Series: Epic Journey:
The Bible in 99 Days

Message Outline

A LIFE IN THE WORD OF LIFE!

In our series wrap-up worship service, we will hear the testimony of 7-8 people as they share what God did with them during this study. The Word of God is living and active and never returns empty. It is life-changing. It is designed to prepare us for all of life - there is nothing outside God's scope. In this wrap up to our Journey, we will also summarize and repeat some of the most important lessons we have learned as we have studied and learned together. We have learned many great things about history, mankind's tendencies, the ups and downs of Israel and her kings, the prophets, and the great empires of the world. We have read all the great Bible stories and seen the prophetic accuracy of God's Word. We have strengthened our biblical understanding and world view.

However, the most important thing we have done is to understand God a whole lot better - His words and deeds as manifested in the persons of the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. In discovering God and His character qualities, we have been able to discover ourselves in a fresh and more accurate way, and can relate all of life to Him. In this reality, we can truly be the human beings He created us to be. As a result of knowing Him better, we can make some very basic decisions about how we will live our lives. Dr. Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ summarized what this means for our lives in this way.

The Benefits of God’s Character Attributes – Dr. Bill Bright

Because God is a personal Spirit...I will seek intimate fellowship with Him.
Because God is all powerful...He can help me with anything.
Because God is ever present...He is always with me.
Because God knows everything...I will go to Him with all my questions and concerns.
Because God is sovereign...I will joyfully submit to His will.
Because God is holy...I will devote myself to Him in purity, worship and service.
Because God is absolute truth...I will believe what He says and live accordingly.
Because God is righteous...I will live by His standards.
Because God is just...I will trust His judgments.
Because God is love...He is unconditionally committed to my well-being.
Because God is merciful...He forgives me of my sins when I sincerely confess them.
Because God is faithful...I will trust Him to always keep His promises.
Because God never changes...my future is secure and eternal.

We have also seen some great truths about Jesus, and why God has given Him the position of supremacy in all things. He is holding the universe together. He is creator, judge, redeemer, and yet our intimate friend. He is in one sense incomprehensible, and yet in another, so close and real that we can hear Him, feel Him, and know Him. We've discovered that the whole Bible is about Him. We have seen just why He is so worthy of our worship, and of the totality of our lives. He is the unique and solitary ruler of the universe, above all kings and kingdoms.

We have also discovered that the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power. From the second verse of the Bible and throughout the entire text, we see the person and work of the Holy Spirit, and we marveled when we saw how Jesus sends Him in power at Pentecost. We know that this entire time of the Church is powered by the Holy Spirit. He is the key to living every minute for the Kingdom! May we be filled and always seeking His best!

A Life in the Word of Life

We have invested about five hours a week reading since Labor Day. This has become an opportunity for God to speak to us and guide us in the daily living of our lives. In the process, we have lived a life deeply involved in God's Word. Throughout the Bible, the Word is deeply associated with God, and as we saw in John, it is one of the names used for Jesus. "In the beginning was the Word". The term is usually used in the context of "the Word of the Lord" in the Old Testament and "the Word of God" in the New Testament. However, when we see "the Word of" used in the New Testament, we also see these phrases: Word of truth, word of grace, word of faith, word of Christ, word of encouragement, word of instruction, word of life, word of exhortation, word of God lives in us, word of the Prophets, and word of their testimony.

Our challenge is to continue in our quest for growth and understanding of God, which is one of the key prayers that Paul had for his churches. Colossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Ephesians adds to this prayer - 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. NIV

Continuing to build the habit of study:

1. Ask God to help you develop your annual plan to study the Word of God. Make reading the Bible a large percentage of your total reading. The evangelist and philanthropist George Mueller, read the Bible every 90 days the last 25 years of his life - 100 times! Here are some easier to reach ideas:

- Pray God's Word back to Him
- Especially apostolic prayers like Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1
- Read a chapter of Proverbs every day
- Memorize one verse a month
- Read  5 Psalms ever day for a month
- Read the prophets from Isaiah-Malachi in 40 days
- Read the four Gospels and study the commands of Jesus
- Read theology (I recommend "Systematic Theology" by Wayne Grudem to start)
- Study a book of the Bible with a good commentary (ask for recommendations)
- Buy a concordance and do a word-study
- Lead a Bible study for your children
- Take a seminary course on a topic of interest
- Study one Bible character that really interests you

2. Read different translations. The King James or New King James is poetically majestic. The Message hits us in our street language - it is very fresh. The New Living Translation is beautiful to read out loud. Use the NASB or NRSV for study - these preserve the paragraph breaks and word-for-word accuracy of the manuscripts.

3. The Bible Experience (just Google this for the web page) is a new audio version dramatically read by well-known artists and pastors. It is a great way to experience the text.

4. Read "How to read the Bible for all its worth" by Fee and Stuart - this paperback will help you understand the basic principles of biblical interpretation in an easy to grasp way.

5. Go back through your 99 Day Bible to seek answers to all the question marks you left in the margins.

6. Use free web-based resources for personal growth and Bible study: http://www.biblegateway.com/, http://www.bible.org/

7. Start a prayer and study journal. Bring it for sermon notes, and use it for personal study. Every day, use the SOAP acronym in your quiet time to develop the habit of prayerful personal application:

S = Scripture - read and carefully meditate on what the text means
O = Observe - look at the text for key words, repeating themes, promises, warnings, and phrases
A = Application - what does this mean for me today? Who will I BE and what will I DO today?
P = Prayer - ask God to bring resources needed to obey His teaching. Pray for transformation: 
        Jesus, please be the Lord of my life in new ways. Father, change me any way you want to, and use me to be an instrument of your love. Teach me your truth, and set me free by the filling of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

OUR STEWARDSHIP
DECLARATION

We Declare As
The Redeemed Of The Lord,
That Depression,
Inflation, Poverty, Lack
And Debt Have
No Power Over Us.

My Tithes Are A
Declaration Of My Independence From The
World’s Economic System
And A Declaration
Of My Dependence
On The Economy Of
God Which Can Never Fail.

By My Giving, It Is Proof, That God Will Rebuke The Devourer For My Sake, Bless The Fruit Of My Labor, Save My Family And Open The Door For The Gospel To Be Preached To The Lost.

I Bring My First Fruits
To Jesus, My High Priest,
And I Worship
The Lord God With It.
I Rejoice In All The Good
You Have Given To Me
And My Household.
I Have Obeyed Your Voice And Have Done According To All That You Have Commanded Me.

Father, Look Down From
Your Holy Habitation And
Bless Me As You Have
Promised In Your Word.
By faith, I Know That You
Have Opened The Windows Of Heaven Above Me And Are
Pouring Out On Me,
Your Abundant Blessings!

Lord, I Thank You That Satan Is Rendered Helpless In My
Finances; I Praise And Thank You For The Privilege
And Benefits Of
Stewardship Giving.
This I Do, In Faith,
In Jesus Name.