Spiritual Formations- Scripture Study and Meditation pt 2

Cling to the cross then put both arms around it Hold to the crucified and never let him go

I'm a fresh to the cross at this moment and rest there now and forever

Then with the power of God resting upon you go forth and preach the cross

Welcome to the truth and love podcast. We are on part two of spiritual formations

Our first spiritual formation is scripture meditation and study again. We're on part number two stick with us

Welcome back.

I'm Rob and that's Dan. How you doing Dan? fantastic, I Think I'm getting it.

How are you doing? Okay Good.

I Thought my text message coming in was saying that the the music was too loud. I try to turn it down real quick We've got little ones asleep and I can understand how that could wake them up if I'm too loud

Yeah, I got plenty of those I've got four of them just went to bed nice nice So, how's it going still have snow?

Yeah Yeah, we're supposed to get about a foot. You know a little less than a foot on Sunday Saturday into Sunday We got like three inches

So it wasn't it wasn't much Supposed to get another couple inches on Thursday and then it's supposed to snow all weekend

We might get they're saying we might get a foot this weekend Be a little bit more prolonged through Saturday and Sunday.

You had one of those Carolina forecasts. This is the big one Yeah flurries

Yeah We will rebuild Well, let's get into it we're on part number two part number one of spiritual formations looking at scripture study and meditation

We didn't get very far into the introduction. So let's try to get some put some meat on these bones tonight we want to continue in the introduction of the the purposes and importance of the spiritual formation of scripture meditation and study

Spiritual formation what we're saying is basically this that the the

Christian life There should be some organization to it

We feel like our God is the God of order as he describes his self in scripture and that he has plans and purposes for us and As As we have as we can see in scripture as we can see evidence in in many

Christians lives Spiritual formation or spiritual growth

Rarely, I mean it can happen instantaneously, I mean there there are instances where people are just they're just healed of a certain addiction or They they they find a certain

Hurdle that they are able to cross over quickly but Dan would you agree that it appears from scripture and just experientially that the the growth spiritual growth in a

Christian life is on the Holy Spirit's timing Yeah Yeah You don't know

You'd like to think that you have a little bit more control over it than you do, but you really don't

And and that that's one of the thing it keeps you it keeps you humble because we have to recognize that the righteousness

We have imputed to us as the righteousness of Christ So it's not like we can go through and just drum it up in our in our sanctification either

Righteousness that we're going is going to be formed in us is gonna be formed in us because of the power of God working in It's not gonna be because of what we do and we know that's true

Especially because there are there are pagans out there, you know folks who don't believe in in Jesus who do virtuous things all the time

We wouldn't say that Christ is being formed in them Instead we're recognizing that that the the thing that's that's happening to us is a result of Christ living within us of his life of Our our death being put to death and his life being given to us in its place right and another thing that we're not saying is that if you if you implement this spiritual formation and this program and organize it in such a way and Insert it into your life.

What we're not saying is that you will see We are you we are promising you this certain result

We are saying that on our part Scriptures said these are the things

I would that God would have us to be involved in that tools that he uses

Well, even so it's it's more like this These are the ways in which

God has promised to work and form himself in his people, right? So Where do we go then to know

Christ we go where he said he's going to form himself into his people Go to the scripture.

We go to hearing preaching of the word the sacraments Prayer yeah, you know those things that God has said, you know in in these things my grace will be shown to you

Yeah And and how he works that out in each individual life, you know is his prerogative

But there is almost that like you said, there's that promise that he will This is how he does it is yeah, yeah

Right, that's right in the speed and It's gonna be different in different people for his purpose.

So we're not making any promises for any certain outcome other than God is the one who's faithful Because what we don't want to say is that We don't want to say is that if you do

X Y & Z then you'll have the things that are promised to you in the

Resurrection the perfection of yourself and the perfection the complete eradication of sin.

It's gonna be brought to you perfectly now We're not saying that What we're saying is that?

These are the ways in which God has called us to himself. So when we engage in those things

It builds faith in us. Now. You already have faith great. You've been justified and now you're growing in that justification

What does that mean? Not that you're more justified, but that you're believing Further the thing that you already believe your faith is growing stronger in Christ And as you grow stronger in Christ and in faith and what he has done for you you do tend to see

Think things your desires change your heart changes and that's when you start to see growth as you were don't really know how it goes

I was it that Jesus said that the Spirit is like it's like a wind He's like the wind he does whatever he wants to you can see him coming or you can't see him coming

You can't see him going but you can see that he's working and accomplishing things. You don't really know how it happens.

Yeah Yeah So let's let's jump in here. Of course that the reason why we started with scriptures because that's that's where we

Put our footing that's this our foundation, right? I'm sure our standard Word of God as he's revealed himself to us.

That's right So the the purpose and important ordinance of this scripture meditation study is a biblical formation or spiritual formation

John 17 17 knowing God's truth. It says sanctify them in the truth.

Your word is true Yeah, this comes from that high priestly prayer.

Mm -hmm Where Jesus is is praying that? that We would be we would be sanctified or set apart

By the truth of God and his his word is truth his

His cause proclamation really Because I mean really that's that's what that's what the

Christian faith kind of boils down to is that there's there's our there's our trying to to Steal the the divinity of God, you know in saying that hey

We should be able to decide who we are what we're doing what we're gonna go on that. That's what we did in the garden

That's what we've been doing ever since as we said now, I don't believe I'm gonna listen to you I'm gonna take this fruit. I don't care if my wife gave it to me or not.

I'm still gonna eat it and Go on and from there. We continually just mess things up And that is sin.

So as we hear proclaim that Christ has died for your sins and he's risen for your justification as As you hear that message that message will will change you now

It changes you either by calling you to faith or by in some instances It hardens your heart as you reject it

But either way God's Word is truth and we all respond to it in one way or another

Yeah And I don't want to neglect by by inserting this here that It's the

Holy Spirit who enlightens us that God's Word is true

Um We're gonna face this throughout our lifetime and and who knows how how many more generations to come that Other people are gonna say well, there's many truths that's just your truth, or there's no truth at all and so Personally what is truth?

What is truth? Yeah, which was asked which was asked of Jesus. Yes, and so Our responsibility is after being enlightened by the

Holy Spirit is to stand on that truth We're we are not someone else's Holy Spirit We can't we can't push them change their heart change their mind to we can't lift as a man

I can't lift the veil of someone else spiritually to for them to acknowledge what truth is but that doesn't stop us from Standing on the truth has been revealed to us by the

Holy Spirit Right, because as we press the Word of God into people's lives That's where the

Spirit does work. That's right That's right a growing in wisdom and spiritual maturity 2nd

Timothy 3 16 and 17 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching or proof of correction for training in righteousness

So that the man of God may be adequate Equipped for every good work purpose and importance of scripture meditation and study

Yes, so those those four things I heard I heard put this way one time Scripture is profitable for for what you should believe what you shouldn't believe what you should do and what you shouldn't do

And what does that cover? Everything and so the old King James says that the man of God may be perfect Thoroughly equipped unto all good works and I was perfect me perfect I mean a couple different things in the scripture, but what what it means in this instance is complete or full

That you can have what you need to have So that you can do the things that God would have you to do so you can live a righteous life

And and when you do sin You know that you should turn be corrected by the

Word of God seek forgiveness and that you'll find it in Christ Right, right and that this is such a critical reminder

Dan because I I look in front of me My wife and I have done some rearranging We put all of our

Combined bookshelves in here with me where I am right now, you know, and I can see our books and yeah

I've got some commentaries with We we can go into the bookstore and we have all these

Self -help books how to do this books and we can You know thumb through all those all that we want to but it's so important to be reminded of this passage and Remember exactly what you just said

Scripture Teaches us what we should and shouldn't do what we should believe and shouldn't believe and it's it's profitable and to an adequate

Sufficient to equip us for every good work. So There's nothing wrong with using other resources, but our ultimate resource which

The Holy Spirit has promised us that this is what he uses his own word

Why not start there continue there and in there

Even if you read other books, that's that's great and wonderful But primarily it's

God's Word is where we want to be Yeah, yeah, because I mean the reason why You're you guys that you like to read are or any good is

Because they say what the Bible said Right. Yeah, I mean, it's not like I mean anytime they stumble upon something

Something wonderful and adequate. It's because it was already there to begin with.

They're just kind of repeating it in their own words, right? Yeah What do they say?

There's nothing new under the Sun. I don't know. It's somewhere Also, can I say something about the about self -help?

Sure. What what a dumb phrase It if you're going to somebody else for self -help you're not getting self -help you're just getting help

Oh Anyway, I mean it kind of tries to make it make you feel like you're going out there and doing something on your own

But you're not you're sitting you're getting help from somebody else and that's another important part of the Christian life is that we are supposed to be in community with one another important each other to Christ and using the scriptures and singing the

Psalms to each other So that way we understand what the Bible is telling us that so that way we were pushing each other towards What God would have us to do doing it by yourself, it's just It it's foolish

Yeah Gentle way to put that there. I guess I had to stop myself. I Guess you could call those emotional

DIY book. You're still not doing it yourself.

Nope Purpose and importance of Scripture meditation study strengthening your faith

Romans 10 17 so faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ Absolutely, one of my favorite parts of the church service

That we do each week. I don't know if I have one here Somewhere I don't but anyway, one of the things that we do each week is

Is we as a congregation will confess our sins before God as a congregation and then the the pastor or if I'm preaching that day

I'll have the opportunity to read a passage of Scripture a small one that reminds us of the gospel and you're able to pronounce to people that their sins are forgiven in Jesus Christ and to hear that But whether it's your your first time you're believing or if you've heard it every week for years

Each and every time you hear it faith comes by hearing and hearing by the words of Christ and so you can have your you can have faith come to you each and every week as You hear the gospel of Christ preached to you and you hear of the forgiveness of sins found in him

That doesn't mean that you necessarily lose your faith every week or that you don't know where to find it or anything, but you can have

Faith Paul Do those things?

I don't know what's going on. Oh, you can tell our thing here You're you're frozen you got some interference from the snow.

There we go. You're back now we go.

There we go. Did you hear one? In and out frozen again, there we go

You know what I said, you know what I said, or did I just my body freeze you you were in and out

Audibly and you froze my max headroom thing You were not doing that just in and out now you're frozen again

But your audible is good audible your audio Apologies now no audio.

So what while Dan while Dan's coming back and he Lets us know what he was trying to say.

Um, I Would I would say this in response to what Dan was saying?

that We have heaters To make us warm when it's cold and we have air -conditioned to make us cool when it's hot outside And so this this is a rough and terrible analogy, but we have

Scripture teaching us and telling us about Christ and the result is strength

Comfort and joy It's a supernatural thing. It's a supernatural thing to Be in the word

Be in the word with others be in a Bible study in the in the midst of song when you are when you're reflecting meditating hearing about learning about Your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and Not knowing how it works

But somehow the Holy Spirit brings a strength and a joy and a comfort to your soul

In a way that you can't describe you can't understand it just happens

Just as it was promised to us in Scripture that it would happen. Let's see if we can get

Dan back in here All right Still still freezing some

There we go. Are you able to hear me

Dan? I don't think you can hear me

Dan keep working Keep working on it. I was just saying that we

Just like a heater makes us warm when it's cold air -conditioned makes us cool when it's hot We may not understand it how it works, but the

Holy Spirit gives us comfort joy and strength when we learn and hear or Sing about Christ.

It's it's a wonderful word that he promised to to do in us Faith comes by hearing hearing faith comes from hearing hearing by the

Word of Christ and Then our last one in the introduction purpose and importance of Scripture meditation and study aligning our hearts with God's will

Psalm 119 105 your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.

I have Have sworn and I will confirm it that I will keep your righteous ordinance

I am exceedingly afflicted revived me. Oh Lord according to your word God God's Word as it says in someone think someone 19 is is a light a lamp to our feet and light to our path

There's many many many folks out there who are going to tell us that there are

There are many ways to align ourselves with with God's will You've got all kinds of extremes that the the furthest extreme that comes to my mind and I'm sure there are even more wild extremes on so -called the

Christian range of spiritual formation, but Just an extreme example that comes to my mind is is what they call grave soaking where you you go to the grave of Christian hero in your life or Christian hero

To the to the Christian community and you you go to their graves stand above their tombstone And I don't know what you say what you do or how it works but the in the intention of the act is that you will be soaking up whatever

Anointing or blessing that is that they didn't use up that still left here on this earth

But you will you have the ability somehow to soak up That annoying thing that that they didn't use up while they were living

Okay, that's false. That's not in Scripture. But that is that is an extreme you will see in some so -called

Christian circles of How to align yourselves in God's will but then you have the the promises of God the ways of God to to truly align yourselves biblically with God's will and to stay in his purposes is to align yourself with Scripture It says that his word is a lamp unto our feet

What is the lamp? It is a light that that clears the path so that we can see which way to go and That's what

God Describes of his word. He describes it as a lamp as a light for our feet

And I think maybe maybe years ago when I heard somebody exposit this this passage when they're they're trying to describe a lamp a lamp to our feet they're describing it as Since it's since they're saying that this is a scripture saying this is a light and a lamp for your feet

It's not it's not headlights to show you, you know way down the road, but it's showing you

Where you need to take your next step Then if you can hear me if you're back with me we're all aligning our hearts with God's Word and I read

Psalm 119 your word is a lamp to my feet a light to my path and Sorry to repeat myself

Are you there you go? But um, I use the extreme example that you can see in some

Christian circles of Graves, so that's how some but in some

Christian circles will will use to Align themselves with God's will but we want to use

God's means for his purposes Which is using his word as a lamp and a light for our feet the light the path so we can see that next step that they and This is how we glorify

God by doing it according to his ways and according to his means We think we think we can go off script and Logic our way into making sense, but it never makes sense

And let me just say this as much as something may make sense in our mind to strategize a way to to do things in our own personal life in our church as Much as we may logic it out and try to make it make sense nothing makes sense apart from Aligning yourself with God's Word if you're trying to do all these things apart from God's Word That's not

God's Word is not your primary means Aligning yourself with God's Word then whatever you're doing.

No matter how much you think it makes sense does not make sense Because it's outside of God's means for his purposes, so I will leave that there and hopefully

Dan will Hopefully Dan will get back with us He says I don't know what is up tonight

I'll say keep trying He Talking about that.

This is great. This is great podcast material right here So we're finished with the introduction for spiritual meditation and study

The the primary place to start in spiritual formation The next place we want to go is the biblical foundation that that scripture meditation study is a biblical spiritual formation and the first place is starting at the beginning in the

Old Testament the Old Testament gives us a foundation of that scripture is

The place where we start with our spiritual foundation God's command is to meditate on his word

Joshua 1 8 says meditating day and night This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth

But you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do

According to all that is written in it for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have success

So these are the promises of God and how he wants to deliver this prosperity and success.

That's up to him We do not need to Interpret what prosperity and success means in our own wisdom

To feed the flesh if you know what I mean, and we see a lot of feeding the flesh to make money

We call it the prosperity gospel that is being sold and has been been being sold for many years now on Christian Christian television

That's not what we want to do that how he interprets prosperity and success is his prerogative

But he does promise that here in the Old Testament in Joshua, but he tells us that the book of the law

And this is why we shouldn't Unhitch from the Old Testament because the Old Testament is

God's Word. The law is God's Word There is application

There is wisdom there is truth all of God's Word is truth and wisdom and hearing from God How we how we then apply it as New Testament believers may be different than Old Testament Israel But it is still profitable.

It is still wise. It is still scripture to meditate on God's Word and so because The old and new are both

God's Word, you know, we can include we conclude include all of it here in this passage this book of the law the

Gospels Paul's letters the prophets You back with me we'll see change venues

So, so let me let me see if you agree with this probably Better watch out what

I say So we're starting in the Old Testament which the

Old Testament teaches us that We should meditate and study on God's Word we find a foundation of the

Old Testament I read Joshua 1 a this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth But you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do according to all is written

That your way may be prosperous and you will have success one of the things that I said was

Prosperity and success is according to the Holy Spirit Not man, not man

But the Holy Spirit so he gets to interpret what prosperity and success means here And then what

I was just saying and this is what I was wanting to get your thoughts on Where Joshua says here's the book of the law shall not depart from your mouth and You know and I inserted that we shouldn't unhinge from the

Old Testament that all of God's Word is Wisdom, it's truth. It's applicable.

And so we may interpret it differently than Old Testament Israel How would being in the

New Covenant? However, it's still scripture Profitable and wise and so we should meditate on it

So do you think from this passage we can include when he says the book of the law? We can include the prophets we can include the

Gospels we can include include Paul's writings That we should meditate on all those they should not depart from our mouth

But meditate on all of those day and night. Does that make sense? Yeah, absolutely

When it says don't let it depart from your mouth, I don't know it's probably a bad way to think of it

When I think of Will Smith when he told Chris Rock to take his wife's name out of his mouth

Same basic principle He wanted him to stop saying his wife's name and talking about her

Don't let my word the word of the law depart out of your mouth Don't stop talking about thinking about reading understanding conversing about the things that are in my law, like it says in They believe is

Deuteronomy says, you know When you're sitting down when you're standing up when you're by the way when you're over here when you're over there

You know put it on the doorpost of your house tight as a front lip between your eyes have it everywhere

It should be a you should be living breathing having it around you all the time. Yeah, and and and especially the

Old Testament It's really important for the

Old Testament because during the first few Decades of the church

That's all they had was the Old Testament So where were they getting their stuff about Christ and about about what was gonna happen about them?

It came from the Old Testament and the words that Jesus had told them. So when they tell us in Paul told us things that were written and the tradition that we have handed down to you was the

Old Testament and the things the apostles were teaching and going to codify into scripture in their their

Epistles and the different accounts of the Gospels and acts and stuff. Well and Paul says learn from them

Yeah, and then I just preached on acts acts chapter Act separate with Philip in the unit

Philip preaches Jesus Starting in Isaiah, but then preaches

Jesus to him from from the Old Testament That was a scripture that they had and Jesus does the same thing on the road to a man

Absolutely, right. Yeah one of the things that we do at our

Our mother church in Walton the one that we're planting one in our hometown and our mother church whenever we go there

The whoever's preaching will give two passages one from the Old Testament one from the

New Testament And we don't have to but generally what we do is we'll link them up So that way you see a principle that's that's taught in the

Old Testament We'll read that passage then we'll read the New Testament passage as well

And then we'll preach from the New Testament passage unless we're preaching from the Old Testament Then we'll have them both but we'll preach from the

Old Testament passage So that way people can see that the Old Testament New Testament are teaching the same thing.

They're just coming from from different Points in history different points of the revelation that God was given to mankind

Do you guys keep a record of that? Scripture reading from Sunday to Sunday We don't however, there's a church in Hazleton One of our

Reformed Presbyterian churches and they have been doing a consecutive reading Through the

Old Testament and they just got I think they're done with Matthew now since the church started like 15 years ago

And it's really cool to when you show up that you're able to jump into that that tradition of reading along But no, we don't we don't keep a record of it

Although we could go back to our old bulletins that are all printed right there, right, right I got an example because I preached this last week in Walton Just so happened.

I went to Isaiah 65 Let's see if I'm pull up real quick Isaiah 65 verses 17 and 19

Which says I'm using a using a new

Bible down here Thank you pastor Cone. He gave me this Bible to study out of It says behold

I create New heavens and a new earth and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind

But be glad and rejoice forever and that which I create for behold I create

Jerusalem to be a joy and her people to be a gladness or rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people no more

Shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress So what

I brought up from there is that God's doing something New he's recreating the new heavens the new earth the things that were once are

Passing away and what he's bringing new will be the new perfected glorious Creation without sin looking towards the resurrection and the perfection in the future

So in the New Testament, I preached and of course those two pages are sticking together

There we go in the New Testament, I preached from first Corinthians 13 and you go to verse 8 it says love never ends

But then it talks about prophecies ending and tongues ending and knowledge ending when the perfect comes

Which I believe just means when the completion of things come the partial is done away with and it says we know in part would prophesy in part why because these are a

Partial thing. These are the things that we're going through now But what's coming later is the new heavens in the new earth when we are resurrected with Christ in the future

So then it says So now faith hope and love abide these three, but the greatest of these is love

Why are the greatest? Why is the greatest of those love? Well faith is Not going to be necessary in the new heavens in the new earth the completion why because faith is going to be eclipsed by sight

We don't need to have faith when we see Christ in front of us And we're risen again the hope that we have for all of eternity

That we have now we don't need to hope for it anymore when we're sitting before the throne of God in heaven

And then finally you have love why is love the greatest because love of all three of those is the one that's gonna continue on Throughout the whole thing we have the love of Christ as he came died for us while we're yet sinners

He died for us and then on into the future Love is just going it's gonna seem to grow because we're going to see him face to face

He's gonna finally wipe away our tears and take away all of our sins We're gonna be with him forever and ever in a loving relationship with him

So you see that principle from first Corinthians 13 was taught all the way back there in Isaiah when he said look

I'm making the new heavens and the new earth and everything is going to be Wonderful and great and perfect and then we see in the

New Testament how that's explained a little bit more So we can think about those things from two different perspectives, but it's the same principle that what what we have now

It's not as good as what God is preparing for us in the future That's why he's he sent his son to die on the cross for us to take where it says that we could glorify him

Forever will be we'll finally find our true purpose the sense of longing and desire that's unfulfilled now

Will be fulfilled and how will it be fulfilled be fulfilled by doing and being what

Christ has created us to be well finally Be free from sin and in perfect fellowship and communion with our

God forever So there's just a little example of how the Old Testament New Testament kind of Worked together and how all those things are important to think about no matter where you find them in Scripture I don't know if that was really relevant

But I got a kick and I was I was frozen for so long I had to get something out

No, it was absolutely relevant the the last passage on our list that supports the

Old Testament being the Old Testament supporting This spiritual formation is someone to how blessed is the man who does not walk in the council of the wicked

Nor stand in the path of sinners nor sit in the seat of scoffers But his delight is in the law of the

Lord and in his law. He meditates day and night There's that theme again day day and night

Which which is something that I need to hear That I need to practice that I need to remember that I need to implement and How that works out and and how how that would heal my heart and heal my mind and prepare me for the day and Guard my tongue throughout the day

If I was holding fast to this this command of God or this encouragement from God To meditate on his word day and night how it would

Radically change my life. Yeah when I'm taking one ton totes of soybean oil off the back of a truck if I'm thinking of the new heavens and new earth and The glory that's gonna come it's not gonna it's not gonna be such a drudgery to be out there and you know

Ten degree weather with the with the wind blowing now I'm still gonna be shivering, but at least

I know that one day I'm gonna be warming with my lord because he's done something wonderful For me it does it because then you don't you don't feel like cussing the driver for doing something bad or Being rude to somebody to hurry up up there

I know you're not the wind but I am You know, you're not thinking about that stuff because you're thinking about what Christ has done for you and come in to prepare a place for you, you know

Here's another aspect of this passage. It says the light one who delights

But his delight is in the law of the Lord So often

I think the law of the Lord is Looked at it in in an opposite light.

Like it's a drudgery if they're their boundaries there It's okay.

It's a chain. It's a ball and chain. It's a it's a jail cell I Confining me to where I can't

I can't do anything But scripture says

The law is we delight ourselves Lord when when we meditate on his word

Yeah, I forget who it was. I think it was Martin Luther. It may not have been but somebody was was

They made the the point that All of the Psalter all the

Psalms are just a reflection on the first commandment You shall have no other gods before me.

So he thinks about it from the aspect of okay Well, what does it look like to have God as my

God? What does it look like if I don't what does it look like? if that guy doesn't he's acting weird towards me over here and Through all of that.

It's just a reflection on You know, what exactly does it mean to have

God as my God and that's what that's what the Psalter is is really all about Yeah, and and I think

Who was it was Augusta who said that the first Psalm is? Is a contrast between the old man that that's found in in us and in an

Adam and Then in Christ, so who's the righteous man of Psalm 1

Augusta says it is Christ Obviously us as we are growing up into Christ, but Christ ultimately he's the one who finds delight in the law of the

Lord. He's Forming that in us No, he's the one who who doesn't Go after this one or that one or try to find counsel in bad places

And that's being formed in us The last point

I wanted to make about that passage is this is how how blessed Who is saying that that we will be blessed

If we are one of those who don't walk this way, but if we delight ourselves in the law of the

Lord If we have this perspective There's a promise of a blessing now.

Once again, it's the Holy Spirit's prerogative how he delivers that blessing

But we'll be blessed nonetheless Yeah, well, I mean the promise of health and wealth to To the

Christian is is real However in this life, it's not certain that we're going to fully have that We may

God does bless his people. I mean if you look throughout throughout the world What what are the nations that have the

Largest economies who are the furthest out of wealth who have the the best advances in technology.

They're all Christian nations For the individual, you know, you won't be a little careful but In the future when

Christ returns when sin is done away with we have all the riches that we could ever want

Sickness and death are no more So, yeah, we shouldn't get it twisted that that just because I said a prayer or I believe something

Everything's gonna be hunky -dory now Those things are True, but they're true in the most ultimate sense.

But like remember, you know in this life we will have sorrows troubles and trials and tribulations

Yeah, those the both both things can be true we can be Who was it?

Uh, you hear hear the old southern people to get on the news and They'll say yeah, well my dog left my wife got hit by a car my kids hate me

I got fired from my job my barn burned down and and I burned my steak last night, but I'm blessed

I I Mean really that like that should be the Christians way of thinking about things, you know, everything's falling down around me

I'm like the little dog sitting in the bar that's on fire and I'm like, yeah, this is fine. I don't care We're doing great.

Why cuz I have Christ and I don't really care what else happens. No, it's gonna hurt it's gonna be painful, but What I have in eternity is so much more incredible than what

I have right now Number one what you just shared is it's a gift of the

Holy Spirit. Oh, yeah, and It's hard to describe the blessing that you receive

The witness that it is When when you can you can observe somebody?

Manifesting that attitude and and I've seen it and and I I desire to implement that as well but They're manifesting what you were just describing that I Obtain not through any means of my own but through the gift of God the greatest gift and It can't burn down like my barn it can't die like my dog and it can't run away like my wife

It will never leave me because it is the promise of God in Christ And it's the greatest gift that I could ever receive.

So therefore in comparison to Give your list.

I'm blessed. Mm -hmm and I can explain to you the encouragement and What it means to observe

That being manifested into it and and I can think of I can think of the person, you know in my mind right now that that is such a blessing that that he sincerely manifest that attitude and And I think we should all desire what you're describing that that attitude that I have this greatest gift and so in comparison to whatever is going on in my life those trials tribulations and sorrows

It's nothing compared to the gift that I have in Christ, right? No, that's not to demit

That's not to diminish the miseries that we face in this life. Sure. There are real things that can

That can I mean absolutely for you. Yeah, you lose loved ones that death isn't supposed to happen

But we lose loved ones or things that just shouldn't know somebody

Does something heinous to somebody in your family You know, those things are real they're there happen somebody in your family does something heinous to you

All of those things are reality and the pain in the the anguish and the things that go along with it

Can last for well the rest of your life So it's not to diminish that and say why you should just be getting over it because you have a blessing in heaven

And What's to be said is that even in the midst of the pain and tears

And all of the the anguish that we do go through in this life We do have that wonderful glorious.

Hope of Real true bliss and happiness with Christ for all of eternity

So that You know joking aside if Everything does fall apart if we do sound like that guy on the news

Then we are blessed But please please send money

Well, it goes back to our qualification that we made it at the beginning of this this podcast how the

Holy Spirit decides to Work that out and it when individuals life is is here is progress

I think I think Dan what I was hearing you say was that However, the

Holy Spirit works in an individual's life. What doesn't change is the fact that he's made a promise

He is our hope and those things never change, right? He will keep his promise.

Yeah Um The power of God's Word Psalm 19 7 through 11 says fear the fear of the

Lord is clean in Is that is that what it says

Is that a typo enduring forever the judgments of the Lord are true. They are righteous altogether

They are more desirable than gold Yes Then much fine gold sweeter also than hunt than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb moreover by them your servant is

Warned in keeping them. There is great reward So there's there's power in God's Word and that goes back to I Think I was trying to portray this while we're waiting on you to become unfroze as I was yapping a little bit

We can go other places but the place of true power

Is God's Word? That's one of the things that were promised

The Holy Spirit uses his word to cause these spiritual things to happen

And he promises this is where his this is where the spiritual power. I lost the word that I wanted to use it resides lies

It's where it lies and that's where we need to abide God's Word.

Yeah Yeah, yeah, cuz I mean when you think of it the word the

Word of God Now it's gonna sound weird. I'm gonna qualify it. So don't tell my

Presbyterian cuz I'm meaning the right thing The the Word of God is not

The Bible it is the Bible but but the Word of God in its fullest sense

The Word of God is the Bible but the Word of God in its fullest sense is Everything that comes out of God's mouth whether you hear it or not

So everything that God has promised proclaimed recorded for us, even the things that we don't know yet The fact that God has spoken

That should be To know that there are things that God has said that I don't know what they are yet We should hold those things up There's something there that it's greater than me.

It's bigger than me. And that is precious Like like it says here like gold

Even the finest gold you can find like like finding honey always it's better than honey.

There's no bees It's sweet and it's clean and endures forever

Yeah, so while while we have the scriptures and we should hold on to them We also need to know that You know

Like John said there are things that Jesus said and taught that if all of them were said they couldn't be held in the scrolls and all the world

So Yeah, the law of the Lord the Word of God the the fact that he has spoken period is a precious thing for for his creation

Yeah, especially because when he spoke we kind of just popped into existence I mean not not us specifically because we came from dust to the ground and but no light

Let there be light. Boom. Like that's that's just incredible. There's so much power just in God speaking

Yeah, and that's a good analogy to remind us of of the power of his word mm -hmm, and and this is

Coming these words are coming from the same God the same Creator Yeah, these we can rely on these words the ones from the one who spoke things into existence by the power of his word and and holds things together by the power of his word

You know as we were looking at the the previous version this work verse I Reflect I was reflecting a little bit in my mind about the extreme

Charismatic side of things where Yes, we believe that there's promise of prosperity and healing

But we don't know and Until we're glorified and all things are made new

We don't know how the Holy Spirit. It's his part of how he manifested manifest that here and then in this passage

You see the extreme charismatic side of Christianity where they want to tap into this and and I think about the

I think about the the magicians who they wanted

Was it Peter's power? Give us what you have so we can do what you do

I'm assuming it was it was better than their tricks and I can't help but think make a comparison between The extreme charismatic side of things where they want to tap into this power

It reminds me of those those magicians that wanted God for his power And they think we're little gods and we can we can speak things and our our words are containers to manifest

God's power and I feel like Yeah, because it's it's so Difficult because there's a little there's a tiny bit of truth in there not not in the way that they mean it

But because there is real actual power in our words because we speak the words that God has spoken

Then the Word of God is going out through us I mean, there's the Bible does say we are

God's not the way that they're saying but we are able to to actually image forth

God to show forth God and who he is By saying the words that he has said and so there's power that comes to our speech because there's power in the

Living God Who spoke these words before us? Sorry had to get that out. Go ahead. No, you're right and Correct me if you think

I'm wrong, but our role in all that of course is to is to image

God to speak his word, but The trust in how he uses it we we trust in yep

In his in the power of his word not in the and not trust in What what we can do through his word, but trust in in his word

Yeah, what was it is a first Corinthians 2 I think it says That Maybe what?

Somewhere around in there. It says that God chose to use the foolishness of preaching was preaching a simple proclamation to say just just say what what's true and things happen in the world like Jesus said

I'm the way the truth and the life when we speak actual truth Life happens

It happens in calling sinners to repent when we just say

Jesus Christ has died for sinners Turn from your sins and trust in him a fine eternal life that has real power not because We said it

But because God has spoken it. He's using us as a mouthpiece so It's incredible that we're we're able to To follow in God's footsteps and speak things and then they kind of happen because God is doing something through feeble weak

Sinners like us Yeah So Dan, I have six pages here and we're all the half

The middle of page two, you know why that is Rob There's two reasons why is that number one you've got two long -winded preachers talking

Number two because We could and will talk about the

Word of God and what God has done for us for all of eternity. That's right. So three pages and six episodes is

Nothing. Nothing Well, I mean to that I say we keep going for it let let me wrap up with this last point and then we will be on Roman numeral two letter

B on part three starting next week, but to wrap up this this last passage

Psalm 119 now through 11 How can a young man keep his way pure by keeping it according to your word with all my heart

I have sought you do not let me wander from your commandments your word I have treasured in my heart that I might not sin

Against you. I know recently I can't remember if it was in our remember it might have been one of our podcasts or small group, but We were talking about what we what we fill our our mind with what we fill our heart with and You know, we're gonna be

We don't want to empty it. I think maybe you and I were talking meditation of meditation.

Yeah We don't want to empty our mind, but we want to fill it and we want to fill it With God's Word and that's the way to purity

That's that's the way to have a strengthened heart joy in your heart comfort in your heart is to fill it

With God's Word and then be meditating on it day and night Yeah.

Yeah God God spoke and life happened So when his word is within us life happens again

Well life from the dead life straight from God to us his life given to us

Because we squandered ours fell into death. Yeah, I think there's a timidity at least on my part

Dan that because of the kookiness of the extreme charismatic side of things that I Hesitate Practicing these things in my own life because of the extreme abuses that I that I've seen that But but there is something to the fact of what you're talking about That it's

God's Word and the Holy Spirit uses his word and and speak it and Just these passages that we read

Hiding them in our heart storing them in our mind Meditating on them speaking them speaking them to ourselves speaking them to someone else

They're his truths And he uses he promises that he will use his word

So we might not know How he's gonna do it, but the promise is that he will do it

Why why not obey? Let's see what happens. Yep think of Hebrews 412

I think it is says the Word of God is Quick, which means alive and powerful and sharper than a two -edged sword to the separation of joints and marrow the soul and the spirit now

The Reformed Presbyterians are very adamant about a Bipartite Nature of a man, so there's body and soul

Now there it says So is there a difference between soul and spirit? I don't know but the

Word of God is so sharp It can divide it if you don't think the two are different so What is it that the

Word of God can do the Word of God can do incredible things that we don't even understand? mm -hmm and What's so incredible about about the

Word of God is that When you understand that God is a simple being

When he well, here's what I mean by that When he acts when he speaks

It's not like it's something other than himself it is himself as God acts as he creates as he speaks

It is God who is going out and doing these things So as we have his word we come in contact with God himself

Which is why it's so it's so important for us to get that message of the gospel out

To tell people that we're sinners that we've we've we've died by sinning

That it separated us between us and our God that we have punishment coming to us because we have rebelled against the one who gives life and gives it abundantly and Since we've rebelled and we need to have forgiveness and then we have the proclamation of God Who has come in the flesh who has died on our behalf was taken our sins upon himself

Taken the wrath of God in our place and laid in the grave that was meant for us and rose again

To bring us life and to give life to humanity as he did when he breathed life into Adam's lungs

Then he sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven and he advocates and speaks to God on our behalf

Saying these are my children and they calls us to call to one another. Please come home to God This is the

Christ who has died for the sins of men hear his words and live

That is incredible because It's the words of God You come in contact with the divine

So each and every time we hear the gospel Know that is God making contact with us

Showing us who he is Speaking to us and showing us his love

By showing us his his righteousness His compassion is mercy towards us

Amen and if you do not know that That Christ as your

Lord and Savior. We we urge you to come to him Repenting of your sins, but in your faith and trust in him to save you

Thank you for that gospel message, man. I appreciate it. That was Powerful and comforting to me to hear

I want to ask you this question before I pray and if you don't have an answer, it's okay

Maybe we can come back to it but I know that it would help I want to use myself as a as an example because it will it will help me practically and Hopefully it will help somebody else

But the the scriptures that we looked at tonight Talked about keeping

God's Word on your mouth Storing it up meditating on it day and night now

Those are high and and lofty goals But seems very impractical

Unless you are a monk in a monastery Far far away with no other distractions.

I know that I'm sitting here thinking about Putting together a t -shirt order and trying to find sponsors for t -shirts and Trying to connect churches with with the ministry to try to help children and on and on and on Working on Working on the the order of service at church and the music at church and Then doing my regular job my my nine -to -five

Practically, how do I fulfill that and honor God? Where his his mouth his word is continually on my mouth and I'm meditating on his word day and night

That it's a constant thing though We're doing so many other things

How does that how do you do that? well number one

Thing is that you're supposed to and you you you won't

You are going to fail at it. And when you fail There is forgiveness found in Jesus Christ However, he has told us that He's told us that everything that you do do all to the glory of God Which means that when we go to our job?

We need to train ourselves that our mindset is okay when I dig this ditch when

I unload this truck when I set up this shipment when I Know write this email

God should be able to look at it and say this is one of my children acting in the world the way that they should be acting and If we have that at least in the back of our mind

We'll do well to To glorify God and all things to keep him here and When he's here and in every action that we do to some form it's easier to come

Out when you're talking about it as well. Sometimes we'll get timid or we'll think well, this doesn't really fit the situation or Or a hundred different other things and maybe it doesn't sometimes and like I said, we're gonna screw it up But we also know that if we feel like we failed who would probably have that there's forgiveness found in Jesus Christ and if somebody says man

You're normally so happy. Why do you feel down today? But man, I feel like I've really screwed up, but it's not that bad because I know that my

God's forgiven me I mean so you can you can go through and even when you fail you remember the goodness of Christ and Just try to try it's it's a it's a battle

It's part of discipleship to put him in the forefront of your mind. That's why reading the scripture is so important That's why being in community with people that you can you can talk with out loud is so important because the more you talk out loud with people at your church and no, not just at your church, but In different Situations in the world around you the easier it is to to do it the more you do it easier it is to do it

So stay in community stay in the word stay in prayer Try to saturate your life with things of God and what you feel you well

I forget or maybe James that whatever you fill your heart with that's From from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

I Forget where that comes from Somewhere in the Bible, so it's good So how

Start by reading the word and thinking about it Try to glorify God When you fail remember the

Christ has forgiven you of all your sins That that should take up your whole day

Thank You Dan I appreciate it let's pray together yeah father we want to glorify you and we can only do that Through your spirit and we're thankful that you saved us.

We're thankful that you keep us we're thankful for your word and we're thankful that we can trust in your word because it is powerful because it comes from you and We pray when we do not trust

That you would grow our trust and grow our faith that we may always be leaning in on you completely and How how obedience looks to meditate day and night

To fill ourselves with your word. We know it can only come from you as well.

So father we see We seek your help in Fulfilling our duty to be in your word and having your word in us

And we pray these things in Jesus name Amen Thank you all for watching the truth and love podcast.

We really appreciate it. And as always remember that Jesus is King Go live in the victory of Christ Go speak with the authority of Christ and continue to go out there and share the gospel of Christ.