Why read the bible?

Intro

Prayer-come out of prayer eating a hostess cake. Talk about how good it is and how much they are jealous. Thats how good God’s word is.

Psalm 119:98–104 NKJV

You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.

Why should we read the bible?

Because you become more in control of your sin. (v101)

Psalm 119:101 NKJV

I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word.

Psalm 119:11 NKJV

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

1. One side pushing in on us is the knowledge we get from Gods word

On the other side pushing in is the responsibility to act on that knowledge or the response.

taking in knowledge ---> ME <--- Response

God’s word will effect your desire to sin!!

Its not guilt! Gods word will actively change how you want to sin

Ephesians 4:22–24 NKJV

that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

illustrate putting off and putting on

put a shirt of mine in the dog pen. I need to bring up on stage, put it on, let people smell it. Then take that nasty thing off.

POINT-Do i keep wearing the shirt? NO I TAKE IT OFF, TAKE A SHOWER AND PUT ON A NEW SHIRT. The scripture is doing all those things, actively and inactively.

Because we wont lose focus-because God is speaking directly to us. (v102)

Psalm 119:102 NKJV

I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me.

How crazy is it that God is speaking to us. Reading the bible is so much more than just reading the bible.

Introduce them to S.O.A.P. and H.E.A.R.

S - Scripture

O-Observation

A-Application

P-Prayer

H-Highlight

E-Explain

A-Apply

R-Respond

Because you develop a christian worldview (v104)

Psalm 119:104 NKJV

Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.

We should hate:

sexual sin

addiction to alcohol and drugs

abuse

racism

sexism

Its more than hating stuff

Possibly put up pictures that symbolism things in culture

Do you dislike this things? Heres the kicker, Why??

Can you:

withstand an intellectual attack on God

have faith when really bad things happen.

tackle your anxiety disorders and depression or other emotional things.

Conclusion

bring another snack cake back out. Remember the snack cake at the beginning that was so good? Who wants it? Give it to someone.

Im actually offering you cake though tonight too. Good, sweet cake. Thats how God’s bible should feel in your head. Sweet like honey.

Spend some time talking about the series, the trophy, and how we will respond. This is our year goals.

How will you respond?