Scripture Text: "Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life." Proverbs 4:13 (KJV)

I heard a man make a statement the other day regarding the Holy Bible that it is nothing but folklore and far from anything that we should be patterning our lives after. In his defense, he was also putting down the Holy Books from other religions as well. He mentioned that he was a self-sufficient, self-made man. (Guess he finally needs to have that talk with his parents about the birds and the bees)

But there are several men - men of the cloth, who are touting the same theme. Where did it come from? Well, I believe it became public when Bishop Spong began his speeches of enlightenment - saying that all of the stories surrounding Christ were pretty much nothing more than folklore. He said that about the prophet Moses as well. So, what's he really saying? He's saying that Jesus and God were merely folklore.

It's difficult for men of education to "just believe" because they are taught that believing involves faith and faith involves emotion. If religion is to be anything at all it must be based on fact!

Well, that last part is true and if anyone remembers that little old three-car train that explains the proper order for Faith, Fact, and Feeling they will know that FAITH is the car that's in the middle because it is what Links FACT and FEELING together. The problem is, a lot of these guys like to unhook the Faith and Feeling cars and just run on Facts. When they do that they cease to be a train. What I mean by that is, without faith and feeling - facts can sometimes get derailed.

The Bible is a book of facts. It is also a book of faith and a book of feeling! You cannot read the Bible and not be moved to faith and feeling. In fact the Bible says this about itself: "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isa 55:11

What's he speaking about? The Word of God is the Life Sustenance of every man, woman, boy and girl. He says,

"For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:"

If you're not reading the Word, you're literally starving to death spiritually. But for those who are reading and feeding on the Word of God, they are as the word says:

"For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." Jer 17:8

Oh, and by the way, our passage goes on to talk about what the facts and the faith in those facts can do. Look at this:

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Isa 55:12,23 (KJV)

So an important step to Staying "in the Word of God"; is to keep studying and learning daily what God has in store for those who love Him and surrender their lives to Him.

Let's Pray: Father, I thank you for Your your love and care for me. Speak to me O Lord as I eat and drink the manna from above by reading Your Holy Word. Let me know your perfect Will for me, In Jesus' Name, Amen.