Are You Governed Increasingly By God's Word Series

How's Your Spiritual Health?

Sermon Two: Are You Governed Increasingly By God's Word?

This sermon series is based on the book entitled Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health by Dr. Donald Whitney.

Sermon prepared by Thomas A. Gaskill for May 29, 2011

Have you exercised since the last time we met? Are you eating right? Have you seen your medical doctor this past week? Do you have concerns about your physical health? Do you check your blood pressure?

Let me ask this: Do you take vitamins or medication to prolong your life and hope for good health? I'd like to encourage you to continue pursuit of good health.

My question remains again this Sunday: How's your spiritual health? As your pastor, I hope you are healthy and thriving. I hope last Sunday's sermon has stirred you up to thirst for God more and more. I hope there has been soul searching and God pursuing. I hope your thirsting souls are not empty or dry but rather satisfied by God's abundant living water – the Holy Spirit. I hope mirages of the world are not being chased by any of God's people but I continue to pray that, as God's Word says in Hebrews 12:14 (NKJV) “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” and again in Hebrews 12:1,2 (NKJV) “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” I hope those of you who like to read are reading thirst-making writings.

Melodee (my wife) and I have been spending time together in theological discussions and during the course of one of our discussions I was made aware that I need to encourage you to listen to thirst-making music. Music is a powerful means of spiritual edification. Many people listen to music throughout their days. I encourage you to listen to God glorifying, Christ revealing, heart purifying, soul encouraging, Bible proclaiming, truth revealing, Gospel propagating, Holy Spirit fellowshipping, faith energizing, perfect love saturating, and kingdom service equipping music and radio stations. Melodee can give you information regarding this kind of music and stations.

This Sunday I ask the second of Dr. Whitney's 10 questions to diagnose your spiritual health: “Are you governed increasingly by God's word?”

We live in a society that promotes rugged individualism; many have become more and more self-centered and less and less submissive to governing authorities. People seek to cast off all restraints and gratify the desires of their flesh. Driven by inordinate affections, criminals abound. Law-breakers are everywhere. Murder, theft, assault, battery, property damage, rape, child-molestation, kidnapping and abduction, human trafficking, prostitution, drunk driving, illegal drugs dealt and used, and much more.... Prisons are overloaded and new ones are being built to house our ever-growing population of disillusioned mirage pursuers who do not know the right way to live because their worldview is hugely lacking in truth. Anytime a person thinks the world revolves around themselves, chaos is the inevitable result.

We must have a trustworthy governing authority and be governed by this authority - this worthy standard of righteousness that remains the same throughout time and eternity.

Governments change. People change. Cultural norms change. While all these are quite important – due to their constant changing nature – they are not to be the ultimate standard to live by.

There is only One who never changes – God!

Malachi 3:6 NKJV "For I am the LORD, I do not change.”

James 1:17 NIV Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Hebrews 13:8 NKJV Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Nations rise and fall. People live and die. Heaven and earth pass away. There is only One who remains forever – God!

Psalms 9:7 NKJV But the LORD shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment.

Psalms 135:13 NKJV Your name, O LORD, endures forever, Your fame, O LORD, throughout all generations.

Psalms 145:13 NKJV Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

Lamentations 5:19 NKJV You, O LORD, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation.

God never changes and remains forever; therefore, God is the only reliable and absolute standard of righteousness. God has revealed Himself and what He requires of us in His Word – the Holy Bible. His Only Letters to You. Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

Scripture tells us that it is divinely inspired and not of human origin. Anything contrary to the teachings of God through His revealed Word must be rejected. Scripture is to govern our faith and life.

We are to pattern our lives after Jesus. Listen to the words of Jesus: John 13:15 GW I've given you an example that you should follow.