Steps to Intimacy With God
Ps 19:7-14
Unused Spiritual Resources
During Superbowl XXXVII, FedEx ran a commercial that spoofed the movie Castaway, in which Tom Hanks played a FedEx worker whose company plane went down, stranding him on a desert island for years. Looking like the bedraggled Hanks in the movie, the FedEx employee in the commercial goes up to the door of a suburban home, package in hand.
When the lady comes to the door, he explains that he survived five years on a deserted island, and during that whole time he kept this package in order to deliver it to her. She gives a simple, "Thank you."
But he is curious about what is in the package that he has been protecting for years. He says, "If I may ask, what was in that package after all?"
She opens it and shows him the contents, saying, "Oh, nothing really. Just a satellite telephone, a global positioning device, a compass, a water purifier, and some seeds."
Like the contents in this package, the resources for growth and strength are available for every Christian who will take advantage of them.
-A Bible in the hand is worth two in the bookcase.
- God’s word is like salt in the back of your car in the winter. It’s a lot more useful when you take it out and apply it.
- If all you get from the Bible each week is my preaching…you’ll starve!
- It is said that when the famous missionary, Dr. David Livingstone, started his trek across Africa he had 73 books in 3 packs, weighing 180 pounds. After the party had gone 300 miles, Livingstone was obliged to throw away some of the books because of the fatigue of those carrying his baggage. As he continued on his journey his library grew less and less, until he had but one book left--his Bible.
-Never let good books take the place of the Bible. Drink from the Well, not from the streams that flow from the Well. –Amy Carmichael
• DL Moody said: “The scriptures were not given for our information but our transformation.”
- Ps 19:7-9 LORD 6x
The Bible is Profitable - 2 Tim 3:16
A HOW TO BOOK
- We get more out of the Bible when we let more of it get into us.
• It Compels you... How to know life right
- v. 7 - Law (instruction Teaching)
- It converting the soul - Pulls life together
• It Convinces you ... How to start life right
- v.7 Testimony (Giving witness)
- Sure ----- It is not hear say
• It Controls you... How to keep life right
v. 8 Statutes (Rules, directions to guide)
- Following the rules or directions gets life done
- When life is done right (called obedience) there is always joy
• It Commands you ... How to live life right
v. 8 Commandment (Placing in order)
- We are living in a world of instant gratification
- Following His way is delayed gratification
- Ex. Out of HS into a job - money now
- Or out of HS into college money later
- But it is much more money plus prestige
- Placing life in order (His Commandments) brings a full life
- Seeing beyond (enlightening the eyes)
• It Conforms you… How to see life right
v. 9 Fear (Respect, Reverence, Aw)
- As a father with his children - love & respect
- They look to their father not another for food, protection, provision, pleasure
• It Considers you… How to enjoy life right
v. 9 Judgments (Determining what is right & best
v. 10 - Exactly what we are looking for Treasure & Pleasure v.10 MSS - God’s Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries.
• The late Supreme Court Justice Oliver Holmes was on a train when the conductor came through collecting tickets. Holmes couldn’t find his ticket and became rather distraught. The conductor tried to console him by saying, "Mr. Holmes, don’t worry. When you find your ticket, just mail it in. We trust you." Mr. Holmes responded in frustration, "My dear man, that’s not my problem. I need my ticket to tell me where I’m going."
- v. 11 – Moreover (By the way)
- v. 12-14 - Sin is a problem
- Rom 8:22-25
Three Key Words To Help You Get the Most Out Of Your Bible
1. Dedication
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- Journaling helps to keep you on track
1. Today’s date
2. Scripture read today
3. Notes on Scripture read today
4. Main thought I can use today
5. People to pray for: family, friends, church, people in need
6. Personal affairs to pray for: devotional life, spiritual life, personal goals, today’s affairs
7. Reflections on experiences and lessons of the previous day
2. Observation
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- What do I see? [put on your S.P.E.C.S.]
The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks at his telescope, he does not see anything but that.
S - Sin to confess.
The further one goes from the source the more polluted the water.
This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book!
P - Promise to claim.
You can’t break God’s promises by leaning on them!
E - Example to follow.
Heb. 11—those voices in the grandstands…what are they saying?
C - Command to obey.
B.i.b.l.e.—Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth!
S - Stumbling block to avoid.
[for me, or for others who see me!]
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. --M. Luther
3. Application
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- How does it work?
The Bible is not just for information, It is for transformation.
• Read it
• Obey it
• Lean upon it
Born to be battered...Underline it, circle things, write in the margins, turn down page corners, the more you use it, the more valuable it gets to be.
Ad in South Central Bell Telephone Company Yellow Pages.
In February, 1982, the world’s largest offshore oil exploration rig was stationed 160 miles east of the coast of Newfoundland. More than 30 stories high, it was made to withstand 80-knot winds and 35-foot-high seas. It was virtually indestructible.
When a stormy northeaster whipped up one night, no one seemed alarmed. They had been through the worst storms the Grand Banks had to offer. When an exceptionally large wave broke a window in the control room and short-circuited a switch, no one seemed to notice. What they didn’t know was that this tiny switch was causing one of the valves in the giant pier-like stilts, which held the Ocean Ranger up, to open and fill with water.
By the time the first “mayday” was sounded on Monday morning, the Ranger was already listing badly and the seas were up to 60 feet. Soon all 84 crew members were dead—all because no one noticed that a little switch short-circuited.
- If you don’t pay attention to the details in life, they can kill you.
• Go through a red light and it could cost your life.
• Leave your house unlocked things can be stolen
• Do electrical wiring wrong --- Zapped
• Don’t weed your garden --- Loose your crop
• Fake it in a test --- you will fail
• Carless Driving --- leads to accidents
• Cook a dinner wrong --- an unhappy family
• Raise kids without attending to details --- Rebellion
- There’s one detail you can’t afford to overlook.
- It’s the detail of a daily meeting time with God.
- Easy to take it for granted,
- To be too busy,
- To fall behind in your schedule,
- Thinking “I’ll make it up tomorrow or the next
day.”
- Watch out, you’re looking for trouble.
- Pay attention to what seems like a small detail but
has great importance.
- Lay hold of the tremendous power made available
through a daily time with God.
- Don’t get caught with a short circuit.
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PowerPoint -- Upon request
Fill In The Blanks Handout -- Upon request
