AWAKE: A CALL TO A RENEWED LIFE
Don't sleep through your spiritual life.
Wake Up!
Wake Up!
Every Christian and every church needs to draw aside periodically in a special time of study and reflection spiritually. I am convinced that this study will help us do just that. For six weeks, we, this class, Christ-followers that we claim to be are being called to Return to: God, their first love, prayer, God’s Word, unity with other Christians, and the task of fulfilling the Great Commission personally and as a church. This is a call to experience revival and awakening - personally, and as a class and church. It's time we stop sleeping through our spiritual life ... It's time for us to wake up!
In last week’s sermon, our visiting pastor said, “We don’t come and hear God’s Word to be informed, we come to be transformed.” Do you believe that?
What do you expect when you come to church and read and hear God’s Word? Do you expect to encounter something that will change you? Frankly, from my discussions with people over the years, many do not even understand the question and, after puzzled looks, respond to me with another question: “What do mean by ‘expect’?” I then follow up with “Just what I said, ‘What do you look to have happen in your life from having heard or read God’s Word?'” This is greeted with puzzled looks and finally something vague like, “I dunno” or “Like, maybe, to get advice?” Some might even go so far as to say that they expect to be encouraged or instructed. But in the end, most of the responses to my question are pretty tepid, lukewarm, and uninspired. Most really don’t expect much and, frankly, haven’t expected much. Reading or hearing God’s Word is more of a tedious ritual for them than a transformative reality.
Some pastors don’t really teach the faithful to expect much. But this Sunday it is clearly set forth that God’s Word is able to transform, change, renew, encourage, and empower us. And we ought to begin to expect great things from our faithful and attentive reception of the Word of God.
The Word of God Transformed Dr Tony Evans
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When has someone's directions taken you someplace unexpected?
Remember road maps? We used to unfold a huge map, pinpoint our destination, and follow the snarl of roads and turns until we got there. Then came the hard part: folding up the map afterwards.
Now, most of us rely on GPS. Just type in the desired destination, and the GPS or phone app leads us right to where we want to go. The app will even give verbal instructions, reminding us when and what direction to turn - or when to make a U-turn to get back on course. Life is so much easier now. Or is it? Our phones can still go dead, or we can drive into an area of bad cell service. And even like the old-school maps, the GPS may not be updated with the new or changing roads. We can still get lost.
Maps and GPS' are helpful. They are needed when we don’t know where we are going. They are needed when we forget how to get back to were we started. And, they can help us when someone has given us wrong directions.
The Bible is our spiritual map.
It not only tells us how to get where we need to go, it tells us how to get back to where we need to be. And, it provides correction when we might have been given wrong directions.
Staying on the right road is essential to our walk with God. If we are to walk with God, we must spend time in His Word. No follower of Jesus is strong enough to ignore the counsel, wisdom, and power of the Word of God.
Spiritual renewal is never present if God’s Word is absent. Thankfully, God gave us a different kind of road map for life - one that never fails. This map, His Word, gives us His directions on how to live and how to achieve spiritual renewal. The Israelites knew this in the days of Nehemiah, and it's a truth we should hold onto today.
Remember the commercial: "When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen."
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How about when God speaks…do you listen?
What about when God speaks? Do we lean in, hand cupped over ear, holding our breath in anticipation of His Words?
Maybe this should be the lesson point today:
When God speaks, people should listen!
When God speaks, we should listen! Today, we will see how the Israelites in Nehemiah's day listened and reacted when they heard God's Word. The Scriptures tell us that the people wept (v. 9) when they heard God's Word after 80 years of being without it. Did you hear that?
They wept...
What Does The Bible Say?
Nehemiah 8:1-8 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 all the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate.They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had given Israel.
2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding.
3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up.
6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, explained the law to the people as they stood in their places.
7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, explained the law to the people as they stood in their places.
8 They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.
Nehemiah 8:1-3
God sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem to help His people restore their city from the outside in. Through the work and ministry of both Nehemiah and Ezra the priest, the Israelites not only rebuilt the walls and the city, but their lives as well.
In Nehemiah 8, the Jewish people gathered to celebrate all that had happened. Actually, this was more than a celebration; it was a time of rededication. The gathering occurred in the seventh month of the year, which is significant because the Jews celebrated three events during that month: the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Booths (see Lev. 23:23-43). Every seven years during the Feast of Booths, God's Word was to be read before His people (see Deut. 31:10-13).
The Jews of Nehemiah's time had recaptured the significance of their festivals and realized the importance of "the book of the law of Moses" (v. 1). They were hungry to hear what God had to say, which meant:
- They were dedicated to listening to the Word of God. The people listened to Ezra and others read and explain the Word of God from early in the morning until midday. In other words, they listened to the Word of God for six hours!
- The were attentive to the Word of God. To be attentive means to concentrate, be observant, and be focused. The people's hearts and minds were not fixed on simply listening to the words, but on retaining the truth from the law being read and explained to them.
Since God's Word really is the fuel for sustained restoration in our lives, we must give it the priority it deserves. Let's be people who have such a hunger for God that our lives overflow with dedication and attentiveness to His Word.
How do our circumstances impact the way we approach the Bible?
Fuel Stop
The Bible offers needed fuel for our spiritual lives. Therefore, think of ways you could incorporate God's Word into the different phases of your day.
Choose two phases from the list below and record your thoughts. Be creative!
What obstacles prevent you from incorporating these ideas into your day more regularly?
Nehemiah 8:4-6
As the Jews gathered to hear Ezra read, they showed great honor and respect for the Scriptures. "As he opened it, all the people stood up" (v. 5). Ezra didn't have to ask the people to stand; it was likely a customary act of honor, even submission. We see the same thing today when a bride walks down the aisle at her wedding - the congregation stands in honor. When the president of the United states enters a room, the people stand in honor. When we sing the national anthem, we stand in honor of our country. We stand as a way of expressing the worth of a person or event.
When the people of God stood to receive the Word of God, they were publicly displaying their belief that what was happening - hearing the Word of God - was important.
When Ezra opened the book, he was moved to praise God, and all the people responded with worship: "With their hands uplifted all the people said, 'Amen Amen!'" (v.6). This was a declaration of worship and submission to the authority of Scripture. What a wonderful picture of God's people responding to God's Word! The Israelites were deeply moved as they heard and understood the words of the law.
Responding to God's Word is one of the greatest pathways to spiritual renewal. As we renew our walk with God and experience personal revival, God's Word is the fuel that sustains us and keeps us spiritually moving forward. I'm not talking about a quick, momentary response to God's Word that fades after a while. We need a consistent lifestyle of sensitivity before God. His Word holds us accountable.
To return to our previous metaphor, the Bible is the map that keeps us on the path of renewal and revival. When we stray, it holds us accountable and shows us the way back.
What is the connection between engaging the Bible and worshiping God?
Nehemiah 8:7-8
The men mentioned in verse 7 were Levites, and their task that day was to help the people understand the law. Therefore, in verse 8, the Levites did two things to carry out this task:
- Reading and translating. The people had been in captivity in a foreign land and culture for decades. There was a culture gap, and many of the people may have even lost their ability to read, speak, and understand Hebrew. It's quite possible these Levites were translating the Scriptures into the language and vernacular of the people.
- Giving the meaning. The Levites were actually pursuing clarity and understanding. Clarity is important in all communication, but doubly so when we're reading and studying the Bible.
In bringing God's Word to the people, the Levites surely offered practical application, as well. "Now here's what you do with this truth." When we read the Bible for our own personal growth, we need to continually ask ourselves what we must do as a result. We must learn to apply the Word. In addition, as you apply specific passages of God's Word to your own life, tell others about it. You can only teach what you know, so focus on your own study and application of God's Word as you help others follow Him.
Learning the Word of God is like eating an elephant. It's a huge task, but you only have to take one bite at a time. Start eating and enjoy a lifetime of feasting upon God's Word! As you do, your walk with Christ will be a consistent witness pointing directly to Him.
When have you recently been affected or convicted by your study of God's Word?
What steps can you take to better understand and apply God's Word?
Our Lesson on Sunday:
The Scriptures tell us today that when the people heard the Word of God - they Wept!
Ninety percent of Christians have a desire to please Jesus, yet only half that number read the Bible more than once a week. Last week our visiting pastor said, “We don’t come to hear God’s Word to be informed, we come to be transformed.”
The Israelites in Nehemiah’s day were attempting to re-center their lives upon God’s Word.
Copernicus changed everything. Before Copernicus practically everyone believed the earth was the center of the universe and the sun revolved around us. Copernicus hypothesized that it was the other way around—the earth revolved around the sun. This changed everything and gave birth to what is known as the Copernican Revolution.
When your center changes everything around it must change too. This is true of science and physics and it is true of religion and the gospel. The Israelites had their own Copernican-type revolution during the time of Nehemiah and Ezra. They had lost their center and it forced them into exile. But God was graciously drawing them back to Himself and in the process His Word was once again becoming central to His people.
“Imagine what you’ll know … tomorrow.” If you Return to God's Word.
Our lesson started out this week by comparing God’s Word to a Road Map. Think about a time when you followed directions that took you someplace unexpected. God’s Word is a never changing road map to life.
Recap Nehemiah 8:
I. For God’s Word to be central we must be attentive to it.
Nehemiah 8:1-3
1 All the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that the LORD had given Israel. 2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. 3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
“Preacher, the sermon went a little long today,” says the disgruntled church member after enduring a 51 minute long sermon on Leviticus. Hearing things like that has always caused a bit of shock when I read Nehemiah 8:3 - From daybreak to noon. Likely Ezra read the entire Law from Genesis to Deuteronomy and stopped on occasion to explain the text. In other words—this is one lengthy sermon. But the people didn’t merely listen, they listened “attentively”.
Why did they listen so attentively whenever it seems we can barely stomach an hour?
What does that say to us about appreciating God's Word?
How do our circumstances impact the way we approach the Bible?
Application: Are you attentive to the Word or do you just gloss over it? What you want to be central is what you will pay attention to.
Know this:
II. For God’s Word to be central we must respond to it.
Nehemiah 8:4-6
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
There is a dangerous familiarity that can happen with God’s Word. Preachers and seminary students probably feel this more than anyone.
What elements of worship did the people demonstrate?
Why do you think the people were so responsive when Ezra read from God’s Word?
What is the connection between reading the Bible and worshiping God?
Are you responding to God’s Word when you read it or are you just reading it?
What can you do to keep yourself from a cold familiarity with God’s Word?
What prevents us from responding more meaningfully and more consistently to God’s Word?
III. For God’s Word to be central it must be clearly explained.
Nehemiah 8:7-8
7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, explained the law to the people as they stood in their places. 8 They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.
A common question during Bible study is “What does this text mean to you”.
Mark Dever gets at the heart of what Ezra was doing when he says this: Ezra wasn’t acting as a prophet here. The word of God wasn’t coming to him directly. He knew, though, that what the people needed, more desperately than anything else, was to hear the Word of God. So what did he do? He read and explained the Bible.
The same is true for us today.
Who assisted Ezra on the day of the assembly?
What appears to have been the primary role of the Levites mentioned?
What contemporary principle can you derive from these verses related to the need for believers to study God’s Word?
What steps can you take to better understand and apply God’s Word?
EXAMPLE: Here’s a Life Map entry on a journal
Verse: Luke 18:13(b) “God have mercy on me a sinner!”
M – Message: God loves a humble heart and showers his mercy on those who know they need it! He especially loves it when we finally come to the end of ourselves and see our broken- sinful – condition for what it is.
A – Application: I never want to forget the mercy the Lord has shown me and how far He has brought me since I was lost in my sin. I stand in utter amazement that God could have still loved me. Yet He did!!! He drew me – through the power of His Holy Spirit – until I finally recognized my plight and cried out, ”Father – I need You, have mercy on me a sinner.” And thankfully, He heard, and answered my cry for help!!!
P – Prayer: Thank You Lord!!! Please, never let me forget where I’ve come from. And please, don’t ever let me begin exalting myself, or judging others who still don’t know You. Help me remember Your mercy, rejoice in my salvation, and love others as You have loved me. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
When have you recently been affected or convicted by your study of God’s Word?
Conclusion: Christians have always attempted to find a center to the Christian life. For many they’d answer “Jesus” or “the gospel”. If someone suggested that God’s Word be central one would likely expect the charge of idolatry. But I think this is a false dichotomy. In his book, Taking God At His Word, Kevin DeYoung helps us see that Jesus was very word-centered:
“[Jesus] does not want to correct Scripture. He wants to bring its full weight to bear on the human heart. He does not want the Word of God circumvented by human tradition or specious reasoning. Instead, every speck of Scripture must be applied to every speck of Christian discipleship…Jesus wants more of Scripture in our lives, not less.”
LIVE IT OUT
How can you make sure the Scriptures have their rightful place in your life? Consider the following:
Read up. Make a habit of reading the Bible every day. A devotional book or magazine can help you get started, but give God's uninterrupted time to speak through His Word.
Listen up. Make yourself more attentive to God's Word by taking notes. Write down what you hear God saying to you.
Step up. Lead a small group or Bible study. Teach children or students at your church. The greatest way to learn the Scriptures is to teach them to someone else!
We have plenty of tools to give us direction on a physical level. But God's Word is the only thing that can give us the proper spiritual direction we need in life. It truly is our only foundation and fuel to sustain a renewed walk with Christ.
Prayer of Commitment
Lord, many Bibles line my shelves and adorn the tables in my house. Help me now to take the words from the pages in those books into my heart so that I may be drawn closer to You, great God. Amen.
See you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Our Lesson on Sunday:
The Scriptures tell us today that when the people heard the Word of God - they Wept!
Ninety percent of Christians have a desire to please Jesus, yet only half that number read the Bible more than once a week. Last week our visiting pastor said, “We don’t come to hear God’s Word to be informed, we come to be transformed.”
The Israelites in Nehemiah’s day were attempting to re-center their lives upon God’s Word.
Click Here to Watch
“1,500 years ago everyone knew the earth was the center of the universe.”Copernicus changed everything. Before Copernicus practically everyone believed the earth was the center of the universe and the sun revolved around us. Copernicus hypothesized that it was the other way around—the earth revolved around the sun. This changed everything and gave birth to what is known as the Copernican Revolution.
When your center changes everything around it must change too. This is true of science and physics and it is true of religion and the gospel. The Israelites had their own Copernican-type revolution during the time of Nehemiah and Ezra. They had lost their center and it forced them into exile. But God was graciously drawing them back to Himself and in the process His Word was once again becoming central to His people.
“Imagine what you’ll know … tomorrow.” If you Return to God's Word.
Our lesson started out this week by comparing God’s Word to a Road Map. Think about a time when you followed directions that took you someplace unexpected. God’s Word is a never changing road map to life.
Recap Nehemiah 8:
- In Nehemiah 8, the Jewish people gathered to celebrate all that had happened. Actually, this was more than a celebration; it was a time of rededication. The gathering occurred in the seventh month of the year, which is significant because the Jews celebrated three events during that month: the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Booths (see Lev. 23:23-43). Every seven years during the Feast of Booths, God’s Word was to be read before His people (see Deut. 31:10-13).
I. For God’s Word to be central we must be attentive to it.
Nehemiah 8:1-3
1 All the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that the LORD had given Israel. 2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. 3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
“Preacher, the sermon went a little long today,” says the disgruntled church member after enduring a 51 minute long sermon on Leviticus. Hearing things like that has always caused a bit of shock when I read Nehemiah 8:3 - From daybreak to noon. Likely Ezra read the entire Law from Genesis to Deuteronomy and stopped on occasion to explain the text. In other words—this is one lengthy sermon. But the people didn’t merely listen, they listened “attentively”.
Why did they listen so attentively whenever it seems we can barely stomach an hour?
- They had been deprived of the word so long that it became increasingly valuable to them. Deprivation has a tendency to create value. This was a time of rededication. They were reestablishing their center. The same is true of us—if God’s Word is to be our center then we must be as attentive to it as they were.
What does that say to us about appreciating God's Word?
- We should appreciate the availability of it, and in our own language.
- We should be willing to spend more time in God's Word than just reading a couple of verses and a canned commentary.
- All ages need to be exposed to God's Word, when it is neglected (as it had before the captivity) bad things happen.
How do our circumstances impact the way we approach the Bible?
- Sometimes we read for information, other times we seek assurance for God’s presence.
- We might study to be able to communicate our faith to an unbeliever.
- We could be looking for guidance on how to handle a particular situation.
- Maybe in our daily reading we go with curiosity, wondering what God has to say to us today.
Application: Are you attentive to the Word or do you just gloss over it? What you want to be central is what you will pay attention to.
Know this:
- People need to read God's word or have it read to them – early, and often.
- When you read/hear it you need to understand it.
- God's word is powerful Truth – it changes your life.
II. For God’s Word to be central we must respond to it.
Nehemiah 8:4-6
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
There is a dangerous familiarity that can happen with God’s Word. Preachers and seminary students probably feel this more than anyone.
What elements of worship did the people demonstrate?
- The people stood up as he read the Word.
- They lifted their hands and responded “Amen! Amen!”
- They bowed down and worshiped with their faces to the ground.
Why do you think the people were so responsive when Ezra read from God’s Word?
- It was fresh and new, they’d not heard it before.
- They recognized it as Truth, reality.
- They were hearing Truth which spoke to their hearts.
What is the connection between reading the Bible and worshiping God?
- When you realize what God is telling you, then you are in awe of His wisdom and love.
- God’s work of redemption is amazing … deserving of our praise
- God’s work of creation is awesome … deserving our praise
Are you responding to God’s Word when you read it or are you just reading it?
What can you do to keep yourself from a cold familiarity with God’s Word?
- Regular and repeated reading, listening, and obeying God's Word.
- Applying it to our lives and telling others about it and its benefits.
- Choose it ahead of TV, newspaper, other pursuits.
- Participate in worship service with joy, excitement, thoughtfulness (instead of watching the clock, hoping to get to the restaurant ahead of the Methodists)
What prevents us from responding more meaningfully and more consistently to God’s Word?
- If you don’t read it, you can’t respond to the Truth that is there.
- Reading it with our minds elsewhere.
- Make it a regular, daily part of your life … schedule a time each day (like we do for meals!)
- We get too busy to take the time.
- We are distracted by ongoing events.
III. For God’s Word to be central it must be clearly explained.
Nehemiah 8:7-8
7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, explained the law to the people as they stood in their places. 8 They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.
A common question during Bible study is “What does this text mean to you”.
- Nehemiah 8:8 helps us to see that this is the wrong question. These scribes in verse 7 are showing how the text has implications for the hearers but they are doing this by clearly showing what the meaning of the text is. Their task was to make the Bible clear so they could say, “Thus says the Lord”.
- Anyone who reads the Bible has the same task as Ezra—trying to discern the meaning of God’s Word clearly. Wrong interpretations or even muddy interpretations will not do us any good. Our authority comes from knowing what God actually said and responding to it accordingly. If God’s Word is to be central then we need to be sure that we understand what God has clearly communicated.
Mark Dever gets at the heart of what Ezra was doing when he says this: Ezra wasn’t acting as a prophet here. The word of God wasn’t coming to him directly. He knew, though, that what the people needed, more desperately than anything else, was to hear the Word of God. So what did he do? He read and explained the Bible.
The same is true for us today.
Who assisted Ezra on the day of the assembly?
- A group of Levites.
What appears to have been the primary role of the Levites mentioned?
- Instructing the people, they repeated passages or portions that had been read.
- They seemed to be explaining and giving clarity to the passages that had been read.
- They may have given examples or applications to the various passages.
What contemporary principle can you derive from these verses related to the need for believers to study God’s Word?
- It is good to study in groups.
- Some believers within a local church body will have the gift of teaching and need to be involved in leading small group Bible studies or Sunday School classes.
- The pastor of a congregation will preach and teach from God’s Word and give us explanations and applications of God’s Truth.
What steps can you take to better understand and apply God’s Word?
- Read it in different versions, to get a better understanding.
- When you find a verse or a concept that seems to speak to you, journal your thoughts on that topic.
- When you see a promise of God that applies to you, claim it for yourself and for others on your prayer list.
- When you read how God worked in a special way, pray that God will do that for situations that concern you.
- As you begin to read your Bible, ask God to focus your thoughts on what He has for you this day.
EXAMPLE: Here’s a Life Map entry on a journal
Verse: Luke 18:13(b) “God have mercy on me a sinner!”
M – Message: God loves a humble heart and showers his mercy on those who know they need it! He especially loves it when we finally come to the end of ourselves and see our broken- sinful – condition for what it is.
A – Application: I never want to forget the mercy the Lord has shown me and how far He has brought me since I was lost in my sin. I stand in utter amazement that God could have still loved me. Yet He did!!! He drew me – through the power of His Holy Spirit – until I finally recognized my plight and cried out, ”Father – I need You, have mercy on me a sinner.” And thankfully, He heard, and answered my cry for help!!!
P – Prayer: Thank You Lord!!! Please, never let me forget where I’ve come from. And please, don’t ever let me begin exalting myself, or judging others who still don’t know You. Help me remember Your mercy, rejoice in my salvation, and love others as You have loved me. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
When have you recently been affected or convicted by your study of God’s Word?
Conclusion: Christians have always attempted to find a center to the Christian life. For many they’d answer “Jesus” or “the gospel”. If someone suggested that God’s Word be central one would likely expect the charge of idolatry. But I think this is a false dichotomy. In his book, Taking God At His Word, Kevin DeYoung helps us see that Jesus was very word-centered:
“[Jesus] does not want to correct Scripture. He wants to bring its full weight to bear on the human heart. He does not want the Word of God circumvented by human tradition or specious reasoning. Instead, every speck of Scripture must be applied to every speck of Christian discipleship…Jesus wants more of Scripture in our lives, not less.”
LIVE IT OUT
How can you make sure the Scriptures have their rightful place in your life? Consider the following:
Read up. Make a habit of reading the Bible every day. A devotional book or magazine can help you get started, but give God's uninterrupted time to speak through His Word.
Listen up. Make yourself more attentive to God's Word by taking notes. Write down what you hear God saying to you.
Step up. Lead a small group or Bible study. Teach children or students at your church. The greatest way to learn the Scriptures is to teach them to someone else!
We have plenty of tools to give us direction on a physical level. But God's Word is the only thing that can give us the proper spiritual direction we need in life. It truly is our only foundation and fuel to sustain a renewed walk with Christ.
Prayer of Commitment
Lord, many Bibles line my shelves and adorn the tables in my house. Help me now to take the words from the pages in those books into my heart so that I may be drawn closer to You, great God. Amen.
See you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
