Have you ever been to a nursery? Not the one with screaming children, but one with thousands of plants? We have a nursery right in front of our house and it is huge! I often wonder how much water and plant food they go through each week. All of those plants need water, nutrients, and sunshine to survive! If the workers failed to do their jobs, the plants would wilt.
What does it take for a Christian to continue growing? If you ask any child who is in Sunday school they will say, “Read the Bible and pray!” If it is that simple, then why is it hard to spend time each day to pray and read the Bible? Our flesh and human appetites would rather do just about anything other than sit down and read the Bible and think deeply on its truths. Being in the Word daily and spending time in prayer is a spiritual discipline.
Discipline is not easy, but it is necessary. An athlete must discipline himself in order to compete. He has to eat the right foods, get proper rest, and workout hard and long to keep his body in shape. A new recruit in the military is put through basic training in order to develop disciplines that are unfamiliar to civilian life.
An undisciplined athlete wins no competition. An undisciplined army will be slaughtered in battle. However, in each of their trainings, they are instructed on the importance of their mission. Why is the Word of God so important? Why must we spend time in it each and every day?
1. The Word of God Is Inspired
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:—2 Timothy 3:16
The Greek phrase employed here describes how the wind moves a ship along. In the way the wind moves a sailing vessel, the Spirit of God moved men of God and guided them in writing Scripture. Nothing should be more important than filling our minds with inspired, God-breathed truth every day.
2. The Word of God Is Inerrant
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.—Proverbs 30:5
The Word of God contains no errors because the God of the Word can make no errors. God is true. He cannot lie, so He will not lie and He has not lied. Every Word of the Bible is vital truth for our lives.
3. The Word of God Is Infallible
Thy word is very pure; therefore thy servant loveth it.—Psalm 119:140
Infallible means “incapable of error.” Not only is the Bible free of errors, it is incapable of any error. Have you ever read a newspaper and seen countless errors? That is because the author is capable of making errors. The Word is God-breathed and it is pure and perfect, incapable of any error.
4. The Word of God Is Complete
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.—Deuteronomy 4:2
You do not need to dream dreams or see visions. You do not need voices in the night to hear from God. Everything He means to say to humanity is recorded in the words on the pages of the Bible. All we need to do is read them, absorb them, and obey them.
5. The Word of God Is Sufficient
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.—2 Peter 1:3
Not only is Scripture complete, it is sufficient for everything we need. There is no need in life that is not addressed in the Bible. There is no relevant question that goes unanswered. Everything we need to live this life, in service to the Lord, is found in the Scriptures.
6. The Word of God Is Effective
So shall My word be that goeth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.—Isaiah 55:11
When sharing God’s Word with someone, you do not need to fret or worry about if you have clearly explained what it says. You see, the power is not in you or your eloquent speaking skills, but in the Word itself.
An athlete and a soldier must remain disciplined in order to be effective in their mission. As Christians, we must remain disciplined to stay in the Word of God!