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[0:00] Hmm. All right, so if you got your Bible, let's find Psalm 119 again, and we'll continue and finish, Lord willing, we'll finish what we started last Wednesday night.

[0:17] This mega psalm of 176 verses. I don't know how many times I've read through it, but like I told you last week, I generally just, once I get it started, it's like, I got to finish it, I got to go, I got to go, and I never really spend time on it, but this week I have, and in just those 60s, and today is the 67th day of the year, and so I was looking at that one today and kind of pondering on that, and it's one that we read last Wednesday, and I think we might tonight as well.

[0:54] But I'm enjoying a look at the psalms, doing it one verse a day. I told you last week that this is a poetic, written in a poetic style, and it's got eight stanzas, or sorry, 22 stanzas of eight verses apiece, and it's, there's not, there's a few spots in the Bible that are like that, a few psalms that have that poetic style.

[1:20] I know the Lamentations of Jeremiah is very much like that, where chapters one, two, four, and five are all 22 verses, but the middle one is 66 verses, broken down a little bit, it's very much written in a poetic style.

[1:40] It's not hard to see that. But Psalm 119 is an amazing, absolutely amazing and remarkable chapter. And what we did last week, I want to start you with the same verse just to quickly review and then move on, is verse 66.

[1:54] I was trying to show you that there's a, what I believe is a progression in your relationship with this book. Now, you gotta, you gotta admit, this is a unique book.

[2:05] It's not the same as this book, or this one, or any other one on the shelf. It is not at all the same. And if you were raised around this Bible, and learning the books of the Bible, and knowing how to turn to the pages and the chapters, like, that is a huge advantage for you.

[2:23] Huge advantage that you, if I say, Job, you know what I'm talking about. And not, it's not job. Like, most would, did you think it was job when you first got saved?

[2:35] Yeah, of course. Everybody would. That's natural. If I tell you, like in Sunday school, we've been in Ezekiel 28. To some people, they have, that is nothing to them.

[2:45] Absolutely nothing. But if you know something, that's a huge advantage in this life. For you to know what the Word of God, what it is, the structure of it, how it's put together, and just to have a workable understanding about it.

[2:58] That's a great advantage. And it's more than that, really. But this is an amazing book. And what our job is, we'll come to verse 66 now. What God expects us to do is to believe the words of his book.

[3:13] Verse 66 says, Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I have believed thy commandments. Now, before you get the teaching, before you get the learning aspect of the Bible, God's expecting you to approach it by faith.

[3:29] And to come to it believing that it's right. I gave you a chain of, I don't know, ten verses last time, where it's every one of thy righteous judgments, or thy word is very pure, or thy word is the truth.

[3:39] And all of those verses we ran through this chapter, declaring that this book, the law of God is right. That it's true that you can trust it. And God expects you to approach it with faith.

[3:51] You may remember, and I think it's in Hebrews chapter 11, when it's talking about faith, that little phrase shows up in verse 3, that it says, By faith we understand that the world is refrained by the word of God.

[4:06] Without faith, we don't understand anything. But when you approach this book with faith, now you're entering into the realm where God is going to open up some things and show himself to you.

[4:18] And so the first thing in your progression in this book is to believe it. You approach it in faith. You believe the book. And it's not a hard thing to do. But it's not a popular thing either. It's not being taught.

[4:29] It is absolutely being taught the opposite of trusting and believing that these words are actually God's words. And that's a whole other rant. So you enter it by faith.

[4:39] And then the second step in the progression is then you learn it. And that's what it said in verse 66. Teach me good judgment and knowledge. Why? Because I've already done this.

[4:50] I've believed. I've approached it in faith. And by believing it, then you're opening yourself up to learning it. And I ran you through another chain of verses through this psalm on somebody crying out to learn and for God to teach them things.

[5:06] Look at Psalm 119. Look at verse 135 again. 135 says, Make thy face to shine upon thy servant and teach me thy statutes.

[5:23] And I believe the psalmist wants God to meet with him, to shine upon him as he's studying and seeks to learn from the word of God. And that's something in my life that I came upon.

[5:36] I told you about. And when I got laid off from a job, I learned from the word of God. I started getting into it for really the first time where I was serious in my life that I wanted to know what that Bible said.

[5:47] And I wanted to hear from God. And I heard from him. And he helped me. Now, there's another step that's going to follow that. So you're going to approach it in faith.

[5:58] You're going to believe it. It doesn't mean you're going to be able to explain it. And it doesn't mean you're going to be able to teach it to other people. But you're going to believe this is right. And then the faith works. I wanted to take you to another verse.

[6:10] Can I do that? Keep your place here and go to 1 Thessalonians 2. This is a verse I wanted to start with as a reminder of what we studied.

[6:26] 1 Thessalonians 2. And speaking of approaching the Bible in faith. And then what follows is it starts to work inside of you.

[6:39] And you begin to understand and learn it. In verse 13. Notice carefully the wording here. 1 Thessalonians 2.13. For this calls also, thank we God, without ceasing.

[6:52] Because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us. Ye received it not as the word of men. But as it is in truth. The word of God. Which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

[7:08] Now some people do receive it as if it's the word of men. And they fight and argue and debate. And they refuse it. It's truth. They don't want anything to do with it. But somebody who receives it in faith.

[7:20] And believes. Down the Bible. Now you're entering the realm of faith. That's where God begins to work. And that's where he's at. Without faith it's impossible to please him.

[7:30] So come back to Psalm 119. And I want to show you the next step. Look at verse 33. Verse 33.

[7:42] The Bible says, teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes. And I shall keep it unto the end.

[7:54] So the faith, the believing it, moves into this learning it stage of God teaching things. And then the result of that is you're going to have a choice to make.

[8:04] And the choice that the psalmist says in verse 33 is, I shall keep it. I'm going to obey it. That'll be the third step in your progression with the Bible is that now you know it.

[8:15] Now you've heard some things. Now it's time to obey what it says. Come back to verses 4 and 5. 4 and 5 says, thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

[8:28] Oh, that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes. It sounds like a young believer there. A young Christian. Like I know that it's right.

[8:40] And oh God help me. I'm struggling. It's hard to change my life. It's hard to stop some things and pick up that Bible and obey that.

[8:50] Oh, that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes. Because inside, if you can relate to this, there's a person inside you whose ways are not directed to keep these statutes.

[9:02] It's directed against these statutes. But the third step in your progression here is then that you begin to obey it. And this guy sounds like he's saying out, I'm trying. Come back to verse 33 and let's read a few more verses right there at 33.

[9:18] Because that young Christian, if we could call it, that sounds like he's growing. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law.

[9:29] Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the way of thy commandments for therein do I delight. So this guy is growing and he's saying, I shall observe it.

[9:41] I will observe what you teach me. I'll obey it. I'm going to keep it and observe it with my whole heart. I was listening to Brother Donovan teaching through something here recently.

[9:52] And he was talking about the Bible and he said about the Bible having a cover on it. And he said, the Bible has a cover on it. It's covered. And the reason people don't like to uncover it. They don't like to open it up because they're afraid of what God's going to tell them.

[10:05] Because they know that God's going to tell them that their ways are wrong. And that they need to change their ways. And so they don't want to open up the Bible. Well, this guy here, he wants to learn.

[10:16] And then he wants to obey what he learned from the Lord. And look at verse 59 now. Psalm 119 verse 59. I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

[10:32] That's a good idea. That's somebody who's in the Bible. Because if he's turning to his testimonies, then he's already learned what they are. And he has a confrontation here with God's ways or my ways.

[10:46] And as I thought on my ways, I had to turn. I had to make some changes from what I was doing and how I'm living. So that I can be in favor with God and keep his words and follow him.

[10:59] Somebody's obeying the word of God. This is an incredible phase to be in in your progression in the word of God. It's not just about believing it and learning all the heavy doctrine. But no, as God gives you light and begins to open your eyes.

[11:12] Remember the verse we read back in last week in verse 18? Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of it all. As God little by little, incrementally opens your eyes.

[11:24] It can happen fast, but it's only going to be one thing at a time. As he opens your eyes to his truth, you have a decision. And to embrace it, to obey it, or to question it, or to deny it, or just to say, no, it can't be.

[11:37] But somebody whose heart's right with God and opened up, they're taking it in. And wanting it and desiring it and obeying what God gives them. And so what God does, as I've learned and as I've experienced myself, is God gives light.

[11:50] He gives a little light to you. He shows you something and then checks you to see if you'll obey it and follow it. And if you obey it, if you heed the light, then it'll give you more light.

[12:02] Look at Psalm 119 verse 100. Look at this. Somebody got a whole lot of light because they were obeying the light that they got.

[12:13] Verse 100 says, I understand more than the ancients. Why? Because I keep thy precepts. You obey the word of God and you obey the light God gives you and you'll get more.

[12:25] And you'll get more. And you'll get more. And there's going to be a result in this. Something's going to happen as you continue to obey the word of God and the light that it gives and the changes that it calls you to make in your life.

[12:39] Something's going to happen. Guess what that is? Look at verse number, we were at 100. Look at 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I might keep thy word.

[12:56] Somebody's changing their life. No, what they're doing is they're getting cleaned up by the word of God. Look at verse number 104. Through thy precepts, I get understanding.

[13:09] And what's the result? Therefore, I hate every false way. The light is coming on and it is illuminating life. And now you're starting to hate those filthy things that you were attracted to before.

[13:23] Because the Bible's changing you. Look at verse 113. I hate vain thoughts, but thy law do I love. 1.15 says, depart from me ye evil doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God.

[13:40] Somebody's life is being changed. Their company is being changed. Their thoughts are being changed from the word of God getting inside of them. When you obey it, the result is it will clean you up.

[13:54] Look at verse 128. Therefore, I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right. I hate every false way.

[14:06] Number 133 says, order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. This is a great place that you want to be getting to in your progression as you are letting the word of God now change you.

[14:24] You believe it. You begin to learn it. You respond to the light God gives you. You obey it. And the result is your life starts to change. The book transforms you.

[14:36] It's the word of God that does this. Come back to verse 9. Look at verse 9. How do you get to that place where you're changing your company? And to where your thoughts are now changed?

[14:48] You hate the wrong stuff now. Look at verse 9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? That's a question. And there's an answer given. By taking heed.

[15:00] That's obeying. By taking heed thereto according to thy word. You want to clean up your life? Clean up your path? Clean up your mouth? Clean up your eyes and your ears and all of it?

[15:13] Take heed. But you're going to have to be in it. You're going to have to get that book in you. Obeying the book. Stay right here where we're at. Look at the first three verses of the psalm itself.

[15:25] Verses 1, 2, and 3. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart.

[15:37] They also do no iniquity. They walk in his ways. You know verse 11, thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee.

[15:50] That book will clean you up. You'll do no iniquity. It doesn't make you sinless. That's not what it means. But you get the thought there. You're seeking him with your whole heart.

[16:00] You're walking in his ways. The word of God is in your heart and you're not going to fall into sin. You're not going to be so deceived when the book is lighting your path. And so you obey it.

[16:12] After you learn it and have it taught, you obey what you learn and it cleans you up. And then there's one final step that we'll spend a little time on here. Look at verse 163.

[16:24] The result of the cleansing that the Bible will give you. 163. I hate and abhor lying.

[16:39] But thy law do I love. And the fourth and what I'll call in this study the final step of this progression is you're going to love it.

[16:50] You'll believe it. You'll learn it. You'll obey it. And then you're going to fall in love with it. You say, what? A book? You're going to love a book?

[17:02] Yeah. Yeah, you will. If you don't understand that, then you really haven't learned it yet. And you probably haven't been obeying it yet. And it hasn't done some things in your heart like it needs to do, like it wants to do.

[17:18] But when you, the Bible says, taste and see that the Lord is good. And when you get a taste of how this holy book can change how you are and who you are.

[17:29] And how you speak and think and treat others. And how it can take your thinking out so much higher than this pathetic, puny little life.

[17:41] And put your affections on things above. And get you to see that you're serving the creator of all. And that he has plans for you. Not just today, but for the future.

[17:53] When this book starts to teach you things and change how you look at the life, boy, you'll fall in love with this book. I think you will. I don't know about you, but there's a verse in Romans 15 that says about the things written a fourth time.

[18:11] Written for our learning that through patience and comfort of the scriptures. I don't know if you've ever had the word of God comfort your heart. I know Pastor DeMichael up in Idaho has leukemia.

[18:25] And he's had bouts with this thing on and off for years and years. And sometimes it comes on so strong that, I mean, he's knocked out for months. Knocked out of the pulpit. He's going through the treatments.

[18:37] It's the whole deal. And life or death, don't know how it's going to turn out. And he's testified. The Lord's brought him back more than once from those things. And he gets back in the pulpit. And he says this.

[18:47] He's like, boy, the last couple months I just parked in the Psalms. I parked in the Psalms. I was brought very low, very weak. And all I could do was read about crying out to God and being in distress and in adversity.

[19:02] And many are the afflictions of the righteous. And just parking right there and drawing strength and comfort from somebody else who is writing on my behalf. And the word of God, in those cases, gets you through something.

[19:17] And that man would say, I love that book. It was my strength all the day. Well, what happens when you love something? What do you do? Look at Psalm 119 and verse 147 and 148.

[19:34] 147 says, I prevented the dawning of the morning and cried. I hoped in thy word.

[19:45] Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy word. That word prevent means to be in readiness for, meaning to anticipate.

[19:57] So he's anticipating the dawning of the morning so that he can get into the Bible and start his day with God. He says, I prevented, mine eyes prevent the night watches.

[20:10] I don't know what that means except possibly if he's on duty that he knows he's got three hours of boredom. But I can spend time in the word of God and it's going to be quiet.

[20:23] And everybody else is a bit in sleep and nobody's annoying me or getting in my way. I don't know. It reminded me as I read that, it reminded me of times when I go out in the woods and I climb up in a tree stand with my bow.

[20:35] And in my backpack, I had my Bible. And I'd have about three hours out there before it got dark. And I knew for the first two hours was really just trying to get out to my spot quietly and slowly and not stir anything up and just let everything in the woods settle back down.

[20:50] And so I'd sit there for at least two hours and just read for ten straight minutes and then look around and nothing's happening and read. And I've had deer walk right up on me because I was just not even paying attention.

[21:01] I was just in the Bible. And I've had times where I'd have to shut the Bible and slip it into my coat and try to get my bow. But there was times that I remember just enjoying getting away from the church and the office and the teenagers and the noise and the locker slamming and the buses and all the activity of the place there.

[21:24] And I'm just going out to the woods. But I knew I'm going to spend time in the Bible. And I longed for it. I love that stuff. I feel like mine eyes prevented the tree stand because I knew I was going to spend time in the Word of God.

[21:41] Take a look at one. No, look back at verse 97. Oh, how I love thy law. It is my meditation all the day.

[21:55] Somebody spending time with what he loves. And it's the Word of God. It's not spending time with the news, newspaper, politicians, what all that's going on.

[22:11] Oh, the crisis and the next crisis and tomorrow's crisis. No, just loving the Bible and letting that be his meditation. Meditating on the Word of God, not on the works of man and all the fears of man.

[22:24] Look at 165. Psalm 119, verse 165. Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.

[22:40] Verse 167 says, My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. What do you do when you love something?

[22:50] I asked you that a second ago. Look at verse 171 and 172. Here's what you do. My lips shall utter praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes. My tongue shall speak of thy word, for all thy commandments are righteous.

[23:05] You know, when you love something, you talk about it. That's what you do. I do it too. You do it too. You talk about it. Something gets inside of you, rejoices your heart, your mouth opens up.

[23:16] You're not embarrassed because you like to talk about it. I love when people want to talk Bible. I love it. I don't think like, oh yeah, this is my world now.

[23:27] I don't think like that at all. I just, it's something I can connect with that person. If they want to talk about the word of God, I don't walk around the room and try to start conversations about the deep and get, I don't do that.

[23:41] And I generally don't even start the conversation, but when it happens, I'm in. I went to Bayview Baptist Church on Sunday night with Brother Hilton Smith, took him down there and he got to see Pastor Andrews and a bunch of people that he's friends with there.

[23:56] And afterwards we went out to eat and he brought up a question about something in the book of Esther. And he just brought the question up. Brother Smith did. It was nothing big, but he said, you know, what do you think about this?

[24:08] And, and I just, I was the young man there and so I didn't say anything. And Pastor Andrews, he said, well, and he just kind of started to say something and he just kind of glanced over at me and, and I didn't say anything.

[24:21] I just waited and they talked for a second and then they both looked at me again and then I threw in my two cents and, and we went for a few minutes. It went for a little while and it was fun. And I was like, I'd rather talk Bible with you guys any day of the week than anything.

[24:36] Like name it one thing in this planet, nothing. I want to talk about the Bible. I know why, because I love it. And that's not, I'm not anybody.

[24:47] It's just saying that it's done something for me. It's, it's real to me and I'm into it. You talk about it. If you love it, that's what you do. You talk about it. Look at verse 46 through 48.

[24:58] Verse 46. I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings and will not be ashamed.

[25:12] And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved. And I will meditate in thy statutes.

[25:23] Somebody must love the word of God a lot. They're spending a lot of time in it, meditating on it, talking about it, and they're not ashamed of it. What a great place to be.

[25:35] What a progression from where just starting out, not knowing much, just full of sin. But believing that book, it takes you to where you're in love with it and you're not ashamed to speak it to anybody.

[25:48] Look at verse 103. There's, there's more. 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste.

[26:02] Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth. I hope that you're in that case where you hear that Bible. It, it does, it's, it perks your ears up.

[26:14] You remember Christ saying this many times in the Gospels, even in Revelation to the churches, he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. Oh, are you, do you have ears to hear?

[26:25] When you hear the book, does it, does it say, ooh, that's the Bible? Do you ever catch it in this world elsewhere? Remember, we were talking about the King James Bible and showing you how it's changed culture and it pops up all over.

[26:36] Do you catch that stuff? I heard it, it was, I don't even remember what it was. I know Samuel was there and it was on something again, some TV something, some guy said something.

[26:47] I was like, King James Bible. There it is again. Got in there. He doesn't even know it. He's quoting the Bible. Verse, what was that verse?

[26:59] Verse 103, look at 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

[27:14] Talk about loving it. Rejoicing your heart. Most Christians, it's probably money or it's probably family or some person in their life that rejoices their heart.

[27:25] But when you've grown and you're this progression with the book and God, it's going to be this. It's going to be this right here. I've worked overtime before in my life.

[27:36] I've worked my 40 hours and we've had some projects going. It was busy and I worked overtime. And I knew when that check came the next week, I was going to, the boss came out and handed us our checks.

[27:47] And on Tuesday, he would come by and I knew I couldn't wait to open that thing up because I knew the number is always this. But this week, it's going to be this.

[27:57] And in my heart, it rejoiced my heart to open that envelope and see that number because I earned it. And I spent a lot more time in my life working for it.

[28:08] And the overtime just racks up so much faster than the 40 hours racks up. And it rejoiced my heart to get that money. But consider what the psalmist says about this book.

[28:19] Look at verse 162. Can you picture somebody stumbling onto a pile of money?

[28:35] How they react to that? Who they're calling and telling? How excited they are that I just got this for free? I didn't do nothing. I found it. Somebody says, I get that Bible and I find some things.

[28:49] God shows me some things and it rejoices my heart. It turns me on. I get excited. Look back at verse 127.

[29:01] Verse 127. Therefore, I love thy commandments above gold. Yay. Above fine gold. You know, if this was David, I don't know that it was.

[29:12] But if it was, he had gold. He had fine gold. But take it or leave it. He's not going to leave this book in the dust. Because he loved the word of God above fine gold.

[29:25] You see somebody on a game show that wins $10,000. They get it right. They get the answer right. They just start jumping up and down and jumping and excited and hugging the game show host and hugging their sister and their mom.

[29:38] And they won $10,000. $10,000. This guy here is talking about fine gold. And he says, no, the Bible is better.

[29:50] Look at verse 72. It gets more. 72 says, the law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

[30:01] One more. Hmm. One more. Go back further. Back to verse 14. And this one about puts all that wealth into one place.

[30:12] I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches. Now, if you're honest and you had the choice to take all riches or the word of God, if you're honest, you're going to struggle with that one, aren't you?

[30:36] All riches. Thousands of gold and silver. Or an old book that people make fun of and say doesn't make sense and they can't understand it.

[30:50] And you're not going to find too many people that are going to be on the same level as you in what you think about this book. You might be on an island. What are you going to do?

[31:03] I'm talking about loving the words of God, about rejoicing in the word of God. I wonder if you know what I'm talking about. There should be some progression. There should be some growth.

[31:14] And it starts with believing it. And it's going to end. It has to. With loving it. Look at Psalm 119, verse number 140. 140.

[31:29] Thy word is very pure. Therefore, thy servant loveth it. I read that verse.

[31:39] I think every time I come through and hit that verse, I don't fake it. But I mean, it's like if I don't outwardly, I do inwardly look up to God and say, thy word is very pure.

[31:50] Therefore, thy servant loveth it. That's my heart on this book. I believe every word of it. I don't care who says what against it.

[32:01] It's done too much for me. And it means too much to me. And I love it. Not ashamed to say it. I love the Bible. God's holy word.

[32:14] God knows my heart. I believe every word of that book. And I hope you have gotten a taste of it yourself to where you can't go without it. To where it means something to you.

[32:26] It's done something for you. It's a wonderful book. One president, John Adams, said the Bible is the best book in the world. And I don't know what he thought of it beyond that, but what else can you say?

[32:40] Amen. It is the best book in the world. There's a song. Some of you know Sound Doctrine. This song is called The Mirror. And in James, the Bible is likened to a mirror, to a glass, beholding your face in a glass.

[32:55] And he wrote this song about the Bible. And I'll just read you the verses with the chorus. He says, I pick up the mirror.

[33:28] And now I'm amazed that that's really me that I see. I know that there's nothing wrong with this mirror. I'm just not what I used to be.

[33:39] The more that I grow, it's still good to know that this transformation is true. May it not be me, Lord, but you that they see, a living reflection of you.

[33:50] I love this old mirror, God's holy word. And I found that it always reads true. If not for the mirror, I know I'd be lost. For it was there that I found you.

[34:03] When things come between this old mirror and me, your image won't be shining through. But in view of the mirror, my purpose is clearer to be a reflection of you.

[34:14] That book, it'll change you. It'll clean you up. And I want to close with, well, two things.

[34:25] One, go to Psalm 138. I just want to point out a verse. If you think it's getting a little weird to be talking about loving a book and love, love, loving the book, book, book, more than money.

[34:39] Well, I don't think we can really exalt this Bible high enough. And here's the reason why. Because God puts it in a position that I can't even attain to.

[34:51] Higher than I put it. In verse 2, Psalm 138, verse 2, I will worship toward thy holy temple and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth. For thou, God, thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

[35:07] You know what he tells people? He says that he that taketh his name in vain. He says he will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

[35:18] God's going to hold somebody guilty that takes the name of God in vain. And then he says this. That's how serious he is about his name. And then he says he's magnified his word above all his name.

[35:33] I wonder if that's the place that you put the Bible in your life. The place God puts it in his life. It's above his name. The Bible's not a tool to spread Christianity.

[35:45] The Bible liveth and abideth forever. Now, I want to caution you with one thing. In this whole area of progressing in the Bible.

[35:59] And growing in it. And learning it. And it cleaning you up and changing you. And this is something that's a warning. Because it's a temptation that's going to come with this. And it's come on me. And I've seen it come on others.

[36:11] And it'll come on you if you grow. The temptation's going to be every step that you take forward. And as you gain and grow. What you're going to notice is.

[36:21] Not everybody else is taking these same steps. And you're going to see that. What's wrong with them? Why aren't they in love with the Lord like they should be?

[36:34] And what you're going to forget is. Just a little bit ago. I was back there too. I'll give you an example of this. A little bit different. But we used to go.

[36:45] You know. Some of you know Alan Ryman. Pastor in Smyrna, Delaware. And he always puts on revival meetings in August. And he has youth rallies there with his son. Anyway. And we would go.

[36:55] I'd go there as often as I could. Just to get around them. They're such a lively crowd. They're just so wound up and exciting. And I mean they're wild. He's. That church is crazy. And I'm not kidding.

[37:07] And so if he was here. And he might be here one of these days. Again. You'll. You'll know it. And so we'd go there. And it'd just be shouting. And just pure excitement. And adrenaline in the service.

[37:18] The singing would be just through the roof. The people were just wound up for God. You felt like you were in the place that you wanted to stay forever. It was so good. And I remember one of the first couple times being around that atmosphere.

[37:30] And that crowd driving back home. It was a Saturday night. And I'm driving home like. Man. Tomorrow morning is going to be dead in church. Nobody is going to be singing. Nobody is going to be shouting.

[37:42] No amens. It's just going to be quiet. It's going to be boring. And I was just leaving. And the Lord like. Smote my heart saying. You just left an exciting atmosphere.

[37:53] And here you are being bitter already. Just a half an hour down the road. Thinking about where you're going. And oh it's so terrible. And the Lord said to me. And he just showed me like. Shut up. Don't complain about it.

[38:04] Be part of the solution. Bring some of that life back. If that's what you think you need to do. And I was like. Oh. Yep. Nope. Not doing that. I won't be running around. I'm not going to be shouting it out.

[38:15] Not in my nature. Not too often. But. But I. I noticed that. That was my initial temptation. Was to. Project. That good stuff. And then against.

[38:26] What I had. Or what I was around. And so I went back again. To another revival there. And took some people with me. And it was such a good time. We had a van of people. And we were all stirred up.

[38:37] And on the way home. They start talking back there. I'm driving. They're talking behind me. Why don't they ever. Why doesn't our church like that? I was like. Oh. Here we go. That's exactly what I felt.

[38:49] That's how it happens. It's. That's the temptation. Is to start. Casting it down. Instead of. Lifting it up. And. And I realized. This. That same thought. Is the same thing here.

[39:00] As God grows you. In the Lord. And in the word of God. You're going to look around. And say. Why isn't everybody else up here? Why aren't they reading. As much as I'm reading. Why aren't they studying the Bible too? And then you forget.

[39:12] That. It wasn't that long ago. That you were just back there too. And the Lord did something. In your heart. To get you to that book. And you'll have to just wait for him.

[39:22] To do it in their life. And in the meantime. Be the light. And show everybody. That you're on fire with this book. And you love it. And let that stir them. If it can. But if it can't.

[39:33] It can't. And it's not your job. To force them to catch up to you. And it's not your job. To complain about them. For not being where you are either. That's the caution. As you progress.

[39:44] And as you move forward. In your relationship. With the Lord. In the word. So we'll close with this. I want to ask you this though. Where are you at? In that whole line.

[39:56] Where do you find yourself? Can you do without it? Can you do without it for a week? Can you leave it in the truck? Just leave it in the truck. And then get it out Sunday morning.

[40:07] And walk in there. Or can you do one of these numbers? And I'm good. I'm at church. I'm good. What was that?

[40:19] Proverbs? Okay. Then you're there. You know one good thing about this thing. Is when I do this. It doesn't refresh. And bring new worldly distractions into my eyes.

[40:33] It's just. It's unchanging. There's no Amazon notifications about packages being shipped. There's no emails that pop up on here that I don't need to worry about right now.

[40:46] There's no Instagram temptations. There's no games. There's no text. And this is not a Bible. Absolutely not a Bible.

[40:57] This is a Bible. And I hope that you fall in love with this. And that that book is special to you. One day. I was thinking last night about this particular book. I don't want to have to do it again.

[41:09] Like some of you. Rich you've gone through a few. I'm trying so bad to take care of this. I've had it for 20 years. Had to rebind it one time. Since Bible school.

[41:21] And I thought even. I don't want to die. And leave this thing sitting around. And kids be like. That's dad's Bible. Like. I don't want to ever let it go. I was thinking.

[41:31] I know it doesn't matter when I'm dead. But I was thinking. I don't want anybody else to have this thing. I really don't. It's mine. It means something to me. Really. Really. Really does. If you want to tick me off or do something.

[41:44] Don't. Don't. Don't do that. Because. I love that book. So I hope. I hope this. Your Bible means something to you just the same. I really do. I hope you're getting to that place.

[41:56] I hope it's doing something inside of you. And cleaning you. Because it will. It won't leave you. Where you were. So let's pray. Father. Lord. We thank you for the.

[42:06] For the giving. Of your words. By inspiration. That they're. Full of life. And they're holy and pure. Thank you that we can believe them.

[42:17] And trust them. And place all of our faith in them. Thank you for saving our souls. Thank you for. Showing us Jesus Christ. And what he accomplished for us.

[42:29] Thank you Lord for Calvary. Thank you for eternal security. Thank you for giving us this book. In a way that we understand the divisions in it. And Lord. So many are confused in that.

[42:39] And God. We only have you to thank. For giving us an understanding. We thank you Lord. That this book is holy. That it can change us. And quicken us. And clean us. And God.

[42:51] It is my. Absolute desire. For every single soul. In this building tonight. That they would fall in love with this book. And that it would be this book. That changes them.

[43:01] And that grows them. And that points them to you. And that directs them. On what they should be doing in this life. I pray they'd have a relationship with you. Through this book. And Lord.

[43:12] I pray that you'll get the glory. That they'll spend time in it. That you'll. That you'll meet with each one of us in it. And that we'll know it's that book. That speaks to me. And God.

[43:23] I pray that. I know that one song says that. That sin kept me from it. Now it keeps me from sin. God. I pray that would happen. That sin would be.

[43:34] Let go of. That would. Would. Thank you.