Rather than “making resolutions” about things we want to do, we are ‘resolving ourselves’ to certain realities over the next 3 weeks. Week 1: Since the Bible is the only word of God, we are resolved to know it!
Psalm 119:9-16 that we should resolve to:
-live according to the word
-seek God in the word
-memorize the word
-be taught the word
-declare the word
-delight in the word
-meditate on the word
-remember the word
I. Why We Should Resolve to Soak in God’s Word
1) There is something that the creator of the universe wants to tell us and wants us to understand about Him and ourselves.
2) Leads Us to Salvation (2 Timothy 3:15–17)
3) Gives Us Wisdom & Understanding (Psalm 119: 98-100)
4) Keeps You on the Right Path (Psalm 119: 101-102)
5) Shows us How to Live the Sweet Life (Psalm 119: 103-104)
II. Develop the Habit of Soaking in God’s Word
For most of us, this natural ritual of spending time with God-offering Him our everyday normal life is foreign. We have forgotten. Our hearts are beating after other stuff. “Lesser things that captured our affections have displaced the reality and centrality of God.” –David Crowder, Praise Habit.
1)READ
-Important to read leisurely and thoughtfully
-Read what? (Doesn’t matter as long as you are reading-don’t over complicate this! Get on a reading plan and remember to take baby steps… consistency is more important than length.
2)THINK
-Try to figure out what the text is saying
-Spend some time meditating on what a particular passage is really talking about-turning it over in your mind, reflecting on it, soaking in it. (Like chewing a juicy stake…slow, savor it). Deeply consider its meaning)
-We must take the time to chew and re-chew scripture. Don’t just read it once and buzz on to the next mouthful. Take in the text. Consume it. Chew on it some more.
Martin Luther said,“I study my Bible like I gather apples. First, I shake the whole tree that the ripest may fall. Then I shake each limb, and when I have shaken each limb, I shake each branch and every twig. Then I look under every leaf. I search the Bible as a whole like shaking the whole tree. Then I shake every limb–study book after book. Then I shake every branch, giving attention to the chapters. Then I shake every twig, or a careful study of the paragraphs and sentences and words and their meanings.“
3)PRAY
-After you have read the text and spent time thinking, pray. (This kind of praying goes beyond merely asking for things…talking to God about it. Have a conversation with God…He wants to do that with you.)
The point in all of this is to focus more intentionally on God and what He’s communicating to you. Sometimes we forget that God has a personality and wants to engage us at a deeper level.
4) LIVE
-This is where these words begin to shape life. Jesus was the first one to become God’s word in the flesh. God’s word by its very nature changes us to make us like Christ.
If you read what God has written, think about it and pray through it, but don’t allow it to change you, you are missing the big picture!
James 1:22-25 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But 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.”
When you live the Word…you truly live. Let this be a time that you come to savor and look forward to. Allow this to be a time in which God speaks to you and you actively seek Him.
III. Application
1) If you don’t have a Bible that you can understand, we will give you one. We want to give you a copy of the English Standard Version of the Bible. That’s the version we preached from today, the one that Pastor J.D. preaches from most Sundays, and our staff believes it’s one of the most readable, literal translations there is. It’s yours. Just go get it.
2) Get on a reading plan (check out blog out this week for resources-JD’s sermon archive).
3) Begin to memorize it. (Remember what Jesus said when He was being tempted in the desert? “Man does not live on bread alone, but by every Word of God.”
My desire is to see you develop a deep intimate relationship with God. I want you to enjoy spending time with God and enjoy spending time reading scripture.
RESOLVE TO SOAK IN GOD’S WORD!