and who would ever do these, but the Jewish people were held to those types of rules.

But, because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we are no long slaves to those kinds of rules. But now, we are free because of the grace and love that Christ brought us through his death and resurrection.

What we need to do to experience that freedom is to read the Bible and do what it says. So again, the 1st benefit of reading the Bible and doing what is says is that it brings freedom.

The 2nd benefit is found in Joshua

Joshua 1:8: "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."
1. What are we do when we read the Bible?
2. What will happen to us if we read and apply what the Bible says?
3. Prosperous and successful in what?

The 2nd benefit from reading the Bible and doing what it says is that we will be prosperous and successful in life. By knowing what it says and doing it, you will have that guide to help you make the right decisions. It is a handbook you can turn to and examine how other people made choices and how those choices either worked for them or against them.

So, not only will we gain freedom but we will be prosperous and successful in life. Not too shabby?

The 3rd benefit is found in Psalm.

Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
1. What benefit will we get from reading the Bible?
2. What is the symbolism here?

A light, especially when it is dark and scary, will help you make the right steps along the path so that you can get to your final destination.

So, in the path of life, a light will help you stay on that path and not fall off or get sidetracked so that you can reach your end goal. Reading the Bible and doing what it says will help give you guidance that will help you stay on track.

So many people feel that they know the right way and that they can do it all alone. Why do it alone when God is there ready to help you and guide you? Why go through all the pain and suffering of the poor choices you will make when God want to help you?

Application

So, wrapping up, there are 3 clear benefits from reading the Bible and doing what it says:
1. It will bring you freedom
2. It will make you prosperous and successful – not necessarily in riches but in life
3. It will be a guide for you to make the right decisions to stay on the right path – God’s path for your life.

The Bible is your complete handbook for life.

The challenge this week is simple. Break out a Bible, read it and do what it says. What’s the worse that can happen to you? You have more clarity in what you should be doing in life situations? You might succeed? You might not stress about important decisions? If you ask me, that isn’t too shabby.

If you need a starting point – no problem. I have a 30 day, brief overview of stories in the Bible. You might say, it’s the cliff note version of the Bible. 30 Day Challenge

This week, let’s make no more excuses why we don’t read the Bible. Let’s try it out and see how God impacts our life because of it. No more excuses.