GOD'S WORD by Spurgeon "He sends forth his commandment upon earth:  His word runs very swiftly" (Psalm 147:15). No language ever stirs the deeps of my nature like the Word of God, and none produces such a profound calm within my spirit. As no other voice can, it melts me to tears, it humbles me in the dust, it fires me with enthusiasm, it fills me with pleasure, it elevates me to holiness. Every faculty of my being owns the power of the sacred Word. It sweetens my memory, it brightens my hope, it stimulates my imagination, it directs my judgment, it commands my will, and it cheers my heart. The word of man charms me for the time, but I outlive and outgrow its power. It is altogether the reverse with the Word of the King of kings; it rules me more sovereignly, more practically, more habitually, more completely every day. Its power is for all seasons--for sickness and for health, for solitude and for company, for personal emergencies and for public assemblies. I had sooner have the Word of God at my back than all the armies and navies of all the great powers, aye, than all the forces of nature; for the Word of the Lord is the source of all the power in the universe, and within it there is an infinite supply in reserve.

Determine to PRACTICE whatever you read. Christians
should be walking Bibles, living the truths written. The
Word is not only a guide to knowledge, but a guide to
obedience. A holy reading of God’s Word, results in our
fleeing from sins, and practicing the duties commanded.

(James Smith, "The Way of Salvation Set Forth")

The fountain of divine truth is the Lord Jesus Christ,
the repository of divine truth is the Holy Scriptures,
the proper abode of divine truth is the sinner's heart,
and the sacred revealer of truth is the Holy Spirit.

The Bible contains all necessary truth — and nothing but truth. It was written expressly for sinners, it is freely given to them by God, that they may learn the things which make for their everlasting peace and salvation. It was never designed to gratify the critic's pride, or please the carnal imagination; but it was intended . . .
  to inform the mind,
  to sanctify the heart,
  and to direct the feet.
When we take it up, we should remember that it is a precious gift of God to poor sinners, designed to benefit them, and glorify His holy name.

This book sets before us our true state before God, as sinners:
  cursed,
  loathsome,
  vile,
  unworthy,
  base,
  Heaven-daring,
  wrath-provoking,
  mercy-despising,
  Hell-deserving sinners.

It shows us that . . .
we have come short of the glory of God;
our hearts are depraved beyond description, and vile beyond expression;
the nature of Satan is not actually worse than ours;
instead of having anything to boast of, or pride ourselves in — all that we have and are, is calculated to fill us with shame, confusion, and self-abhorrence.

This book shows us plainly that salvation must be of grace — or not at all. It informs us that by faith in Jesus, we can rise from our dreadful state, and escape our fearful doom. It sets before us . . .
  the provision of divine mercy,
  the contrivance of infinite wisdom,
  and the promises of eternal love.

It exhibits a perfect Savior, suited to our miseries and woes.

It presents to us a salvation . . .
   all of grace,
   to be enjoyed by faith, and
   manifested by good works.
A salvation that . . .
reaches to our present state,
delivers us from all that we have reason to fear,
introduces us to all that we can consistently desire, and
gives us a right to all that God has promised, and that Jesus has procured.

In a word, this blessed Bible tells the poor sinner . . .
  what he is by nature,
  what he must be by grace, and
  then what he will be in glory.

It shows him . . .
nature's desert,
mercy's way of escape, and
how God is glorified in his present salvation and future glory.

This book exhibits God's . . .
gracious purposes,
merciful promises,
and wise precepts.

It sets forth . . .
the thoughts of God,
the secrets of eternity,
the designs of everlasting love,
the method of salvation,
the saint's privileges and glory,
the impenitent sinner's state, condition and awful doom!

This book  . . .
contains the mind of God;
reveals the way of salvation by Jesus Christ;
teaches the genuine evidences of real Christianity;
is a complete rule of life;
is the charter of the Christian's privileges;
is the casket that contains the jewels of God's promises;
is the light that illumines our path in this dark world; and
marks out as with a sunbeam, the blessed end of the righteous — and the miserable doom of the impenitent sinner. All who live and die without the salvation it makes known — will be cast into outer darkness, where there is eternal weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth!

There is a majesty in the Word of God which the believer sees, and an excellency, and glory which the Heaven-taught sinner discovers. He can no longer trifle with it, despise it, or pour contempt upon it. He views it as of . . .
  infinite importance,
  inconceivable value, and
  exact adapted to himself.
He feels a deep interest in its contents, and is concerned . . .
  to become acquainted with the blessings it reveals,
  to enjoy the privileges it sets forth, and
  escape the threatenings it holds out.

The true Christian . . .
  learns the doctrines with satisfaction,
  believes the promises with joy,
  accepts the invitations with gratitude,
  receives the cautions with fear,
  listens to the exhortations with pleasure,
  walks by the precepts with delight,
  reads it with reverence,
  searches it with diligence, and
  implores the promised teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit to understand it.

Beware of slighting, despising, or neglecting the Bible.
Read it daily,
pray over it incessantly, and
meditate on what it reveals continually!

"His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night!" Psalm 1:2

The whole of Scripture is but one entire love
letter, dispatched from the Lord Christ, to
His beloved spouse!

Oh! the mysteries, the excellencies, the glories 
which are in this incomparable book! There
are none so useful, none so needful, none so
delightful, none so necessary to make you
happy and to keep you happy--as this!

Ah! the Word of the Lord is . . .
  a light to guide you,
  a counselor to counsel you,
  a comforter to comfort you,
  a staff to support you,
  a sword to defend you,
  a physician to cure you!

The Word is . . .
  a mine to enrich you,
  a robe to clothe you,
  a crown to crown you.
  bread to strengthen you,
  wine to cheer you,
  a honeycomb to feast you,
  music to delight you,
  a paradise to entertain you!

Oh! therefore, before all and above all:
  search the Scripture,
  study the Scripture,
  meditate on the Scripture,
  delight in the Scripture,
  treasure up the Scripture!

There is . . .
  no wisdom like Scripture wisdom,
  no knowledge like Scripture knowledge,
  no experience like Scripture experience,
  no comforts like Scripture comforts,
  no delights like Scripture delights,
  no convictions like Scripture convictions,
  no conversion like Scripture conversion!

I exhort you to a speedy, serious, diligent,
and constant study of the Scripture.
Ah! you do not know how soon . . .
  your blind minds may be enlightened,
  your hard hearts may be softened,
  your proud spirits may be humbled,
  your sinful natures may be changed,
  your defiled consciences may be purged,
  your distempered affections may be regulated,
  and your poor souls may be saved . . .
    by searching into the Scriptures,
    by reading the Scripture, and
    by pondering upon the Scripture.

Ah! if you do not in good earnest,
give yourself up . . .
  to the reading,
  to the studying,
  to the pondering,
  to the believing,
  to the practicing,
  to the applying, and
  to the living up to the Scripture--
Satan will be too hard for you,
the world will be too hard for you,
your lusts will be too hard for you,
temptations will be too hard for you,
deceivers will be too hard for you,
and in the end you will be miserable!