LOOK TO THE BOOK
Ps.119:105 NLT
Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.
Life is not a game, nor is it a “fly by the seat of your pants” endeavor. The philosophy, principles, tenets, truths and values you base your life on are the most critical components to your success in life, marriage, parenting, finances and all aspects of your living. You cannot afford to be ignorant, arrogant, mis-informed, uninformed, or self-negligent in gaining true divine insight, knowledge and wisdom.
You do not get a second chance to raise your kids again. You do not get a life “do over” after you have wasted years and decades of your life following the foolish principles, premises, false wisdom and idiotic philosophies of this corrupt world, and its so called truths, or simply doing what you feel like doing.
We are swimming in a world of educated idiots, who have turned their backs on God, whose lives are full of every kind of evil, who have abandoned the Word of God, and abandoned the commands of God for their own ludicrous, nonsensical, immoral ways of living, and deadly philosophies, like humanism, secularism, leftism, marxism, darwinism, materialism, all kinds of made up genders, feminism, wokeism and all the rest.
I have spent the last 46 years of my life fervently devoted to God’s Book, the Bible. I can tell you firsthand, as a man who made an intentional commitment, 46 years ago, to give the rest of my life to read God’s book, study God’s book, meditate on God’s book, teach God’s Book and do what God’s book says to do in all aspects of my life, His Book works in real life. God’s Book taught me about marriage. God’s Book taught me about fatherhood and raising children. God’s Book taught me about loving other people. God’s Book taught me about leadership. God’s Book taught me about finances. God’s Book taught me about spiritual, physical, mental and emotional well being. God’s Book taught me about true happiness. God’s Book taught me how to find real, genuine, meaningful life in service to God and to others. God’s Book taught me all about God. God’s Book taught me all about Jesus Christ the Savior of the world, and the power of the Gospel. God’s Book taught me all about prayer, how to pray, the power of prayer and the deep emotional benefits of prayer. The faith and hope to persevere through all the great trials and tribulations of my life came from the promises of God’s Book. God’s Book taught me all about God’s divine purposes for our lives. God’s Book is absolutely everything to me. Every insight, nugget of wisdom, and understanding I possess is primarily because of my devotion to, study of and application of God’s Book. All my decisions, opinions, and perspectives have been shaped and influenced by God’s Book.
Each article I write is based on the wisdom, and insights I have gained by studying God’s Book, and striving to do God’s Book in all the areas of my life, that God’s commands and principles speak to. Every message I preached on the Strong Disciple website was based on the divine insights and wisdom of God’s Book.
It may come as a surprise to some of you who do not know me that I have not been to university, I have no degree, I did not go to seminary or divinity school. I did not take a writing course, or a public speaking class. Then of course, neither did Joseph, or David, or the Apostle Peter, or the Apostle John, or many of the other disciples of Jesus. I did not study the great statements of faith that were written, before I crafted and wrote my own entitled I Believe found here: https://strongdisciple.com/
I crafted and wrote it from my first hand study of God’s Book and the experience of practicing and teaching God’s Book for the last 46 years of my life. My orthodoxy came as a result of my diligent reading, studying, meditating on and doing God’s Book. My training was through the “School of Great Adversity” that God builds all of his servants through. All the gifts I possess were given to me by God and I cannot take the credit for any of them.
Never, ever forget this profound truth: “A good understanding have all those who do your law”. Thousands of pulpits today are filled with men who have great degrees but not great deeds! Many are filled with men who are highly educated but have no idea how to live a Christ-like marriage, or be a good, effective father, or raise their children successfully to love and honor God or teach their own children to simply obey their parents, or to be upright and moral young people. Thousands are highly educated but very negligent of their physical health and possess no real self-discipline, which the Bible commands us to practice!
Why is this the case with so many Pastors and spiritual leaders? Because this critical, irreplaceable component is missing: They are not great doers of God’s Book.
Ps 119:100 “I understand more than the elders because I obey your commands, because I follow your orders.”
Many know their Greek, or studied Hebrew. Many can create great outlines for their sermons, but are more devoted to books about the book, or other resource material than to the Bible itself! There is of course nothing wrong with being well-read or studying other inspirational spiritual material that helps you in your faith journey. These can be a great help and assist us in our walk with God and our faith journey.
But there is simply no substitute for you making the time every single day to read from God’s Book, meditate on God’s Book, and use it as your primary reference/source material for all the critical areas of your life and your living and Then: Do what it says, daily in your life! That is where true wisdom and insight comes from!
Look to the Book you won’t go wrong
Look to the Book to keep you strong
Look to the Book your guiding light
Look to the Book to know what’s right
Look to the Book and you’ll be bright
Look to the Book for deep insight
Look to the Book in all your ways
Look to the Book every single day
Look to the Book, do what it says.
My lifelong Pastoral motto is:
The advice I give, I live.
If I haven’t lived it, I don’t give it.
To illustrate to you exactly how critically important God’s Book, the Bible really is, read these Bible passages today. You will see in no uncertain terms, I am not exaggerating its absolute importance to your life. To speak to you freshly, read them from the New Living Translation!
Psalm 119
Psalm 19:7-11
Psalm 1:1-3
Deuteronomy 6:1-9
James 1:22-25
This message series, The Word, will enlighten you and spur you on in your devotion to God’s Book. https://strongdisciple.com/
Helping you become a Strong Disciple,
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Mark Darling
