A Tree Planted By Rivers Of Waters

October 2016 – Grace & Truth Magazine

A Tree Planted By Rivers Of Waters

A report released this year by the American Bible Society and the Barna Group “reveals that 61 percent of [American] adults wish they read the Bible more often.” Even though the majority of Americans view the Bible positively, less than half of them said it has much impact in their daily lives.

Another study in the United Kingdom in 2015 by the Bible Society discovered that “only 45 percent of regular church attenders read their Bible more than once a week,” while “almost 1 in 5 churchgoers say they never read the Bible at all.” A full third of the people surveyed could not “identify the nativity as part of the Bible.” These statistics indicate the sad state of many professing Christians.

The Bible is incredibly precious! It tells the unbeliever what they must do to be saved (Acts 16:30-31). To believers, the Bible is a treasure that gives encouragement, help, hope and blessing when it is read and obeyed. It is truly God’s Word!

I enjoy the thoughts of Psalm 1:1-3 in application to a person who spends time reading the Bible: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (NKJV).

We see that the person who delights in God’s Word is blessed. He is not going along with things that are contrary to God or speak contemptibly of the Lord Jesus. Rather, the thoughts of Scripture fill his mind throughout the “day and night.” Like a tree planted by the water, he has a firm root and is therefore not easily swayed by issues of the day. His consistent time in the Word causes him to be fruitful for the Lord. The spiritual dryness of our world’s system does not affect him. “Whatever he does” prospers – because a believer following God’s Word will do God’s will. These are things every Christian should desire, and they are the result of faithfully reading and pondering the Scriptures.

May the articles this month be used of the Lord for your blessing.

By Paul Alberts