Today I hope to demonstrate the life & power which comes from the Word of God. I will try to convict you of the need to access this life & power by reading, studying, & getting to know God's Word. I will introduce you to your judge.

2. NIV In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him
nothing was made that has been made. In him
was life, and that life was the light of all
mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and
the darkness has not overcome it.

3. The plainest reason why the Son of God is
called the Word, seems to be, that as our words
explain our minds to others, so was the Son of
God sent in order to reveal his Father's mind to
the world.
What the evangelist says of Christ proves that
he is God. He asserts His existence in the
beginning; His coexistence with the Father.

4. The Word was with God. All things were made
by him, and not as an instrument.
Without him was not any thing made that was
made, from the highest angel to the meanest
worm.
This shows how well qualified he was for the
work of our redemption and salvation.

5. The light of reason, as well as the life of sense,
is derived from him, and depends upon him.
This eternal Word, this true Light shines, but the
darkness comprehends it not. Let us pray
without ceasing, that our eyes may be opened
to behold this Light, that we may walk in it; and
thus be made wise unto salvation, by faith in
Jesus Christ.

6. With Jesus coming to earth and taking on
human form to show us the mind of God notice
not only that Jesus is the Word, but also the
words that come from His mouth are so very
important.
NET The Spirit gives life; the flesh
counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to
you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

7. I would like to impress upon you again from
elsewhere in God’s Word the fact stated in
, Word was God.
NIV The Jews who were there
gathered around him, saying, “How long will
you keep us in suspense? If you are the
Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I
did tell you, but you do not believe.

8. The works I do in my Father’s name testify
about me, but you do not believe because
you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my
voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give
them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no
one will snatch them out of my hand. My
Father, who has given them to me, is greater
than all; no one can snatch them out of my
Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

9. Jesus says it point blank,
I and the Father are one."
He talks again about life coming from Him, but
not plain old life, eternal life!
Did you hear a stipulation relating to eternal
life?

10. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,
and they follow me.
In order to receive eternal life His voice must
not just be heard but listened to.
And once listened to,
He must be followed!

11. There is also a security caveat.
When He is listened to and followed, God The
Father gives that listening, following soul to
Jesus.
Once in Jesus’ possession, I give them
eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one
will snatch them out of my hand.
How is that for security?

12. Today I hope to demonstrate the life & power
which comes from the Word of God.
I will try to convict you of the need to access
this life & power by reading, studying, & getting
to know God's Word.
I will introduce you to your judge.

13. NIV For the word of God is alive
and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and
spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts
and attitudes of the heart.

15. 4

19. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the
Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up
from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you
will live, and I will settle you in your own land.
Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken,
and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

20. Didn't we all not know the power of
God's word from the first time we
heard how He created all things? And
God said, "Let there be light," and
there was light. We cannot imagine
the power He has in just speaking and
it is. Why do we now not remember to
constantly look to His Word for life?
We should take advice from the
second stanza of the .

21. NIV
How can a young person stay on the path of
purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

22. Praise be to you, Lord;
teach me your decrees.
With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

23. Can you truthfully say those words? Do you
seek Him with all your heart? Do you rejoice in
following His statutes? Do you meditate and
consider His ways? Do you delight in His
decrees? Do you not neglect His word? Have
you hidden His Word in your heart or have you
slipped it under the table to make it level?

24. Remember the POWER in God's Word.
God describes the POWER in His Word another
way in:
NIV “Is not my word like fire,”
declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that
breaks a rock in pieces?

25. Do you want life? God's Word will give it to you.
Not just physical life to walk around on this
earth, but eternal life. Regardless what you
might think, we will be judged. Don't you want
to know what it is that will judge us, and what
that judge is like? What does that judge like?
What does that judge dislike? Does the judge
have any advice on how to be judged favorably?

26. In order to answer these questions
we must get acquainted with
and know the Judge.
We have read today that
God's Word will judge us.
Are you spending time
with the Judge?
The Judge is powerful,
we better get to know it.

27. There was a Bible College professor speaking to
a huge crowd of teenagers in Bolivar, MO, some
years ago at a Christ In Youth conference. In
the middle of his sermon he stopped and told
the youth to pick out one chapter of the Bible
and read it to themselves. When they were
finished they were to raise their hands. They
were unaware that he had started a stopwatch
when they began.

28. When they had all read a chapter to themselves
he found that the average person took a little
over 3 minutes to read a chapter.
My point for telling you this and his reason for
doing it, is to make this point. It is very little to
ask one to spend a little over 3 minutes with
God's Word daily? Could you not spend 10
minutes a day reading 3 chapters from that
which is and will judge you?

29. Lets read one of my favorite passages I use
often.
NIV All Scripture is God-
breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness, so
that the servant of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work.

30. We have found God's word is life,
it judges, it is powerful.
In addition we have just learned it is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting, & training in
righteousness to prepare us for every good
work. Don't you want to be prepared to do
every good work?

31. If you want life, if you want
to be judged favorably,
you must get to know the Word.
NIV For the word of God is alive
and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and
spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts
and attitudes of the heart.

32. He has given us all we need.
NET His divine power has given us
everything we need for a godly life through our
knowledge of him who called us by his own
glory and goodness.
He has given us all we need through our
knowledge of him who called us by his own
glory and goodness. How can we gain
knowledge him one who called us except from
the Word of God?

33. NIV “Do not store up for
yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and
vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and
steal. But store up for yourselves treasures
in heaven, where moths and vermin do not
destroy, and where thieves do not break in and
steal. For where your treasure is, there your
heart will be also.

34. NET But seek first his kingdom
and his righteousness, and all these things will
be given to you as well.
How can you store up for yourselves treasures
in heaven and seek first his kingdom and
righteousness if you never open the instruction
book?
How can we expect to know the way if we never
open the map?

35. The Lord has done His part.
He has given us all we need to see Him.
Please don't neglect the eternal life that could
be yours.
Take God's Word off the shelf, blow the dust off
it, and get to know your judge.
It is a win/lose situation.
Know the judge and win -- ignore and neglect
the judge and lose.