You cannot come to
church on Sunday and
expect to receive
everything that you
need for your
Spiritual
nourishment in an
one hour sitting as
much as you can
expect to be
physically nourished
by eating lunch
today and not eating
again until next
Sunday. We
must eat the word of
God every day
constantly in order
to grow. This
is why God gave to
us the Holy Spirit.
To teach us
individually and
guide us to all the
truth.
If you don’t study
on your own you will
never know if what
your pastor is
preaching is
correct. If
you don’t study on
your own you will
never grow.
Faith comes by
hearing the word.
But growth comes by
reading it and
exercising your
faith, by prayer, by
testing, by
exercising your
Spiritual gifts that
God has given to
you, by fellowship
with others in the
church and by works.
(No one can DO THESE
THINGS FOR YOU!)
We stress ALL THE
TIME about the
importance of
personal devotional
time, the importance
of taking notes so
that you can study
what is being said
and for meditation.
Also attending the
Bible studies that
the church offers
for your own
personal enrichment.
If you are not
growing in the word,
you have no one to
blame but yourself.
There are several
ways to receive the
word of God and each
one of them has a
distinct function.
#1. The preached
word of God.
2 Tim. 4:2, “Preach
the word; be instant
in season, out of
season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with
all longsuffering
and doctrine.”
The preacher is
encouraged to be
ready at all times.
To be ready at an
instant, at any
moment God is going
to use him to speak
to someone in need.
This is because the
preached word is
designed to speak to
the person about the
exact problem that
they are going thru.
It’s a word that
exhorts, reproves
and rebukes. You are
feeling down it
exhorts you, if you
are doing something
wrong it reproves
you, if you are
sinning it rebukes
you. Its
design is to
stimulate you to
search for more, to
make you hungry for
more, like an
appetizer at dinner,
it's not designed to
feed you entirely;
that is why it’s so
important to take
notes and use them
throughout the week
in your own personal
devotional.
- A word of
exhortation is
designed to
stimulate the
unbeliever as well
as the believer.
To speak to the
newly converted as
well as the person
that has been in
Christ fifty years.
- It motivates the
whole body of Christ
that has come
together to worship
the Lord. That
is why they call it
a worship service.
The preacher that
delivers the message
is not the one who
is talking; it’s the
Lord motivating His
people who have come
together.
Notice that all
Scripture is
profitable for
teaching sound
doctrine, for
bringing reproof,
correction, and for
instruction in
salvation through
faith in Jesus
Christ, who is
himself the
incarnate Word of
God. The
preacher has a job
to do in delivering
the message; the
listener has an
equal part. To
listen, to eat it,
to taste it, to
meditate on it and
to apply it and walk
it.
*Hebrews 5:13 says;
Anyone who lives on
milk, being still an
infant, is not
acquainted with the
teaching about
righteousness.
But solid food is
for the mature, who
by constant use have
trained themselves
to distinguish good
from evil.
Look at *Matthew
7:24-27, “Therefore
everyone who hears
these words of mine
and puts them into
practice is like a
wise man who built
his house on the
rock. The rain
came down, the
streams rose, and
the winds blew and
beat against that
house; yet it did
not fall, because it
had its foundation
on the rock.
But everyone who
hears these words of
mine and does not
put them into
practice is like a
foolish man who
built his house on
sand. The rain
came down, the
streams rose, and
the winds blew and
beat against that
house, and it fell
with a great crash.”
#2 the second way
that we receive the
word is when it is
taught.
*Hebrews 5:11-14,
“We have much to say
about this, but it
is hard to explain
because you are slow
to learn. In fact,
though by this time
you ought to be
teachers, you need
someone to teach you
the elementary
truths of God’s word
all over again.”
You need milk, not
solid food!
Anyone who lives on
milk, being still an
infant, is not
acquainted with the
teaching about
righteousness.
But solid food is
for the mature, who
by constant use have
trained themselves
to distinguish good
from evil.”
It wasn’t that Paul
was not teaching
them. Paul says;
“You should already
be teachers”.
#3. The word of God
when it’s read and
studied.
2 Tim. 2:15; Do your
best (study) to
present yourself to
God as one approved,
a workman who does
not need to be
ashamed and who
correctly handles
the word of truth.
* The word heals Ps.
107:20
* Makes people free
John 8:32
* Illuminates Ps.
119:130
* Bear’s witness
John 20:31
* Produces faith
Rom. 10:17
* Make one wise 2
Tim. 3:15–17
* Exhorts 2 Tim. 4:2
* Rejoices the heart
Jer. 15:16
* Regenerates James
1:18
* Teaches Acts 18:11
* It’s a Source of
joy Ps. 119:47, 97,
162
* A Standard of
conduct Titus 2:5
* A Source of new
life 1 Pet. 1:23
* Spiritual food 1
Pet. 2:2
* It Sustains Is.
50:4
* Determine destiny
Matt. 12:36, 37
Jose Gomez Sr
Restoration
Ministries
http://www.churchwithapurpose.com
and
Sermon Central
http://www.sermoncentral.com/