The Bible! — Keith Daniel

Can we bow for prayer, please? Father, wash me in the holy blood of Christ, thy Son. Cleanse me in thy mercy from anything that in any way would hinder God from speaking through such a base and weak and despised man.

And Lord, fill with the Holy Spirit, beyond my comprehension how thou couldst do such a thing to unworthy men. But as Jeremiah cried in faith, let me be the mouthpiece through which thy voice is heard.

Let that happen in mercy, because of the mercy and grace of God as a result of faith in the blood of Christ. Fill with the Holy Spirit in an unusual way to take control and unctionize and anoint the word of God and to apply it to every heart.

Keep us safe from Satan, his demonic forces, evil people, and put a hedge around us by the risen, resurrected power of Christ to keep us safe. Now brood upon us and speak to the depth of every heart by the working of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible as the Inspired Word of God

In Jesus the Christ's name, amen. The Bible, the Bible refers to itself, the Bible refers to itself as the word of God. The Bible refers to itself as the word of God. In Hebrews 6 verse 5, and in 2 Timothy 3 verse 16, we read that all Scripture, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God for instruction, for instruction in righteousness. Verse 17, that the man of God may be complete and thoroughly equipped, that the man of God may be complete and thoroughly, thoroughly equipped.

Now today, I want us to carefully consider 16 facets. I want us to carefully consider 16 facets of this book, which is the sacred word of God. The first thing, the first thing we must realize is that it is the source of our salvation.

The Bible as the Source of Salvation

It is the source of our salvation. James tells us in chapter 1 verse 21, to receive with meekness the engrafted word, to receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls, being born again by the word of God.

1 Peter 1 verse 23, and in 2 Timothy 3 verse 15, Paul refers to the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. The holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

For by grace are ye saved through faith. Ephesians 2 verse 8, and faith cometh by the word of God. Romans 10 verse 17. And so firstly, we see that it is the source of our salvation. But secondly, secondly, the keeping of it.

The keeping of it is the evidence that I am truly saved. The keeping of it is the evidence that I am truly saved. Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves, James warned in chapter 1 verse 22.

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar. A liar, God says. The truth is not in him. 1 John 2 verse 3.

1 Peter 2 verse 23 says, being born again. Being born again, not of corruptible seed. Not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible. By the word of God. Now, the seed is the word of God, Jesus said in Luke 8 verse 11.

But, but, in the next verse he gave a fearful warning. Then cometh the devil. Then cometh the devil and taketh away the word. Taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

O soul, whatever the devil does, whoever the devil uses, be careful what you do when you hear or read the word of God. Be careful what you do when you hear or read the word of God, for we are warned that it will one day judge us.

It will one day judge us. In John 12 verse 18, Christ declared, he that rejecteth me and receiveth not my word hath one that judges him. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Whoso despises the word shall be destroyed. Proverbs 13 verse 13. And so, firstly, we see that it is the source of our salvation. And secondly, that the keeping of it, the keeping of it is the evidence that we have been truly saved.

Spiritual Growth, Renewal, and Survival

But thirdly, the rejecting of it will result in us to one day be judged by it. But if, if and when I am truly saved, if and when I am truly saved, it, it immediately becomes my source of spiritual growth.

It immediately becomes my source of spiritual growth. 1 Peter 2 verse 2 says, as newborn babes, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby, that ye may grow thereby.

Beloved, this book is the source of our salvation. The keeping of it is the evidence that I am truly saved. But the rejecting of it will result in us to one day be judged by it. But if and when I am truly saved, it immediately becomes my source of spiritual growth.

Fifthly, it is our source of daily renewal. It is our source of daily renewal. In 2 Corinthians 4 verse 16, we read that the inward man is renewed day by day, morning by morning. He wakeneth mine ear to hear, Isaiah 50 verse 4, to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man.

Ephesians 3 verse 16 tells us the inward man, the inward man is renewed day by day. It is our source, it is our source of daily renewal, beloved. And it ultimately, it ultimately becomes our source of survival.

Man doth not live, literally man cannot live, by bread only, that is by eating food only, but, but, but by every word, every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Deuteronomy 8 verse 3, I have esteemed the word of his mouth more than my necessary food.

I have esteemed the word of his mouth more than my necessary food. Job 23 verse 12, it ultimately, it ultimately is our source of survival. Our source of survival. Now the seventh vital facet, the seventh vital facet we must realize, the seventh vital facet we must realize is that it is given life and revelation by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit Gives Life and Revelation

It is given life and revelation by the Holy Spirit. At salvation, at salvation the Holy Spirit of God possesses me. At salvation the Holy Spirit of God possesses me. Ye are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.

1 Corinthians 3 verse 16, your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 19, Christ in you, Christ in you is the hope of glory. Colossians 1 verse 27, you have no hope of eternal life if Christ is not in you.

But if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his. He is none of his. Romans 8 verse 9, and from the moment of our salvation beloved, from the moment of our salvation the Word of God is given revelation and life by the Holy Spirit who now dwells in us.

From the moment of our salvation the Word of God is given revelation and life by the Holy Spirit who now dwells in us. But the natural man, the natural man, that is the unsaved, unregenerate man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of the God.

For they are foolishness unto him, they're meaningless to him. Neither can he know them, he can't understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2 verse 14 tells us, for the letter, the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life.

The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life. 2 Corinthians 3 verse 6 tells us, in Luke, in Luke chapter 24 Christ appeared to two of his sorrowing disciples. On the Emmaus road and verse 27 says beginning, beginning at Moses, that's the first five books of the Bible.

And all the prophets at the rest of the Old Testament, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Then suddenly, verse 31, he vanished out of their sight. And they, they, verse 32 said one to another, did not our hearts, did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us?

By the way, while he opened to us the scriptures. And Christ promised his disciples and us that the Holy Spirit, when he is come, would do the same. John 14 verse 26, he shall teach you all things. But without the Holy Spirit, this book is dead.

2 Corinthians 3 verse 6, the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life. The psalmist prayed, open thou mine eyes. The Hebrew, give revelation that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Psalm 119 verse 18, then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scripture.

Luke 24 verse 45 recorded the eyes of your understanding, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. Being opened, Ephesians 1 verse 18, that our God may lighten our eyes, literally open our eyes spiritually.

Ezra 7 verse 8. Now, beloved, those disciples, those disciples had cried out, did not our heart burn? Did not our heart burn within us while he opened to us the scriptures? And our hearts, our hearts will burn within us also, beloved.

Our hearts will burn also within us as the Holy Spirit of God opens the word of God to us daily. Our hearts will burn within us also as the Holy Spirit of God opens the word of God to us daily. But, but, how tragic, how tragic it would be if a Christian sits before an open Bible and like a blind man sees nothing, nothing to give him a burning heart daily.

Neglect of Scripture and the Danger of Backsliding

O Christian, beware for the neglect of this book. The neglect of this book is the first evidence that I am in the tragic process of backsliding. Beware for the neglect of this book is the first evidence that I am in the tragic process of backsliding.

The first indication that you have backslidden, the first indication that you have backslidden is if you lose appetite for the scriptures and instead your appetite increases more and more for things that are not related to God or his word, even legitimate things.

Instead your appetite increases more and more for things that keep you from this book, that take away the desire for this book because your desire is diverted by the devil, even the legitimate things, not necessarily sinful things that are not related to God or his word.

But these things will leave you empty spiritually, I guarantee you. And you will experience that even in laughter the heart will be sorrowful. That's tragic and pathetic. You will experience, I guarantee you, that even in laughter the heart will be sorrowful.

Proverbs 4 verse 13 warns us, who is he speaking of here? The next verse sadly but clearly tells us the backslider of heart. Even in laughter, that's tragic that you laugh, pretending to yourself you're enjoying it, but if you're saved and you find it's diverted you from this book, kept you from this book, the heart will be sorrowful while you're laughing.

While you're trying to pretend to yourself this is fulfilling you, no ways you will experience these things will leave you empty and frustrated. The heart will be sorrowful while you're laughing. That's a pathetic state to be in.

The backslider. Let me shock you. It is a hundred times more difficult or a backslider to ever find a real walk with God, a vital reality with God, a relationship with God that's vital, meaningful, joyful.

It is a hundred times more harder than for a pervert, a drunk, a deeply depraved sinner to find Christ and truth the moment he comes as a sinner and finds vital reality. Don't go that way. You don't go that way.

Nothing you as a Christian go for to fulfill you that diverts you and buries this book. I'm not talking about things that you have to do. Those things are blessed as a result of the time you spend with the book.

I'm talking about what you are letting the devil embrace, make you embrace while you bury this book in its rightful position. You don't need to find what most find. It is a hundred times more difficult to ever get into a vital relationship that's consistent and lasting than for an unsaved man to ever find God in reality.

Don't go that way. Beloved, the word of God is the source of our salvation, and the keeping of it is the evidence that I am truly saved. But the rejecting of it will result in us to one day be judged by it.

But once I am truly saved, it immediately becomes my source of spiritual growth and our source of daily renewal, daily renewal. It ultimately becomes our source of survival. It is given life and revelation by the Holy Spirit who now dwells in us.

Scripture as the Moral Compass

But the neglect of it is the first evidence that I am in the dangerous and tragic process of backsliding. It is also our moral compass. It is also our moral compass. In John 17, verse 15, Jesus prayed, Father, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. Verse 17, sanctify them, that is, keep them from the evil through thy truth. Thy word is truth.

Beloved, this is our moral compass. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way, that is, stay clean in this wicked world, by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Psalm 119, verse 9, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? My son asked me that, weeping. It was against the law to have homeschooling. Those days when my elder boys were at school, later on Samuel, our little young one, he went homeschooling with Jenny, but my elder boy had to go to a very good school, exclusive, that others paid for, and they loved to us as missionaries.

But he came to me one day and said, Daddy, how am I ever going to stay clean, Daddy, in this world? Daddy, you don't know what it's like out there in that school, as good as that school is. Daddy, I have looked for anyone.

I go from friend to friend to try and befriend someone that I think might be decent. And Daddy, all within moments, they're holding out filth, they're holding out depravity, drugs, other things. Daddy, I can't even tell you, it's everywhere I turn, Daddy.

How am I going to stay clean in this wicked world, Daddy? I want to. I wept. I wept as he wept. Then I said, listen, my boy, Daddy cannot guarantee you much in life, but one thing I know, soak yourself in the Bible, wherever you can, my boy, wherever you get time.

Don't choose other things. The devil can't touch you. He can tempt you. But the more you are soaked in the word of God, the more you will hate the evil. And love the good. The less you are soaked in the word of God, my boy, the more dangerous the Internet is, because though you are saved, the image of Satan will make you love the evil and hate the good.

Listen, my boy, it's not being saved that makes you reject evil. It's being saved and soaked in the word of God. Thy word have I hid within my heart, that I might not sin against thee. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse.

How am I going to stay clean, Daddy? By taking heed according to the word. Sin will keep me from the Bible, but the Bible will keep me from sin. Do you know how many millions of people have that written in their Bible?

I was speaking to one of the most esteemed Hebrew scholars in the world, of Old Testament Hebrew and Greek. He has his devotions in the Greek. He gives a right talk of Old Testament and New Testament Hebrew and Greek.

He's lectured at Oxford, he's lectured at Yale, these different places in the theological section, and across the world. He's renowned, he's revered across the world academically, but he loves God and the depth of his mind's ability.

And I stood with him once, he's dead long now, but he stood with me and he sensed the zeal in my heart as I was talking to him after he lectured. And he said to me with a smile, Listen, Keith, listen carefully to me.

The only words I ever found myself capable of writing between the covers of the sacred book, that I could write and answer, the only words I ever found myself able to write within the covers, to add, are these.

And he opens the Bible. Professor of theology. Sin will keep me from the Bible, but the Bible will keep me from sin. I didn't speak any further, I just fled to write it in my Bible. 47, 48 years ago, as I stood with him.

Oh, beloved, it is our moral compass. It is our moral compass. It is also the means by which the Holy Spirit cleanses us from all wrong influences we face in this sinful world daily. It is also the means by which the Holy Spirit cleanses us from all wrong influences we face in this sinful world daily.

We read in Ephesians 5, verse 25, that Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. It is the means by which the Holy Spirit cleanses us from all wrong influences we face daily.

Beloved, the blood cleanses us from sin. But we are cleansed from the world's wrong and warped influences with the washing of water that God calls the word daily. It also fortifies and keeps my mind from vain, worthless thoughts, from thoughts of evil.

The Word and the Purification of the Mind

It also fortifies and keeps my mind from vain, worthless thoughts, and from thoughts of evil. I hate vain thoughts. I hate vain thoughts. That is wrong, worthless thoughts. But I love thy law. I love thy law.

Psalm 119, verse 130. A godly young man in our mission. His name is Jan Haram Labaskagne. What a dear boy. He said to me over a meal one day, The Bible, sir, gets our minds off things that don't matter onto God's priorities, God's values.

The Bible does that, sir, more than anything else on earth. I hate vain thoughts. But thy law I love. The thought of foolishness is sin. Proverbs 24, verse 9. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Proverbs 23, verse 7. Bringing every thought, bringing into captivity, every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10, verse 15. Verse 5. Bringing into captivity every thought to obedience of Christ.

Now, beloved, you can do that. God wouldn't ask it of you. God doesn't mock man who he died for. You can do that, young man. You can do that, young woman. You can do that, anyone in this room or world who's saved.

You can stop thoughts of evil before they become evil thoughts. Thoughts of evil everyone has. I don't know who you want to mention of who's godly. They have thoughts of evil. Thoughts of evil are not sin.

Memory isn't sin. The devil wants to accuse us and say, What are you thinking? That's just a lie of the devil. The accuser of the brethren. You see, it isn't your fault that you have memory that recalls things in circumstances the devil sets up that make you recall things.

It isn't your fault. Memory is not sin. If you see some obscene picture that 50 years ago they'd put a man into a straitjacket in a mental asylum or imprison him for pornography, and you walk now and you see it now because of freedom of speech, when you want to buy a loaf of bread, you've got to pass these things that years ago were pornography, openly.

You see that? You didn't want to see that. Now you're walking. At first you hate what you see because of the Bible's influence, but the day goes by and suddenly you think of it again. The old devil says, What are you thinking of it now for?

Rubbish. You're not sinning. Memory is not sin. You have to do what God says. Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. You can do that. You can do that. They say you can't help the birds flying over your head, but you had something to do with it.

They lay a nest, you know, and eggs. You've got to realize that's not sin. It becomes sin if you dwell on it. When sin is taken and received and dwelt upon and brings forth lust, conceiveth and bringeth forth sin.

There's a point what the devil holds before you, what your mind, not through sin but because memory is not sin, somehow recalls in circumstances. You just have to say, No, God, I didn't want to see that.

No, God, I don't want to be thinking these things. You don't have to confess and ask cleansing in the blood. It's just a thought of evil. It's not yet an evil thought. Don't let the devil play havoc with your sensitive conscience and lie to you.

You can. You see, it is the Bible that fortifies and keeps my mind from vain worthless thoughts, from thoughts of evil more than anything. You can watch a thousand Christian films that are getting so good you think you're in Hollywood.

They won't do for you what one hour of this book will do. Don't substitute this book. Don't ever substitute this book with any entertainment. Even in the name of Christ, it won't work. It won't work. It can stir the emotion but only the word of God, not the one or two verses that are quoted in those Christian films that justify them in people's eyes.

Be careful that nothing diverts you from the time you can give here. Don't bury the book for anything, anything. Even Christians give you. There's nothing that can fortify your mind to protect you from thoughts of evil, from vain worthless thoughts.

Scripture as Safe Navigation and Counsel

It also becomes our source of safe navigation. Order my steps in your word. Psalm 119 verse 133. Literally, direct my steps by means of your word, God. The word, thy word is a lamp, a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path.

Psalm 119 verse 105. It is our source of safe navigation, beloved. Jesus, Savior, pilot me over life's tempestuous sea. Unknown waves before me roll, hiding rocks, treacherous soul, chart and compass come from thee.

Jesus, Savior, pilot me. It is our source of safe navigation, beloved. It gives you the power to see in the dark. I saw an advert in South Africa in a place called Human's Dorp. Now this place is a restaurant meant for multi-billionaires.

It hasn't got a sign there that says multi-billionaires only, but when you walk in there, you realize I don't belong here. To get to this restaurant, chandeliers and sofas and couches and waitresses that you want to stand in detention for.

You think they're from Buckingham Palace themselves, the waitresses. Anyway, it's a different class there. And the meals, oh, trust me, we've had the privilege of going there, but don't judge us. We were taken there on those occasions most.

But anyway, nonetheless, it's amazing. But they've got brilliant minds, these business people. No wonder they became rich. To get into that dining room, to get into that restaurant, that luscious, amazing, there's rows of people who stop their cars to get in there and have this luxury.

To get in there, you have to walk through a hall about this size. And they have the most magnificent, beautiful little articles from all over the world of any nature. The most beautiful ornaments, the most beautiful...

I mean, they've got them imported from some parts of the world. You just look and wonder at them. Oh, oh, now you've got to get past all this to get to the restaurant. And you've got money if you go there normally.

So, of course, they make a fortune, you know. But I saw a little advert while I'm looking at all these things, you know. And I saw a little sign there on the... This will give you the power to walk in the dark.

This will give you the power to see in the darkest circumstances. Oh, that interested me. So I walked up there, and I look at this thing. Oh, and what is it? It's a cap, a ridiculous cap. That boys wear, you know.

Normally, for some reason, it's supposed to keep the sun from their eyes, but they have it there. They're a little bit confused, these young people today, as to where the sun is hurting, you know. Nonetheless, this cap has two little lights, you know, like LED lights attached.

Amazingly, and inside... I don't know where the batteries are. But anyway, somewhere in there. And this will give you the ability to walk in the darkest circumstances safely, to see where you're going in the pitch dark.

Oh, I don't need you. I've got the Bible for that. So, there you are. That's how preachers look at things. Yes. By his light, I walked through darkness. By his light, I walked through Job 29, verse 3.

And the instructions it contains are the men of my counsel. Without counsel, purposes are disappointed. That means plans go wrong. I can make grave mistakes in life. But in the multitude of counselors, in the multitude of counselors, they are established.

Proverbs 15, verse 22. In the multitude of counselors, there is safety. Proverbs 11, verse 14. Thy testimonies, that is thy instructions, are my counselors. Psalm 119, verse 24. The Hebrews, they are the men of my counsel.

Literally. Thy testimonies, thy instructions, are my counselors. Moffat translated this to say, they are my advisors. My advisors. Most Christians are forever running to man for counsel, for advice, guidance.

But, beloved, there is greater safety in the instruction of God's word. The men of my counsel are the commandments, the promises, the warnings, the instructions contained and strewn throughout this holy book.

And when many of them, when many of them give the same counsel, I embrace them as God's leading direction for my life. For in the multitude of counselors, my counselors, there is safety. The instructions it contains are the men of my counsel.

The Sovereignty of God Revealed in Scripture

The word sovereignty is feared by most of Christendom. Because it's outplayed and overdone to the degree that God's blamed for your sin and evil. No. Sovereignty means something totally different to me.

I see sovereignty as an incredibly precious word that we need to know and need to embrace and believe in. You see, I find God's sovereignty more in the word of God than anything else. Because through life, in every circumstance and crisis I faced, God guides me.

God heals me. God instructs me in those circumstances. Listen, be careful. You don't do this in crisis that you open this book for the first time in crisis. You could get promises that aren't from God if you just want to take a lucky packet, you know.

But listen carefully. If you are consistently in this book, it isn't suddenly in troubles you run to God for help. You are so safe if God consistently, where you're reading, beloved, where I'm reading, sometimes, yes, as I open, yes, but where you are at, all your chapters that you put a mark in, God speaks to you as you face crisis, as you face decisions, as you face where you really need God's guidance in this matter, God's help, God's instructions what to do.

It's like God suddenly sits in front of you and speaks to you. You know it's God. And when it goes on and on, I don't believe a sovereign God who died for me will mock me when I trust him as the same counsel is given to me again and again.

I can't tell you the occasions that God has spoken to me in my moments when I am really shaken, staggered by the evils of man against me and circumstances against me. I was in some circumstance, and I walked into a building, and a little girl, a small little African-speaking girl, she had picked up a little pluck, a little piece of paper with a certain text, and she said, Is this yours?

There was the same verse God had given me before I came to that church for my instruction. I said, No, it's not. She said, Where did you find it? On the floor. She said, You keep it. It belongs to nobody now.

So I put it in my Bible. I turn, I walk in the house of God, and there in the wall is the same text. You know, in the multitude, when my counsel is all given me the same advice again and again, then in conversations with people who don't know anything about me, Oh, God is in control, the sovereignty of God in where you're even reading.

I don't say He's in control of unsaved people's lives or people who go out of His will. Don't blame God for what goes wrong then. But if you're pursuing God, not ultimate perfection, this God, this God has a control that is beyond comprehension, but beautiful to trust, awesome to believe and to see and to witness.

The Psalms as Prayers in Affliction

Oh, the instructions it contains for me are the men, the men of my counsel. Psalm 119 verse 24. And this sacred book contains the prayers that I need to pray to survive. When my heart is crushed, wounded, overwhelmed, and I become weary and I'm no longer able to pray in faith.

That's happened many, many times. In the nearly 50 years I've been saved. This sacred book contains the prayers that I need to pray to survive. When my heart is crushed, wounded, overwhelmed, and I become weary and I'm no longer able to pray in faith.

Martin Luther testified of how during the Reformation, when all hell rose up against him, he became so weary, so fearful that there were times he couldn't pray a word. His mind was just numb from fear and tiredness.

He couldn't pray. And it was then that God led him to pray the Psalms aloud. He found that through this discipline, he swiftly sensed that he had entered into the presence of God in a way he had never, ever experienced before.

And he experienced that his faith was being renewed. His faith was being renewed as he prayed these God-given prayers. That's amazing. You see, the Psalms, I don't know if you've noticed it, 80 to 90 percent, between 80 and 90 percent of the Psalms, they start in agony of all the cruelties and the unjust things that are hurled at a man.

They start in agony bringing the complaint to God of the unjustness. And then about halfway through, the psalmist starts committing them to God. And then it ends in praise. God's going to take almost all the Psalms, at least 80-something percent.

These were given for, he found that he had entered into the presence of God praying what was written. And he experienced his faith being renewed as he prayed these God-given prayers. Luther said, to such a degree that he found for the rest of his life as a Christian, he didn't bother to pray.

In his own understanding, he just went straight to the Psalms, went through them and through them, praying them aloud. In most of his devotions, for he found there was the schoolmaster of prayer in the set workbook, in the school of God.

The schoolmaster of prayer, he just went straight to the Psalms. Hallelujah. This book contains the prayers that I need to pray to survive when my heart is crushed, wounded, overwhelmed. And I become so weary that I'm no longer able to pray in faith.

Beloved. It's the schoolmaster of prayer. And Luther also added that as he went through the scriptures again and again from cover to cover, he found prayers strewn through the Bible that weren't just to be recorded of how men prayed and what they prayed.

It was Paul or others in the Old Testament. They were given by God to enable us to know how to pray in our weariness. But wait, wait now. It also tests our faith. It also tests our faith. The promises contained in this sacred book test our faith, beloved.

Scripture Testing Faith and Giving Hope

We read in Psalm 105 verse 17 that Joseph was cruelly sold by his brothers as a servant. That is, he was sold into slavery. Verse 18, whose feet, whose feet they hurt, they hurt with fetters, chains. And he was laid in iron.

He was laid in iron. Literally, his soul entered into the iron. The Hebrew says his soul entered into the iron. He suffered so much in the furnace of affliction. God says, Isaiah 41 verse 10. But verse 19 says, Until, until the time that his word came, the word of the Lord tried him.