August 29, 2024 -- Psalm 119:114 -- The Word of Life

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You are my hiding place and my shield;
     I hope in your word.
Psalm 119:114 ESV

Why bother reading the Bible? A representative of the Canadian Bible Society sent me these results, from a recent Cardus Research survey. 40,000 people were surveyed. These folks were drawn from the general population and were people aged between 8 - 80. The comparison is between those who read the Bible 1x a week for 15 minutes versus those who read it 4x a week. For those who read 4x a week:

  • feeling lonely drops 30%

  • anger issues drop 32%

  • bitterness in relationships drop 40%

  • alcoholism drops 57%

  • feeling spiritually stagnant drops 60%

  • viewing pornography drops 61%

  • sharing your faith jumps 200%

  • discipling others jumps 230%

No wonder the psalmist praises God calling Him his hiding place. When the world and the accompanying peer pressures encroach upon the soul, God Himself is the security of His children. He brings the most satisfying relationship anyone could ever enjoy. God is the shield of His people—when memories of old sins haunt, the forgiveness of God given in Christ shields the soul so that there is no need to take comfort in the bottle or the needle.

The Word of God upholds the believer (Ps 119:116) and His word brings light into the life of His people (Ps.119:130). Funny, isn’t it, how people will follow all the latest fads for food, for vitamins, for exercises that make fitness claims to the effect that hard work will be eliminated. You'll achieve phenomenal fitness—but those same easily influenced people will not take 15 minutes a day to absorb the Word of God which has a proven track record for dramatic improvements in every area of life.
 

O THOU who art the Light of the minds that know Thee, the Life of the souls that love Thee, and the Strength of the hearts that serve Thee; help us so to know Thee that we may truly love Thee; so to love Thee that we may fully serve Thee; Whom to serve is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Divine Service Book For the Armed Forces, 1950, page 43

https://youtu.be/my90e3a_nlM?si=lMIJsrstBLqlESH2 “Speak, O Lord”

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