The Point of Purity Podcast

Episode 81 - Delighting 101

June 30, 2022 Steve Etner Season 2 Episode 81
The Point of Purity Podcast
Episode 81 - Delighting 101
Show Notes Transcript

Before we can truly delight in God’s Word we must understand that the Bible is God’s Word written to show us who God is and who we are before Him.  The Bible teaches us how to live lives that are holy and pure. It shows us how to say “no” to sin and yield our lives in full surrender to God – living a life that truly glorifies Him. It is vital to every part of your life that you invest your time in the Word of God DAILY!

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Last week we began a mini-series on delighting in God’s Word. How do we get to that point? What must we do in order to experience true delight in God’s Word? It begins with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Welcome to The Point of Purity Podcast. I’m your host, Steve Etner, Author, National Speaker, and Purity Coach for The Pure Man Ministry. This is episode #81, and in this week’s episode, we continue our talk about the importance of not just reading your Bible, but truly delighting in God’s Word. So, welcome to “Delighting 101.”

The unsaved person, the one who has not yet placed their faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross of Calvary doesn’t care for the God of the Word, so they won’t care for the Word of God either. They don’t see the need for it. They don’t understand it. “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) Until they have a personal relationship with Christ, they aren’t going to see the need for being in Scripture.

So, with that in mind, I’m compelled to ask you this very important question. Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? This is the first step toward delighting in God’s Word. This is the first step to true happiness, prosperity, and success.

Second, before we can truly delight in God’s Word we must understand that the Bible is NOT just another book. It’s not some novel you pull off the shelf and read all the way through in a weekend. It’s not a storybook, although it does tell the story of God’s redemptive love for all of mankind. It’s not a romance novel, although it does share the account of how the Creator of the Universe demonstrated His amazing and unfathomable love for us by sacrificing Himself on our behalf. The Bible is not a history textbook, although it does tell the history of mankind from creation to his eternal destination. Neither is it a how-to book for do-it-yourselfers, although it does show us how to live a life that brings glory to God.

The Bible is God’s Word written to you and me to show us who God is and who we are before Him. It also shows our need for a Savior, and God’s gracious provision of salvation through the person of Jesus Christ. In the Bible we see God’s desire to have a personal relationship with us – and within its pages He shows us how we can know Him, not just as Creator and Judge, but as Savior and Father and friend. The Bible teaches us how to live lives that are holy and pure. It shows us how to say “no” to sin and yield our lives in full and complete surrender to God – living a life that truly glorifies Him. Oh, my friend, it is vital to every part of your life that you invest your time in the Word of God DAILY!

I challenge you right now: take a close look at your life – its ups and downs, blessings, and trials. Life can be hard. Do you agree? The Bible is God’s precious word given to help you cope with every issue of life you will ever face. As you yield to the direction of the Holy Spirit, He helps you deal with temptations, handle life’s trials and testing, and teaches you how to find peace and contentment through an intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father. The Bible is the instrument God uses to provide you with power and strength, understanding, wisdom and knowledge, hope and peace. Within the pages of Scripture is life and food for your soul. Can you begin to understand why you need to delight in God’s Word?

I want to make it clear that Bible study, in and of itself, does not automatically cause us to glorify God in our lives. You won’t glorify the Lord simply because you know more and study more from the Scriptures. You must open your heart and surrender to the message of God’s Word and the One who wrote it. You must not be merely listeners, but doers of the Word as well. We must address the issues of sin that God reveals to us. We must choose daily to open God’s Word, submit to God’s leading, seek God’s will for our lives, and choose daily to walk in obedience to Him. This is what is life changing.

  • Do you want to live a life of purity that glorifies God? Live that life according to God’s Word. Psalm 119:9 asks, “How can a person stay keep his way pure? By keeping it according to (God’s) word.” 
  • Do you want to live a sin-free life? Memorize God’s Word. In Psalm 119:11 David says, “I have treasured your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you.”
  • Do you need to find strength and encouragement during times of stress, frustration, suffering, and sorrow? Read God’s Word and let it uplift you. In Psalm 119:28 David writes, “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.” And then in verse 50 he says, “This is my comfort in my misery, that your word has revived me.”
  • Do you feel lost and need a sense of direction? Open your Bible and let God guide you. Psalm 119:105 says that God’s “word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
  • Are you looking for hope and protection? You’ll find it in the Scripture. King David cried out to God, “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.” (Psalm 119:114) And in verse 147 he says, I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.

When you are able to see God’s Word this way, then you can say “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” (Psalm 119:16)

Let’s take another look at Psalm 1:2 which says that the man who is truly blessed by God is the one who delights so much in God’s Word that he “meditates” on it day and night. Not only does he long to open God’s Word to read it, but he also thinks about what he read all day long. The one who is meditating on God’s Word is feeding upon it and then bringing it back up again later to chew on it some more. The one who is meditating on Scripture is thinking deeply about what God has said and how it applies to his (or her) life. When you are truly delighting in God’s Word, you are going to do more than just read it – you’re going to meditate upon it and you are going to apply its truths and principles to your daily living.

Oh, and by the way, the word “meditate” in Psalm 1:2, is written in the imperfect tense, meaning that it is an action that is not yet completed. It is something that must be repeated again and again and again. When you delight in the Word of God you just can’t ever get enough of it. Listening to it just isn’t adequate. Reading it doesn’t suffice. You find yourself meditating on it throughout the day. You think about it again and again, praying about it, speaking it, longing to understand its depths.

To be prosperous and successful in your Christian life you need to delight in and meditate upon the Word of God. Do I sound like a broken record yet? I make no apologies. We need to read God’s Word daily, as well as break it down and chew on it throughout the day. We are to think about it all day long and then act upon what it says.

As King David was penning the words of Psalm 119, he was considering the benefits of God’s truth to his life. In verse 15 he writes, “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.” Interesting to note that the word “consider” here refers to having your thoughts focused; much like a laser beam is focused light.  Laser beam is far more powerful than regular light. So it is when we “consider” God’s Word. When you focus your thoughts upon Scripture you can accomplish much. When your mind wanders, you often get into trouble. Why? Because as Proverbs 23:7 reminds us – what you think will become what you do. As you submit your thoughts to God, as you seek to focus your attention upon the Word of God, you will find that God gives you the strength you need to DO the will of God.

Now let me draw your attention to Psalm 119:97 where the Psalmist declares: “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” A moment ago I asked if you delight in God’s Word. Now I ask: do you LOVE God’s Word? Can you honestly say along with David, “Oh, how I LOVE your law”? The word “love” in this verse refers not to simply enjoying or liking something a lot, but rather having a large, ravenous appetite for it. It’s craving something so much that all you can think about is getting hold of it so you can consume it. In Psalm 119:127 David cries, “I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold.”

When you delight in God’s Word, the truths of Scripture fill your mind and direct your thoughts. When you delight in God’s Word, you are always seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.

Ok, again let me refer you back to Psalm 119. This time let’s focus on verse 148 where David writes, “My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.” When you can’t sleep at night, what do you think about? The Psalmist encourages you to truly meditate on God’s Word, even when (especially when) you are tossing and turning in bed. David reminds us to let the promises of God occupy your thoughts. You see, my friend, the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to direct your thinking, and that is going to make a lasting difference in your life. But let me remind you of this crucial point: you cannot meditate on God’s Word if you are not studying it and memorizing it.

In Deuteronomy 11:18 God says His Word is to be fixed in our hearts and in our minds. Do you want to be prosperous and successful? Do you want to build a godly life upon a solid foundation? Psalm 37:31 tells us that when the law of God is in your heart, your feet will not slip. Psalm 119:11 reveals that when you hide God’s Word in your heart, you won’t sin against Him. The fact is, according to Colossians 3:16, the Word of God is to dwell in you “richly.” And as you meditate on His Word day and night, Joshua 1:8 promises that you will be prosperous and successful. Or, as Jesus puts it in Matthew 7:24-25, you will be a wise and godly person who is building your life upon solid rock! 

If you would like to learn more about today’s study, or if you’re interested in learning more about our ministry, be sure to visit our website to see the multitude of resources we’ve made available to you – you can find our website at ThePurityCoach.com

One of those resources I would like to highlight for you here is my book entitled “Extreme Mind Makeover: How to transform sinful thoughts and habits into patterns of life pleasing to God.” This book takes you on a journey through the Bible to examine what God has to say about how your thoughts, words, and actions influence and impact your heart.

If you’ve followed this Point of Purity Podcast for any length of time, then you’ve heard me emphasize the fact that what you think becomes what you do. When you train your mind to think godly thoughts, the things you say and do day in and day out will be godly. On the flip side, when you allow your mind to think sinful, fleshly, ungodly, King Me centered thoughts, the result (your daily attitudes and actions) will be ungodly. So, how do I change the way I think? How do I change the things I do? How do I successfully and effectively guard my heart? This book, “Extreme Mind Makeover” takes you into God’s Word to help you answer those questions.

So go to our website, ThePurityCoach.com, and check out our resources page, or go directly to Amazon.com and purchase your copy of “Extreme Mind Makeover” today.

And if you have not yet subscribed to this podcast, let me encourage you to do so today so you won’t miss any of our upcoming episodes!

So, until next time this is Author, Speaker, and Purity Coach Steve Etner reminding you that if you are going to glorify God in your everyday living, He must first be glorified in your every moment thinking.