From the study of Charles Stanley:
“As we meditate on God’s Word”

Trembling at God’s Word

KEY PASSAGE: Isaiah 66:1-2 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Psalms 23; 119:105, 111, 114, 130, 165 | Isaiah 40:8; 66:1-2 John 3:16; 14:27 | Romans 10:9 | 1 Peter 1:23 | 1 John 5:14-15

SUMMARY:
The reason the world has become so immoral and dangerous is because society has rejected God and His laws, commandments, and principles. Many people today think their ideas are better than His, and they don’t want Him telling them how to live. However, God’s instructions were given to us for our good, and any society will benefit from following them. But when a civilization chooses to ignore or reject the Lord’s precepts, an increasingly corrupt culture results. Our responsibility as Christians is to make a positive contribution to our society by proclaiming, honoring, and living in accordance with God’s Word.

SERMON POINTS :
Despite the corrupt condition of our world, God has never lost control.

He is still sovereign over His creation, declaring that heaven is His throne, and that earth is His footstool (Isa. 66:1-2). Even Solomon’s temple, which was constructed for His glory, could not contain Him. He’s not impressed by what we build and accomplish but by those who are humble and contrite of spirit and who tremble at His Word (v. 2). Throughout history, the Lord has preserved the purity of the Scripture, and today we have a wide variety of translations available to us. But do we really tremble at God’s Word? This simply means to honor, respect, and hold the Scripture in awe knowing that these are the very words of almighty God. If we are humble and contrite, we’ll recognize our need for His Word and be willing to yield to its authority in such a way that it affects and changes us. Scripture is our most precious possession, and we demonstrate how much we value and honor it every time we read and obey it.

The Attitude of the Person Who Trembles at God’s Word:
A Longing to Hear It:
When we value the Scriptures, we come to church with a desire to hear truths from the Lord. As we’re taught, we follow along in the passage, listen carefully, and write down whatever the Lord lays on our hearts so we won’t forget. But this is not just a Sunday commitment. If we truly tremble at God’s Word, we’ll read it every day, asking Him for direction and guidance.
A Desire to Believe it:.
Because the Lord is trustworthy and true, we can always believe what He says. By reminding Him of the promises we’ve read in His Word, we are able to pray with confidence, expecting Him to hear us and answer our requests when we ask anything according to His will (1 John 5:14-15).
An Intention to Obey It:
Trembling at God’s Word involves more than just reading and desiring it—the Lord expects us to obey it. This is our daily spiritual nourishment, and without it we’ll grow weak morally, spiritually, emotionally, and sometimes even physically. But when we read and obey His commands and principles, we’ll be strengthened in our walk with Christ. The Lord has blessed us by offering His thoughts and words so we can know what He expects of us.

The Benefits of Reading God’s Word:
When we humble ourselves before the Word, acknowledging that it is given to us by the living God, we will receive the following blessings:
God’s Word leads us to salvation:
Although many of us came to Christ by hearing about Him from another person, the way of salvation is clearly revealed by simply reading the Bible (John 3:16; Rom. 10:9). We are all saved by believing the truth of Scripture whether we read it ourselves or are taught it by someone else (1 Pet. 1:23).
The Scripture guides our steps:
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” If we read and heed the Lord’s instructions, He will show us where to go, what to say, and how to make decisions. His Word also reveals when we’re heading in the wrong direction and warns us of the consequences of continuing down that path.
God’s Word directs us to wisdom:
“The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” (Ps. 119:130). Scripture is our greatest protection. It’s like a shield before us, guarding our way and warning of danger. But if we neglect reading and obeying the Word, we won’t be able to distinguish right from wrong.
It lifts our burden:
Because the Lord is interested in every aspect of our lives, we can run to His Word in our pain, grief, loneliness, or sickness and receive strength and help in our time of trouble (Ps. 119:114).
The Word of God brings joy:
If we love the Word, we’ll find great joy and comfort in reading it (Ps. 119:111). When facing tough situations and discouragement, our first response will be to open the Scripture. Even if we don’t know where to read, the Lord will guide us to a passage that can restore our hope and joy. And if we don’t have a Bible with us, He can bring to mind the verses that we’ve stored in our hearts. Once we experience how the Scripture can change sorrow into joy, our love for the Lord and His Word will increase and overflow in praise and gratitude.
The Scripture gives peace:
Perhaps the most desired possession in the world is peace, but it can only be found in the Lord. “Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Ps. 119:165). Peace means to be bound to something, and when that something is the Word of God, we are bound to Him and experience the peace Jesus promised to His disciples (John 14:27). God honors and is committed to blessing those who respect and love His precious Word. It is the most valuable possession we own because it is His written message to us. From Genesis to Revelation it reveals the mind and heart of God. Everything else will pass away, “but the word of our God stands forever” (Isa. 40:8). The Lord is still on His throne and continues doing what He’s promised in His Word. When we believe and obey it, our lives are transformed.

RESPONSE:
How important is God’s Word to you? How do your actual practices support or contradict your perception of its priority in your life?
The Scripture is our spiritual nourishment, but sometimes we don’t have much of an appetite because we’ve filled up with worldly “junk food.” What kinds of “junk foods” rob you of your appetite for God’s Word? What practices or habits do you need to put aside and which ones do you need to put in place in order to acquire a taste for the truly nourishing bread of the Word?
What are some of the benefits you have personally experienced by reading and obeying God’s Word?

Sharing:

Setting aside a time: 8:05 AM-9:05 AM

I do try to sit aside time to spend with God each day, but sometimes I can’t, and when I do this is what I do!

Daily Exercises: Personal Time with God
Song: I song this song “Blessed Assurance”
Prayer: My prayer was for God to honored for His faithfulness to His people daily.
Write down and meditate on one of God’s Characters: God’s faithfulness today
Scripture Worship: Psalm 76
Scripture Memory: I memorize scripture for a month, this month “Matthew 6:19-21”
Daily Devotion Reading: I am reading “Jesus Calling by Sarah Young”
God’s Promise Today: I read John 14:27
Spiritual Goal in life: My spiritual goal is to keep my mouth on Jesus and not on others
Ultimate Goal in Life: I desire to worship God daily in my heart
Daily Goal Today: I desire to hear, obey, and follow You Holy Spirit
Speak it now!: I am blessed, healed, and highly favored by God!
Healing Confession: I am healed by Jesus’ stripes!
The Lord’s Prayer: I read Matthew 6:9-13 in a personal way
The Lord’s Supper: I read I Corinthians 11:23-26
Read Psalm 23: I read and remind myself that Jesus is my Shepherd
Read Matthew 18:18: Jesus gave me this authority, and I use it in my prayer
Pray Matthew 18:18 for someone: I pray for whoever the Holy Spirit put on my heart
My Personal Confession Today: I love You Jesus!!
Prayer Focus: I pray “Numbers 6:24-26” for the city and people of Jerusalem
Ending Song: God’s Life, Nature, and Ability
Pause: Doing this time I meditate on God’s faithfulness as led by Holy Spirit
Record what God spoke to you: “I am with you through all trials you face today”

My Assignment: Questions:

1). To you, what do meditating on God’s Word means?
To me, it means to sit aside time to read, think on scripture given by the Holy Spirit
2). Did you spend time with God today?
Yes I did! I try to do this every day, but sometimes I miss it, and my day is not as good as if when I do sit aside this time to spend with God and hear Him talk to me through His Holy Spirit.
3). Read Joshua 1:8; Joshua 1:8-9; Psalm 63:6, 119:148, and Isaiah 9:7
I have read the scriptures for this lesson. They blessed my soul
4). Which scriptures touched your heart the most, Explain
Joshua 1:8-9 always ministered unto me, because God encourage us all to be strong in Him, not in ourselves; we need His strength to get through our daily life each and every day. These words touches your heart!
5). Which one of God’s characters you mediated on today?
God’s faithfulness; “The faithfulness of God is true and has been proven many times. In the Holy Scriptures, we can see that God is faithful and His Word is true. Hebrews 6:18 says God cannot lie, nor can He break an unconditional promise that He says He will fulfill. Every covenant He made is kept. Every promise or foretelling has or will come true. Testimony after testimony of God’s faithfulness is certainly found throughout the Bible and is still given in testimonies by people today.”
6). Name the three activities involved in meditation.
I love these three activities; Shut out the world, shut ourselves up to God, and focus our attention on a passage of scripture. Glory to God!
7). What do dedicating your mind means?
Philippians 2:5 say, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,” It means to have the mind of Christ, pray for God to give you this mind as you read and meditate on His Word. He will do this, I know! We are to be followers of Jesus in our mind too. Love and obey God.
8). Set quietly and mediate on Philippians 2:13. God gave me this scripture years ago, and I have meditated on it ever since. If we get this scripture in our hearts, then we are more than a conqueror, which is Christ Jesus our Lord, AMEN. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” God is in control!!!