WEBVTT 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:05.360 The series Knowing God. 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:08.560 How do you really get to know God? 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:14.320 Not just know about God, not facts about Him, but know Him personally. 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:17.359 Like you were made to know God. 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:24.079 Not just ideas or abstract things, like personally, relationally. 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:30.160 You are hardwired, built into the fabric of your DNA. 00:00:30.640 --> 00:00:43.119 That's why the longing of your soul, the ache within, the things that don't fully satisfy, they were meant to be fulfilled in a personal relationship with your Creator. 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:44.240 And so we've been asking this. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:45.119 We asked it last week. 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:48.159 How do you really get to know God? 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:53.200 And so we began last week with talking about talking to God. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:56.320 Like, like how do we talk to Him? 00:00:56.560 --> 00:01:06.959 Just as communication is the foundation of every relationship, so prayer is the foundation of our relationship with God. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:13.040 And we talked about how do you pray to God in such a way that you really get to know Him? 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:17.439 Now, communication is a two-way sport, by the way. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:19.920 There's a talking and then there is a what? 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:20.640 Listening. 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:22.159 Listening, yes. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:23.920 We don't get that all the time. 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:30.560 How many of you have been in lots of conversations where they never ask a question back and they never listen? 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:34.159 You're like, is there ever going to be a question? 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:38.799 If you've never had that experience, maybe you're doing all the talking. 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:39.599 I don't know. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:40.239 I don't know. 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:41.280 I don't know. 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:58.159 But the reality is, is not only are we created to have this ability to talk to God, but how do we actually hear from God? 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:06.480 How do we discern what his voice is, that what we heard is actually him speaking to us? 00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:14.879 I think many of us would say, yeah, we we we believe God speaks, but does he still speak today? 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:27.599 And if God does still speak, and if prayer is how we speak to God, how does God speak to us? 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:34.000 The incredible uh truth is that the God who created the universe is not silent. 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:39.680 He longs to speak to you personally, daily, and profoundly. 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:50.319 In a world filled with distractions, in a world filled with competing voices and noise, how do we learn to recognize the voice of God? 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:54.080 The sermon title is very simple, on the nose, if you will. 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:56.400 It's Hearing from God. 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:58.080 Would you say that to your neighbor? 00:02:58.240 --> 00:02:59.680 Hearing from God. 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:04.960 Just really have two thoughts for us, and we'll unpack these two thoughts. 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:10.800 The first thought is simply this God is a speaking God. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:12.960 He's a speaking God. 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:14.400 He's not silent. 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:22.319 And in fact, from the very foundation of creation, we find that God is speaking. 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:26.639 Genesis 1, 3 says, and God said. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:29.520 God spoke. 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:32.000 Let there be light, and there was light. 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:44.319 Over and over in the days of creation, it was that God said, the first thing we learn about God in Genesis is not that he builds or creates or designs, but that God speaks. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:58.319 John, the apostle of Jesus, the disciple, when he picks up this theme and he begins to unpack Jesus' life story, he actually weaves in this thread of creation. 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:05.439 John 1.1 says, in the beginning was the word, or in Greek it's the Lagos. 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:06.319 It's a technical term. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:14.560 In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, speaking of Jesus. 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:24.240 That word Lagos in the in Greek thinking was the rational mind design behind the universe. 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:25.600 Not just a word. 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:33.680 This is this design and rational reasoning and structure of the universe. 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:39.680 And John says the structure of the universe is not a principle, but it is a person. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:41.120 It is Jesus. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:47.120 And so God is a speaking God. 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:51.120 Jesus is God speaking. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:05:13.439 The author of Hebrews would say it this way: In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through prophets at many times in various ways, but in these days, he has spoken to us by his spirit, whom he has appointed heir of all things, and through whom he also made the universe. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:29.759 When you read the words of Jesus, you get to know Jesus. 00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:31.519 It is God speaking. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:35.040 And so, listen, hearing God begins with knowing Jesus. 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:38.160 Do you know Jesus, friends? 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:52.720 Not things about him, not ideas, which is great to know about him, but you can have a personal relationship with Jesus. 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:54.399 You're invited into it. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:59.439 If we want to hear from God, first it begins with knowing Jesus. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:04.000 I like how Dallas Willard said it in his book, Hearing God, great book, by the way. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:10.079 How hard it is for us to come to an adequate conception of the lowliness of God. 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:21.839 Of how his greatness is precisely what makes him able, available, and ready to hear and speak personally with his creatures. 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:29.519 Like how hard it is, like God's lowliness, his intimateness. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:36.160 Like he longs to meet you exactly where you are and speak to you. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:37.920 Well, God's a speaking God. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:38.639 How does he speak? 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:40.319 He speaks in many ways. 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:41.600 Here's just a few. 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:43.839 First, he speaks through creation. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:48.319 Psalm 19:1 says, and the heavens declare the glory of the Lord. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:50.160 He speaks through the Holy Spirit. 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:57.120 The minute you place your faith in Jesus, the Spirit of the living God comes and resides and dwells in you. 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:02.959 The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, lives in you and wants to speak to you. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:07.360 Still a small voice of the Spirit leading and prompting. 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:08.800 He speaks through other people. 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:16.000 1 Corinthians 12, 7 talks about and gave some the gift of words of knowledge and discernment and prophecy. 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:26.879 And you've had those moments, and some even like after a sermon, you're like, right, I just was going through this, and then like what we talked about on Sunday was exactly what I was going through. 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:32.160 Or a friend or someone brings up something and God speaks to you through that. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:33.920 He speaks through circumstances. 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:37.279 This is uh uh the Apostle Paul's experience. 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:41.519 He wanted to preach the gospel in Asia, but circumstances prevented him from doing that. 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:49.040 Sometimes closed doors in different directions help, you know, shape God speaking to us, how he works and moves. 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:50.319 He also speaks in dreams. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:51.279 Did you know that? 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:57.519 I mean, we studied the life of Joseph and where God spoke to, we see dreams all throughout the story of Joseph. 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:08.959 Um, Acts 10, when Peter was being called to extend the good news of Jesus, not just to Jewish people, but to all people, God spoke to him in a dream. 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:10.240 The same with Paul. 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:12.160 He still does that today. 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:32.399 You know, um the the war in Iran's been in the news a lot as it should be, and I know we as a church are really praying uh for God to work and move and bring uh peace and um just deliverance over the people for the people of Iran. 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:40.639 One of the things that you may not know is that uh Iran has one of the fastest growing churches in the world. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:48.000 And it is one of the most dangerous places to be a Christian in the world. 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:53.600 How does one become a Christian in a country where it's dangerous to be a Christian? 00:08:53.919 --> 00:09:04.960 Uh, the stories that are coming, they're so consistent and happening all the time is uh people are having dreams where Jesus shows up to them and meets them. 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:13.279 They wake up wanting to know more and search for someone to share and explain who this Jesus is, and the church is exploding. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:17.039 God works and speaks in many ways. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:27.360 Now, the primary way that God speaks to us, and the way we discern all these other ways, if it's God speaking, is through his word. 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:31.440 God speaks through his word. 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:44.080 Whether circumstances or people or dreams, what we need to do is evaluate all of that through his word that he has already revealed to us. 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:58.480 Uh 2 Timothy 3.16 says this all scripture is God-breathing, useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:00.720 Now, is it some scripture? 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:01.679 No. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:03.440 Is it all scripture? 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:05.120 Okay, we'll try it again. 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:06.399 Is it some scripture? 00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:08.559 Is it certain scriptures? 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:10.480 No, it's all scriptures. 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:11.840 God breathed. 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:25.279 That God worked in partnership with humans, that what we have here has that been carried along so that we have exactly what He intended for us to have. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:35.200 Doss Willard again says it this way: the primary manner of communication from God to humankind is the word of God or God speaking. 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:40.080 The Bible itself is God speaking, preserved and written form. 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:51.840 Now, um, years ago I remember preaching, and someone came up afterwards and said, Ryan, um I'm new to this whole Jesus thing, Christian thing. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:59.279 You talked about the Bible, you talked about Scripture, and then you said talked about the Word of God. 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:01.200 What are those? 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:03.200 Are those three different books? 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:06.240 Like, oh my goodness, thank you for bringing that up. 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:07.919 What a great question. 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:13.919 No, they're all the same way of talking about God's word, one book. 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:18.399 Scripture, scriptura, is in Latin, it just means sacred writings. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:30.080 The Bible literally means the books plural because this is 66 books that all tell one compelling, incredible uh love story of God. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:38.879 Um, and so the Bible is not just a good book, it is God's word. 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:44.080 And God wants to speak to you, and he went out of his way to write it down. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:46.720 And so, let's talk about this. 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:49.919 How do you read the Bible and actually hear from God? 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:55.600 Because if you're sitting here for a little bit and you're like, Ryan, I've tried this, I've opened it up. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:11:59.360 Nothing. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:01.840 Let's get practical. 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:04.399 How do you read the Bible and actually hear from God? 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:09.279 Uh, first thing is read the Bible as God's word. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:15.600 Read the Bible as the very words of God. 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:35.360 Now, um, when my wife and I were dating, this is like in the year 2000, uh, so a little bit ago, she went on a um stint with crew, Campus Crusade for Christ back then, and she served for a year in Sweden on staff with them. 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:40.159 I was in Chicago, so we dated for a year internationally. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:48.000 Uh there was no Instagram, no Snapchat, um, no FaceTime. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:52.960 In fact, Jenny's first cell phone was in Sweden. 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:55.039 I didn't have a cell phone. 00:12:55.279 --> 00:13:03.440 Uh, to be able to send emails, she would go to like an internet cafe, like like even emails didn't, you didn't have it just 24-7 in your pocket. 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.759 I know I'm s this is a strange world. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:07.360 It used to exist, right? 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:10.480 There's two ways that we communicated. 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:19.120 One was by this little the phones had cords connected to them, and we would call each other over these corded phones. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:20.000 So weird. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:27.759 I would actually take my phone that was in my dorm room and go and sit in the hallway to try to get some privacy as the cord went out there. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:33.360 And then the other thing we'd do is we'd write letters, we would send packages. 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:39.519 I have every single letter that she wrote me. 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:42.720 No, it's I don't know, no. 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:47.919 But why? 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:50.240 Why? 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:59.919 Because the woman of my dreams that I love with my whole heart took time to write me a note, and it mattered. 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:04.399 When I get it in, you know, the mail, I was so excited. 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:10.080 I would take that letter, I'd read it, I'd go through it, I'd reread it, I'd just keep going back. 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:11.600 I'm like, this is amazing. 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:13.919 And I saved it because it's precious to me. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:17.360 I didn't just kind of throw it on the desk, I'm like, I'll get to it when I get to it. 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:18.159 You know? 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:35.919 God took time to write a book and he wants to like speak to you, and it's his love letter to you, and he longs to meet you and speak to life into you, and it's like we're like, ah, yeah, yeah, that's gonna get to it when I get to it. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:38.879 But when you begin to read the Bible, it's God's word. 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:43.679 By God actually speaking to you. 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:52.000 See, the Bible is God's self-revelation telling the rescue story of his love for you. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:15:03.279 The Bible's not just a good book, it's not a textbook, it's not a history book, it's not a rule book, or even just a sacred book. 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:06.480 It's like God's love letter to you. 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:08.799 This just changes how we read it. 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:20.080 I wish that we could start to look at this as not like something you check off the box, and if I do this, then I'm a good little boy and girl, and God will be good to me. 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:23.919 And instead, God's like, no, I just want to know you. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:26.559 And I just want to meet you. 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:29.440 It's about relationship. 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:38.559 I don't read the Bible to learn more about the Bible. 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:44.480 I read the Bible to know more about the God I love. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:49.039 And I want to get to know Him more. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:58.559 2 Peter 1.20 says this above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:08.240 For prophecy never had its origin in human will, but prophets carried through humans spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:14.720 It's like this is exactly what he intended for us to have. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:20.159 Now, we in our life's biggest series, uh, life's biggest question series coming up. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:21.679 You've asked incredible questions. 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:29.039 Some of them are around uh God's word, around the Bible, around um reliability, historicity. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:32.159 We're gonna address all those in that series. 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:40.879 But let's just, for the sake of argument, say, yeah, it is reliable, which I believe a hundred percent that it is. 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:55.519 One of the things that we do with God's word is we treat it, um we treat it a little bit like good affr good advice that a friend gives. 00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:57.759 I'll take or leave it. 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:00.559 Pick and choose the parts we like. 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:04.799 You know, there's some really great Jesus parts, by the way. 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:09.440 I mean, like when he says, you know, love your neighbor, um, that's awesome. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:12.960 But when he says, love your enemy, that's awful. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:14.960 I don't want to do that. 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:17.519 Pray for those who persecute you. 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:18.160 No. 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.079 All of a sudden we start picking and choosing. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:24.640 So if it's God's word, we can have a personal relationship. 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:25.839 He wants to speak to you. 00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:29.039 It is not only relational, it's formational. 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:37.440 The way it becomes formational is we go, it's actually God's word, and so I'm gonna bring my life under it. 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:40.160 It's authoritative for life. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:50.960 So I'm gonna go with what God says, even if it's not popular, even if it's going against the grain of culture. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:18:06.319 Hebrews 4.12 says, For the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:10.880 That this book has the power to form us deeply. 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:13.440 So we read the Bible as God's word. 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:16.000 We read the Bible with the Holy Spirit. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:19.440 You're not intended to read the Bible alone. 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:23.119 Read the Bible with the Holy Spirit, John 16, 13. 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:27.359 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:32.799 He will not speak on his own, he will speak only what he hears, and he'll tell you what is yet to come. 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:34.960 Again, the Holy Spirit. 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:39.839 Jesus said, it's better that I leave to his disciples. 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:40.880 They're like, what? 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:41.599 Why? 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:42.319 How? 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:44.960 Because I'm gonna send my spirit. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:52.079 See, I'm just here and you gotta come to me, but my spirit is gonna indwell every single one of you. 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:54.240 What does the spirit do? 00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:59.599 Well, the spirit convicts us, the spirit comforts us. 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:08.000 The spirit, Jesus would say, illuminates the word of God or lights it up, reveals it. 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:10.720 Uh full confession here, by the way. 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:19.039 Um if we go out to dinner or lunch, chances are as the menu comes out, I'm gonna pull my phone out. 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:23.359 And it's not because I'm on my phone, it's because it has a flashlight. 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:26.319 And I'm the most, I'm that person, okay? 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:29.920 I got my flashlight out, and it's like so embarrassing. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:30.480 Come on. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:37.119 And I'm like, oh my goodness, I'm I got my flashlight, and it's like, please, can you just not bring the flashlight out? 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:39.279 I would love to not bring the flashlight out. 00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:44.960 But even though the words are there, I just can't really read it, I can't see it. 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:47.599 But the minute I get the light on, I'm like, oh. 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:53.519 That's what the Spirit of God does with the Bible when we read it with the Spirit of God. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:56.480 He illuminates his truth in our lives. 00:19:56.640 --> 00:20:05.519 It all of a sudden shines a light, and there's gonna be some things that you've been reading, but when you begin to invite the Holy Spirit with his leg, it starts to jump off the page. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:07.200 What does that look like? 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:13.200 Well, first you gotta settle your soul because we live in such a noisy, distracted time. 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:16.559 Create space. 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:21.519 But then would you invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you? 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:30.960 Holy Spirit, would you, as I get into your word, would you show me what you want to say to me? 00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:36.960 Would you give me eyes to see what you're speaking as I'm reading? 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:45.839 We read the Bible as the Word of God, we read the Bible with the Holy Spirit, we read the Bible in community. 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:49.200 We read the Bible in community. 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:51.039 This is so powerful. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:57.519 Colossians 3.16 says, let the message of Christ dwell among you richly. 00:20:57.839 --> 00:21:14.160 Like let the message of God, the message of Christ dwell, like live in it, uh breathe in it, sit in it, dwell among you richly, as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:17.440 Now, that's part of what we're doing here together, isn't it? 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:20.400 But it doesn't just happen here. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:23.039 That's why small groups are so powerful. 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:24.960 Our studies are so important. 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:30.240 Being in community with other believers, talking about what you're learning. 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:38.000 Years ago in a small group, we were studying uh John chapter 13, and that's where Jesus washes the disciples' feet. 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:50.000 It's the Lord's Supper, he's about to betray, uh, be betrayed, and he gets up from the table, takes his outer cloak off, wraps a towel around his waist, and washes his disciples' feet, and I'll never forget it. 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:55.359 I've taught that passage um probably over a dozen times. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:59.519 I'll never forget someone said something I never realized in the text. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:06.000 They're like, Jesus did for the disciples what the disciples were unwilling to do for Jesus. 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:07.519 Oh. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:10.400 I've never seen that before. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:14.480 Here's what's amazing about God's word. 00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:15.839 It's like a diamond. 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:21.200 You can read the same thing and see something new every single time. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:26.400 So don't ever approach it like, oh, I know that, been there, done that, arrived there. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:35.519 God wants to meet you in new and fresh ways, and you can take one text, you can live in that all year long, and I promise you, God will speak to you in fresh ways. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:37.839 In fact, I dare you try it. 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:45.599 But then in community, it is so powerful because then we get to hear how God's working and speaking through other people. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:48.079 And we get to hear some things like, oh, I was thinking about this. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:53.680 And like, well, actually, and we even get some of that good, healthy correction and direction there. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:58.880 One of the things that would encourage you a question to ask friends. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:03.200 Like, how is God speaking to you? 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:07.759 What are you learning? 00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:10.559 It's such a great question. 00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:13.279 Like, like, where do you feel like God's speaking to you lately? 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:14.640 How do you think he's working? 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:16.000 What are you learning lately? 00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:20.079 It just becomes part of the conversation and helps us as we grow. 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:21.759 Read the Bible as God's word. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:23.440 Read it with the Holy Spirit. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:28.880 Read it in community, and then read the Bible to apply. 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:36.480 It's not just about information, it's about an application. 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:43.920 The world does not need smarter Christians. 00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:49.599 The world needs more Christ-like Christians. 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:58.880 James one, twenty-two says, and do not merely listen to the word and so what? 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:02.000 Deceive yourself. 00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:12.640 You mean I can come to church and hear a sermon and walk out deceived? 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:14.640 Absolutely. 00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:18.640 Do not miss listen to the word and so deceive yourself. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:19.039 What? 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:23.119 Do what it says. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:28.799 Obedience is the key that opens every door. 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:29.359 C.S. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.880 Lewis said that. 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:36.400 When I begin to apply God's word, put it into practice. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:43.359 Jesus at the end of the Sermon on the Mountain would say, the wise person builds his life upon the rock. 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:46.319 Who is the person that builds his life upon the rock? 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:50.880 Is the one who obeys and does what I teach. 00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:55.279 Read the Bible to apply. 00:24:55.440 --> 00:24:57.440 Let me tell you how it looks, at least in my life. 00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:00.480 And I'm not saying this is how you're like supposed to do it. 00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:03.279 I'm just telling you how I do it. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:12.000 So when I was in college, and I made this commitment, not because I'm a pastor, I just wanted to follow Jesus. 00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:19.599 When I was in college, I made a decision before I do any schoolwork, I'm going to spend time with God. 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:27.119 So I'd go out to a coffee shop, and before I got into my textbooks, I would begin to get into God's word. 00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:35.519 That decision followed me to work instead of in the afternoons as I was doing my schoolwork. 00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:37.680 It started in the mornings before work. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:39.680 So I get up before work. 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:41.599 I did it this morning. 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:44.799 Like preparing for the sermon is not my time with God. 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:46.640 That's my job with you. 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:50.880 I spent time with my Savior. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:54.960 So here's how it looks get up in the morning, make coffee. 00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:56.079 I need that. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:58.720 I start with my journal. 00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:00.880 And you don't have to journal, this is just what I do. 00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:04.480 And I begin with this line, this prayer, every morning. 00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:07.279 Good morning, Heavenly Father. 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:15.279 The reason why is I want to remind my soul, one, of the exact same way I would greet my wife as the way I'm going to greet God. 00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:15.920 Good morning. 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:20.000 Like I'm going to, good morning, and I'm reminding that I'm coming to my Heavenly Father. 00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:21.839 This is fundamentally relational. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:25.920 I begin a lot with the things that I pray about. 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:31.519 I write my prayers down because my mind gets distracted and it helps me stay focused. 00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:37.279 So I often start with thanking God, move into areas maybe of confession or areas of need. 00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:42.079 And after a time of that, then I just get into God's Word. 00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:44.640 I'm reading through the Old Testament right now. 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:46.640 So I'm in Jeremiah. 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:50.720 And for me, I just actually just take a page, like this page and this page. 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:51.440 I read it. 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:52.400 That's it. 00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:55.119 When I'm done with that, I'm done. 00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:58.640 And as I read it, and you might go, like, well, that's too much. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:00.960 I'm going to just read a chapter, or I'm just going to read it. 00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:02.000 Great. 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:05.279 But when I read, I underline. 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:10.559 So as I'm reading it and like something stands out to me, I underline that. 00:27:11.039 --> 00:27:14.960 This morning it was in Jeremiah 2, 13. 00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:17.039 It said, My people have committed two sins. 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:23.359 They have forsaken me, the springs of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:25.920 And I'm like, oh my goodness, I underlined that. 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:28.640 What does it look mean to apply that? 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:36.559 Sometimes application is simply responding to the areas where the Holy Spirit's convicting. 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:41.920 It's like, God, where am I seeking other things to bring satisfaction? 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:44.240 I've built my own sisters that are broken. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:47.359 They can't hold water, and you are the living water. 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:54.240 Sometimes application is reminding yourselves of what true what is true about you, your identity. 00:27:54.480 --> 00:28:03.119 Sometimes it is the obedience of stepping out of like, I need to go and ask for forgiveness from somebody or restore that relationship. 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:05.440 And where you just spend time. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:07.279 Did you know you can write in your Bible? 00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:08.160 You can underline? 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:08.960 You can do all those? 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.640 Yeah, mark it up. 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:17.680 And I just spend time with God in the morning. 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:20.720 Now, I don't hit it every single morning. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:22.640 Most mornings. 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:27.039 And by the way, I don't feel bad or guilty when I miss. 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:29.680 God's not down on me. 00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:37.200 See, if it's relational, it's less about rules and check boxes that you're trying to do. 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:38.640 It's like connection. 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:43.200 It's like, oh, I just missed on a moment to connect with God. 00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:50.880 And I gotta be honest, not every morning is this like Ryan? 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:56.480 In fact, most mornings aren't. 00:28:56.720 --> 00:28:57.839 I had those moments. 00:28:57.920 --> 00:29:02.960 I had those moments where God speaks personally and powerfully, and it's like, oh wow. 00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:09.599 But a lot of it is the way I connect with my wife. 00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:11.039 We have these moments. 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:18.000 Over 23 plus years of marriage, we had these moments that are like deep, beautiful, like soul-level connections. 00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:19.279 They're awesome. 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:20.559 It's amazing. 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:23.279 But you know what most of our connections are? 00:29:24.480 --> 00:29:25.119 Daily. 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:27.759 Just daily. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:37.119 There's something about the dailyness of connecting that develops those you for those deep moments. 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:46.240 We want those deep moments, we want those moments, but we haven't been daily connecting that gets our hearts in a space where we're actually ready for them. 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:48.319 There's a daily name. 00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:52.000 There's like, there's just a connection of like, hey, I'm just staying connected. 00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:53.680 Hey, we're just talking about our day. 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:54.880 Uh hey, you know what? 00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:58.960 It wasn't like anything deep or profound, but we just had this moment of connection. 00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:05.839 And then in those processes of times, you have these moments where God moves in such significant and powerful ways. 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:11.359 And so if you want to hear the voice of God, open the word of God. 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:14.319 And I want to encourage you. 00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:17.839 Would you get into it as try daily? 00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:20.720 Don't feel guilty when you don't make it. 00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:22.720 Remember it's relational. 00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:26.559 So let me give us just two practices as we close. 00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:30.240 The first is one that we're doing as a church this year. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:31.680 It's memorizing God's word. 00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:32.799 It's powerful. 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:37.119 Memorization is for preparation. 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:38.000 Okay? 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:42.720 I hide God's word, the psalmist says, so that I might not sin against you. 00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:49.519 Memorization is to get God's word into our heart and mind so that the Spirit of God can bring it to our mind when we need it most. 00:30:49.680 --> 00:31:00.559 When you're under a spiritual attack, when temptation is facing, when anxiety is coming, when you have that thing that's ahead of you, and God can activate and bring the word of God to your mind. 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:05.359 Ephesians 6.17 says this take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:15.440 He's talking about the spiritual armor that we have as believers, the sword of the Spirit, the only offensive weapon that you have, which is the Word of God. 00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:18.319 Would you memorize God's word? 00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:20.559 We're doing this as a church. 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:22.400 Every week I'm giving a memory verse. 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:26.960 This week is the memory verse on what I'll have for our meditation. 00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:29.119 But memorization is for preparation. 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:31.440 Get God's word into your heart and mind. 00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:34.640 Meditation is for transformation. 00:31:35.359 --> 00:31:37.119 I meditate upon God's word. 00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:42.559 That idea of meditation is thinking, rethinking, sitting with. 00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:49.440 We're talking about it here as beginning our day with God's word and ending our day with God's word. 00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:54.160 Want the scripture to be on our hearts and minds, revisiting it, going back to it. 00:31:54.319 --> 00:31:59.359 Romans 12, 2 says this: do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world. 00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:02.960 Don't be molded, squeezed into the form of this world. 00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:05.039 Instead, be transformed. 00:32:05.119 --> 00:32:06.640 That's the Greek word, metanoia. 00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:08.319 How do you be transformed? 00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:14.079 How do you see that life change, that butterfly, you know, metamorphosis, that butterfly transformation? 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:16.880 How do we become more like Christ? 00:32:17.119 --> 00:32:20.960 It's not by trying harder, it's by renewing our mind. 00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:34.799 Do not be conformed to the past and the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, where we just get God's word as what we think about changes our lives and we allow Him to change us. 00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:36.240 And here's the beautiful part. 00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:39.599 Then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is. 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:48.079 Then you'll experience and demonstrate God's will, his good, pleasing, and perfect will. 00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:52.480 You want to experience God's good, pleasing, and perfect will, begin to renew your mind on his word. 00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:56.880 Memorization is for preparation. 00:32:57.920 --> 00:33:01.759 Meditation is for transformation. 00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:09.359 I want to lead us not in a time where we just begin to meditate on God's Word. 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:22.640 I'll explain it as we close, but I'm asking inviting us into a practice that's ancient called Lectio Divina, of a way of meditating on God's Word that we're doing through this Knowing God series. 00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:27.039 And so I thought we would close that way, this way, together. 00:33:27.359 --> 00:33:33.759 So just take a moment, settle your soul, take a breath, quiet the distractions. 00:33:34.559 --> 00:33:39.359 And I'm just gonna read Romans 12, 1 through 2, three times. 00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:42.960 I'll give some prompts for you to pray or to think about. 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:45.680 Take a deep breath in. 00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:58.160 Invite the Holy Spirit right now to speak to you. 00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:05.279 To show you what He wants to say in His Word. 00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:20.559 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. 00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:24.960 This is your true and proper worship. 00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:31.280 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:38.880 Then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is good, pleasing, and perfect. 00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:48.480 As I read it a second time, pay attention to word or phrase that highlights to you. 00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:55.519 Look, begin to think of how the Spirit is speaking to you through that word or phrase. 00:34:57.280 --> 00:35:09.519 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. 00:35:10.239 --> 00:35:13.119 This is your true and proper worship. 00:35:13.840 --> 00:35:19.599 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 00:35:19.920 --> 00:35:23.280 Then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is. 00:35:25.360 --> 00:35:27.119 Pleasing, perfect. 00:35:31.920 --> 00:35:33.679 So read it one last time. 00:35:40.719 --> 00:35:43.440 Would you show me what to do with what I deserve? 00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:46.079 How to respond? 00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:48.159 What are you inviting me into? 00:35:50.800 --> 00:36:00.719 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice. 00:36:00.960 --> 00:36:02.800 Holy and pleasing to God. 00:36:03.039 --> 00:36:06.079 This is your true and proper worship. 00:36:07.039 --> 00:36:13.360 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:18.159 Then you'll be able to test and approach what God's will do. 00:36:18.639 --> 00:36:22.320 It's good, pleasing, and perfect. 00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:30.239 As Josh continues to play, just take a moment to talk to God. 00:36:31.920 --> 00:36:36.079 Responding to what he just said.