Connecting With God Through the Word
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. -Philippians 3:7-11
There is nothing I feel more passionate about than knowing God. It is the greatest privilege of my life. The deepest joy. The thing that gives me purpose and meaning. To know Him is by far greater than all the treasures this world has to offer.
So, when I was asked to speak on this topic recently, I was giddy with excitement! If there is one thing I would love to convince you of it's that nothing compares to knowing Christ. Every bit of time and energy spent in the bible and in prayer are worth it to grow in our nearness to Him.
The quality of this recording isn't the best. I kept picking up my bible off the stand during this talk and it caused some extraneous noise. But I pray you would finish this message feeling an eagerness to draw near to God and grow in your knowledge of and love for Him. You'll find the outline of the talk below.
I. Remember that God is a person
God is not a system.
God is accessible to us.
God saved us to know Him. (John 17:3)
II. Study for the right reasons
Don't read for self-improvement.
Don't read for self-righteousness.
Read to know God.
III. Study the right way
The Bible is a book. A library of 66 books in fact.
Read books of the Bible, not verses.
IV. Study relationally
Bible knowledge is NOT the goal (John 5:39-40)
Bible reading must lead us somewhere.
Our bible study must be attached to prayer.
V. Draw near with your questions
When the truth of God's word clashes with your experience, draw near. Bring your questions to God.
Be honest with God.
Listen to God.
May 1, 2018