F4S: It's healthy. Run to the word of God, and run away from all that pulls you back or simply tears you down.

Friday, February 12, 2021

It's healthy. Run to the word of God, and run away from all that pulls you back or simply tears you down.

His passion, his thrill, his main adventure was in the law of the Lord. He loved the living word, and the written word. He prayerfully meditated upon the Bible truth day and night in order to apply God's truth in the right way at the right time. The way Jesus did that. 

His name was William Ashely Sunday and he loved Sundays, but he of course loved the Lord far more. Yep, more than everyone and everything!

 This Billy lived from 1862 to 1935. He was born in Ames, Iowa and his father died while Billy was a young boy, so he was raised in an orphanage. Billy later became a professional baseball player with the "White Sox." After serving briefly with the YMCA, he began to preach to millions of people. This has been said of him, before Billy Graham came along. Billy and Nell Sunday had four children. 

So when was he born again spiritually (John 3:3)? He repented of sin and believed in Christ in 1886 through an outreach of the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. So after serving briefly with the YMCA, he began to preach there. He was ordained by the Presbytery in Chicago. Billy toured America preaching the Gospel and God used him to win perhaps a million souls to Christ. That’s been said of his ministry. While ministering the word of God, Billy kept the attention of his hearers by performed fascinating acrobatic feats as he preached. He wasn’t aiming to be an entertainer drawing attention to self really, but he wanted them to come to Christ instead of becoming bored or distracted. He used to leap from the pulpit area down to the lower platform in Chicago. He used to say make a home run for God. And Billy lived for and gave the glory to the Lord. 

"His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:2

Yes, it was many years ago this young and talented baseball player had placed his faith in Jesus Christ. God can use anyone of us. 

Then an older believer gave Billy some great advice that he never forgot. The man said, “Billy, there are three simple rules I wish you would practice in life as a Christian. If you do, no one will ever write the word backslider after your name. Billy, take 15 minutes each day to let God talk to you (like from the word and attentive listening). Take 15 minutes a day to talk to Him (prayer, praise, pouring out your heart, worship). And then spend 15 minutes a day telling others about the Savior (lost sinners and saints to edify and build them up).”

Super good advice for any of us huh! Sure, spend 15 minutes talking to God daily, 15 minutes carefully listening to God like in prayerfully listening to God studying the Bible, and then spend 15 minutes talking to others (both lost and saved sinners) about God (The Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- their work and words).

Billy Sunday followed this good advice and became one of the most powerful evangelists in the history of the church. Billy Sunday recognized the value of moving forward. You can do this!

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That is the central message of Psalm one. Open your Bible and seek to know God's word before all other stuff. Submit to the living Word (Jesus) -- obey the Lord too and avoid everything in this life that pulls you down, i.e., the fleshly and worldly temptations, the sin that destroys. 

God, fill us with Your Spirit, give us wisdom in learning what’s really so, and great courage to wisely apply the Bible in this life. Use us to glorify Jesus today. 

From the overflow of the Spirit, minister the word to believers. Befriend and witness to lost sinners as well, but please don't spend so much time with them to where you are negatively influenced by bad company back into wrong doings and stinkin’ thinking. I mean to where you stumble or fall back. You and I don’t need some epic backslide or other kinda backslide spiritually. Bad company can so easily corrupt you, your thoughts, attitude and good behavior. 

I say ditch the lusts of the flesh and of the eyes, of the mind, and of the heart and then aggressively seek after the Lord (wanting to know His specific call and will for you..) going after His free forgiveness, righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who are reborn and spiritual. Become well spiritually instead of sick. Yes, seek after, together as a part of a sound local church and in smaller Bible studies, praying with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Calling out to Jesus daily -- looking to Him for all your needs in spite of the trials, opposition and trails

 "So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." 2 Timothy 2:22 

Seek the living word of God today. Do you feel like you’ve suffered some losses? Listen, there are really no accidents, but there’s just providence in the life of the believer

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"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." 2 Timothy 2:22


It’s not just that the man of Psalm 1 doesn’t do the bad things (go check it out in the Bible for yourself). This male moves forward in the right things. And what is the right thing to do? Psalm 1:2 tells us that “his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Now you know that this will be good for any woman or child as well -- God loves us all the same and he has a plan for you too. 

Notice that this verse doesn’t say that the man’s drudgery is in the law of the Lord. Nor does it say his duty is in the law of the Lord. No, Psalm 1:2 tells us that his delight is in the law of the Lord. He delights to do God’s will. You and me often need to go back to the Lord in prayer and ask Him in order to get the details of His will for you, what to do and what to avoid doing. He can speak to our hearts.

Let’s pray and ask so we can live as spiritually-red-hot Christians... as we are constantly moving forward in God's Will in expanding His Kingdom instead of ours. Yes, advance spiritually in His Word and in our relationship with God. It's important. Billy did it, and so can we. 

Photos by Ryan ArnstBlake GuidryMadai#Andy Li. Pastor Erwin Lutzer is pastor today. -- hear him on the radio