Keeping Pure
Notes
Transcript
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Introduction
Introduction
Underutilized something powerful in your life?
Your smart phone — it has more computing power and the ones that were used by NASA to put a man on the moon! - and you play Candy Crush with it!
That problem isn’t limited only to a smartphone - it’s actually magnified when you consider what we have in the Bible!
God-Breathed Revelation
Sword of the Spirit
Words of LIFE
YET - among American Christians… more than 80% do not engage the Bible on a daily basis (not in worship services).
[https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/research-survey-bible-engagement-churchgoers?carid=jhowe-stetzer-bible-20120913]
Words of Life
God-Breathed / Inspired
Underutilized POWER
How do we become more Christlike, godly, holy people?
- Pages - 5 weeks we want to show the power and blessing of God’s word for our lives!
New to Christianity - want to equip you to walk well.
Q:
How can a person keep themselves pure? (v. 9)....
By guarding it according to the Word
Big Idea: Staying pure means guarding our lives with God’s Word
Transition: three ways to guard your life with God’s Word
Approach God’s word wholeheartedly (vv. 10-11)
Approach God’s word wholeheartedly (vv. 10-11)
Approach God’s word wholeheartedly (vv. 10-11)
10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
So he says “with my WHOLE heart” I seek you
Pursuing holiness isn’t just a matter of knowledge or information - it about us and God - it is our relationship with him.
But how do we do that? - I don’t know about you, but there are times when I know its true of me that I don’t seek God with my whole heart.
How do I get there? — The Word of God!
The Bible is a fountain of grace to turn our hearts towards God!
Seek God’s Word for his commandments - so we know the way to go
Need commandments - the ways of God - we don’t seek him because we wander from his ways.
What should I do in this situation?
When we walk in his ways we train our heart for God
Need promises - his gifts of grace to enable us to remember better joy
Seek God’s Word for his promises - so we have the right motivation to get there
What reward/good does God have for me in these?
These commands and these promises are to be “treasured” in my heart!
As you build these practices, your heart will develop an appetite for God
You will see how TRUE God is… you will see how GOOD God is.
We may not be whole-hearted seekers of God… and yet we can aspire to that.
We may not be whole-hearted seekers of God… and yet we can aspire to that.
You will delight in God!
The means by which we get there is the Word of God.
Illustrate:
I couldn’t say I was whole hearted for my wife when I first met her. I was attracted to her, but not whole hearted… how do I get there? I get to know her
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. [Command] He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. [Promise]
Not just data about her - but her
That’s what love is… building a heart for someone else
That’s what loving God is...
Apply:
Let me show you what this looks like - Psalm 1
Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. [Command] He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. [Promise]
So as you engage the Bible, you will grow in your delight of God, which will in turn make you more whole-hearted in knowing him.
Staying pure means guarding our lives with God’s Word
Align ourselves with God and His word (vv. 12-14)
Align ourselves with God and His word (vv. 12-14)
12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. 14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
How?
How?
See God is king - Blessed are you - posture of humility - so we can say “teach me!”
Who is God? Greater/Master/Teacher/King?
Dr. Strange discovering he’s in the presence of a Master… “teach me!”
With my lips I declare - philosophy of education - repetition
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Teaching Methods
Children were taught to memorize as soon as they could talk, and were trained to repeat the exact words so that no nuance of meaning would be altered. The alphabet was taught and memorized by being repeatedly written and drilled. Students copied and recopied passages from the written Law in precise, neat handwriting. Any piece of writing containing a mistake was considered dangerous, since it might imprint the wrong word or spelling on the learner’s mind. Reading aloud was recommended as an aid to memorization.
Children were taught to memorize as soon as they could talk, and were trained to repeat the exact words so that no nuance of meaning would be altered. The alphabet was taught and memorized by being repeatedly written and drilled. Students copied and recopied passages from the written Law in precise, neat handwriting. Any piece of writing containing a mistake was considered dangerous, since it might imprint the wrong word or spelling on the learner’s mind. Reading aloud was recommended as an aid to memorization.
3. Value - these are worth more than all riches - I’d rather have them?
Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Education,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 660.
Which pleasures are good for my life?
Which foods are good for my health?
Appetites - if we eat junk food, we won’t care - but if we value health and eat healthy we’ll train our bodies for life.
This is how temptation is fought and how we keep our way pure - this is what it means to guard our way according to his word.
Illustration/Application
When facing the temptation of pride I need to have in my heart God’s ways
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Alignment is seeing what is good and better and walking in those ways...
That’s how you keep you way pure - guarding it according to God’s word.
Staying pure means guarding our lives with God’s Word
Use God’s Word in Everyday Life (vv. 15-16)
Use God’s Word in Everyday Life (vv. 15-16)
Use God’s Word in Everyday Life (vv. 15-16)
Use God’s Word in Everyday Life (vv. 15-16)
15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
The third way we guard our lives with God’s word is to use it in everyday life
Meditate on his Word
Fix my eyes on your ways
the Bible takes time to understand and soak in - it’s simple, but it’s also deep.
Meditate is the idea of pondering/concentrating/soaking in God’s Word
So part of guarding your life is being in the Bible on a daily basis - a habit of walking with God.
When we do that - we delight - we do not forget!
Illustration
Consider Jesus - consider his way of life… God’s word was his food, God’s word was his help, God’s word was his way.
Temptations overcome - “Word of God”
Direction - Word of God
Jesus perfectly guarded his way with the Word of God, so that all who trust in him can be guarded by him and follow him to life because he is the Word.
Application:
Daily Bible Reading — We have a devotional for you for the next five weeks in this Psalm - simple, helpful, easy
HRT/SRT - books for 1 & 2 Timothy/Titus in the Lobby
Every month we have these - pick them up, read daily, get with 3-4 others, discuss and grow!
Use the app
Conclusion
Conclusion
We have great power - to know God, to be saved, to be renewed
ARE WE underutilizing God’s Word?
Call for us to be people of God’s Word - to let the Bible be the tool God uses to change our lives...
Staying pure means guarding our lives with God’s Word