Coffee With The Lord

Well today, during “Coffee with the Lord, I began reading Psalm 119 – the longest chapter in the Bible and a Hebrew acrostic poem.  Over the next several weeks a read a section assigned to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet per day.

If I were to describe this Psalm, I’d call it a “Song Celebrating the Beauty, Power and Perfection of God’s Word!”  In many ways the Bible is like a brilliant diamond with many facets.  It is almost as though the writer of this Psalm displays Scripture and then slowly turns it under God’s brilliant light allowing each facet to radiate its brilliance – all 176 verses of the Psalm!

Here’s a sampling of its beauty from the first section…

“Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!

“Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong but walk in His ways!

“You have commanded Your precepts to be kept diligently.

“Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!  Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.”  (From Psalm 119:1-8)

Oh, that’s how I feel about the Bible!  That’s my prayer today… “Oh may my ways be steadfast in keeping your word!”

I don’t simply “like” the Bible – I “LOVE” the Bible!  My favorite class to teach at SAGU (Southwestern Assemblies of God University) was a course we called “Bible Study” – a course that exposed our students to “inductive Bible study.”  Each year I’d do a little exercise with our students… I’d ask them to tell me what they thought the Bible provided for Christians.  Over the years their input could be summarized by the following list…

• The revelation of what God is like
• A reliable report of the wonderful things God has done
• Confidence in what God can and will do today!
• An awareness of how God works
• The revelation of His will for our lives
• The common beliefs and convictions that bind Christians together
• The vocabulary of our faith – how we talk about our relationship with God
• The “good news” of God’s provision to restore our relationship with Himself (i.e. the “Gospel”)
• Guidance about how to continue to live in fellowship with God (i.e. “discipleship”)
• And our mandate and message as believers

I like to think of the Bible as “an owner’s manual.”  Several years ago I purchased the truck of my dreams… A Honda Ridgeline fully outfitted.  Loved that truck!  When I purchased it, there was a book that came with it, located in the glove compartment.  It was called “the owner’s manual.”  That book provided all kinds of helpful information and problem solving tips.  Before I spent $$$ at the repair shop for shop time and parts, it was always helpful to consult the “owner’s manual!”

Consequently, each semester at the University I would encourage my student’s write these words in the front of every Bible they owned… “This book is my all sufficient guide for faith [my relationship with God] and daily living!”

Listen, in light of all that the Bible provides, don’t you think it might be a good idea to spend more time reading it, consulting it, and following its direction in all the matters of faith and life?

They’re usually standing on the sidelines or in the stands… They never get into the game. And for them, there’s really no excuse. They’re physically able, they may have even participated successfully in the past. But for some reason now they prefer not to be involved or committed. It may be fear, it may be timidity, it may be boredom, it may be dislike, it may be that they just don’t want to be involved! Oh, don’t get me wrong, they have an opinion about how the game should be played! Give them a minute and half an opportunity and to hear them talk, you’d think they’d be all-stars… But instead, they’re on the sidelines!