Adrian Rogers: How to Make the Word of God Come Alive

There’s no magical way to understand the Bible. It takes work—joyful, thrilling work—to understand the Word of God. In this message, Adrian Rogers shows us how to make the Bible come alive, as instructed in Psalm 119.

Can I just give you the Bible in shorthand?
The Bible addresses one problem, and that problem is sin.
The Bible has one villain, and that villain is the devil.
The Bible has one hero, and his name is Jesus.
The Bible has one purpose, and that the glory of god. ProFound Truth simply stated.
This is love worth finding with pastor teacher and author Adrian Rogers. You find Psalm 119.
As you’re finding it, up here and let me tell you what a wise man said a long time ago.
These have got married and no man shall part dust on the Bible and drought in the heart.
Now if you do not know love, understand, practice and obey the word of god, I can tell you without stutter stammer or apology, you are not a victorious Christian.
So we want to learn today how to study the Bible, how to make your Bible come alive, how to make it burst a flame in your hand.
And what we’re going to say today is going to be taken from this wonderful Psalm uh, Psalm 119.
You know, what people need today is truth.
Let me read to you a prayer from someone in Kenya. And here’s the prayer.
Lord, from the cowardice that Dares not face new truth, from the laziness that is contended with half truth from the arrogance, which thinks it has all truth Good lord deliver me are men.
Now I hope that you will not have cowardice this morning and be afraid of truth.
That you will not have laziness and accept half truth or that you will not have arrogance and think that you need no truth.
Friend, it is knowledge. It is truth that transforms or the sign in a business that said, we are not what we think we are.
What we think we are. Did you understand that?
We’re not what we think we are, but rather what we think We are.
That is you are what you think. As a man thinketh, so is he?
That’s what the Bible says in Proverbs 23 verse 7.
Now if that is true, if knowledge is power, we need the knowledge of the word of god to have spiritual power.
We need to be molded, motivated, and managed by the word of god.
And yet for many, many in this congregation, the Bible remains a closed book.
A mysterious book And, uh, they really give lip service to the Bible, but they really do not understand it.
Now there’s no cheap way There’s no lazy way.
There’s no magical way to understand the Bible, but it is not impossible.
As a matter of fact, it is joyful. It is thrilling.
And so we wanna talk to you today about how to understand the word of god.
Now this song is by far the longest Psalm in the Bible, and it is what we call an acrostic.
An acrostic is something that starts with an arrangement of letters.
This acrostic is an acrostic on the Hebrew Bible, and it is divided up into sections There are 22 stansas.
And each stanza, you can’t you wouldn’t know that by reading it in English.
But each stanza starts with a letter in the Hebrew alphabet and goes through the sections, 22 sections.
And each section in these 22 sections starts with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Are each verse in each of these 22 sections starts with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
I know that’s a great blessing to you, but anyway, that’s true. That is true.
And the, uh, you would understand that there is a there’s a sort of a logical, uh, arrangement here and the writer of this, uh, 119th Psalm is writing to give us some statements about the word of god.
The entire Psalm, many verses, well over a 100 verses.
Each of these verses is dealing with the word of god to help us to know and understand the word of god.
Now I wanna tell you three things, and there’ll be some subsets under these three things.
But I wanna tell you three things that if you will do these things, I can promise you, and I’ve prayed over this.
I’ve fought over this. If you will do these 3 things, I can promise you that the Bible will burst the flame in your heart, in your mind, and in your life.
Number 1, You must appreciate the virtues of the word of god.
Now if you don’t appreciate the virtues of the word of god, you’re not gonna have any desire to learn it or know it.
Many people do not understand the great value, the great bretch you in the word of god.
You must have an appreciation for the word of god. Why should you appreciate the word of god?
Number 1, because it is a timeless book.
Put that in your notes, a timeless book look, if you will, now, in verse, um, well, let’s look in verse 89, for example, in this Psalm.
Forever, oh, lord. Listen to that. Forever, oh, lord. Thy word is settled in heaven.
That is the Bible is not the book of the month.
It is not the book of the year. It is the book of ages.
It is an unchanging book.
Look, if you will, in verse 152 in this same, uh, Psalm concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou has founded them what?
Forever, the Bible is timeless, The Bible is ultimate. The Bible is indestructible.
So we’re saying that we’re talking of the virtues of the word of god that you must appreciate It’s a timeless book.
Number 2, it is a truthful book. Do you have that?
It is a truthful book Look if you will, in verse 142.
By righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and by law is the proof.
Look, if you will, in a 151, thou art near o lord, and all thy commandments our truth, look, if you will, in verse 160.
By where is truth from the beginning? Pilot asked Jesus what is truth.
Jesus said in John, chapter 17 speaking to the father, thy word is truth.
And in a world that has lost It’s appreciation for truth.
You can say without stutter or a stammer that the Bible is true.
Now we have some theological experts today who think they ought to re examine the Bible.
As far as I’m concerned, we ought to re examine them. I’m serious.
Now there are all kinds of attacks on the Bible to the truth of the Bible today.
There’s there’s just a sheer frontal attack of liberalism and the liberals who deny it.
Then there’s an attack from the rear, which is Brad more insidious, and they’re they’re talking about their experiences all of the time.
And they’re saying, well, I know what I feel or what I think and sometimes they’ll even argue with you, and they’ll say, I don’t care what the Bible says.
And let me tell you what I experienced.
Paul had to deal with some of those in, in current.
And Paul said to them and put this verse down, 1st Corinthians 14 verses 3738.
If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the lord.
Uh, there were some who had gotten off into charismatic hocus pocus in Carmen, and they’ve gone wild about tongues and prophecies and visions and ecstasies.
And Paul tried to set them in order.
And they were saying, oh, well, let me tell you, brother, Paul, what a spiritual man I am.
And let me tell you, brother, Paul, I have a gift of prophecy.
Paul says, if you think you’re a prophet, if you think you’re spiritual, then you will acknowledge what I say is the word of god, and then he says something almost humorous.
He says, but if any man will be ignorant, let him be ignorant, just to shrug up his shoulders.
Evidently, he’d met some of these people that you and I meet around here today.
There Listen, folks, there are people who want to bring the Bible under their experience.
I say there is the frontal attack of the Bible by those who rail against it and deny it there’s an attack from the rear by those who want to substitute their experience for the word of god, and then there’s an attack from the flank from the side.
These are they who don’t necessarily deny the Bible, but they kinda wanna replace it, or they want to prop it up with psychology.
And with, um, philosophy and these other things as if the Bible itself is not good enough.
But friend, the Bible is true. And if you’re looking for truth, you can find it in the Bible.
And why is this? Put this verse down. 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 16.
And it says this, all scripture listen, all scripture, all holy writing is given by inspiration of god.
Read what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 4 verse 4.
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word. Now listen to this next phrase.
By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of god. He was talking about the Bible.
He was talking about the Bible. And he says that every word proceeds from the mouth of god.
It is not simply that god breathed into the scriptures. God breathed the scriptures out. Yes.
He used human penman. Yes. There was Isaiah Jeremiah. Yes. There was Matthew and Paul. Yes. There was Mark.
But these men were the pendant of god. These men were the voice of god as god is speaking.
Holy men of god’s faith as they remove. The Bible says, by the Holy Ghost.
And therefore, the Bible is true because a god of truth cannot speak error. Say Amen. Listen.
What am I saying? The Bible is a timeless book.
The Bible is a truthful book, and the Bible therefore should be a treasured book.
Look, if you will, in verse 72 of this same thing, he says here, the law of my mouth is better under me than thousands.
Of gold and silver. I wonder if that is true of you. I’m gonna tell you truth.
God knows. God is listening to me right now. That is absolutely true of me.
If you were to heat this side of this of this platform, I mean, heap it.
With gold, silver, ruby, diamonds, bonds, stocks to the goat went from floor to ceiling.
And over here, put the word of god and said, you can have one or the other.
You cannot have both. I would not have to hesitate.
I’d choose this. I would choose this. Folks, I’m telling you this is god’s treasure book.
It is a timeless book. It is a truthful book. It is a treasured book.
So the first point is you must you must appreciate the virtues of the word of god.
You must appreciate the virtues of the word of god because if you don’t, you’re not gonna have any desire to understand it.
Now here’s the second thing. Not only must you appreciate the virtues of the word of god, you must assimilate, assimilate the vitality of the word of god because I chose the word vitality on purpose.
Because the word vitality means alive.
Now, listen, the Bible is a living book Hebrews 4 12, put it in your margin.
The word of god is quick and powerful. The word quick means alive.
It is the word we get our word zoo from or zoology from.
It is Zoan and in our case, and the alive is a word we get our word energy from.
It is it is living. It is energetic. Jesus.
And John chapter 6 was speaking to some unbelievers And and he said to them and to his disciples, listen to it, in John chapter 6 verse 63, The words that I speak unto you listen to this.
The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, And they are life.
See, the Bible is vital. The Bible pulsates with life.
Now that’s that’s the reason why I’m saying that not only must you appreciate it, you must assimilate it.
You don’t just read the cookbook. You eat the meal.
Now if you don’t assimilate it, no matter how much you appreciate it, What good is it going to do you?
Now how do you assimilate the word of god? Get your pen, write these first things down.
Number 1, write down, pray over it. Pray over it.
Look, if you will, in verse 73 of this same Psalm.
By hands have made me and fashioned me, give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments.
How often in sermon preparation, if I put my pencil down, have I bowed my head and say, oh my god.
Help me to understand this. God give me understanding. Now all of this is under the heading.
We must pray over. We must pray over.
When we pray, When we pray friend, our eyes are open, our hardest move, our mind is enlightened to understand the word of god.
So, uh, now we’re talking now about how to assimilate it. Number 1, you pray over it.
Number 2, you ponder it. P0nder. You ponder it.
Look, if you will, in verse 15 of this same Psalm, I will meditate in my precepts.
Do you see that? Look, if you will, in verse 147 of this same Psalm.
I prevented the dawning of the morning.
And cried, and I hoped in thy word that is I got up early in the morning, and I trusted it in your word That is I had a quiet time.
Look, if you will, in verse 48, 148, my eyes prevent the night watches.
That I might meditate in my word. You see, it takes time.
If you have to rise an hour early, do it. You have to stay up an hour late.
Do it. Uh, that you might that you might just ponder the word of god.
I have given you this before, but I want to give you 6 questions. You ask these 6 questions.
Get your pencil and write these 6 questions down.
My wife says, you always go to fast when you say these.
Number 1, is there a promise to claim?
You’re looking at a passage. Is there a promise to claim?
Number 2, is there a lesson to learn.
Number 3, is there a blessing to enjoy.
Number 4, is there a command to obey?
Number 5, is there a sin to avoid?
Number 6, is there a new thought to carry with me?
Are you preparing a Sunday school lesson? Get any passage of scripture, any passage. Hey.
Just look at it and just ask those questions, and you’ve got your lesson. I promise you.
Just 6 simple questions as you look at the word of god You prayed over it.
And you said, oh, god. Open my eyes. You said, dear god. Move my heart. You said, dear god.
Give me understanding. And then you look at the word of god and you ponder it and you think about it and you’ve got a pen and you write these things down.
You read it through you think it clear, you write it down, you pray it in, you live it out, and you pass it on, and it’s yours.
Sure. You say, I can’t remember all that. Okay. Get the tape because we gotta move on.
Number 1, uh, you pray over it. Number 2, you ponder it.
Number 3, you preserve it. You preserve it. Look if you will hear in verse 11.
We’re back in our Psalm again. Look if you will in verse 11.
By word, have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee?
Uh, look, if you will, in verse 16, I will delight myself in thy statutes.
I will not forget thy word. That means that you you you preserve it.
You hide it down in your heart. You can remember far more than you think. You can remember.
Now next, and I don’t have time for that because, uh, we must rush on.
Not only must you preserve it, you must here’s the 4th thing.
You must practice it Look, if you will, in the first four verses, uh, Psalm 1 19, blessed, in the way who walk in the law of the lord.
Bless it, are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart?
They also do no inequity. They walk in his ways thou has commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently, all that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes It’s not enough to recite the promises without obeying the commandments.
Simple secret. Do you want to learn more of the word of god? Do you?
Then obey the part you know. That is so simple.
The Bible says to him that hath shall be given. The rich get richer.
The more you obey, the more you learn it. But let keep the word of god.
You say, well, there are a lot of the Bible. I don’t understand.
Do you know what Mark Twain is reported to have said?
He’s reported to have said it’s not that part of the Bible that I don’t understand that gives me so much trouble is the part I do understand.
Uh, okay. Now, listen, there may be mysteries and things you don’t understand about the third toe on the left foot of some beast in Revelation.
But I’ll tell you, you can’t understand when the Bible says, love one another, can’t you?
You can’t understand when when the Bible gives you clear and plain commandments.
And if you will begin to keep these, uh, the word of god, uh, it will become real to you.
Nope next, uh, you must you must proclaim it. This is the 5th of these things you do.
If you were are going to assimilate.
Look, if you’re willing, verse 13, with my lips, have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth with my lips?
Look in verse 27. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts, So shall I talk of my wondrous words?
Look, if you will, in verse 46, I will speak of thy testimony also before kings and will not be ashamed Look, if you will, in verse 172 of this, um, same Psalm here.
My tongue shall speak of of thy word for all thy commandments are righteous.
You see, give it away. Let the word of god be in your mouth constantly in your mouth.
Stow it in your heart. Show it in your life. So it in the world.
The more of the word of god you give away, the more of it will stick to you.
Now here, I’ve got to move to the final thing. Look, what we said is this.
You must appreciate the virtues of the word of god.
Number 2, you must assimilate the vitality of the word of god And number 3, it is then that you can’t appropriate the values of the word of god.
That is that that this this knowledge that you have is going to become a a a transformation.
I’m just gonna give you the outline. I can’t fill in the points. And you just write them down.
Number 1, it’ll be a source of victory verse 45.
Just as Jesus overcame Satan in the wilderness with the word you will overcome.
It will be a source of growth verse 32.
People say, oh, passed on just a week in my physical life.
I can just hardly get out of bed. I just don’t wanna go to work. I’m just so weak.
Uh, I said, well, What’s the matter with you? Been a doctor? No.
You got a disease? I don’t think so.
Well, good lord, man. What are you eating?
Well, I have this restaurant I go to on Sunday sometime.
It’s not raining, and I I get a meal there. That’s all I eat.
You mean, that’s all you eat?
You just go this restaurant on Sunday and you get a meal there if it’s not raining.
That’s all you eat. Yeah. Just a week. Hey, listen.
Oh, this is is just to wet your appetite.
If you don’t learn how to feed yourself, the word of god, you’re not going to grow.
The Bible says that as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby.
It’s a source of growth. It’s a source of joy versus 54111.
I don’t have time to talk about that.
But these things have I spoken unto you that your joy might be full. It’s a source of power.
The word of god is quick and powerful. It’s a source of guidance.
Well, let’s give you one full power. Verse 28. It’s a source of guidance.
Verse 105, thy word is a lamp under my feet and a light under my path.
The word of god. The word of god. It will give you all of these things.
You want joy. You want power. You want victory. You want to be able to overcome.
You want these wonderful things.
You can approach create them, but you can only appropriate them after you assimilate them, and you can only assimilate them if you appreciate them.
And I’m promising you that if you’ll do that, it will be transformational in your life.
Now could we just sum up the Bible right now?
For those of you who are not Christians or maybe you’ve never been saved, can I just give you the Bible in shorthand?
The Bible addresses one problem, and that problem is sin.
The Bible has one villain, and that villain is the devil.
The Bible has one hero, And his name is Jesus.
The Bible has one purpose, and that is the glory of god.
Do you know Jesus? Do you know him?
You see, This book is a two edged sword.
If it doesn’t cut to heal you, it will cut to slay you.
It’s a savor of life unto life or death unto death.
And god wants me to tell you something today is gonna come right out of this book, or god so loved the world that he gave has only begotten son.
That whosoever, that means you. That whosoever, that means anyone.
Believes in him, puts their faith, their trust in him.
They will not perish. They will not die and go to hell.
They will not But they’ll have everlasting life. That’s what we’re saying about it.
We’re saying about heaven. A few more days, and we’re passing on.
Do you know Jesus?