It is more profitable than making money

It is more profitable than making money. It is more profitable than watching TV or checking Facebook. It is more profitable than traveling the globe. It is more profitable than anything else in the world. It is a hammer that breaks the rock to pieces. It is a fire that refines. It is a two-edged sword that pierces to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow. It is able to make the simple wise. It is able to discern the thoughts and the intentions of the heart. It feeds our soul like bread feeds our body. It is the Word of God, breathed out by him through the personalities and pens of 40 different authors and preserved through the centuries for you and me and future generations. When people tell me they are struggling to find time to fit reading the Bible into their schedule, much less studying, meditating and memorizing, I know they simply do not understand this powerful truth: The Word of God is profitable. It is an astounding promise of God.

Not only that, through the Word we are “equipped for every good work.” Another astounding promise of Scripture. In other words, every good thing God asks us to do, the Scripture equips us to do. The Word of God does this for us, not by giving us lists to follow. How many know there is not a list anywhere in Scripture of how to prepare your sons and daughters for marriage? But the truth and the principles are there in the Bible. There is not a list anywhere that tells you how to open your own business. But the truth and the principles are there. There is no list in the Bible that tells an actor how to practice his craft and trade. But the truth and the principles are there. In a recent “Denison Forum,” a weekly cultural commentary written by Dr. Jim Denison, he wrote about Angus Jones, one of the young stars of the TV show, “Two and a Half Men.” Jones apparently has gone though a spiritual renewal recently and released a video where he urges people not to watch his show: “Please stop watching ‘Two and a Half Men.’ I’m on ‘Two and a Half Men,’ and I don’t want to be on it. … Please stop filling your head with filth … It’s bad news. I don’t know if it means any more, coming from me, but you might not have heard it otherwise. So just watch out.” He was asked, “Will you resign from the show?” Jones replied, “I am under contract for another year, so it is not too much of a decision on my part. I know God has me there for a reason for another year.” Denison writes, “His situation is not unique: a person whose growing faith conflicts with his or her job. There are very few professions without moral dilemmas for sincere Christians. If we stay, are we condoning what we should condemn? If we quit, does our witness leave with us?”

Should a Christian obey his supervisor when he is told to lie on a work order, or use a knock-off product and charge for the original? The Word answers that question.

The Bible is profitable. Always. It changes hearts and minds. It also gives us direction and wisdom when we face a moral or an ethical dilemma.

As D.L. Moody said about the Bible, “This book will keep you from sin; or sin will keep you from this book.” Start reading it today!

J. Mark Fox is the author of “A Faithful Man,” and the pastor of Antioch Community Church on Power Line Road in Elon. You can tweet him @jmarkfox and you can find all of Mark’s books on Amazon or other online sellers. Email Mark at markfox@antiochchurch.cc