Seeking Spirtuality Through Scripture

Do you want to be a spiritual person, a Godly person, a Christ like person? I mean really; is that goal or a pursuit of yours. Last week we asked the question, How do we become spiritual people? We set our minds on the spirit, and walking in the spirit. But, what are some ways that I set my mind and my life on the things of the spirit? Well, I want us to understand that it takes a pursuit of spiritual things in order to become more spiritual. It doesn’t happen by just coming to worship, it doesn’t happen by osmosis, it doesn’t happen by accident. There must be an intense desire to be spiritual. It takes conviction and devotion to the pursuit of spiritual things. I want you to note that it is a pursuit it. you have to track it down. Its like hunting for bighorn sheep. Most seek and pursue a sheep tag their whole life and many will never get one. If you are fortunate to get a tag it is even harder to to actually spot and shoot a bighorn sheep. Its tough to get into sheep territory, tough to locate a good ram and tough to get in range. You’ll have to hike in the high country crossing shale slides and steep inclines in order to pursue the ever evasive Ram. It is a personal challenge fro most hunters. If you don’t really want it you will never do what it takes to get one. Its the same with pursuit of a spiritual mind and life. If you don’t want it with all your heart you will not do what it takes in order to pursue it through much difficulty. Secondly I want us to note that is a personal pursuit. No one can pursue it for you. Not your parents, not your preacher, not your elders, not your spouse, not your friends. its your pursuit, your job, your responsibility, your quest. 1 Timothy 4:16 “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.” There is a personal responsibility to pursue God yourself. Psalm 139:23–24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” You can’t leave it up to just the preacher to instruct you and teach you and help you apply God’s Word. Its a personal daily pursuit. Are you in pursuit of spirituality this morning? If you are, let me help you attain it by showing you where to start. You pursue spiritual growth by seeking scripture with the right mindset.

Seek Spirituality Through Scripture With The Right Mindset

Notice what I said its not just pursuing scripture. It is pursuing scripture with the right mindset. If all you are doing is trying to learn facts, you are missing the boat when it comes to spirituality. Psalm 139:23–24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” Its exposing your heart to God, It’s saying God look inside me know who I am and help me and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 119:2 “How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart.” Psalm 119:10 “With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.”

You have to read it seeking Him with all of heart soul strength and mind, every ounce of our being.

I need you God!!! And i will relentlessly pursue you through your word. Nothing will get in my way, not time, work, family, hobbies, personal pursuits, the world, nothing! Its the mindset of I need to grow, change, be transformed by the renewing of my mind. Its allowing your self to influenced by it, changed by it.

You have to read it in humility and submission.

Which it means you read understanding that I need you and your word to make me whole, to make me better. I need you God to help me, I cannot do this on my own. I think the psalmist would say it this way revive me, revive me, revive me (Ps. 110:25,154,156,159). I submit my life to what the word of God says and I resolve to walk in it, to do it, keep it, observe it,

You have to read it in repentance.

In order to do that you have to be honest with yourself. You have to examine your life in light of the scriptures. Do I do what it says? Is my life pattern after God’s Word? Have I failed God in some way? You have to seek God’s word with the willingness to to change. You have to desire to be what God wants you to be. There must be this intense desire to be more like God. What does God want me to hear, what does God want me to do, what does God want me to change? Psalm 119:176 “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments.” He is honest with himself he has gone astray and the only thing that keep him in line is God’ word. Psalm 119:9 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.” I have to want to be pure, I have to desire to get rid of everything that keeps from being pure and desire to put pure things into my life. I want to change, I want to be better. I want my mind and my life to change.

You have to read it in hope.

You have to read it with the assurance that it will perform its designed function. That it will help me keep my ways pure v. 9 that it will help me not sin against God v. 11 that it will revive, change, mold me in to a spiritual, godly, christ like individual. Isaiah 55:11 “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Its a belief that if I pursue Gods word it will convict, it will change, it will inspire, it will revive, it will accomplish what God desires it to accomplish. You can rest assured that with an open and sincere heart enter your heart and mind and do something. Every time we read God’s word the Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” It will reveal sin, lead in the way of righteousness, and lift up your spirit. We have to read it with that since of hope.

Are you seeking God’s Word with the right mindset? Seeking with every ounce of your being, submission, repentance and hope

Seek Spirituality In Scripture Through Meditation

Psalm 119:15 “I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways.” Psalm 119:23 “Even though princes sit and talk against me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes.” Psalm 119:27 “Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will meditate on Your wonders.” Psalm 119:30 “I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your ordinances before me.” Psalm 119:48 “And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, Which I love; And I will meditate on Your statutes.” Psalm 119:97 “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 119:148 “My eyes anticipate the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word.” When we are talking about meditation we are talking about reflection, deep thinking about God and his word and your life. What does this cost? How will this play out in my life. What does this look like in my daily walk. What does it tell me I need to do? Its personal. What do i need to change. Its being open to God message to me. To ponder, examine, reflect. You linger on a passage and really dig deep into it. What does it mean, and how do accomplish this in my life because I want to be more like Jesus.

Seek Spirituality In Scripture Through Memorization

Psalm 119:11 “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” Note that it says I have treasured it where? In my pocket? On my shelf? In the back of the pew in front of you? on the coffee table at home? by my night stand? It says in the heart. Why the heart? If you carry it along with you in heart you carry it with wherever you go. You will never go anywhere without it. Psalm 119:16 “I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.” I carry it around with me and no one can take it away from me. Psalm 119:93 “I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me.” Psalm 119:109 “My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law.” Imaging being so familiar with scripture that we become walking Bibles. Psalm 119:117 “Uphold me that I may be safe, That I may have regard for Your statutes continually.” Always on your mind, always guiding and instructing you wherever you go. When you think about scriptures to memorize. Memorize scripture that you need? What do I need to be more like Jesus? I'm dealing with hate/anger, gossip, lust, forgiveness, etc then find those scriptures memorize them pray over them and let them sink in. We are talking about scriptures that speak to a spiritual need that you have, but you have to be looking for them, takes and open heart and mind. You have to opening to examining your life and listening to the voice of God in His Word.

Seek Spirituality In Scripture Through Obedience

2 Peter 1:5 “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,”

Psalm 119:1–5 “How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the Lord. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways. You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently. Oh that my ways may be established To keep Your statutes!” It’s making every effort to pursue and follow him wherever he goes. It allowing the knowledge of God to translate into following God genuinely. You cannot truly understand the greatness of Gods Word unless you experience God working in your life. There is this experiential part of scripture that must be lived in order really have its full impact on us. Love you wives - experience God working through that. You feel good about doing it, you see the fruit of it. You experience God working in your life in real way. By living out God’s Word you live a counter cultural way, you lean on his strength, you see God is right and that he will give you the strength to get you through it. That’s faith and trust isn’t it?

Seeking Spirituality in Scripture Through...

right mindset

meditation

memorization

Obedience