Hello my dear friends.....warm greetings to you.
Have you ever considered your spiritual goals for Bible study? Is your goal simply to check it off as one more religious duty and move on to more "important" things? Is your goal to become a harvester of biblical trivia that will show others how much you know? Or is your goal life transformation? This is when God's Word is richly applied to your life. In your Bible study perhaps you have taken time to discover what the author says, what he means, and then what the passage of Scripture means to you.
In this week's Psalms of Discipleship we are going to take a close look at the unique qualities of the Word of God. The book we have in our possession contains not only wonderful truths, but it also has the power to transform our lives; if we embrace the truths and learn how to personally apply them.
Let the application begin.
Denny
PS. If you would like to have a devotional book that also serves as a spiritual life journal as well as a unique 21 point Bible study and personal assessment on grace, Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace, is now available for purchase. For more information, follow this link to the Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace facebook page.
http://bit.ly/9j2Nsp
Or you can visit my website at www.dennybates/resources
Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #35
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. 10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. Psalm 19:7-11
Core Value: Bible Study
Love letters. At one time we probably either wrote a love letter or received one, or both! Perhaps your first love letter was sent to your grammar school classmate, hoping that the encrypted code in the letter would be understood by a wink or a tender smile that communicates, “message received!” In a similar way, that is God’s hope for us. He loves us and He has taken the risk with us by sending us a love letter with a clear, unencrypted, message that requires our response: will we love Him or ignore Him? There are many who read God’s love letters (The Bible), have mastered its content, but have failed to become transformed by its message.
The goal of the quality disciple should never be the accumulation of biblical facts for the sake of knowledge, but the personal application of those facts that lead to a transformed life.
Robertson McQuilkin lends his perspective on this when he writes,
“A learning of the Word of God can be validated only by a transformed life . . . The only teaching that can be rightly called ‘Bible teaching’ focuses, not on processing information, but on hearing and responding to God’s own loving voice.’” Pg. 70 [cited Larry Richards, ‘Church Teaching: Content Without Context,’ Christianity Today, 15 April 1977, p. 16]. McQuilkin, Robertson. 1992. Understanding and applying the Bible, Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
Scot McKnight adds to the discussion of how we are to approach the Bible:
“God did not give the Bible so we could master him or it; God gave the Bible so we could live it, so we could be mastered by it. The moment we think we’ve mastered it, we have failed to be readers of the Bible.” Pg. 52 (The blue parakeet: rethinking how you read the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
May we all fall in love with the Author of His love letters and be mastered by Him.
Principle #35 & Personal Application: The quality disciple of Jesus Christ has an unquenchable passion to intimately know and experience the Word of God. When we intimately know and experience the Word of God…
• We believe that the Law of the Lord is perfect (blameless, whole, intact).
• We believe that the testimony of the Lord is sure (trustworthy, clear, consistent).
• We believe that the precepts of the Lord are right (straight).
• We believe that the commandment of the Lord is pure (clear, plain, radiant).
• We believe that the fear of the Lord is clean (pure, sacred).
• We believe that the judgments of the Lord are true (accurate, sure, correct).
• We believe that God’s Word is more precious than gold, sweeter than honey.
• We believe that there is a great blessing for those who obey God’s Word.
Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…
What are some evidences in my life that show I really treasure my Bible?
How can I be sure that I do not read my Bible for the accumulation of facts alone?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, May Your Word always be a treasure to my heart. I thank and praise You for a Bible that is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true, and more precious that gold and more sweeter than honey. As I apply and obey Your Word may I live a transformed life and experience great reward.
The Essential Core Values Of The Quality Disciple Are…
Grace—Worship—Bible Study—Prayer—Community—Service—Evangelism
Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2010 All rights reserved.
www.dennybates.com
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