What is the Blessed Book? It is the Book that has all the answers. It is
the Book that is hated and despised by America more than it ever has been
before. It is so hated that it has been kicked out of the schoolroom. It is so
hated that it has been neglected in the church house. It is so despised it has
been forgotten in the home.
People read newspapers far more than they read the Word of God and then
we wonder way America is in the mess she's in today. This is the Book that made
America great, but since it's been kicked out, we've seen America go under and
down.
The Bible is a DIVINE REVELATION. You can't get it any other way except
that God give it to you. The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit
of God "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Romans 8:7)
It is a SALVATION book. "These are written that you might believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life
through his name." (John 20:31) It's the only way for man to be saved. If
you want people to be saved preach the Book.
Preach salvation by grace. Preach that all have sinned and come short of
the glory of God. "All we like sheep have gone astray: we have turned
everyone to his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us
all." (Isaiah 53:6) "There is none righteous, no, not one."
(Romans 3:12)
We are wicked and ungodly and ready for hell and there is only one thing
keeping us out Å that is one heartbeat and just one breath, and that's because
of the mercy of God, otherwise, we'd be lost forever.
Jesus said, "Nicodemus, you are pretty religious, but you must be
born again." He said, "How?" Jesus said, "The `how' is up
to me." "As Moses lifteth up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life."
"For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world: but
that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not
condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already." Why? ". .
. because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. He
that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John
3:14-18, 36.
You are not going to be lost when you get to hell. If you are without
Christ, you are lost right now. Your trial is already over. You've already been
sentenced. You're just waiting for execution morning to roll around. Oh, how
horrible it is for people to be lost, to be lost in sin and without Christ.
It's a REGENERATION book. "Being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for
ever." (I Peter 1:23)
This Book is a HEALING Book. The Bible says, "He sent his Word and
healed them." (Psalm 107:20) What word did He send? As far as I'm
concerned, He sent this Word.
Preachers, we'd better quit this business of turning all our sick folks
over to the doctors and hospitals and drugstores. If you don't know what I'm
talking about, you'd better find out. You're going to give an account to God
for letting your people die without praying for them and preaching the Book to
them.
You ask, "Do you believe in divine healing?" I didn't know
there was any other kind. "Do you believe in divine healers?" NO. I
believe in a divine healer, and that's Jesus. Do you know what medicine He
gives? The Word of God. What do you think He means when He says, "The just
shall live by faith?" Reckon why He put that in the Book four times? God
is not going to bless anybody who doesn't believe this Book.
Remember when the centurion came to Jesus and said, "Lord my servant
lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus said unto him,
I will come and heal him." (Matthew 8:6-7)
"No, you don't have to come. Put the Word to him." Did you get
that? He said, ". . . speak the word only." (Matthew 8:8) He doesn't
need anything but the Word. Jesus said, "You can just go back home.
There's no need for me to come." That was faith! Where did he get that
faith? From the Word of God.
Everything Jesus ever did, He did with the Word of God. Folks, we've got
to have a revival of believing the Word of God.
This is my LIFELINE. I can't live without it. Physically, I could not.
Mentally, I could never stay together. I could never have a clear mind, and I
know I couldn't have a pure mind apart from the Word of God.
This is not only a healing book, this is a CLEANSING book. He said,
"Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you."
(John 15:3) You may have on a clean suit, a clean dress, a new hair do or a new
wig or something else, but without Jesus Christ and His Word, you are dirty.
You have a dirty heart, you have a dirty mind and you are not subject
unto the law of God, neither indeed can be. There is only one cleansing and
it's the Word of God. Oh, if I could just get you to see that this is all you
need.
This book will bring a RIGHT SPIRIT if you will believe it. This is a
book of STRENGTH giving. Do you need strength? This is a book of QUICKENING.
It's inexhaustible, indestructible, indescribable, unfathomable.
There is no way in the world for a man to ever plumb the depths of the
truth in this Book. The longer I read it, the more I study it, the sweeter and
the richer and the deeper and the more wonderful it becomes.
In fact, the last twenty years, during which time we've seen our faith
strengthened and enlarged, have been the most marvelous years of my life. A
little before that is when I started reading the Bible through on my knees once
a year, memorizing many of its passages.
That's when I decided, sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I
was going to live by the Word of God. I didn't realize all of what it involved
when I started down that road, but it's been rewarding and it's been sweet and
wonderful.
The only way to build a church, if you have a Bible church, is to preach
out of the Bible, teach out of the Bible, read out of the Bible.
I believe that we just ought to stay with the Book. I really mean that. I
got so deceived and misled for so many years, in fact, I didn't even believe in
the coming of the Lord. I thought that we were going to bring the Kingdom in.
That's what they told me and I didn't have any better sense than to
believe it. I found out that the Kingdom was coming, but it wasn't God's
Kingdom. But I finally started reading the Bible and dared to believe it. I
finally realized that what they told me don't amount to much if it's contrary
to this Book, so I just dared to believe it and God began to open my eyes.
Now, do you believe this old Book? Are you willing to read it? Are you
willing to have a family altar? Are you willing to have a private time of
devotional every day?
You boys and girls, and you men and women, are you willing to memorize
it? The Bible says "Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not
sin against thee." (Psalm 119:11)
That I might not sin against God, that I might not grieve the Holy
Spirit. That I may not be disobedient to God, that I may not live an immoral
life, that I might not steal and cheat and disobey God.
Wouldn't that be enough reward, just to know that I'm living a victorious
overcoming life and I have victory in Jesus and it's all through the Word of
God?
I wonder if you realize the importance of this message in your soul?
Preachers, have you loved the Word of God more than you've loved your necessary
food? Do you realize that your ministry is to be a ministry of one Book?
Our Father, we pray in Jesus' name that the Word of God may find free
course and run in every heart and be sharper than a two- edged sword and
cleanse and purify, convict and save and convert and bring us to repentance
concerning our relationship with the Word of God. Lord, knowing that You set
your Word above Your Name and knowing Your Name is the most precious name on
earth, I pray, in Jesus' name, right now that you will give us a Bible revival,
and let it start in every heart right now. Amen.