Bible Intake: PROFITABLE

GOOD MORNING CHURCH! (don’t tell them to take bibles out yet)

NEW Series intro:

Starting a new series…this is a different type of series though

Spiritual Discipline Workshop

Once a quarter

Let me make something very clear...our own spiritual disciplines don’t get us into a righteous standing with God…

ONLY JESUS COULD DO THAT FOR US!! He made us righteous…through His shed blood!

BUT…because we have placed our faith in Christ…we have the Holy Spirit…

And because the Lord is literally dwelling inside of us…

His presence causes us to have godly desires…to live a life for Christ!

AND SO WE AS THE BODY OF CHRIST MUST LEAN INTO THAT CALLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT…AND TRULY WALK IN THE SPIRITS DESIRE TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE….

So how do we do that????

1 Timothy 4:7–8 “... Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness!

As we flip through the pages of God’s Word…we see many spiritual disciplines that train us up for godliness…

All throughout scripture these disciplines are used to:

-Grow us closer to Christ

-Grow us in worship of Him

-Help us stand against the deception of Satan

-Die to the desires of our flesh

-Ultimately walk in the ways of the Lord…and glorify Him through it all!

And so as the body of Christ, that is what we are striving to do.

OPEN UP TO 2 TIMOTHY 3.

2 Timothy Background:

Letter written sometime between 66-68 AD

Paul writing this letter to his brother in Christ Timothy (Timothy in Ephesus)

Writing from a Roman prison…2nd imprisonment for preaching the gospel

He is under strict custody this time…

Paul knows he is about to be put to death (READ 4:6-8)

He calls for Timothy to come quick to be by his side as he is executed…

What we are seeing here are the last biblical words Paul writes before his beheading

These are final instructions for Timothy…so that he can carry on the work that was started by Paul

Timothy was one of the most influential teachers of Gods Word after Paul amongst the gentiles…

And as we look at the end of chapter 3…this is the last command Paul is giving his faithful brother in Christ.

READ 3:14-17

Paul says to continue on the path! KEEP GOING!!!

Continue studying, teaching, and preaching God’s word…

The WORD OF GOD THAT HAS OPEN YOUR EYES TO SALVATION THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS!!!

And he says…The scriptures have made you wise…WHY?

Because we see through the bible that the word of God is truth!!! “I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE”

So the last thing Paul is telling Timothy…The bible (Gods Breathed out Word) is the foundation of how we live and operate as the body of Christ as we dwell on earth.

AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE OPENING UP WITH THIS TEXT IN THE SDWS SERIES!!!

BECAUSE THE TRUTH IN GODS WORD IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVERY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE WE CAN LEARN…

Paul tells Timothy…the Word of God is from God and is profitable…

Breathed out by God…came from the Lord (Penned by men, but from the Lord)

Profitable…

The Word of God is Profitable for… TEACHING

“Knowing the truth”

In order to believe, understand, and abide…you must first know

How do you know the character, heart, and will of our Holy God???

THROUGH HIS WORD!!!

The word is profitable for showing people truth who do not know it…

AND its profitable for reminding Christ followers who have fallen to sin…that what they are doing is sinful…

The Word of God is Profitable for…REPROOF

In college you have your paper “proof read’ to make sure there are no errors.

“Comparing the truth to our lives”

Reproof causes conviction (rebuked by the HS)

Matthew series…Jesus was saying “NOT THIS WAY… BUT THAT WAY”

What do we do when we see we aren’t walking in truth

The Word of God is Profitable for…CORRECTION

“Adjusting our path back to truth”

when you were a kid and did wrong…”thats not what we do…we don’t do that”

THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING EVERY DAY THAT WE READ THE WORD OF GOD!

After you have been rebuked…get back on the path of walking in the spirit!

THIS DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN ONCE!!!

The Word of God is Profitable for…TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS

“Continually growing stronger in the truth”

I loved football growing up…eat, slept. breathed football

train in the gym all year long…In July we put the pads back on…team camp…acclimated before 2 a days…

Team camp was always my least favorite…hot, getting used to the equipment again, sore afterward, your body is not used to this….

Then you get to 2 a days, when the real hitting , and its way harder, but your body is starting to get used to this …

By the time your 3-4 weeks into the season, the uncomfortable issues you had in team camp are gone…your body and mind are used to this, you have gotten better, established a rhythm, and now your playing your best football…

ALL THAT TRAINING SHOWS…AND AS THE SEASON GOES ON…YOU DON’T REALIZE THAT YOU ARE CONTINUALLY TRAINING…YOUR BETTER IN WEEK 6 THAN YOU WERE IN WEEK 2…

Thats what Paul is saying Gods word is profitable for…TRAINING YOU!!!

LET ME TELL YOU WE NEED THIS!!!!

THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT GODS WORD ACTUALLY SUSTAINS US (during the toughest of times)

Matthew 4:4 “But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ””

WHAT IS THE OVERALL GOAL OF ALL OF THIS???

The Word of God is Profitable for…EQUIPPING FOR EVERY GOOD WORK

“Glorifying Jesus in everything we do”

Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

BIG IDEA: Knowing and being obedient to God’s word leads to a life that glorifies Him!

THE WORD OF GOD CONTINUALLY BRINGS US BACK TO TRUTH AND KEEPS US CLOSE TO OUR LORD AND SAVIOR!!!!

APPLICATION:

So important that this is the last thing that Paul wrote to Timothy…

If you are a Christ follower…the HS is going to be yearning for you to consume Gods word…

READ IT!!!!

PRAY!!!