CORE STRENGTH
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WE PUT THE WORD OF GOD FIRST PLACE
WE PUT THE WORD OF GOD FIRST PLACE
For the next seven weeks, we’re going to be discussing our church core values. This is something we should do regularly, but it’s not just about listing the core values for the sake of saying we know them. Memorizing them is one thing; living them is another! If you’ve been called to this church for this season, it’s important that you know the grace that is available to you. God has given our leadership direction about these seven statements as the pillars of our church’s calling and culture. It’s important in any organization that there is vision and that those of us who are called to run with the vision know it and can execute it.
And the Lord answered me:
“Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so he may run who reads it.
The core values of Eagle Mountain Church - and therefore the core values of the Bridge are:
1.) We put the Word of God first place.
2.) We live by faith.
3.) We walk in love.
4.) We pray about everything.
5.) We are led by the Holy Spirit.
6.) We protect the anointing.
7.) We honor God.
We’re going to start tonight with the first core value. This value sets the tone for the rest of them. We put the Word of God first place. The Word is the final authority for anything and everything in our lives. If it doesn’t line up with the word, it’s out.
That sounds good, right?
In theory.
It’s a little easier said than done, though, and I want to focus tonight on why it’s important and how we can practically live this in our everyday lives.
First of all, we need to do a little word study. You’ve probably heard me say this before, but it bears repeating. The New Testament (and the Greek Old Testament) use two words for the English word, “word.” Follow me here.
4839 ῥῆμα (rhēma), ατος (atos), τό (to): n.neu.; ≡ DBLHebr 609, 1821; Str 4487; TDNT 4.69—1. LN 33.9 word, a single unit used in discourse (Mt 27:14), for another interp, see next; 2. LN 33.98 statement (Mt 4:4); 3. LN 13.115 event, matter, thing (Mt 18:16)
3364 λόγος (logos), ου (ou), ὁ (ho): n.masc.; ≡ DBLHebr 1821; Str 3056; TDNT 4.69—1. LN 33.98 statement, that which is said (Jn 4:41); 2. LN 33.99 speech, the act of speaking (Ac 14:12); 3. LN 33.260 gospel, the content of what is preached about Christ (Ac 19:20; Col 3:16; Mk 16:20 v.r.); 4. LN 33.51 treatise, systematic treatment of a subject (Ac 1:1); 5. LN 33.100 Word, Message, a title for Christ (Jn 1:1, 14; 2Ti 4:2; 1Jn 1:1; Rev 19:13+), note: some verses may be in other entries; 6. LN 57.228 account, a record of assets and liabilities (Php 4:17); 7. LN 89.18 reason, a cause for something (Mt 5:32; Ac 10:29; 1Pe 3:15); 8. LN 13.115 event, matter, thing (Ac 8:21); 9. LN 30.13 appearance, to seem to be (Col 2:23); 10. LN 56.7 accusation, legal charge of wrongdoing (Ac 19:38), note: see LN index for a fuller treatment of the lexical units.
In putting the Word of God first place and making it final authority, it’s important to understand the difference between the inspired Word and the written Word and the relationship between them.
So which Word is first place and final authority?
Both! The Bible contains in it the words of life, and the Holy Spirit speaks to you with the words of God.
If it’s in the Bible, it’s for you. It’s a guide for your life, and it’s not A book of suggestions. It’s also not a book of rules. It’s Jesus on the page.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
It’s inspired by the Holy Spirit and codified into eternity in this book.
2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness...
God will speak to you directly, but He will never contradict His Word.
Why do we need the Word if we have the Holy Spirit?
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
We need a guide in life. The Holy Spirit living on the inside of you can lead you, but He will base His instruction on what He has already inspired to be written.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
When we hear the Word, we have a guarantee that faith will follow. That means that we need to be in a place to hear the Word. We need to position ourselves so that the Spirit can speak directly to us and in a place where the Word is being faithfully preached.
That means that living the church’s core values means coming to church regularly. If you have a faith project, you have a church imperative. You need to be in church listening to the Word being preached. Your faith will grow for the things that God has ordained for you to believe He will do when you put yourself in a place where the Word of God is being preached by a preacher who is listening to the Holy Spirit as he or she prepares. It’s vital that you are in a place that preaches the Word without compromise.
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
As I said during our last series, the Word isn’t meant to make your comfortable. It’s meant to grow you. It’s meant to take you from milk to meat.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
We talked at the beginning of this year about growing up in our faith and being mature. Spiritual maturity looks like making the Word of God a priority in your life.
How do we put the Word of God first place?
Read it. You have to decide that you’re going to do what it says, regardless of how it makes you feel. The role of the Word of God is to guide your life and equip you to be who He’s called you to be, do what He’s called you to do, and have what He’s called you to have.
You can’t stand on a Word you don’t know.
The Lord wants to speak to you by His Holy Spirit through His Word, which means we’re going to have to know it. It’s cool that you bring your Bible. It’s cool that it’s highlighted. Putting the Word first place and making it final authority means it goes from being highlighted in your Bible to being written on your heart.
What does it say about your situation? The Holy Spirit will bring Scripture to your memory to help you. He cannot remind you of what you’ve never learned.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
My call to action for you tonight is to put the Word of God first place by committing to reading the Bible every day. People ask me all the time how to start reading the Bible. I get that it’s an old book, but it was written by a living God. He can help you read it. Don’t start reading it without asking the Holy Spirit who inspired it to help you understand it. Ask Him what it means and how you can apply it.
We’ve developed a tool that we’re going to make available to you to start reading the Bible every day. Whether you’re a beginner or you’re a Bible college graduate, we have a plan for you. We’re going to walk you through this right now. It will change your life to the level that you desire it, allow it, and commit to it. We’re going to start on September 1. There are 122 days left in this year. It takes 66 days to start a reading habit. I can promise you that if you will make this commitment, your life will never be the same. Your faith will grow. Your love will increase. Your relationships will change for the better. Your work will be more productive. This is our first core value because it impacts every area of your life.
As we go through this series, we are going to build on this foundation. The Word of God must be first place and have final authority in your life.