3 Rewards For Treasuring God's Word - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

I wanna begin this morning by asking a question. If you were to go home tonight and wake up the next morning by the grace of God, and you found a letter right at your door, and you open that letter and it was from the city of Chicago. And, for some reason you open that letter and you open it up because it was directed to you and you realize that for some reason the city of Chicago is informing you of a unique truth concerning where you live. And, what that letter reads is that it has been discovered that there is this ancient treasure that is buried in your own backyard that is worth an estimated amount of $6,500,000. And they provide documentation of the fact that it is truly there.

And because it is in your property, it belongs to you. It is yours. No one else can claim it. And the city is informing you of this truth. And that if you want to, you can do whatever you need to do to find that hidden treasure in your own backyard.

What would you do if that was something that you actually had the chance to experience? I mean, a normal person, a sane person, would respond to that letter immediately, purchase whatever tools they need to purchase, block out any amount of time they need to block out. And day and night, they would dig in the earth of their own backyard in order to find that treasure that would alter their life for the rest of their days. And there would only really be three reasons why a person would not respond to that amazing news immediately. One, though they were informed of the treasure, they really don't believe that there is a treasure in their very own backyard.

Two, because the treasure is in their backyard and they do believe that the treasure is in their backyard, knowing that is it is in their possession, they've convinced themselves that at their own convenience, they'll find it. When they really need a certain amount of money at a specific time in their life, then they will give themselves over to finding this treasure wholeheartedly. Or thirdly, they're convinced that the effort to find that treasure is not worth it. And that illustration, I believe, is a perfect example of how people treat the scriptures, of how people treat this book. The psalmist says in Psalms one nineteen one sixty two, I rejoice at your word like one who has found a great spoil.

Modernize it. I rejoice at your word like one who just won the lottery. And this psalmist had a revelation that many Christians do not have today, that this book, the very book that you are holding in your hand if you brought it today, contains wealth and treasure and jewels that will forever alter your life. That if, like in Proverbs, you are willing to look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will find the knowledge of God and understand the fear of the Lord. I rejoice at your word like one who has found a great spoil.

See, this book, this holy book is more than just a record of historical truth. It is more than just a documentation of the miracles of God in history. It is more than just a list of moral values. This book is alive. It's alive.

And the Bible testifies of itself that it is alive. In Hebrews four twelve, it says, for the word of God is living and active. In first Peter one twenty three, it says that you have been born again through the living and abiding word of God. Jesus himself says the spirit gives life and the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

What does it mean that the word of God is living? What does that mean? What does that imply? It implies this, that the written word of God has the power to change your life. The fact that this book is living means that it can give you life changing power.

For the nonbeliever, it grants them the knowledge of the assurance of eternal life. For the believer, it gives them the power to live a fruitful and victorious life today. And so if this book is a living book, then it means that our relationship with it is a matter of life and death. If this book is a living book, then our relationship towards this book is a matter of life and death. And our prayer this morning is that through this message, you and I would be stirred to realize the treasure, the wealth, the spoil that is available to us in the very palm of our hands.

It's our possession. It's been given to us. And that we would be like the psalmist in Psalms 19 verse 11 and say this, for by them by what? The word. The words of God.

For by them, your servant, believer, is warned. For by them, your servant is warned. And in keeping them, there is great reward. The title of this message this morning is three rewards to those who treasure the word of God. Three rewards to those who treasure the word of God.

Though there are many treasures, we will focus on three. The first one is found in Psalms one, Psalms one verse one to three. Psalms one one to three. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord. And on his law, he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in every season, and its leaf never withers. In all that he does, he prospers. The first reward for those who treasure the word of God, The first reward is this, constant fruit and freshness in one spiritual life. Constant fruit and freshness in one spiritual life. He says the man who meditates on the law of the Lord day and night, he is like a tree planted in a very specific location.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water. I remember my first year getting saved. We were going to a meeting and we arrived at the church early in this meeting. This church was right beside this forest and it was a clear, clear, beautiful day. And so a friend and I decided to just walk through the forest, and we split paths along the way.

And as I was just walking through those trees, letting the sun beam on my face, just enjoying the creation of God, I found myself sitting at a specific tree trunk. And I looked over, and I saw this one unique tree. It was a tree. It was standing tall. It was a very tall tree.

But there was something about this tree that was different from all the other trees. It was pale. It had branches, but it did not have leaves. And so, because it stood out, I decided to just go up to it out of curiosity and just, for some reason, put my hand on the tree because of its color. It was almost white.

And as I put my hand on the tree, I realized something of the tree. It was hollow. It didn't have life in it. So I began to tap on the tree, and I heard an echo as if you were to hit a watermelon or something. You hear that echo coming.

You hear the fact that it has nothing in it. And in that moment, as I was tapping it, I realized that the tree was moving. And so here I am alone in this forest, putting a little bit more pressure on the tree. And as I began to put more pressure on the tree, I began to feel and hear the roots underneath my feet begin to come out of the ground. And so out of excitement, the little child inside of me says, I'm gonna push this tree over.

And with not much effort, I found myself pushing this tall tree over. And within moments, this tree toppled down and crashed on the ground. And I looked at the tree and saw the roots and realized how dry and how shallow the roots were. And in that moment, I knew that the reason why this tree fell over is because it was not connected to a life source. And in that moment, I realized this psalm came to life that many Christians are like that tree.

Oh, they're a tree. And, yes, they stand tall, but they're unattractive in a spiritual sense. There's no life in them. There's no green. There's no sap.

There's no fragrance. And when there's a little pressure in life, when there's a little bit of temptation, when there's a little bit of trials, it doesn't take much for that person to topple over and come crashing down. Now I attempted in that moment to also do that to another tree. Not too far from that dead tree was a living tree and it had color, it had life, it had leaves on its branches. And so out of my excitement because the fact that this tree toppled over, I said I'm gonna do it again.

And so I went over to the tree and I put my hand on that tree and instantly I knew that this thing was not moving. Same height, same width, same thickness, and I put my hand on that tree and I put both hands and with all my strength, I try to push it over and it would not move an inch. Why? Because its roots were connected to a life source. And those, as the psalmist says, who meditate on the word of God day and night are like a tree planted by streams of water.

They are immovable. They are unshakable. They are not easily toppled over by life's pressures. Satan has trouble putting pressure on those who are connected to the streams of water, the word of God. It takes a lot more for Satan than a hand to push that tree over.

No. It takes an axe. It takes a chainsaw because it's immovable. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, but he is also one who bears its fruit in his season, in every season. In our own backyard back in Canada, we have one tree, and it's a cherry tree.

And that tree, in the right season and the right time, is decorated by these little bright red cherries, and that tree brings joy to our family, except me because I'm allergic, I believe. But that tree, every single time in the summertime when it comes about and it produces its fruit, brings joy to us. We sit in the backyard and we pick up the tree, we eat the tree. When guests come over, they surround the tree, and they eat from the tree, and they talk about the tree, and they look through the branches and grab this one and grab that one. Even the birds enjoy the trees.

They come and rob the cherries every year. And that tree, that one cherry tree that produces fruit taught us something. That a tree that bears fruit, it does not bear fruit for itself. It bears fruit for the benefit of others. And in the same way, a Christian who bears fruit does not bear fruit for himself or for herself.

A Christian bears fruit in order for others to be blessed by its fruit. And the one who is meditating on the word of God day and night, the one who saturates himself with the scriptures, he or she is like one that bears its fruit. That when they take the word of God and they let it reside in their life, when they are planted on a continuous basis, and when they obey the word of God, fruit begins to appear in their life. It's effortless. Fruit begins to come, and guess what?

People begin to notice. And people begin to come to the tree, and people begin to realize, ah, I can come to this tree and find love. I can come to this tree and find wisdom. I can come to this tree and find counsel. I can come to this tree and find patience.

And if you and I wanna be a benefit to others, if we wanna bring joy to other people's lives, we must be those who bear fruit, but we cannot bear fruit unless we abide in the word of God day and night. And effortlessly, just because of your personal devotion to God, people will begin to notice how you are decorated with the fruits of the spirit. And they will come to you because they are attracted to what's on your life and say, I can come to this person and find love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness, faithfulness and self control. Do you desire to be a benefit and a blessing to others? If so, you must abide in the word of God day and night.

But thirdly, a tree planted by streams of water, a man that is connected to the word of God day and night, its leaf never withers. Now there's a parallel text to the Psalms in Jeremiah 17. Jeremiah 17 verse eight. Jeremiah is proclaiming the reality of a man who trusts in the Lord at all times, and it's almost as though it is a copy paste of Psalms one one to three. It says here in verse eight, he is like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream and does not fear when heat comes for its leaves remain green and is not anxious in the year of drought for it does not cease to bear fruit.

A tree that is planted by streams of living water, a tree that finds its source in the abiding word of God is a tree that will never lose its life, is a tree that will never lose its greenness, is a tree that regardless of its environment abides in the word of God day and night, regardless of what season he or she finds himself in, regardless of the circumstances around them, regardless of the spiritual environment that they find themselves in, they themselves will remain lively even though everything around them is deadly. So the college student that's living on campus, that abides in the word of God day and night will not need to be worried about their worldly environment. Why? Because its leaf never withers. The person who works in a secular job and finds himself in a worldly environment, worldly conversations, blasphemous, does not need to worry about being affected by their environment.

Why? Because they abide in the Word of God. The high school student that walks through the halls, the high school student that is being taught false teaching concerning the word of God does not need to worry about the temptations they face. Why? Because they abide in the word day and night.

The tree that is planted by water, it's not affected by heat, meaning it's not affected by persecution. Persecution can come. The pressure can come, but because their roots are deep in the word of God, it's as though nothing is happening. When there's a year of drought and every single person around that person is lukewarm as lukewarm can be, they can trust that they have life because they're abiding in the word of God. Its leaf does not wither.

That is a supernatural reality for the one, only for the one that comes to the word of God day and night. The first reward for those who treasure the Word of God is that they will have constant fruit and freshness in their spiritual life. I have never met an on fire Christian that does not meet the Word every single day, And I have never met a lukewarm Christian that does meet the word of God every day. That is the first reward. The second reward is found in Deuteronomy 17.

Deuteronomy 17 verse 18. Deuteronomy, in this chapter, in the latter part, God is instructing the people of Israel of what to do when they elect a king over them. And God gives certain criteria, but he gives one of the most amazing instructions concerning the king that we cannot miss simply because we're in the new covenant. We cannot miss what God is about to say in these verses just because it's addressed to a king. Because in Revelation one five and first Peter two nine, we are labeled as kings and priests.

And this is what God says to the one who would be elected as the king over the people of Israel in verse 18 of Deuteronomy 17. And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book, a copy of this law approved by the Levitical priest, and it shall be with them, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes and doing them, that his heart may be not lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment either to the right hand or to the left so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children in Israel. This was the instruction for the elected king. Pay attention. He would take a copy of the law, which is the book of Deuteronomy.

And he himself, not have a priest do it for him, not have a servant do it for him. No. He himself would take a copy, and he would take his own copy and he would write every single word in the book of Deuteronomy. He would write from the beginning to the end and it would be his own personalized copy. Now why would he do that?

He would do that in order for the words of that book to register in his life, to register in his mind, to almost be memorized. He would have his own copy. And it says here, look, in verse 19, and it shall be with him. He was supposed to carry this book all the days of his life. And not just carry it, but he was to read it every single day of his life.

This is the king. He was not supposed to rely on the priest to declare the word of the Lord. He was not supposed to be dependent upon the prophet to declare the word of the Lord. No. He himself was supposed to take his very own copy of the book of Deuteronomy and read it day and night.

No matter what other kingly duties he had, the king's top priority was meeting with the book of the law every single day. And God, almighty, promises these results in the one that would do so. The first one, as we just read, is constant fruit and freshness in one spiritual life. The second reward is this, protection from self destruction. Protection from self destruction.

The one, the king who would take this word and read it day and night, this is what would happen, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God. The king would open that book every single day, and through the word of God, he would know who God is. And as he would read this book, something would erupt in his heart, and it is something that we all need, the fear of the living God. And as he received the words of this book day in and day out, he would realize the responsibility that he's been given as a king. He would realize the responsibility he's been given as a representative of God almighty to the people of God.

And this king could not pick and choose what book or rather what things from the book he would like and what he would really want to focus on. No. He would read all the promises in the book of Deuteronomy, and he would know all the warnings in the book of Deuteronomy. And by receiving the whole counsel, unlike so many people today that like to cut out the things in scripture and make a magazine out of the Bible and make a god in their own image, he would receive the whole counsel of God. And because of that, he would have the fear of the Lord.

And we know that you and I will never even have the beginning of wisdom. The beginning of wisdom, the starting point of wisdom is in the fear of the Lord. Never mind every other thing that benefits from it. He would have the fear of God knowing who he is and who God is over his life. Why?

Because as a king, he would be susceptible of being proud. He would be susceptible of receiving praise and thinking that he's the highest, and that's the second point. Protection from self destruction, and the sub point is this, that he would learn to fear the Lord. And the second sub point is this, he would not get proud. What does it say here?

That his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers. That he would not think, look at me. I'm a king. God chose me. God didn't choose you.

Look at all the things that I have. Look at all the things that I can get at the snap of my fingers. No. The scriptures humble you. Because when he would read the Word of God as a king, he would realize that there's a greater king over his life, that he would be reminded that he is simply dust and ashes, that he would be reminded of his humble beginnings, that he would be reminded of the fact that one day he will stand before the greater king, and he would have this reverence towards God.

You know, the people that fear God the less are the people who have a shallow understanding of the scriptures. People that do not have the fear of God are people that have a shallow understanding of the scriptures. The word of God tells you about who God is. The word of God teaches you how to address address him in his majesty. The word of God that is abiding in a man's life, dare not elevate himself because he knows that God will crush him because of his pride.

And that would be a continuous reminder for the king. I am a king because God has made me a king. And when you go through this book day in and day out, you realize that life is not about you. And you are continually humbled by the word of God, realizing that everything in this life is about one person, Jesus Christ. He would not lift his heart above his brothers.

And thirdly, he may not turn aside from the commandment either to the right or to the left. This word is a lifelong compass. This word is a lifelong GPS. And we should praise God that we don't need to go around this life guessing what God's will is. Is that we, in any context of life, in any season of life, we would know what God wants us to do in order to please him and glorify him.

Aren't you glad for that? That we have something that we don't worship to an unknown God. We need this to know who he is, and we need this to know how to live this life in a way where we do not, as Jacob did, invite unnecessary harm and foolishness in our life. That as long as I cling to this word, I am protected. As long as day and night, this word governs my decisions, governs the way I do things, I am more than okay.

I am prosperous, and not in the financial sense that people like to prostitute. But we, like this king, had the opportunity to know where to go each step of the way, that this king would know how to govern his people because he has the word of God. And you and I, no matter what position we're in, can know that we have this compass to guide us and lead us. And the last subpoint is this, that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children in Israel. The one, the king who would abide by the word would protect himself from self destruction.

Why? Because he would have the fear of the Lord. He would not have pride in his heart. He would know what steps to take in order to honor God. And lastly, he will have longevity in his ministry and his testimony.

Longevity in his ministry and his testimony. That if he were to abide by this word day and night, he would have his ministry prolonged with great fruitfulness. He would be able to not just start a ministry, but he would be able to finish well in ministry. He would have a a testimony of his kingship for years on end. He would have a testimony to his children.

Even his children would be affected by the fact that he was a man who met with the word of God every single day. What does that say to us? It says this, that the king's private devotion affected his public service. The king's private devotion affected his rulership and affected even his family life. That is the reality for you and me.

And so many people start in something and they don't finish well. Why? Because they do not take this seriously. Even in ministry, people are so concerned about feeding others, of meeting other needs, of doing what they were called in their position. And because they've neglected meeting with this word, they don't realize that their lack of private devotion is really affecting their public service.

That's why you and I must be violent to meet with God and his word every single day. Listen. Satan is a clever fellow. Sure, he can attack your ministry. Sure, he can attack you influencing people here and there.

But you know what he'll really do? You know what his main ambition? You know what the bull's eye is for Satan? Your devotional life. If he can get to the root, everything else will rot on its own.

So sure, he can raise up somebody to criticize your preaching. Sure, he can raise up somebody to criticize your reputation. Sure, you can do this. Sure, you can persecute it. But if he can get to the root, if he can get you away from this book, everything about your ministry will rot on its own.

How serious was God about this command in the book of Deuteronomy? So serious. Did this did this command come to pass? Did this warning come to pass? Because before this, there were warnings.

We didn't read it. Yes. You say, how? If you've ever read the book of first and second Kings, you will realize, you will be shocked about how majority of the kings have had tragedies in their kingdoms. And you say, why?

Because they did not keep this rule. Every single king that has failed has neglected this command that God gave way back in Deuteronomy, And that is not a guess. That is for certain because there is one king who brought the book back in second Kings 22. You don't need to turn there. There is one king who was righteous, who who walked rightly before God, and it says that one of the priests went into the temple of the Lord because they were planning to rebuild it.

And you know what happens? As they're cleaning up the place, it says that they found the book of the law, And they came before the king, and one of the servants opened the Book of the Law in Second Kings twenty-two 13. And it says he began to read aloud the words of the Book of Law. And it says that King Josiah tore his robes and makes this statement, paraphrase, No wonder the wrath of God is upon us. Our fathers have forsook the words found in the book of this law.

Do you want to prolong your ministry for the glory of God? Do you want to prolong your testimony like this king had the opportunity to for his children? Don't neglect this word. The moment you do that is the moment you are on a decline. It doesn't matter how spiritual you think you are.

Oh, there are a lot of people that depend on their knowledge from the past and don't refresh their minds with the scriptures every day. Let me give you an example. His name is Solomon. There's probably nobody in the Kings that love Solomon rather than David. There There is nobody that showed greater devotion.

It says that he he sacrificed so many animals that they didn't even count them anymore. He prayed to God in the beginning of his ministry. He says, give me wisdom, and God imparted supernatural wisdom. But you go to second Kings 11, and that was the climax of his backsliding. Why?

I believe because he neglected that. He began to trust in his own wisdom, making marriage alliances when God says, don't marry an Egyptian, don't marry those of foreign nations. And he thought he was smarter than the word of God, and he began to move on his own and began to step outside of the bounds of the scriptures, and it was to his demise. He fell because he neglected that. He thought, you know, God has given me a supernatural gift of wisdom.

I think I can depend on that and not on the written word of God. A lot of people like that today, God has given them a gift, and they are dependent upon their gift more than their personal devotion. There are people out there that are great speakers. Oh, they can preach. And they became dependent upon their gift, and they've neglected the word of God.

In just about time, it shows itself that their secret life is not the same as a private, rather their public life. There are those that have talents, that have gifts gifts given by God, but God did not give us gifts to be dependent upon gifts. God has given gifts, and those gifts must be fueled by meeting with God every day in what? In his written word. It was true of the kings, and it is true for us.

Don't ever become dependent upon what God has given you. Don't be dependent upon your wisdom. Don't be dependent upon past knowledge. Don't be dependent upon you being able to whip up a crowd emotionally. No.

The Word of God every day, every night. The first reward is constant fruit and freshness in the spiritual life. Constant. Secondly, protection from self destruction. I do not trust myself enough to go a day without the Bible.

I do not know what I will face every single day. I do not know who will call me. I do not know what how will happen for me to go somewhere and do something for an emergency situation. I I need to meet with God every day in his word. Dependent upon it.

Every day. Constant fruit and freshness in my life. If you have ever met somebody who is so consistent in their Christian life, you can guarantee one thing about their lives is that they meet with the word of God every single day. Secondly, protection from self destruction. And though people like Solomon think they can depend upon their spiritual abilities, Listen.

Destruction is not immediate. Just like a tree, it rots slowly and all for a sudden, all it takes is one person to walk by that tree and push it over. Lastly, the third great reward for those who treasure the scriptures is fearlessness for the future. Fearlessness for the future. And our text is in Joshua chapter one.

Many have memorized, quoted this scripture, but the context helps to understand Joshua one eight. The context is this, Moses died. He he is not the leader of the people of Israel anymore. And in the first nine verses, God tells Joshua three times, what? Be strong and courageous.

Be strong and courageous. Be strong and courageous. Now why would he tell Joshua that? It's because Joshua was walking into an unknown future. Would people receive me as they receive Moses?

How are we gonna take care of the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Jebusites? How are we gonna take over all these enemies? Are the people of this new generation really gonna be obedient to the law of God? Do I really have what it takes to step into this position? Do I really know what's gonna happen?

Am I gonna die once I cross this river and enter into the promised land? What is gonna happen to me? And God says, be strong and courageous. Be strong and courageous. Be strong and courageous.

But there's one verse, the verse that we all know that is placed and it's not irrelevant to the other commands. He says, this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then, you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. What is he saying there? This is what God is saying.

Strength and courage is tied into meditating on the word of God day and night. Strength and courage is tied into the person's devotional life to the scriptures. And what God was saying to Joshua was this. Joshua, if you honor my word, I'll honor your life. Joshua, if you honor my word, I'm gonna honor your ministry.

Joshua, if you honor my word, I'm gonna honor your future. All I want you, Joshua, to do is to be faithful to meeting with my word. And when you do that, you will you will be able to produce a strength and a courage for whatever you're about to face. That sounds inspirational. No.

It's experiential. That no matter what season of life you're in or no matter what transition you might find yourself in, whether God is calling you to a specific place or you feel like you need to know what to do next and you don't know what to do next, your responsibility is to simply do this, know God's word, know God, fuel your strength, Fuel your courage, and there will be nothing to worry about for the future. No matter what context you find yourself in today, whether you're trying to find out God's will or you know God's will and it terrifies you, you know what God says? Just honor my word. Know me through my word.

Meditate upon me through my word, and you will not be afraid of what's to come. Constant fruit and freshness in one's spiritual life. Protection from self destruction because I learned to fear God. I don't allow pride in my heart. I know what steps to take, and I'll have longevity in my ministry.

And lastly, fearlessness for the future. I don't have to worry about what's ahead because I have so covered my mind with the truth of who God is and His promises. The Bible says, Great peace have those who love your law. Nothing shall make them stumble. Nothing shall make them stumble.

Great peace in Psalms 119, verse 165. Nothing, some things, nothing shall make them stumble. Those are three great rewards that are found in the word of God. Three great treasures that you and I can experience. And we just have to determine if that's something worth giving our attention to, if that's something worth giving our effort to.

Those are three. We could spend the next seven weeks talking about 30 of them. But there's a disclaimer to this. Maybe you've noticed it. Those three texts, though they're found in different books and different eras, those three texts have one thing in common, that those experiences that are given, those rewards that are experienced are only for those who take the word of God day and night.

Did you notice in Psalms day and night in Deuteronomy, all the day in Joshua day and night. I mean to take that literally that I begin my day in the Word of God and I end my day in the Word of God. And it is those who do so that will experience the riches that were presented there. So it is not given. I apologize.

It's not given to those who are sporadic with their Bible reading. It's not given to those who are one week on and one week off. It's just that's the Bible says day and night. The Bible says every single day. And so to those who begin their day meditating it didn't say reading.

Meditating. What's the difference? You're giving your actual attention to it. You can actually read the Bible and not be reading the Bible. You're reading and your mind is drifting off, and you're thinking about the things that you have to do throughout the that's not meditating upon the scriptures day and night.

It's when you consciously give your energy and effort and attention and say, okay, I'm sitting in this chair, I'm opening this word, and I'm gonna read it, and I'm gonna meditate on these scriptures. And when I don't understand, I'm gonna read that same text over again. I'm gonna keep reading it. I'm gonna keep reading it. And what are you doing?

You're digging. You're digging. And all of a sudden, you find a gold coin. All of a sudden, you find a little jewel. Sometimes, you'll find a huge treasure chest.

And when you begin to do it day and night, day and night, day and night, what starts out as a discipline becomes a delight. And I can guarantee you this, that if you truly give yourself to meditating on the scriptures day and night, you'll find yourself frustrated because there's not enough time in the day. You'll find yourself frustrated because your body is tired at the end of the day, but you wanna give yourself more to this book. You'll find yourself seeing things that you never have seen before, and you'll find yourself effortlessly bearing fruit, and you'll find yourself effortlessly having peace, and you'll find yourself effortlessly walking with this sense of God over your life like never before, day and night. It's said that if you read the Bible three chapters a day, you can read it in a year.

So if you were to do, for example, three Old Testament chapters in the morning, three New Testament chapters at night, two years. New Testament is shorter than the Old Testament. You have to go over it more than the Old Testament. New Testament is shorter than the Old Testament. You have to go over it more than the Old Testament.

Twice in a year, sorry. Twice in a year, you can read the scriptures. If you give three chapters of the Old Testament in the morning, three chapters of the New Testament every night. I wonder, some of us, like Hebrews says, you ought to be teachers by now. You ought to know the whole counsel of God.

Not be theologians, not be PhD, but have a general sense of the scriptures. And the more you go over this Bible, more and more you begin to make cross references. This says this, this answers this in the New Testament, this is related to this, Jeremiah is the same as Psalms one, and you begin to make it and it's a joy. I rejoice at your word like one who has found a great spoil, but that joy, that excitement is not given to those who are half in and one day yes and seven days no, and I get inspired after a message. So three day yes and seven days off.

No. No. No. No. No.

Day and night. Even in the days where my flesh is so strong, I give myself to the scriptures and I say, Lord, open my eyes that I may behold the wondrous things of your law. Because my eyes right now are pretty fleshly. Open my eyes. What a way to start your day, and what a way to go to bed at night.

Start your day with the counsel of God. Go to bed with the promises of God. You'll be immovable. That's the first disclaimer, day and night. Secondly, not everybody who reads the Bible day and night will experience these things because of one other reason.

The Pharisees and the Sadducees knew the scriptures more than anybody. And Jesus rebukes them in John five thirty nine to 40. He says, You search the scriptures because you think in them you have eternal life, and it is they that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you might have life. Wait a minute. I thought you said that the Bible was a supernatural book.

I thought you said that God has breathed this book out to us, that it's from the mouth of God himself? How is it that they read it? How is it that they searched it? And they were damned to hell if they had not repented. Because our heart posture towards the scripture determines how the scriptures affect us.

Is it not true that even with the parable of the sowers, that three out of the four heart postures, the soil, did not receive the full benefit of the word of God? Why? Was the problem with the seed? No. The problem was with the heart.

And so my heart posture coming to the scriptures must be aligned to the will of God. Am I coming to the scriptures to just find a sermon? Am I coming to the scriptures so people can come to me and just know I have a lot of Bible knowledge? Am I coming to the scriptures just because I wanna know and argue and and show people that I have more knowledge? What's the heart posture?

I can guarantee you this. If you come to the word saying, I just wanna know you, Jesus. I wanna know you like I've never known you before, and I want your word to shape me and mold me to look like Christ. You can guarantee revelation. You can guarantee the Holy Spirit who has the ministry of illumination, which means opening your eyes to the truth of the scripture.

You can guarantee the Holy Spirit says, That's a heart that I can work with. And he comes and he assists you with your Bible reading, begins to open your eyes to see the glory and the majesty of God. And so my my heart posture must be right coming to the scriptures saying, Lord, I don't wanna be a Pharisee. I don't wanna be a Sadducee. I wanna know you.

I wanna know what you want from my life, how I can glorify and honor you. Convict me. Comfort me. Do what you need to do in my heart. With that heart posture, your Bible reading will change.

And so this morning, you and I have been informed of the potential treasure, jewels, diamonds, wealth that could affect the rest of your life. And either one, you're not convinced that this book contains those things, or two, you feel like because it's your own possession, just like that treasure is in your backyard, you can just come to it when you feel like you need it. Or three, you don't believe that it's worth the effort of day and night reading the scriptures so that you can benefit from it. Or you won't waste another day knowing what's waiting for you. Let's pray together.