Word That Works Today ("Prepare" Day 2)

The Bible was written over thousands of years, thousands of years ago, in a far off part of the world. How do we know it is even relevant? In today's episode, Matt and Rachael explore the highly practical nature of God's word, and the power that is unlocked by discovering timeless truths for personal application. Understand the practices and disciplines available to train us to meditate on His word all day long - and be transformed.

Click Here for Week 1 Homework Sheet

BEFORE this episode: Complete DAY TWO Homework (Psalm 119:15-16; Psalm 119:97-99; Psalm 40:8; and Psalm 119:11)

AFTER this episode: Complete DAY THREE Homework (Hebrews 4:12)

Transcript

Promise Of A Fruitful Life;

SPEAKER_01 0:08

Do you ever feel like your life just isn't as productive or effective as it should be? As followers of Jesus, we want our short time on earth to have eternal impact, but often we feel like we're falling short. The good news is that Scripture gives us a promise, a life that's never ineffective or unproductive in knowing Jesus Christ. In 2 Peter 1, we're told to build on our faith, adding goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. As these qualities grow, they keep us fruitful and effective for God's kingdom. I'm Matt Morrow, and my wife Rachel and I have spent nearly 20 years teaching God's Word and walking with people in every stage of faith. Our passion is to see lives permanently and radically transformed by Scripture applied. Adding to your faith is here to help you understand biblical truth, practice it daily, and grow to look more like Jesus. We're glad you're here. Let's walk this journey together.

SPEAKER_00 1:27

And today we um are on day two of the homework. So if you have not done day two of the homework, pause this and take some time and do day two of the homework, and then you can come back and join us and be a part of our discussion. So today we're talking about is the Bible still

Hosts’ Mission And Homework Context;

SPEAKER_00 1:46

relevant? And so that is my question for you, Matt. How can a book that was written thousands of years ago to people discussing people, groups that do not exist anymore, people who lived in different contexts in different countries, who spoke different languages, who lived completely different lives? How can a book written to them and for them be relevant to you and me today?

SPEAKER_01 2:11

So it's great. We talked yesterday about the supernatural nature of God's word. And that, of course, is the answer. That's it's only relevant because it's supernatural, but I also would would flip that in reverse, which is to say part of the reason we know it's supernatural is because something this ancient can be so highly practical and irrelevant in today's time and today's places where we are. I mean, if you think about other ancient literary works, we mentioned Shakespeare works or Homer works, you know, the writings, ancient writings, those are fascinating to us because they're historical artifacts or they are they are literary or archaeological artifacts. They're fascinating to us because they give

Is The Bible Still Relevant;

SPEAKER_01 2:52

us a window or a peek into that time and place, all those many years ago and sometimes half a world away. They're interesting to us because of that. None of them, we don't approach any of those works expecting to have here and now, today, practical application that can change my life for the better right now, today. We don't approach any of those works that way. We only do that with the Bible because it's a supernatural expression of a holy God who exists and who is and who cares enough and loves enough to put himself right in the middle of our lives. So that means today, we have to really kind of break into well, how do we then tap into that relevance? How do we tap into that practical nature of God's word? And we're in, we're mostly, well, we're in the Psalms today. We're utilizing the Psalms to help us with that. And specifically, we're in Psalm 119 quite a bit, and we're also in Psalm 40. So I want to read four different short passages from the Psalms that give us a little bit of a picture of around which we'll build today's discussion. And hopefully that's that's what you've been able to do so far, is to be able to do a little bit of homework in these Psalms. But let me read those to us, and then we'll we'll go back and we'll kind of unpack that

Psalms As A Map To Relevance;

SPEAKER_01 4:08

a little bit. So starting in Psalm 119, in verses 15 and 16, we read, I will meditate on your precepts, and I will fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes, I will not forget your word. Then later in Psalm 119, verses 97 and 98, Oh how I love your law. It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever present with me. And Psalm 40, verse 8, it says, I will delight to do your will. Oh my God, your law is within my heart. And finally, Psalm 119, verse 11, I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. These are these are pictures of just worshipful response to God based on the practical impact that his word has in the life of the believer, the practical change and transformation that takes place in the life of a believer by engaging intimately with his word. And again, what we're gonna be doing over the course of the next few weeks is practicing specific methods and techniques to try to learn how to cultivate that personal intimacy with his word. And and I want to start with these psalms to kind of lay a groundwork and help people look to the end and look to the benefits that come from hiding his word in your heart, from meditating on his word all the day long, from from letting the work of his word happen and do its do its thorough work in me by making me wiser and making me more effective and making me more like him, and just just learning not to sin against him and understanding how to how to live the life that God created us to have. All of that is so practical. And what I love about starting in the Psalms is that it tells us that that practical application of God's word leads to an overflowing heart that just rejoices in worship of him. That's I mean, that's the that's the natural response that happens when we experience his word in that very deeply personal kind of a way. Pretty, pretty powerful, right, Rach?

SPEAKER_00 6:33

It is. I, you know, I think just in reading those psalms, one of the things that that just really stood out to me is like the need that's expressed in that, right? This like heart need, like I I need your word, you know, and like I will meditate on your precepts, I will consider your ways, I will delight in your decrees, I will not neglect your word. It's you know, it's this kind of like almost like a heart sick, right? Like I'm longing for it, I want it, and I want more of it, and and I want to think about it and meditate on it and and not neglect it.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

And it reads like a sacred covenant.

SPEAKER_00 7:18

It it does, you know. And I mean you think about that verse that that I always thought was so weird when I was a kid, you know, the song like as the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after you.

SPEAKER_01 7:28

I always thought that was those aren't really a lot of that's not the kind of language they use in Texas County for third graders, right?

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Right. You know, I always thought that was so, you know, to quote my son kind of cringy when they he's like, oh, what is you know, like that's that's not what I think, you know. So but that's the that's the tenor of of Psalm 119, right? It's it's this like longing for like I I want more of it and and I need it. I I need your word to satisfy my soul, like nothing else is gonna satisfy me. And like if you haven't experienced that, it it feels really foreign.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

Yeah. And so I think that that's in fact you might if you haven't experienced that,

A Heart That Longs For Scripture;

SPEAKER_01 8:14

you might be listening to us thinking nothing actually does that. Nothing actually does that. And you would be almost right. Yeah, like almost nothing it does actually do that. Nothing in this world does that.

SPEAKER_00 8:26

It doesn't, but I think like as you learn to read God's word for what it is and and see his character and his nature and his love and his glory in his word, and then as you start to to be able to kind of draw those applications to your life and and what that means, right? Like if God's word is true, what does that really mean then for how I'm going to live my life today? And it allows you to to start calling things as they are, and and that does create a longing. You know, you start to really see that the only thing that satisfies me is the Lord. It's not my circumstances, it's not other people, it's not relationships, it's not these things that I've set up to pursue. Idols, basically, right? I mean, they're idols. And I mean, that's what Jeremiah said, right? They they ultimately end up being cisterns that don't hold water. Yeah. And, you know, you you chase after them, and then when you get there, you find out that that well's dry. And this is the only place that you go that that when you're going, it it satisfies.

SPEAKER_01 9:42

So let's

Timeless Truth Before Application;

SPEAKER_01 9:43

talk about what we mean when we say that God's word is relevant or practical, that there's that is so practical. There are two elements to that that are essential. And I want to talk about each of those. And it's going to be really foundational as you as you start practicing different techniques or different methods for engaging with God's word. This is really important to remember is those techniques vary. There are different methods. There, there's nothing magical about them. They're just they're just man-made methods for for disciplining ourselves to be in God's word. And we'll and we'll work through those. And they're all good. They each each have different benefits and strengths. But all of them have in common that we're trying to get to the practical nature of God's word, which means two things have to happen. First, we have to recognize and understand the timeless truth in whatever scripture we're engaging. So there's something in there, and some often there's more than one thing, but there's at least one thing. There's something in every bit of scripture that we're engaging that is just as true today as it was in the time and place it was written. And it and it is, it transcends time and place. It can, it doesn't matter what language you speak, it doesn't matter how old or young you are, it doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman, or it doesn't matter what color you are, it doesn't matter what what part of the world you live in or what century you were born in, it's just as true no matter what. That's the timeless truth that we're trying to get to in every scripture. Why is it important to find the timeless truth in every part of scripture?

SPEAKER_00 11:10

I think those those are the things that we talked about last time, right? Those, those, those are the word, right? They are the living spirit of God. Those are the things that God is speaking over the universe that are part of who he is and what he says is true. And so finding those things are a foothold. They're a place that that you can plant your feet and know that that anchor holds because it's rooted in the eternal true word of God.

SPEAKER_01 11:43

So you're looking for things like, okay, what does this passage of scripture tell me about the character or nature of God? Because we know that his character and nature is unchanging. It's always the same. So if if we if it was recognized in the book of Jonah, something about the character and nature of God, if we can, if we can drill down to what it tells us about the character and nature of God, we can know that that truth didn't just, that wasn't just true in the time and place of Jonah. That's true today and in in our context as well, that that same truth about his character or his nature. Or we might find something about the sinfulness of man or about the nature of sin, or of what what the consequences of certain actions or or behaviors will be. Like these are things that are that are eternally true. They're not, they're illustrated in a particular time and place, but they are always true. And so we're looking for that. And there are, again, different techniques or methods for how to look for that, but we're always looking for that one or two timeless truths that's just as true today as it ever has been and always will be. So we start there. But that by itself isn't life-changing, right? That so just because you found the thing that's true today, just like it was true then, does that really work God's purpose for his word out in our lives? I mean, we talked about this yesterday, a little bit about what God's purpose for his word is in our lives. What is that purpose?

SPEAKER_00 13:09

I mean, uh ultimately his purpose is so that we can know him and be changed to be more like him. I mean, that's the purpose of his word. And and knowing him is is the first part of that, and and probably the most important part of that. If we don't understand the greatness and the goodness

Applying Truth To Real Change;

SPEAKER_00 13:30

and the fatherhood of God, then it's easy to miss so many other things. And so I think you have to start, you have to start with what's true about the glory of God. And from there, then saying, So if that is true, if what God says is true and and his word says it, so I'm just gonna believe it, then what does that mean for how I'm going to behave or how I'm going to try to retrain my thoughts so that instead of dwelling on things that are not true, I'll dwell on the things that that are true. You know, we had a a great mentor one time who who always said without application, there is no change. And that's been so formative to me that if if you don't kind of take that second step then and say, So if that is true, right? If I'm gonna just read God's word and believe it.

SPEAKER_01 14:27

That's number one. Then know what's true.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Number two is then what does that mean for me? How do I respond to that truth? Yeah, what do I respond? How do I respond to that?

SPEAKER_01 14:38

And you know, and I think because you can you can know some things that are true and even believe them and agree with them. But if but if you don't respond to that in some way, if if you don't if you don't have some way that you take that truth and say, because this is true, I must do this or stop doing this or can or or accelerate that or whatever. Something has to change in me because this is true, then we then we haven't applied it.

SPEAKER_00 15:09

And the and the statement you're gonna share is how you know it's true. Yeah. I mean, that's how you know that you believe it's true is is if you reckon on it. Yeah. Right? I mean, there's that.

SPEAKER_01 15:19

I'm gonna bet I'm gonna bet something on this. I'm gonna bet something in my life on this.

SPEAKER_00 15:23

Right. There's that kind of famous story of of the man on the unicycle crossing the Grand Canyon, and you know, and he goes across and everybody claps, and you know, and then he's like, Do you think I can do it again? And they're like, Yeah. So he goes across again and everybody claps. He's like, Can I, do you think I can do it again? And everybody's like, Yeah, and he's like, get on my back, you know.

SPEAKER_01 15:46

Got real quiet after that, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

That's when you know, do I really believe he can do that again? Like, am I gonna bet my life that that can happen or that that will happen? And that's when you like when you actually apply it, when you change, right? When you when you change what you're doing or how you're thinking or what you're what you're counting on, that's when you know that you really believe it.

SPEAKER_01 16:13

And this mentor of ours used to say, you you started to say this before, without application, there is no change. There is no change. And we talked yesterday about God's purpose for his word. And his purpose is not just to be a historical artifact, his purpose is to supernaturally reveal himself to us in a way that forms us, that changes us, that sanctifies us. And if we believe that and we want what God wants for his word in our life, you don't get there without application. Now, I think people understand that, they know that in theory, but then how do you actually do it? And I think one of the things that we that again, we'll get into some techniques and methods for how to do this, but the important things to remember right now is that of those two things, truth, so the timeless truth is one, and and personal application is two, timeless truth is the same for everybody. So there is there is not one timeless truth for you that's different than a timeless truth for me. It's just true, it's universally

Guarding Against Cherry Picking;

SPEAKER_01 17:13

completely true. But the the practical application will vary for each person because practical application is how I will respond to that true thing, right? To that true, to that timeless truth. What will I change? What needs to change in me based on what I have now discovered is true in God's word? And so practical application is going to vary quite a bit. That means that it's important that when we first approach God God's word, we do it in we look for these two things in the right order. Right? What happens if you approach God's word starting looking for application before first looking for timeless truth? What are some of the risks?

SPEAKER_00 17:57

The biggest risk is you read into God's word what you want it to mean instead of what it means. And and God's word has meaning, and that meaning is not defined by me, it is defined by God. And so our first our kind of our first obligation is to learn what God's word is saying and what it means. And you know, I think too often we we like to cherry pick scriptures instead of reading the whole context and counsel. I think we we sometimes want things to say something, and so you know, we'll we'll read it and and if it doesn't seem to kind of line up with what I want, then we'll just kind of decide that that can't be what it means, or you know, there's gotta be some other explanation. And so, you know, so we kind of let ourselves off the hook for that.

SPEAKER_01 18:50

And we do that without even thinking, right? It's not like you approach God's word planning to manipulate it. It's just how we're it's just our flesh, it's how we're wired. And and so we have to have to build in some approaches, some methods that protect us from ourselves in that regard. You said, and and we know that without application, there's no change. So there's no benefit. God's word won't have its intended outcome and its intended purpose if we don't ever apply it. But we have to resist the temptation to start at application and go first. We have to first go to truth. First, as best we can, keep ourselves out of it and understand what the timeless truth is first. And then once we know that, bring ourselves back into it, not over it, but under it. Right. We're in a place where we come under the authority of that timeless truth and let it shape us instead of the other way around. Very tricky to do. Very tricky because it doesn't, it's not what our flesh wants to do. Our flesh wants to approach it differently.

SPEAKER_00 19:50

Right. And oftentimes we we can't see how that can work.

SPEAKER_01 19:54

Right. Right. Yeah, you'll see you'll you'll come across a truth. You're like, well, if that's saying what it seems to Say, well, that doesn't agree at all with what's going on in my life, right?

SPEAKER_00 20:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

Well, that may be true, but that doesn't mean that the tr timeless truth is wrong. It means that my life is out of sync with that timeless truth. And something needs to change in me. So part of what these psalms really drive

Meditating All Day, Not Just Mornings;

SPEAKER_01 20:19

toward, you mentioned it is they they describe this almost as hunger, this yearning, this just deep desire for constant engagement with his word, with his law, with his precepts, with with the word of God. And so part of what is going to be helpful, I think, for people as we as we work on techniques is to consider or think about the practices, the disciplines that that we might engage in to train ourselves to meditate on his word all day long. So it's one thing to have a consistent, quiet time in the Bible every morning. That's, I mean, a lot a lot of people don't do that. It's critically important, absolutely necessary. It's one thing to do that. It's another to meditate all day long. And that's what these Psalms are describing, meditating all day long on that truth of Scripture. What are some just practical ways that you try to do that, Rachel? I know you're very faithful in your time with the word, almost always in the first thing in the morning. How do you how do you practically keep that word, that truth, that application in front of you all day long or in an ongoing way so that you can meditate on it consistently?

SPEAKER_00 21:34

I think there are a lot of ways to do that. And you know, and and people learn differently. And so, you know, I always challenge people to think about how you learn other things that matter to you and apply that to learning God's word. But one of the things, and I think why it's important to kind of learn how to how to study the word and and you know, some of the things we're gonna walk through is that when when you start to see those connections between your life and the word of God and and start trying to walk that out, it becomes a lot easier to find things to meditate on or to think about. You know, and and sometimes that's positive, right? There's something really glorious in there that that you hadn't thought about before. And so when you see it, then it's easier to think about it.

SPEAKER_01 22:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:27

Sometimes it's those things that you're bumping up against and you're trying to work through, like, you know, does that mean what I think it means? And if it does mean what it thinks it means, then then what is my response to that? And and what would that even look like? And how would I even do that? And so, you know, wrestling through those things, I think with the Lord can give us places where we're meditating on on him and on his ways throughout the day. And then, you know, there are also just really practical things about, you know, when you when you read, if there's a verse that stands out to you to like take those those verses and say, okay, you know, can I commit that to memory? Is there, you know, something something about that? And I think all of those become easier when when you start to see application out of it. So then there are those verses that you're like, you know, that that's really powerful.

SPEAKER_01 23:21

Or and I really remember that because it changed me.

SPEAKER_00 23:24

Right. Right.

SPEAKER_01 23:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

And so those things become easier, you know. When it's living and active, it it becomes easier to do that. But then also just like I said, kind of going back to how you learn other things that you want to know. So for me, I'm I'm very like visual. So I like to write verses down on note cards and and keep them kind of around the house. And so I can kind of reread them and practice memorizing them. And so, you know, sometimes I've got just verses on note cards that are on my mirror when I'm brushing my teeth. I can kind of think about that and read through it. They're in my car. So that works for

Practical Memory And Learning Methods;

SPEAKER_00 24:05

me fairly well, you know. But there are a lot of people that have other methods that they use to memorize scripture. And so I would say, like, you know how you learn. Yeah. Right. Like there are things in your life that you've had to learn how to do. And so kind of apply those same methods, you know. Some people like to, they're audio learners, and so they listen to the Bible on tape, and that helps them really remember because they'll hear somebody's you said tape.

SPEAKER_01 24:32

We're making it, yeah. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 24:33

Nobody does tape anymore, but it's right, or or podcasts, you know, or but the tenor of whoever's reading it, right? The cadence of it helps them remember it. You know, I've got friends that that like to listen to scriptures to song, and music is a powerful way to learn God's word. So listening to good worship music is a way to to put God's word in your heart. So there are a lot of methods, and I don't know that there's a right or a wrong method. I think the point is how are you getting that into your heart? And how are you thinking about how it how it applies to your circumstances and to your day and to your moments so that you're operating out of that and not just it's something I checked off my list in the morning and then I've never thought about it again.

SPEAKER_01 25:23

So can I add just a couple of things too? I think you're those are those are great examples of how, as you said, Rachel, take take whatever it is that the Lord has built you to learn, how he has built you to learn and apply it here. Use it, you know. There are a couple of things that I that I have found helpful. And and specifically, I think whatever method you're using, so even so everything that Rachel has just described, everything I'm about to describe, start by asking the Lord to help you with this. This is not something that that he is a passive father, just sort of watching to see how you're gonna work all this out. He's he wants to be active in your spiritual development and life. And so ask him to help you with this. You you can pray this prayer confidently because you already know that he wants it. It's consistent with his will. He it's not like he's gonna hear this prayer and go, I'm not sure this is really what I want for you. I no, I do, of course he wants this for us. And so ask him to help. And one of the ways, a couple of ways that I've asked him to help with me is if I'm if I'm in the word and I've identified a timeless truth and I've identified a personal application of that truth, something in me that needs to needs to be changed, stopped, started, or continued based on on that truth, then I'm gonna I'm gonna ask God in my prayer time with him before before walking away and getting on with my day, I'm gonna ask the Lord to show me ways throughout to this day, today, where that application is is relevant. It's like if I if I've if I've read a timeless truth in his word, and I know that that means that I have come under conviction for something that needs to change in my life. Lord,

Pray, Practice, And Teach Others;

SPEAKER_01 27:06

show me today ways that that that that needs to kick in, right? Because I know my muscle memory is gonna go the wrong way. My muscle memory is gonna want to take me in all the ways that I'm already practiced in. I need his help and I need to remind myself now that what that for me means is that periodically through the day, multiple times, like 10, 12 times a day, I need to repeat to myself what that application was. Even if there's not a situation right then and there, I just need to remind myself the application that I learned in today's time with the word so that I can know that this is something that goes probably against my muscle memory, my spiritual muscle memory. And I need to be, need to be changed. I need to be implementing this application. So that makes me mindful of it and helps me to see when a situation comes in my life where that application needs to be put in place, needs to be put into practice because I'm repeating it to myself over and over again. That's again, just like what you said before. It's just a technique that happens to work for me from uh from learning in other ways. So apply it here. The other one, and this is this is a little trickier in some ways, but I've said for years, you know, we, Rachel, you and I have taught the Bible in various forms for 20 years or so now. And I have often said to our classes that we've taught or or groups that we've taught or whatever else, that I wish there was some practical way for every person in this group to teach the Bible every week because there is something unique about that level of accountability and about the depth you go into his word when you know you're going to stand before other believers and bring and try to bring truth and try to, you know, humbly listen and and come under that authority and come under that conviction, repent frequently during the week that you're that you're preparing that. So I know practically speaking, not everybody can teach the same Sunday school class every single, every single week, but there is usually someone in your life that you can be teaching in some way. If you're a parent, set up some regular time where you're teaching the Bible to your kids. And it's it's gonna have to be age-appropriate and simplified and those kinds of things because of where they are in their life, but whatever it is. Get into some some uh you know, men get in relationship with other men who are interested in in pursuing truth together. And women get in relationship with other women who are who are interested in doing that because it gives you an opportunity to to try to sort of teach biblical truth, timeless truths, use your own personal application as illustration in some cases, in some cases that may not be appropriate, but but to do that in a way that just helps keep it in front of you all the time, helps train us to meditate on his word all the day long. And I think there are some really good, there's something really powerful in doing that. So those are just a few ideas, a few ways that that we do it, and you have probably your own ways. As you listen to this, you have your own methods that you utilize to do that, and encourage you to share those with each other as well.

SPEAKER_00 30:01

And I wouldn't encourage you to to think about, like, as you're reading the word, like how would I explain this to somebody else or how would I teach this to someone? Because, you know, like Peter says, like, be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have. And so if like if the Lord is showing you those things, think about how would I share this with someone and then ask the Lord for opportunity, and you might be really surprised where that comes. So yeah,

Prepare To Share And Build Others;

SPEAKER_00 30:29

we all can't stand in front of a Sunday school class, but you might be surprised, you know, that you're checking out at Walmart and standing in line by somebody who who needs to hear that truth. Or, you know, you might just have a kind of you know, chance encounter with with a friend and and that topic comes up as the Lord would ordain. And so you are prepared, you know, you're prepared every day for the work that the Lord has for you. And so as you as you do that, I think that you'll just be amazed at what the Lord opens up and how he shows you how to use his word to build his kingdom and to admonish and build up those around you.

SPEAKER_01 31:14

And he does so much more with it than we could think or imagine. And I mean, I love it when when when I come home and you tell me something the Lord's shown you in his word today. I love that. Now, that's what we're talking about here is that's a way for you to keep it in front of yourself, is to do that. But you're also bless richly blessing me with what he's done in a way that's gonna have the same timeless truth, but probably a different practical application. So, um, well, listen, that's I don't want to go on too long. This is obviously a passion for us. We really love this topic, and it and it's uh and God's word is so relevant and so practical because it's supernatural. And one of the ways that we know it's supernatural is because it's so relevant and so practical. We're not done, so we're gonna wrap up today, but tomorrow we'll be back in with day three of

Teaser: Sanctification And Hebrews 4:12

SPEAKER_01 31:56

week one, and this is gonna be on the subject of sanctification and why we would want it. Because this process of sanctification can be a little daunting and a little painful. And so, what is it and why would we want it? We're gonna be in the book of Hebrews. So we're gonna ask you to read Hebrews 4.12. And as you do that, think through questions like what is sanctification? Why would I want it? Um, what is this, why should we embrace the particular um uh complexity of sanctification? What is it about that that the benefits are worth, those kinds of struggles and trials? Sound good, Rachel? Absolutely. Okay, well, we'll be back with you again tomorrow, so stay with us.