Playbook For Christian Living - Relying On God's Word

Play Three: Relying On God's Word
11.8.15

Visit your local library, bookstore, or favorite online retailer, and you will find thousands of books on how to live your life. Advise from self proclaimed experts on topics as varied as family, marriage, retirement, building a business, or even how to program your smart watch. There is plenty of suggestions, and often these suggestions can contradict or change as new information is revealed. But God's Word is solid. It is the rock to build a life on so that when the storms come, what you have labored to accomplish will not be washed away.

In Acts 20:32 Paul instructs the Ephesians, and us today, to "commit to God and to the word of his grace, which can build up up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." The best way to be committed to God and His Word is to study it. There are plenty of ways to study the Bible, and hundreds of plans to accomplish the task. Below I provide a system I call PRAISE. It is a practical way to dive in and learn the lessons and leading of God in his love letter we call the Bible.

Pray

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”
Psalm 119:18

Read

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Joshua 1:8

Ask

“The disciples came to him and asked...”

Matthew 13:10a

Investigate

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

Acts 17:11

Search

“For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Matthew 7:8

Evaluate

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us.”

Romans 15:4a

We PRAY to open our hearts and mind for communicating with the author of the Scriptures. We READ, even though it seems such a simple step, because we should see for our self what the Word says. For much of the history of the Church, this privilege was forbidden. Take advantage of liberty in which we currently live. We ASK because we have a Father who is open to our questions and created in us an inquisitive mind. We should ask questions with the truth in mind that the people recorded in the bible were the same as you and I. They lived in a real time at a real place. They ate, loved, hated, ached, and experienced all we do today. When we ask questions, we must INVESTIGATE to discover answers to our questions. The Bible has an amazing ability to answer it's own questions if you take time to look. In order to see those answers we must SEARCH. Like a search and rescue expert, we must train our spiritual eyes to see the truth in the 66 books we call a bible. If we get lost in the words or the volume of thoughts, we can get loose sight of the proverbial "tree in the forest". Finally, we must take our answers and EVALUATE what we conclude with the other written word of God. In other words, you must compare the verse you are studying with the whole chapter, whole book, and finally with all the other books. If you have discovered a truth from God, it will agree with the rest of scripture. 

PRAISE God daily in your study of His Word and you will find yourself laying a strong foundation to a wonderful life - both here and in Heaven. 

Playbook For Christian Living - Relying On His Strength

Play Two: Relying On His Strength 
11.1.15

When a team takes the field, they have to rely on the strength of either the offense or defense. The element of the team that has helped them to victory in the past. As a Christian, our greatest strength is Christ! We read in Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Today we will explore some of the elements found in this powerful verse!

1. I Can

There is a prideful way in which we as humans can say with defiance to God - "I can!" The people of ancient Babel had this attitude. In Genesis 11:4 we read where they made plans to build a city with a tower that would reach the heavens, so that they may make a name for themselves. This pride persists today. It is in our culture that leads to self important players and leaders thinking they did it - all by themselves! Unfortunately, this pride is seen in churches of today as well. Men and women who "build" a church with their name and brand on it and call it "good".

Instead of the prideful approach to the I Can statement, let us consider what Paul writes about we who are doing good for God. In 1 Corinthians 1:27-28, he reminds us that "God chose the foolish things of this world (that's us) to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things -and the that that are not- to nullify the things that are." The "i can" should be with a little "i". A humble spirit for sure.

2. All Things

Colossians 1:16 and John 1:3 both remind us that God created ALL THINGS, and that he governs over all things which means there are no limits of what we can do or accomplish In HIM! All things which are according to HIS WILL can be accomplished because he has rule over all things and all situations.

3. Through Him Who Gives Strength

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power." - 2 Timothy 1:7

When you consider the power of the Holy Spirit - creation, sustaining, convicting of sin, and bringing Christ back from the dead - all of this power is available to us through the Spirit. But we must be connected to the power source. The lamp does not generate its own power, but if it is plugged into a power outlet, it can produce light. We are called to be light, and that requires power through us.

4. Strength Comes From Within

The power and strength offered to us is a spiritual strength. No amount of push ups or weight lifting will give it to us. It must come from a spiritual source. Paul prays in Ephesians 3:16 that those in Ephesus will be "strengthened with power through his Spirit" in their inner being. His prayer was the the strength came from the spiritual, not the physical. We must be in tune spiritually to process the power and strength promised.

5. We Are Strengthened For His Glory

"But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed...The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen." - 2 Timothy 4:17-18