THE POWER OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

2 Timothy 3:15-17 > You must know the reality of the Word of God > That the Holy Scriptures are truly God-breathed - Inspired by God the Holy Spirit > That the Scriptures are Faithful and True (Revelation 22:6)

2 Peter 1:1-21 > You must know that the Scriptures were Spoken by holy men who were moved by the Holy Spirit > That the Scriptures were not given a private interpretation, (the prophets - Apostles - Evangelists recorded the Voice of the Spirit in Scripture), but were truly written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit > You must know that the Scriptures are a "more sure word of prophecy", meaning more sure than actually hearing a voice from heaven like Peter did on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5) > The Scriptures can be trusted, believed , obeyed, and acted upon > And note the context of verses 16-21 by looking back to verses 1 - 15 > God is calling us to "partake of the divine nature"(verse 4)  > And how do we do that? By the exceeding great and precious promises (verse 4) and by the things that pertain to "life and godliness" that His divine power has given to us (verse 2) . It's by this knowledge that  the Grace and peace of God are "multiplied" to us - It is how what is written in verses 5-15 become a reality.

1 Peter 2:2 > We must "desire the sincere milk of the Word of God > We must realize the Word of God is our "necessary' spiritual food (Job 23:12)  > That the Scriptures are to be eaten and to become "the joy and rejoicing of my heart (Jeremiah 15:16) > The Word of God is sweeter than honey and the honey comb (Psalm19)

John 14:15-23 > Keeping the words of Jesus brings you into communion with the Holy Trinity.

Acts 20:32 > The Word of His Grace is able to build you up > Deuteronomy 6:3-9 - You are to love God, put God's Word in your hearts, and teach them diligently to your children by speaking them at all times; when you rise up, when you walk in the way, when you sit in your house, and when you lie down > Joshua 1:8 - You are to meditate on the Word of God day and night.

John 8:12-59 > "Love for truth is the cornerstone of spiritual life" > Truth is a person - JESUS CHRIST!!! (John 14:6) > The "Truth" Jesus is speaking of in John 8:31,32 is the "Truth" that He is the great "I AM" (verse 58) > It is through the words of the prophets (the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament) that the Jews could know that He, Jesus, is the "One", the "Messiah". > The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13-16) > The Truth is embodied in the Church, which is the "pillar and ground of the Truth" (1 Timothy 3:15) (2 Thessalonians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 11:2,23) > The Household of Faith ie., the Church is built upon the Apostles and Prophets (their teachings both written and oral) and primarily upon the Teachings and Life of Jesus (Ephesians 2:19-22; Ephesians 4:1-16) > You are sanctified ie., glorified, divinized, transformed, transfigured, saved from sin, set apart from this worlds power, by the Words of Jesus, the Truth of Jesus - John 17:17-20 > The Mystery of Christ, which was revealed to the holy apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit, can be understood "when you read" what is written in Scripture (Ephesians 3:4-6)

Acts 17:10,11 > We should be like the "noble Bereans" and "receive the Word with readiness of mind, and search the Scriptures DAILY" > "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good" -
1 Thessalonians 5:21 > All of us, but especially the bishops(Elders/pastors), should "study" the scriptures (2 Timothy 2:14-18) and even more so the young preachers (1 Timothy 4:12-16) > "May the sun, on rising, find you with a Bible in your hands" (Evagrius - 4th c.)

Matthew 7:24-27 > Build your house on the rock by being a doer of the words of Jesus - which means we do what Jesus taught in the very sermon(on the mount - Matthew 5:1-7:22) which he finished up with the challenge and warning about building your house/life on sand of disobedience or the rock of odedience!!! Jesus in-depth teaching on "the spiritual life" should be memorized and practiced in the community of saints, the Church. That's us. We do these things together!!! > "Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only - James 1:18-27 > Psalm 1:1-3; Psalm 119!!! > "The Scriptures were not given to have merely in books, but that we may engrave them on our hearts" (St John Chrysostom 4th c.)

John 15:1-8 > We are the branches, Christ is the Vine. God's will is for us to be "clean through the Word"(verse 3), Washed by the washing of the Word(Ephesians 5:26) > we keep His life flowing through us by obeying this command, "if you abide in me and my words abide in you" > We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds(Romans 12:1,2)

Ephesians 6:10-18 > We are to do spiritual warfare with "all kinds of prayer" taking "the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God" > We are to follow Jesus example - Matthew 4:1-11 - resisting the lies of the devil with "It is written..." > We are to "Let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly" by teaching and admonishing one another in "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs"(Colossians 3:16) - This is done primarily when we gather together to pray the "Psalms" or "sing songs of true worship".