July 16, 2006
Rev. Terry D. Campbell

Planting God's Words
Psalm 119:9-11 (TNIV)

"How can those who are young keep their way pure? By living according to your word. ¹⁰I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

A pastoral search committee asked a pastoral candidate, "What part of the Bible do you like best?" He said: "I like the New Testament best. Then he was asked, "What New Testament book is your favorite?" He answered, the Book of the Parables."

Then he was asked to share one of the parables. So he began... "Once upon a time a man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves; and the thorns grew up and choked the man. And he went on and met the Queen of Sheba, and she gave that man a thousand talents of silver, and a hundred changes of raiment. And he got in his chariot and drove furiously, and as he was driving along under a big tree, his hair got caught in a limb and left him hanging here! And he hung there many days and many nights. The ravens brought him food to eat and water to drink. And one night while he was hanging there asleep, his wife Delilah came along and cut off his hair, and he fell on stony ground. And it begin to rain, and rained forty days and forty nights. And he hid himself in a cave. Later he met a man who said, "Come in and take supper with me." But he said, "I can't come in, for I have married a wife." And the man went out into the highways and hedges and compelled him to come in! He then came to Jerusalem, and saw Queen Jezebel sitting high and lifted up in a window of the wall. When she saw him she laughed, and he said, "Throw her down out of there," and they threw her down. And he said "Throw her down again," and they threw her down seventy-times-seven. And the fragments which they picked up filled twelve baskets full! NOW, whose wife will she be in the day of Judgment?"

The committee agreed that he was indeed a knowledgeable candidate!

Too many United Methodist people don't know their Bibles-especially those raised in the 1960's and 70's in our denomination. Our text asks, "How can we be what God wants us to be?" The answer is by planting the words of God in our lives and enabling them to take root and produce God's life in us.

Why plant Scripture in my life?

I can't stress strongly enough that God gave us the Bible, not for information but for transformation! "How can those who are young keep their way pure? By living according to your word." Planting Scripture in my life helps me grow more mature in Christ, sending down roots for divine connection, nourishment and stability!

1. So I can know what God wants me to know. I need to learn about what God is really like, how one can experience salvation, and what it means to live like a child of the true God. People in the world have a lot of different opinions-but what does God say? To know, you must plant God's words from the Bible in your life. We have so many helps today so we can know and understand God's words. Easier to understand translations and so many helps. (show my study Bibles.)
   
   That opens us to
   
   
2. Be who God wants me to be; and
   
   
3. Do what God wants me to do. We would like to excuse ourselves for our sinning by saying, "I'm only human." But God says, "Remember that 'if anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come.'"

Many of us grew up being taught to be humble and say, "I'm just a sinner saved by grace." While I understand the humility, but it is not God's way to view yourself. The Bible says in conversion we received Jesus' holiness and we then are clean and right before God, and become saints under construction-saints, but still in God's outward transformation process. The body tends to complete what the mind thinks. If you think of yourself as God does-a saint under construction-you have a better shot at living up to God's work in your life. You need to know what God wants you to know-so plant God's words!

So God uses life's challenges to develop us spiritually. James 1:2-4 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. "

Where do I plant Scripture in my life?

1. In my brain. God is more likely to help you recall things you have put in your mind than zap in verses new to you. Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will."
   
   We must break and replace any hurtful or sinful patterns we have developed to cope in life and discover practices God would teach us. God will help us be more thoughtful, more helpful, more aware, more responsive in life. That will bless a lot of people.
   
2. I must plant God's words in my heart-center of my desire, passion and will. With what are you feeding your inner self-- your desires, passion, will? We learned from the computer world, "Garbage in-garbage out." People say, "I am just down, depressed all the time. I don't understand it. I have a good time watching my soaps each day-learning who is cheating on whom, who is dying, who is lying, who is trying to destroy whom." Or a man says, "I try to be good Christian-but I just think about sex all the time. Do you think it has anything to do with my reading 'Playboy' all the time?" Garbage in, garbage out.
   
   Jesus filled His life with God and consequently, had a different life experience. In John 4:34 Jesus said, "'My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.'" Daily conversation with God's words fueled a growing hunger in Jesus to love and serve God.
   
3. Then in my life situations. You might say, "Here's a situation like I've been reading about in the Bible. I've been trying to memorize a key verse. Now I must act out this verse!" It might be in situations in which you are wanting to run away, but God's words say stay and trust God. Instead of getting your revenge, you apply Scripture about forgiving in Jesus' name. Instead of ignoring a person in need you say a word of encourage or get involved by trying to help them. The Bible verses become more real to you and easier to remember because they are used in your daily life.

What are you allowing to shape your desires and life situation?

How do I plant Scripture in my life?

1. Read and comprehend. Let's take a test on my Western Civilization class book. Why not? You haven't read it? It takes time and effort-but you've got to know and understand what the Bible says before you can do anything with it!
   
2. Commit especially relevant passages to my memory (We remember easier IMPORTANT things to us). You can use a book like Bible Promise Book to get you started. Isaiah 26:3-Thou wilt keep...; Phil 4:13-I can do all...; Rev. 12:11 "And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the lamb...;
   
3. Begin with those parts that speak to some need in your life. Don't just memorize the whole Bible. What Scripture verses speak to your current situation in life? My favorite verses are Romans 8:38-39 - "No, in all these things..." I need peace and security, re-assurance. When you get in those situation where you are tempted to use ungodly methods to respond (fear, rage, cussing, brutality) rehearse and work at opening yourself up to hearing God's words. When you're down, when you are tempted to be unfaithful, when you are feeling insecure, when you have an overwhelming job to do. Plant God's words in you and in that situation. Eventually it will make a huge difference!

What will you do now?

Let's get started: Bible Exercise with background music. Get in small groups. Read and briefly discuss 2 Cor. 5:16-6:2. What does God want us to know, to be and to do? These questions can be asked of many, many sections of God's written word. I challenge you to move beyond doing just what comes naturally. Get a change of mind and habit by planting God's words in you.   Amen.