Untitled Sermon (2)

FL Lifegroup 2/21

Q: Anybody have anything that God has shown them this week? Anything stand out in your devotions...etc.?

God the “builder of all things”

Prayer for one another

Micah

Virus to cease

Matt Parkinson

Mr. Parkinson looking at really physically intensive work schedule

Andrew and Candace, van be sustained

Steven

Review:

Meditation/reflection on God’s word is the key to hearing from God and communing with Him.

I walk through WB 4

The illustration of meditation being a “bridge” between hearing from God and speaking to Him is perfect to me!

I like the term “reflection”, and so often my reflection leads right into prayer of praise or supplication...etc.

“Meditation is less about the posture of our bodies and more about the posture of our souls.”  

The topic of meditation leads directly into the next chapter: "what affect should regular Bible intake have on our hearts and lives and HOW does it happen?

Here is the bridge between meditation/reflection and application to our lives!

“Seek to understand first how God’s Words fell on the original hearers, and how they relate to Jesus’ person and work, and then bring them home to yourself.”

Reading the Word is to lead to God speaking to us through Spirit-illuminating our understanding.

WB 1 Which statement describes your approach the most?

Slightly faulty premise: “Every encounter with God’s word should include at least one SPECIFIC application to our lives...etc.” (page 63.)

Not outright bad and definitely with the right intentions!

HOWEVER, fails to account for the complex nature of the Christian life.

The vast majority of our lives is lived spontaneously! (explain)

Our lives flow from the type of person we are, we just act.

So, God intends for us to be growing in wisdom and discernment so that we act in His will as we encounter life’s constant choices and decisions.

Rom 12:2

Phil. 1:9-10

Col 1:9-10

Eph. 5:10

WB 3 Did you have any comments for personal insight on these texts?

And so, through the regular and consistent saturating ourselves in God’s Word, we come away freshly captivated by the gospel, with a more satisfied soul, which then imparts “flavor and demeanor” to our lives and decision making day to day.

Read page 64 bottom, and then “Coming to the Scriptures to see and feel makes for a drastically different approach than primarily coming to do.”

WB 4b Does this less “straightforward” way towards lasting change make you think differently about Biblical application?

Scripture Memory

Memorizing Scripture can have some baggage attached mentally

BUT, look to it as a thing for the present not just storing something up for the future!

Col. 3:2 it is a big way we are able to have any hope of changing our way of thought!

It is a way for us to begin having “the mind of the Lord” (1 Cor. 2:16)

On your own, check out page 72 and on for practical tips on Bible memory!

Also, gospel verses and passages starting on page 75

Lifelong Learning

“ongoing health in the Christian life is inextricably linked to ongoing learning.”

“The center of lifelong learning for the Christian is this: knowing and enjoying God Himself in Christ through the gospel word and the written Word of the Scriptures---in the hearing and reading and study and meditation and memorization of the Bible.”

Again, practical tips starting on page 86.