Cram Your Copy Series

8 RULES FOR A SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN LIFE:

CRAM YOUR COPY OF HIS WORD

2 TIMOTHY 3:14-16

INTRODUCTION…

What does a successful Christian life look like? My desire as your pastor is that all of you experience success in your Christian life. I would define ‘success’ in the Christian life as being strong and knowledgeable in the faith, steady in prayer, and capable of sharing the Gospel with others. Sometimes we might wonder, how do we get there? Is there a process? Are there things we can do or cultivate to produce good fruit in our lives?

One of the most important aspects of any Christian’s life is Bible reading. If you want to be a successful Christian, then you will take time and study God’s Word. Plain and simple.

ILLUSTRATION… “Americans and the Bible” by Michael J Vlach

“The Christian Bible continues to be a revered book in the United States. In fact, no other book comes close to having been read and re-read as much as the “Good Book.” Every year, millions of Bibles are printed in this country. Researcher George Gallup points out that so many Bibles have been printed in the United States that even rough estimates of the total number published to date do not exist. Recent research has produced important information about Bible ownership, reading, study, and knowledge in the United States. Most Americans own a Bible. In fact, 92% of households in America own at least one copy. Of those households that own a Bible, the average number of Bibles is three. This includes not only the homes of practicing Christians but hundreds of thousands of atheists as well.”

“Although most Americans own a Bible, use of the Bible varies significantly. In a poll taken by the Gallup Organization in October 2000, 59% of Americans reported that they read the Bible at least occasionally. This is down from 73% in the 1980s. The percentage of Americans who read the Bible at least once a week is 37%. This is down slightly from 40% in 1990. According to the Barna Research Group, those who read the Bible regularly spend about 52 minutes a week in the scriptures.”

“When it comes to going beyond merely reading the Bible to actual study of the Bible, the numbers decline sharply. Only one in seven Americans report an involvement that goes beyond just reading the Bible. Fourteen percent of Americans currently belong to a Bible study group. This is down a full one-third from 1990 when 21% said they were involved in a Bible study group.”

What about our church? Last week 86 out of 148 stayed for Sunday School. That’s 58% of the congregation. Usually we run about ½ or less of the congregation for Sunday School. Wednesday Night Study, last week, had 2% of the congregation. Usually, we run about 5% of the congregation for Wednesday Night. The Christian education committee put out a plea to start new Bible Studies for our church. Guess how many people called up and wanted to either host a study or be part of one. 0.

My questions for you are these:

Where does the other half of our group go after church?

Where is everyone Wednesday Night?

Are you reading your Bible once a day, once a week, once a month?

Do you want to learn about the Bible and do you have a hunger for spiritual knowledge?

Have you been a Christian for years but have no more spiritual knowledge than when you started?

READ THESE SCRIPTURES:

JOHN 5:38-39: “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”

ACTS 17:10-12: “As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.”

ROMANS 15:3-5: “For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." For 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. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus.”

2 TIMOTHY 3:14-16: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”