February 23 2014 How The Bible Changes Us

How The Bible Changes Us 

Psalm 33:6 “The Lord merely spoke and the heavens were created. He breathed the word and all the stars were born.”

John 6:63 “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.”

The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge; the Bible was given to change our lives. -D.L. Moody

SIX WAYS GOD WANTS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE WITH IS WORD.

1. God’s Word recreates my life.

James 1:18 “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth…

1 Peter 1:23 “You have been born, again not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God.”

2. God’s Word eradicates my guilt.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins to God he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Romans 8:1 that says “There is now no condemnation no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 5:25-26 “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word.”

3. God’s Word activates my faith.

Romans 10:17, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.” 2

Exodus 23:29-30

4. God’s Word stimulates my growth.

Acts 20:32 “I commit you to God and to the Word of his grace,which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17“All Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

5. God’s Word elevates my mood.

Romans 15:4 “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

6. God’s Word liberates my potential.

John 8:31-32 “If you continue in my Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free!”

HOW DO I GAIN THESE BENEFITS?

1. I’ve got to learn it.

Mark 12:24 “Your trouble is that you don’t know the Scriptures…”

Proverbs 14:12 “There’s a way that seems right to men but it always ends in death.”

2. I have to accept it.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 “When you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, – the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”

3. I have to act on it.

John 13:17 “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” 3

Memory Verse: Psalm 119:18. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”

February 9 2014 Building My Life On The Bible

Building My Life On The Bible

HOW DO I BUILD MY LIFE ON THE BIBLE?

JAMES 1:19-25

1. I receive it with my ears.

Romans 10:17 (NIV) “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.”

James 1:19-21 (NIV)“Everyone should be QUICK TO LISTEN, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly ACCEPT THE WORD planted in you, which can save you.”

For “Good Reception” I need to be …

• Quiet 

“Be quick to listen and slow to speak …” 

• Calm

“and slow to become angry …”

• Clean

“get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent”

• Humble

“humbly accept the Word planted in you which can save you.”

2. I read it with my eyes.

James 1:22-25 (NIV)“Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like! But the man who LOOKS INTENTLY into the perfect law that gives freedom, and CONTINUES to do this, NOT FORGETTING what he has heard, but DOING IT—he will be blessed in what he does.”Get a Bible Reading Plan

3. I research it with my hands and my mouth.

Bible “STUDY” requires

• writing down what I learn
• talking about what I learn

John 5:39 (NLT) “You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. And the Scriptures point to me!” 

4. I review and remember with my mind.

James 1:25 (NIV) “The man who looks intently into the perfect law … and CONTINUES to do this, NOT FORGETTING what he has heard but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does.” The Bible term for remembering & reviewing God’s Word is meditation.

Joshua 1:8 (NIV) “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

5. I respond to it with my actions.

James 1:22 (NIV) “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. DO what it says!”

Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV) “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. BUT everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

October 13 2013 Building A Life Of Faith

BUILDING A LIFE OF FAITH

Heb. 11:6 – Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

FAITH IS...

1.  Believing when I don't see it.
Heb. 11:1 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

2.  Obeyingwhen I don't understand it.
Heb. 11:7 – It was by faith that Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood.  He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before.

Heb. 11-8 – It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him and go out to a country God had promised to him.  He left his own country without knowing where he was going.

3.  Giving when I don't have it.
Heb. 11:4 – It was faith that made Abel's offering to God a better sacrifice than Cain's.  Through his faith God approved of his giving.

II Cor. 8:2-3 – Because of their great joy, they gave even more than they could afford.

II Cor. 4:6 & 8 – Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, but whoever sows generously will reap generously.  And God will generously provide all you need.  Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

4.  Persisting when I don't feel like it.
Heb. 11:27 – It was by faith that Moses left Egypt and was not afraid of the King's anger.  He held to his purpose like a man who could see the invisible.

5. Thanking God before I receive it.
Heb. 11:30 – By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

Mark 11:24 – When you pray and ask for something, believe that you have received it and you will be given what you ask for.

6. Trusting if I don't get it.
Heb. 11: 39-40 – They were all commended for their faith yet none of them received what had been promised.  God had planned something better.

HOW GOD BUILDS MY FAITH

Rom. 10:17 – Faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

I Peter 1:7 – These trials are only to test your faith, and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold, it will bring you much praise and honor on the day of His return.