How to be Blessed

Hearing God minus Obedience equals Deceived (James 1:22)

Hearing God minus Obedience equals Danger (Matthew 7:24-27)

Hearing God plus Obedience equals Blessed (John 13:17)

Consider the shallowness of saying, “I went to church today.” Making this claim sounds like the summon bonum is church attendance. While attending a place of worship is certainly desirable, let us acknowledge that merely hearing a sermon is not enough. In fact, if once listens to a Bible-based message without putting it into practice they are kidding themselves and putting themselves at risk.

Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

God’s word should be put into our minds and mouths, and then into put into action!

Four Ways to Feel Good about Yourself

Matthew 3 ends with the Heavenly Father announcing, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus probably felt good about Himself. He had been baptized and was about to launch His public ministry. Then in chapter 4 the devil came crashing in with his temptations. Here are four ways to feel good about yourself, three devilish and one divine.

1. PLEASURES, v 3

2. POWER, v 6

3. POSSESSIONS, v 8-9

4. PROMISES, v 17

Worldly substitutes are short-lived (1 John 2:16-17). Jesus rejected the devil’s temptation. He knew the best and most enduring way to feel good about oneself is take God at His word and believe what He has said about you.

When God Speaks

Luke 5

GOD SPEAKS UNIVERSALLY, v 1-3

GOD SPEAKS PERSONALLY, v 4

1. When God speaks to you don’t argue, v 5a

2. When God speaks to you just obey, v 5b

3. When God speaks to you expect a blessing, v 6

4. When God speaks to you share with others, v 7

Don't Forget to Use SOAP

It is about that time of year when serious Christians begin thinking about reading the Bible through in the New Year. It is good to have some kind of reading plan. Yet your goal should never be to fulfill a religious obligation, but to encounter the Living Lord. And for that, don't forget to use the soap! Here's what I mean.

Sometimes when I read the Bible my mind wanders. I stop and ask myself, "What did I just read?" Do you ever have this problem?

This little acronymn can help us stay focused and squeeze the most out of God's Word. 

S - Scripture: Read a passage or chapter from God's Word.

O - Observation: What are the major themes and key words? What jumps out at you?

A - Application: What is God communicating to you personally through this text? 

P - Prayer: Talk to the Lord about what He shows you from His word. Share with the Lord your dreams, fears, and desire to obey Him.

By using this simple SOAP technique you can experience the Lord every day. And spending time with God will help you have a happy New Year.

Professor Horner

Recently I learned about Professor Horner's Bible reading system. I've been trying it these past few days and really like it. Professor Grant Horner (see photo) suggests reading ten chapters a day. It really doesn't take as much time as you might think. The ten chapters are taken from various portions of scripture (see above). The variety keeps it exciting.

Check with me at the end of the month and I'll let you know if this reading plan is still working for me. You may have another Bible reading plan which works better for you, and that's great. The main thing for Christ-followers is that we have some sort of regular disciplined approach to scripture. 

Spiritual Renewal Always Includes

During Josiah's reforms, "Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law" (2 Chronicles 34:14).

In the glory days of the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem, "Ezra opened the book" (Nehemiah 8:5).

At the start of our Lord's earthly ministry, "[Jesus] was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And He opened the book" (Luke 4:17).

Yes, my friend, if you are wanting a fresh touch from above, be sure and open God's book, the Holy Bible. 

Hearing with Faith

The apostle Paul explained that one lives the Christian life, the same way they start it (Col. 2:6). So let's review the process of conversion and discover the way of santification.

Ephesians 1:13 details three steps to justification.

1. Hear the word of truth
2. Believe the gospel
3. Sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Abram was made right with God following these same steps.

1. He heard God's promise.
2. He believed God.
3. God declared Abram righteous (Gen. 15:6).

When Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia he corrected their misunderstanding about Christian living. They erroneously thought the Christian life required obedience to the law. But Paul asks them, "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing with faith?" (Gal. 3:2). He takes them back to their initial experience with Christ and shows them that they entered into a saving relationship with Christ by hearing with faith, not by works of the law. Therefore, Paul argued, the way to make progress is to continue hearing with faith.

Miracles come by hearing the word with faith, not by trying to impress God with obedience to religious rules. The rhetorical question Paul asks is, "Therefore, He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing with faith?" (Gal. 3:5).

In both Ephesians and Galatians, Paul stressed the importance of hearing the gospel of truth with faith. Initially, faith in God's promises is how you are converted to Christ; and then, as a growing Christian, "hearing with faith" is how you experience the supernatural. 

Are you carefully and prayerfully reading, studying, and hearing God's word? Faith in God's word fuels spiritual vitality.

The Right Way to Listen to a Sermon

There is, in fact, a right and wrong way to listen to a sermon. James 1:21-25 describes two groups of people: the blessed and the deceived.

A deceived church-goer is the one who hears the scripture, but never acts on it. They are a hearer, but not a doer of the word. Consequently, they receive no blessing. 

The blessed church-goer is the one takes God's word seriously, not casually. Here are seven imperatives for being blessed by your pastor's sermon.

1. You must be clean. "Lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness."

2. You need to be teachable. When it comes to God's word, "receive [it] with meekness." The idea of meekness in the first-century was used to describe powerful horses brought under the control of their master. In other words, don't argue with God's word, yield to it.

3. You should receive God's word deeply into your heart. James describes it as "the implanted word." Think of seeds placed in the earth, not sprinkled on top of the ground. Thus, we are to receive God's word deep into our heart, our mind, our memory, our conscience, into the very essence of our soul.

4. You must stop and investigate God's word. James says he who is blessed by God's word "looks into [it]." This is the same Greek word used in Luke 24:12 to describe Peter coming to the empty tomb, "stooping and looking in." In the same way friend, if you want to truly be blessed by God's word, slow down, quit speed-reading the Bible. Take a deep inquistive look at what God says in his word. 

5. You need to live in God's word. James says the blessed one "continues in it." Stay in the word, go back to it often. Read it daily. Persevere in it.

6. You must remember God's teachings. Don't be a "forgetful hearer." Take some notes, put something in your journal. Memorize key verses. Meditate on what God says.

7. You need to obey God's word. When it says God's word is able to save your soul think sanctification, not just justification. God's word lived out will help you overcome sin on a daily basis. You will walk in victory. James says, "[the obedient] one will be blessed in what he does."

Take it seriously when your pastor shares God's word. Use the above imperatives from James and be a blessed hearer.