DaleTedder.com
  • Home
  • About
    • The Fellowship of Ailbe
    • Reflections Ministries
  • A Far Green Country
    • Spiritual Direction
  • Here I Stand
    • Heidelberg Catechism
    • Apologetics
    • C.S. Lewis
  • Podcast
  • Bible Studies Home
    • Old Testament Essentials
    • New Testament Essentials
    • Philippians
    • Ephesians: Growing Up in Christ
    • Costly Discipleship
    • Lord of All
    • Ten Commandments
    • Master Plan of Evangelism >
      • A Different Gospel
    • How to Interpret Scripture
    • Spiritual Power
    • Bible Studies Links
  • Sermons
    • Pastoral Ministry
    • Richard Baxter
  • Prayer Journal
    • Spiritual Life Checkup
  • My Books & Study Guides
    • Natalie Tedder
  • Southside Men
    • Men's Discipleship Basics
    • Links for Godly Manhood
    • Southside Men History

Devotions

​

Godly Men are Scripture-Saturated

6/12/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Psalm 119:13-16 – With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. [14] I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. [15] I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. [16] I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Matthew 22:29 – Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

A Good Reason or Two to Read Scripture

I wonder if much of our aimless spiritual wandering isn’t self-inflicted. We are often content to grope in the dark when pure and undefiled light is offered us. This light I speak of penetrates our deepest being (Heb. 4:12), judges our thoughts and attitudes (Heb. 4:12), makes us wise for salvation (2 Tim. 3:15), is breathed out by God himself (2 Tim. 3:16), is truth (John 17:17), is the means by which we are sanctified (John 17:17), is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16), thoroughly equips us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:17), works as a mirror to show us our truest selves (James 1:23-25), endures forever (1 Peter 1:23-25), cannot be broken (John 10:35), counsels us in every sphere of our lives (Ps. 119:24), will not return to God empty but will achieve the purpose for which he sent it (Isaiah 55:11). As the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17), it is our only offensive weapon in our war with the world, the flesh, and the devil.

And so, if all of this is true (and it surely is, and more), why are we not plumbing its depths, mining its riches, and saturating ourselves in its mind-renewing, life-transforming power every available opportunity?

Psalm 119 gives us a beautiful model of what a “piety of the Word” should look like in our lives. All through the Psalm we find a variety of synonyms for God’s Word, such as decree, statute, law, ordinance, precept, as well as word. Sometimes these words are used to communicate God’s “directives for our lives” and other times a word represents “his promises.” The first “calls us to obedience while the other calls us to faith – the two elements of godliness” (NIV Study Bible notes).

Just Imagine

Each of today’s verses contain enough material for its own sermon. That would require more time and space than is presently available. But just dream with me for a moment…

Can you imagine a person, home, church, small group, or community that regularly recounts the law of God, rejoices in following his statutes as one rejoices in great riches, that meditates day and night on God’s precepts and considers his ways for every thought, word, or deed? Can you conceive of such an individual or community that delights in God’s decrees and will not neglect his word at any time for any reason? What would such a person or church or small group look like? What would be their impact for the world in which they live? According to Matthew 22:29, Jesus says there would be great power that would attend such commitment, passion, and saturation. Can you picture the reformation and revival that would break out at God’s behest?

Just One

Humanly speaking, it all starts with one – one person who will saturate himself or herself in God’s Word, and who, like Ezra, will study it, live it, and teach it to others.

Are you such a person? Imagine what might happen if you were! What’s stopping you? Why not take God at his Word – trust his Word – saturate yourself in his Word – and then hang on.

Walking Points

Which of the descriptions of God’s Word found in the first paragraph fires your imagination most? Have you ever wondered why Christians don’t spend more time studying God’s Word? What are the obstacles in your own life that have prevented you from spending time in Scripture? Be creative: What are three ways you can increase your intake of God’s Word this week? Share your ideas with a friend and then get busy putting your ideas into practice.

Grace and Truth,
​Dale
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Click the images above to learn more about my books for men.

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017

    Categories

    All
    Accountability
    Advent
    Ambassador
    Being
    Bible
    Bible Study
    Calling
    Change
    Children
    Choices
    Christianity
    Christian Living
    Church
    Comfort
    Commitment
    Confession
    Courage
    Covenant
    Cross
    Culture
    Desire
    Discernment
    Discipleship
    Doing
    Encouragement
    Epistemology
    Eternal Perspective
    Evangelism
    Every Sphere
    Faith
    Faithfulness
    Family
    Fatherhood
    Fellowship
    Freedom
    Gifts For Ministry
    God
    God-Centered
    Godliness
    Godly Men
    God's Attributes
    God's Character
    God's Glory
    God's Love
    God's Will
    Gospel
    Grace
    Healing
    Heart
    Heaven
    Holiness
    Holy Communion
    Hope
    Hypocrisy
    Idolatry
    Integrity
    Jesus
    Jesus Christ
    Kingdom Discipleship
    Kingdom Of God
    Knowing God
    Knowledge
    Leadership
    Legacy
    Longing
    Longing For God
    Lordship
    Love
    Loyalty
    Manhood
    Men
    Men's Ministry
    Mentoring
    Ministry
    Mission
    Missions
    Obedience
    Parenting
    Passion
    Perseverance
    Preparation
    Priorities
    Purpose
    Reformation
    Relationship
    Revival
    Righteousness
    Sacrifice
    Salt And Light
    Sanctification
    Scriptural Holiness
    Scripture
    Secularism
    Sermon On The Mount
    Shepherd
    Shepherding
    Sin
    Small Group
    Sovereignty
    Spiritual Growth
    Stewardship
    Study
    Teaching
    Temptation
    Tests And Trials
    Theology
    Thinking
    Trust
    Truth
    Vision
    Wisdom
    Witness
    Worldview
    Worship

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • About
    • The Fellowship of Ailbe
    • Reflections Ministries
  • A Far Green Country
    • Spiritual Direction
  • Here I Stand
    • Heidelberg Catechism
    • Apologetics
    • C.S. Lewis
  • Podcast
  • Bible Studies Home
    • Old Testament Essentials
    • New Testament Essentials
    • Philippians
    • Ephesians: Growing Up in Christ
    • Costly Discipleship
    • Lord of All
    • Ten Commandments
    • Master Plan of Evangelism >
      • A Different Gospel
    • How to Interpret Scripture
    • Spiritual Power
    • Bible Studies Links
  • Sermons
    • Pastoral Ministry
    • Richard Baxter
  • Prayer Journal
    • Spiritual Life Checkup
  • My Books & Study Guides
    • Natalie Tedder
  • Southside Men
    • Men's Discipleship Basics
    • Links for Godly Manhood
    • Southside Men History