Foundations Week 18, Day 5

Scripture Read: Psalm 119: 40 - 128
Title: God's Word and God's Promise
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H.E.A.R. Entry
(H) Highlight verse:  "This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life."  Psalm 119:50

(E) Explain:  The sacred writings of the Bible are divinely inspired and the Word of God  makes one wise to salvation – Scripture as a whole reveals Jesus and teaches us about him. 
All Scripture is breathed out by God –  All Sacred writings are inspired and ordained by God’s authority over all other secular writings.  The Bible, the Word of God, was given by the Spirit of God to men throughout history and it is without error.  It is trustworthy, dependable and divine. 
John Calvin writes, “This (authority of Scripture) is a principle which distinguishes our religion (Christianity) from all others, that we know that God (has) spoken to us, and are fully convinced that the prophets did not speak at their own suggestion, but that, being organs of the Holy Spirit, they only uttered what they have been commissioned from heaven to declare.  Whoever then wishes to profit in the Scriptures, let him first of all, lay down this as a settled point, that the Law and the Prophets are not a doctrine delivered according to the will and pleasure of men, but dictated by the Holy Spirit.”   Calvin tells us that as believer’s we need to establish the fact that Scripture is God’s Word and not mans.  It is in fact divine and commissioned by God.
The Apostle Peter confirms this in 2 Peter 1:21, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 
1 Corinthians 2:13 – “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”
The Word of God is powerful, it is living, it is active, and it is transformational.  Everything about the Word of God points us to Jesus and Jesus is the fulfillment of the Word of God (I John 1:1).  

(A) Application:  This portion of the Psalm deals directly with the commands, the Law or the Word of God and how the Psalmist is dependant on it, loves it and keeps it.  So how does this apply for us today?  Here are some thoughts...
God's Word is Profitable for…

1. Teaching – Giving insight to the nature of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  A teaching that is sound because it comes from God.
2. Reproof – Reprimanding (exposing one’s sin). 
3. Correcting – Restoration from sin to an upright state.
4. Training in righteousness – Discipleship and discipline (equipping the believer to be competent and able to do good works.)
5. So the person of God may be complete – Perfect… He/she is brought to a suitable state of moral Christian action.
6. Equipped for every good work – John Piper writes, “Everything good that God expects us to do, the Scriptures equip us to do.”  

 
(R) Respond: I will cling to the Word of God; I want to know it and love it, because in it is power, salvation and truth.