Quoting God Without Knowing God

You can memorize scripture and still be spiritually empty. In this episode, we get honest about the difference between using the Word as a tool and being deeply rooted in the Word as a way of life. When your faith has no roots, the first storm proves it. True power doesn't come from quoting God — it comes from knowing Him. Let's dig deeper than the surface.

Transcript

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Hello, Christians. This is Dallas Beachum. Stand by for good news. Using the word without being rooted in the word. Paul told Timothy that Scripture is given by God and is meant not only to teach us, but to correct us. James said we must be doers of the word and not hearers only. So when the Lord speaks, the faithful heart answers like young Samuel, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. There is a danger in the church that is easy to miss. It is not the danger of not having a Bible. The danger is having the Bible and still not being governed by the Bible. A man can carry a Bible, a preacher can quote from the Bible, a church can hang Bible verses on its walls, sing songs written from the Bible, and preach from the Bible every Sunday. We have churches and church members that are dedicated to the work of God, but not dedicated to God, not rooted in the scripture. Paul used that very picture when he told believers, as you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith. The word is not meant to be a loose verse in your hand. It is meant to become roots beneath your life. That may sound strange at first, but look closely. The Bible can be used like a tool in the hands of a man, or it can be received as the voice of God over the man. There is a huge difference in using Scripture to support what we already believe, or letting Scripture form what we believe. Jesus said that some of you will lay aside the commandments of God so you can teach your own tradition. One way is comfortable. The other way may be costly. One lets us remain in control, the other lets God have control. The church has often used the word thoroughly and still failed to be thoroughly rooted in the word. We may quote it, defend it, debate it, build systems from it, while quietly refusing to be led by it. But Scripture was not given merely to decorate our traditions, it was given for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. Correction is when the test comes. Everyone turns to Scripture to find comfort. Everybody wants Scripture to confirm them, but the church that is truly rooted in the Word must also let Scripture confront them. That is where Scripture first begins, not with a slogan, not with pride, not with an argument, but with a humble question. What must I do? And once he has spoken, the faithful heart answers, Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth. The good news is that God's word does more than expose us, it restores us, it does more than correct us, it heals us, it does more than bring us low, it lifts us back into truth. So let us not merely use the word, let us be rooted in the word. Let it go beneath our opinions, beneath our habits, our traditions, our fears, and beneath our pride until the word of God's truth is drawing strength to us again. Jesus said the wise man hears his sayings and does them. And when the rain descends and the floods come and the winds blow, the house does not fall, because it is founded upon a rock. But a church rooted in the word will stand. We always find strength in God's Word. I hope the message today has touched your heart and causes you to have a good day.