The Process of a Text-Driven Life

This morning we are not going to be reading from know we have spent a few weeks there. I want you to find your way in your Bible or Bible App to , which will be our source text today.

This sermon will finish up the series on “Living by the Book: A Text-Driven Life.” Just a brief recap of the last 3 topics:

The Proof - How do I know God’s Word has done what He says it will do now that I have read it?

The Promise - What does God’s Word say it will do for me if I read it?

The Prayer - Asking God to do what He says it will do when you are done reading it.

So, today is about The Process - Doing with God’s Word what He says do because you have read it.

STAND WITH ME AS WE HONOR GOD AND READ HIS WORD - today I am going to read from Holman Christian Standard Bible because it flows a better with our cultural context today.

Proverbs speaks a lot about a path, as seen in the text we are about to read. We can say then that the process of text-driven life is following the path laid out before us by the Bible. Christian is not so much who we are as it is how we walk. Salvation is not an event of transformation; it is a journey of sanctification.

In America and the Western cultures of the world - so individualized - about “me, me, me” If its what I want then I can do it. How can I have the best and most me-centered journey while I live. People forget to apply a practical truth - a journey has a destination, but in Western culture - the focus is on the journey and not the goal. In Proverbs - it focuses on the journey but for the purpose of reaching the intended destination or goal: holiness.

For the Christian God’s goal is sanctification - generically the word means “a state of proper functioning” - so to sanctify someone or some thing is to set that person or thing apart to do what the designer intended it to do. Pen - sanctified when use to write. Eyeglasses - sanctified when used to see better. Hammer - sanctified when used to drive a nail. You get the idea.....Humans - sanctified when living according to God’s Divine design and intended purpose - Rejoicing in Him, Rooted in the Word and Reaching the World.

When living according to God’s path, you reach the goal of holiness - the meaning of the Greek word translated sanctification - and its end result

STAND WITH ME AS WE HONOR GOD AND READ HIS WORD - today I am going to read from Holman Christian Standard Bible because it flows a better with our cultural context today.

There was a sweet great-grandmother I got to know early on in the church in Illinois. She loved her kids and grand-kids, but she was especially proud of her twin great grandsons, so she would send emails or tell me stories about them. Here is copy of their dad’s email:

I wanted to send this out and let everyone know. Have a lot of proud father moments but this one really stuck on me. You may or may not know that a few weeks ago the WHOLE daycare got in big trouble for behavior at the library and was not allowed to go to Labounce that afternoon for the field trip. It was all the kids just doing kid stuff but bottom line not listening.

So me and the boys had a few long talks about setting the tone, not following the kids who are doing what they know isnt right. We talked about setting a good example and following the good kids and not the bad kids. It was more of me preaching but during my quiz, they were able to recite well.

So I walked into daycare on Wednesday and the boys were playing around. While I was waiting on them to pick up, this little girl came up and tugged on my jacket and say "they were really good." It was weird that a 3 year old told me this randomly. After looking further into it I was told by the teachers that the WHOLE day care was terrible and that camden and keller were the only 2 that were good and listened well today. She asked if we could take the rest of the kids home and teach them.

Needless to say I was pumped about it so we went for ice cream at that time. I was bragging to them and Keller said: "Yep, all the kids were being so so bad, so me and Mamden stayed the good kids and just followed each other......because we always follow the good kids, not the bad kids."

Solomon was purposeful in his teaching of wisdom. He wanted his son, all his children, and God wants us to learn righteousness, shun evil, choose the right path and stay on it. That is what our text speaks to today.

STAND WITH ME AS WE HONOR GOD AND READ HIS WORD - today I am going to read from Holman Christian Standard Bible because it flows a better with our cultural context today.

Proverbs 4

Proverbs 4:20–27 CSB

20 My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. 21 Don’t lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to one’s whole body. 23 Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. 24 Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly, and don’t let your lips talk deviously. 25 Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. 26 Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. 27 Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil.

PRAYER

In v. 20-22 - I want you to notice a few things with me:

The Proof - How do I know God’s Word has done what He says it will do now that I have read it?

Proverbs speaks a lot about a path, as seen in the text we are about to read. We can say then that the process of text-driven life is following the path laid out before us by the Bible. Christian is not so much who we are as it is how we walk. Salvation is not an event of transformation; it is a journey of sanctification.

In America and the Western cultures of the world - so individualized - about “me, me, me” If its what I want then I can do it. How can I have the best and most me-centered journey while I live. People forget to apply a practical truth - a journey has a destination, but in Western culture - the focus is on the journey and not the goal. In Proverbs - it focuses on the journey but for the purpose of reaching the intended destination or goal: holiness.

The Promise - What does God’s Word say it will do for me if I read it?

The Prayer - Asking God to do what He says it will do when you are done reading it.

For the Christian God’s goal is sanctification - generically the word means “a state of proper functioning” - so to sanctify someone or some thing is to set that person or thing apart to do what the designer intended it to do. Pen - sanctified when use to write. Eyeglasses - sanctified when used to see better. Hammer - sanctified when used to drive a nail. You get the idea.....Humans - sanctified when living according to God’s Divine design and intended purpose - Rejoicing in Him, Rooted in the Word and Reaching the World.

The Process - Doing with God’s Word what He says do because you have read it.

When living according to God’s path, you reach the goal of holiness - the meaning of the Greek word translated sanctification - and its end result

So, today is about The Process - Doing with God’s Word what He says do because you have read it. It’s about how you make the journey to reach the destination.

In v. 20-22 - I want you to notice a few things with me:

1. Notice the personal and parental nature of this teaching.

Early on in Proverbs, to be exact, Solomon says, “Listen my son, to your father’s instruction.” In , he again calls for attentiveness to his discipline - another word for instruction. He begins chapters 2, 3, 5, 6 & 7 with, “My son...” These first 7 chapters read as a father’s plea to his son.

There was a sweet great-grandmother I got to know early on in the church in Illinois. She loved her kids and grand-kids, but she was especially proud of her twin great grandsons, so she would send emails or tell me stories about them. Here is copy of their dad’s email:

I wanted to send this out and let everyone know. Have a lot of proud father moments but this one really stuck on me. You may or may not know that a few weeks ago the WHOLE daycare got in big trouble for behavior at the library and was not allowed to go to Labounce that afternoon for the field trip. It was all the kids just doing kid stuff but bottom line not listening.

So me and the boys had a few long talks about setting the tone, not following the kids who are doing what they know isnt right. We talked about setting a good example and following the good kids and not the bad kids. It was more of me preaching but during my quiz, they were able to recite well.

So I walked into daycare on Wednesday and the boys were playing around. While I was waiting on them to pick up, this little girl came up and tugged on my jacket and say "they were really good." It was weird that a 3 year old told me this randomly. After looking further into it I was told by the teachers that the WHOLE day care was terrible and that camden and keller were the only 2 that were good and listened well today. She asked if we could take the rest of the kids home and teach them.

Needless to say I was pumped about it so we went for ice cream at that time. I was bragging to them and Keller said: "Yep, all the kids were being so so bad, so me and Mamden stayed the good kids and just followed each other......because we always follow the good kids, not the bad kids."

Solomon was purposeful in his teaching of wisdom. He wanted his son, all his children, and God wants us to learn righteousness, shun evil, choose the right path and stay on it. That is what our text speaks to today, and it begins with parents discipling their children.

To make a similar analogy as a friend did when preaching on discipleship: It’s obvious that I am an Crimson Tide fan, no doubting that. The joke is in Alabama they want to know if Baby is going to sat Roll Tide or War Eagle before they want to know the gender. My wife was an Auburn fan when we married and of course contrary to popular opinion my kids were not born Bama fans. How did my wife convert and my kids become Bama fans - through me. They watched me root for Bama, listened to me talk about Bama, they saw how much I love Bama football. They know and love Bama football because they have learned it or been discipled by me.

hearing others read the Bible, reading the Bible yourself, and medi

If were to spend every weekend or several days a week with you for the next 6 months - would they be a Jesus fan or a Jesus follower based on their time with you? Would they know about Jesus or would they have a love for Jesus?

To take my friend Micah Fries comments and add to it, “discipleship - teaching others to obey all that Jesus has taught me and you must be less classroom and more living room, less church house and more coffeehouse, less pew/preacher and more car seat/Christian, less student/teacher and more parent/child. I must confess - I have done a very poor job of this in the past. I spent more time trying to teach everyone in the church to often to the neglect of my own family - I have spent a few years trying to make up the difference. Parent, it’s never too late. Pray for me and I will pray for you. Christian, who in your life is becoming a disciple right now because of your time spent with them? It’s never too late.

hearing others read the Bible, reading the Bible yourself, and medi

2. Notice the meticulous and repetitious nature of the teaching

NKJV - “incline your ear” - come in close to well - being able to pay attention to the details of the Bible - Pay attention is an often repeated word in Proverbs. You will find in the NT Gospels - Jesus often finished a teaching by saying, “he who has ears let him hear.”

“ear” - This word is often used in the OT metaphorically as an instrument of obedience and intellect. The ear determines what goes into the heart.

“Don’t lose sight” of the words or “don’t let them depart from your eyes” - speaking to the process of concentrating on the principles and lessons found in the Bible.

“Keep them in the midst of your heart” - Keep meaning to maintain and pay close attention in order to hide or engrain

Psalm 119:11 CSB

11 I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.

Hearing others read the Bible, reading the Bible yourself, and time spent concentrating on and committing scripture to memory are all parts of the same thing; Getting into the Bible and getting the Bible into you.

A heart once instructed in God’s Word and Wisdom needs reinforcement, repetition, and reminding - these are all tools that parents and all disciple-making disciples should keep in their tool bag

3. Notice the Holistic and Healthful nature to the teaching

living by the Bible is not just good for becoming Rooted in the Word and growing spiritually - It is brings forth good health

Living by the Bible is not just good for becoming Rooted in the Word and growing spiritually - it’s good for body, mind and soul.

“Heart” - in the OT doesn’t have so much to do with the organ in our chest. The Hebrews saw it a term that reflected the totality of the inner person.

“Flesh” or “Whole Body” - dealing with the spiritual as well as the emotional, physical and psychological self

Proverbs

Proverbs 17:22 CSB

22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Recent studies indicate that men and women of faith live longer than people of no faith. They have fewer strokes, less heart disease, less clinical depression, better immune system function, lower blood pressure, and fewer anxiety attacks. They are also less likely to commit suicide.

These findings come from secular medical schools and schools of public health. What’s more, Dr. Harold Koenig of Duke University Medical Center has calculated that the lack of religious involvement has an effect on mortality that is equivalent to forty years of smoking one pack of cigarettes per day.

According to C. H. Spurgeon, “A Bible which is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t!” The key to victory is “It is written.”60

Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 29). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

These findings come from secular medical schools and schools of public health. What’s more, Dr. Harold Koenig of Duke University Medical Center has calculated that the lack of religious involvement has an effect on mortality that is equivalent to forty years of smoking one pack of cigarettes per day.

Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 29). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

The who knows the Bible understands it is not a book of restrictions but rather preventions: There is a reason for all the do’s and don’ts of the Bible - heeding God’s word preserves us from the vices that are destructive to our health

putting away gluttony reduces heart attack and diabetes, abstaining from sex outside of marriage takes away possibility of diseases and other issues, refusing to think or speak negatively alleviates bitterness which results in poor health, choosing to rise early for study and prayer - helps fill the:

“well-spring of life” - the capacity to live with joy and vigor comes from within not from our circumstances.

So what do we do:

Watch what you think because it will determine who you become.

If we keep our heart that means we will guard our heart above anything else we have - It is the greatest most priceless treasure we have and we must protect it as such. Your heart is the real you.

Matthew 7

Mark 7:21–23 CSB

21 For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, 22 adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, self-indulgence, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”

Matthew 7:21–23 CSB

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

The word “diligence” also can be used to speak of a place of confinement.

2 Corinthians 10:5 CSB

5 and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.

The quality of the heart is revealed in the contents of our speech so:

Watch what you say - it reveals who you are. To put away means to abandon and remove - what: perversity and deceitfulness, lips can mean language - either vulgar or coarse

If you include scientific words, there are over 1,000,000 words in the English language. - There is no excuse for people to use cuss words, especially Christians

or corrupt -even critical

Criticism that is generated by envy, jealousy, and selfish ambition. Someone has said that if you love to find fault---then you are automatically disqualified to find it.

Our speech doesn’t need to be scornful or arrogant, but spoken in love and seasoned with salt.

Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Your emotions travel 80,000 times faster than your thoughts travel. Isn't that amazing? Your heart is passionate about ventilating, vomiting and vocalizing every little feeling it has ever experienced. The Bible never says that we are allowed to express everything that is in our heart

Our mouth reveals what’s inside but our eyes are said to be the gateway to the soul.

Last Summer was a big to do about the Eclipse and So. Illinois was solar eclipse central. Glasses were on sale everywhere. People made make sift glasses from welding hoods to paper plates with lenses. You could not look at the eclipse without some type of protection or you would go near blind.

The eyes are the first point of attack by satan leading you into temptation.

1 John 2:15–17 CSB

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

1 John 2:16 CSB

16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.

1 John

The Bible is your protective glasses to keep you from spiritually blurred vision. Clear vision - steady aim; straight eyes on Jesus in the Word leads to walking a straight path.

The Bible is your protective glasses to keep you from spiritually blurred vision.

We are to ponder - giving much thought to and weighing what we find in God’s Word and how He is directing our steps.

The writer uses the word “path” here in the sense of a wagon track and a rut - the wagon track keeps to the same path over and over so much so that it creates a rut.

As followers of Christ, we should follow Him so closely that no one can tell where his tracks end and ours begin.

1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 130: Behavior Clue

Your behavior is a reflection of what you truly believe.

—Hyrum W. Smith, The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management (Warner, 1994)

“To be established” in our believes speaks to the fact that we are fixed and steadfast in that upright position but we are also making ourselves ready and preparing to be used by God.

We should never swerve to the right - being puffed up by our virtues

We should never swerve to the left - being persuaded by any vices

Proverbs speaks a lot about a path, as seen in the text. We can say then that the process of text-driven life is following the path laid out before us by the Bible. Christian is not so much who we are as it is how we walk. Salvation is not an event of transformation; it is a journey of sanctification.

In America and the Western cultures of the world - so individualized - about “me, me, me” If its what I want then I can do it. How can I have the best and most me-centered journey while I live. People forget to apply a practical truth - a journey has a destination, but in Western culture - the focus is on the journey and not the goal. In Proverbs - it focuses on the journey but for the purpose of reaching the intended destination or goal: holiness.

For the Christian God’s goal is sanctification - generically the word means “a state of proper functioning” - so to sanctify someone or some thing is to set that person or thing apart to do what the designer intended it to do. Pen - sanctified when use to write. Eyeglasses - sanctified when used to see better. Hammer - sanctified when used to drive a nail. You get the idea.....Humans - sanctified when living according to God’s Divine design and intended purpose - Rejoicing in Him, Rooted in the Word and Reaching the World.

When living according to God’s path, you reach the goal of holiness - the meaning of the Greek word translated sanctification - and its end result

It’s about how you make the journey to reach the destination.

So, today is about The Process - Doing with God’s Word what He says do because you have read it. It’s about how you make the journey to reach the destination.

Conclusion: The feet give practical expression to one’s motivation. Motivation is a matter of the heart.

The news is filled with news about symptoms of a sick heart, yet they want to look at the tools of the hand as the problem to be fixed.

A gun is only a tool that produces deadly results of a murderous heart

Social media is only a tool that reveals heart of envy, lust or rage

Speech is only a tool that produces results of a racist or hateful heart

Sexual abuse is only the result of a lustful and devious heart

Physical abuse and school bullying is the result of vengeful and ignorant hearts

The gospel is the only thing that can change the sin sick heart. The vaccine doesn’t work when their life is expired. The gospel is only good news when it gets there in time.

To ponder our path is to examine our lives and the direction it is taking. Is it leading me to heaven - if so- is it leading me to holiness - if so - am I doing it as God designed - together with other believers in the church. In proverbs the journey is one taken in company of others - bad company corrupts good morals. Good....

The Process of a Text-Driven Life

The Process of a Text-Driven Life

Protect and Preserve Your Inner Person

Manage Your Mouth Don’t Let It Make You

Treat Sin Like a Total Solar Eclipse

Get so Rooted in the Word It Becomes Your Rut in Life