Your Spiritual Instruction Manual

You know when I say to you that I am not alone, of course, will really tell you a lot of my friends know this is not new to them but if I feel that I'm not alone and not reading of instruction manuals. I think you understand. In fact, it's more than that. I detest instruction manuals. I can stand model one, got a swing set for our kids when there were little and opening this thing and it was 45 pages.

I could even get through the first page.

I just attest, and if somebody gives me a gizmo I never read the manual, I just keep pushing every button of the one works but I my people who are persistent. I really do. I admire people who can sit there and methodically systematically and carefully read the manual step-by-step. I really appreciate those people more than I can tell you because it's like a thank God for more often than not they rescue me from destroying whatever it is that I'm supposed to be putting together it works the same way. For those of us also have problem with a sense of direction. Every time I try to follow my instinct, I get lost, even when I follow directions I get lost because most directions people give you a lousy nominee was them like remember the time I was in New York.

This is over 20 years ago and I remember really was lost and I was walking around. Finally I went to a man behind the newsstand and and I thought if I details in which you know which is northward to South Africa by way because I looked at the map and I went to this man and I said where is North. He looked at me.

In fact, he yelled at me. He said listen buddy. He said we have up. We have downtown rev. We got no more fear well I remembered it, but it's okay to laugh at people like me who don't read instruction manuals and have no sense of directions, but when it comes to our spiritual instruction manual. There can be no laughing matter because please listen to me if you don't read it carefully and follow it closely. The lostness can be a non-emphasizing the word can be for eternity. The lostness is not temporary, but for eternity. I read this week about a professor of medicine at Oxford University who one of his major tasks is a prominent man well known men, one of the pillars of of the medical school there. One of his main tasks as he introduces those wide-eyed students who are coming in is to drill in their minds and drill in the hearts and drill in their eyes and drill in the ears. The vital importance of attention to details and how much these details can save lives and he said you've got to watch with your eyes and he got the listen with you is you cannot miss one single detail and then in order to enforce the point he had on a jot of liquid in his hand and he said sometimes you can diagnose a patient's disease by applying your index finger into the liquid and then placing it on your tongue and then he put his index finger in that liquid jar and then he drew his hand toward his mouth and then he pass the jar of liquid and that's exactly what they did they get their finger in and that liquid and they put it on the times they moved around one student often another until he got to the end and then when Bill finishes it to them. Let me show you where you were not paying attention. Let me show you where you did not understand the message that I'm trying to convey to you.

The truth is, you could never diagnose a patient's disease by tasting his urine. He said I place my index finger in the bottle but I drew my hand toward my mouth. I will put my finger on my lip, but none of you have noticed that I wanted to hit me right there are many people who follow preachers. There are many people follow teachers, though many people follow authors they read the latest book they read the latest manuscript. They read the latest listen.

The light is that I know. Follow the preachers in the fall of the teachers in the fall of the authors, but I wanted tell you something when you do all of that and you do not follow the word of God.

You have that is why I have been imploring you throughout this series of messages about the importance of not only reading and not only believing but obeying the word of God on a daily basis, but the question is how, as I bring this series of messages into conclusion how can you read the word of God.

How can you daily.

Read the Scripture for edification. How can you read it so that you grow into the full stature of Christ and I have three things but before I tell you about those three things I want to give you seven no nose seven things that you must not do when you read the Bible seven mistakes that you must not fall into.

As you read the Bible. Somebody actually called them the seven deadly sins of Bible reading first one proof texting is it what is that while actually without using the word. I have been telling you this throughout my ministry career I have been saying this from the pulpit without mentioning the theological word for it, and is simply this. Do not take that text out of it's what context women. This do not think that text out of what context that's what proof texting is an example you read in the word of God. Second Corinthians chapter 12 verse nine when the word of God said the Lord said to me, my strength becomes perfect in weakness. So you say to yourself, this verse is fully the Scriptures just for me. I am not going to deal with moral weaknesses in my life.

I'm not going to deal with all any weaknesses in my life. After all, the Scripture said that God strength becomes perfect in my weakness, but in context and context does not mean that all in context. Have you read the context and keep the text in its context.

You notice that Paul was suffering physically. Physical problem.

We don't know what it is a lot of speculation of what was, and he had prayed to the Lord three times larger movement remover to remove it from the Lord said no Paul I'm not going to remove it but instead God sipped up all my strength will become perfect in the middle of your physical problem is always the text in its context because the problem had nothing to do with moral weakness. The problem had to do with physical weakness that Paul had no control over that your people making mistakes and living, lives because they take a text on the run with that second mistake that you must not make as you read the Bible and that is you must understand the figure of speech. You cannot be literalists and some things you must understand the figure speech of the Bible often use.

For example, Jesus said if you are I causes you to stumble, what did he say pluck it out if you took that literally what will happen will have churches are full of eyeless people, but this is a humoral way of expressing the importance of expressing the necessity of expressing the urgency. This is the Hebrew way of saying this is very important. Don't allow your eyes to wonder constantly lusting after greed and lusting after money lusting after people so please understand the language of the Bible. For example, in the medieval church. In the Bible. Jesus said this is my body, this is my blood was the priest must have the power to transfer the bread into body and the wine into blood and you know what happened.

Eric has been taking place with hundreds of years receipt in Semitic languages with which I grew up. If I get a picture out of my pocket and I say to you, this is my brother said to me you mean this is a picture of your brother is a yeah that's an English way of expressing it, but the somatic way of expressing sex. This is my brother and that's the way Jesus described it, and give up piece of his flesh.

He just said this is a symbol of the body that is going to be torn on the cross for you understand the symbols of the Scripture third deadly mistake that you must not make in reading the Bible is this understand the historical and cultural setting of the Bible just because it larger was called by God to confront the wicked King Ahab and the wicked Queen Jezebel and the prophets of bail and God sent fire from heaven to lick everything inside and think the sacrifice doesn't mean that everyone of us is called to stand up and challenge the wickedness of the authority and call for fire from heaven that was a specific call upon a specific man at a specific point in history in order God forgot to accomplish what he wanted to accomplish for Fleming to move quickly as I when we come to the good stuff of hog read the Bible. I had the negative but you gotta start with a negative will to get to the positive. The fourth mistake that you must not make as you read the Bible daily is use a good translation. Use a good translation. I know people used to think that the King James version is really inspiring. In fact, I met some sanctimonious people. Many years ago.

Mr. Culbertson James version is the new thing about King James Una: sent but that's okay.

Read a good translation of the Bible otherwise are going to be like this woman who constantly was pressuring her pastor and kept saying to him pastor there is somebody else in the Bible who is perfect like Jesus and he gives her no that is not true. Only Jesus was perfect perfection. Only now know the Bible said the somebody else's perfect and finally got so tired of this is not who she said Mark is Mark who in the world is Mark. She says right there in the Bible in Psalm 37 verse 37 it says marked the perfect man, while a different translation.

A more accurate translation perhaps would've told the Bible says notice the blameless man fifth mistake in reading the Bible that you must avoid is that you do not read into the Bible what you want to read into the Bible of my goodness Albert more people who have done this thing. I mean I would go back and I start unraveling stuff. It will blow, blow your mind now know some of you of feeling guilty right now because I have done the same thing when you believe that I do not myself.

I know it's a temptation for all of us wish to have a Canadian man who came to our home town was growing up in the early 60s he came 5000 miles wide to preach. He was a lousy preacher with as I might be young but I knew he was a lousy preacher. I mean, he could not preach his way out of a wet Kleenex and everybody was wondering who had the world as God is here. Finally, a group of elders got together and asked this of brother what what tell us about the call of God upon your life. How come you you came 5000 miles away to preach the gospel and he said well what happened.

One day I was frustrated in my future looked bleak. Nothing is happening in my life and I've prayed us Lord to show me and then I opened the Scripture and then my eyes fell upon the text that says flee to Egypt, flee to Egypt though was for Joseph and Mary and baby Jesus wasn't for this guy.

Don't read into the Bible what you want to read into the Bible. Six. Don't ever think that you are too brilliant to clever to knowledgeable to able to capable of reading the word of God and understanding it and comprehending it without the guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Listen to what the apostle Paul said to Timothy is what he said to him in second Timothy chapter 2 verse seven he should reflect on what I'm saying this into this for the Lord will give you insight into all this. If you would care to read the word of God or try to understand the word of God without the power of God's own Holy Spirit, who is the author of the word of God, you will end up either reading it intellectually and understanding it intellectually or twisting it to suit your purpose and will fax seven final one of those deadly sins and in written Bible reading is that you failed to apply the word of God in your daily life failed to draw application of the word of God into your life. Listen to what A.B. Simpson said it is so wonderful I had to put the whole thing is that God has hidden every precious thing in such a way that it is a reward for the diligent uprise for the earnest but a disappointment to the slothful soul. The nut is hidden in its 20 case the pearl is buried beneath the ocean's waves. The gold was imprisoned in the rocky bosom of the mountain.

The gym is found only after you crush the rock the various soil gives its harvest as a reward for the laboring farmer and I think it was Henry Ford who said cut your own word and you will be warm twice the config about this long time. Listen folks five minutes on the run and going to cut 10 minutes on the running of the current but spending time with God and unclear where you take the time out of your television watching you take it out of whatever you do whatever you take it from and spend time with the word of God, no.

It's one thing to tell you the things that you must avoid, but then I have to move on to tell you how to study the word of God in order that your life will literally be change and transform. The Bible said that you literally going to be transformed every single day and you gonna move from one point of glory into another. So if you've been stagnant in your Christian life and not being transform this because you have not spent time before God on your knees, with his word. Three questions you must ask yourself is daily you read the Scripture for question number one what does the Bible say to the original reader.

Secondly, what does the Bible mean about what it says.

And thirdly, how can this apply to me today three questions what does the Bible say to the original reader not a member that God the Holy Spirit had inspired many people over 40 riders in a span of 1500 years and this is where the medical comes in that is not a book on God's earth, that is that many people at different times and yet the first in the middle and the last, all saying the same thing and so the Holy Spirit inspired these people to ride the each of these sections to the specific people at a specific time and therefore you must ask yourself what would it mean for those original people who received that original writing. Moses, for example, was speaking to a group of people that are very different from the ones that Ezekiel spoke to Moses was speaking to a group of people who had very little knowledge of God and who he is and how he works.

Why because they have been knee-deep for 400 years into Egyptian paganism, but about 1000 years later, give or take seizures.

Ezekiel the prophet was speaking to a different group of people he was speaking to a group of people who use the word of God, who understood the command of God, but they rejected that they twisted that they rationalized that they tried to get it to suit them. They understood the election to means that they are better than everybody else instead of children bubbling responsibility. So there speaking in different times in different places Paul.

For example, have written some of the letters Ephesians the Colossians, and through the Corinthians of the Thessalonians, but each letter that he writes he is answering a specific question or dealing with a specific problem that have arisen for this church which you believe the Holy Spirit of God was working his purposes out as Paul answering these questions in dealing with these so that here we are to back 2000 years later, we cannot find a single problem that the apostle Paul does not answer. Ask yourself, what was the problem. What was the answer. Secondly, you must ask yourself what does the Bible mean by what he says some people spurred the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ because they do not make sense like the world makes sense that the world makes sense.

The well says to cure them in the teeth especially when you're angry to pray it's understandable. It makes a lot of sense to the world. But Jesus said love your enemy.

Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you prior for those who spitefully use you and persecute you know that I began to prove recent times. I personally is my personal opinion. Consider the ACLU is the most wicked evil organization around and you know what the Lord laid on my heart. I started praying for the ACLU for every chapter across the land, because if I think Jesus believe what Jesus and his his logic that I must do. I have no other option. The world says look at number one because that's all that matters. But Jesus said whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for my sake, for the Gospels will save doesn't make sense to the world but it makes every sense to God and to those who love the Lord Jesus. Can you imagine a college recruiting Martha be this if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me here. Best of luck.

All the students want to know what the college going offer them how they gonna help them what social life and all the good stuff. So always ask yourself the question whether the Bible mean by what it says is that how can I know this will first of all, when you begin your Bible reading coming under the authority of the Holy Spirit asking the Holy Spirit of God to give you insights.

It will help you have a Bible dictionary next year. Strong's concordance.

Whatever it is just usually doesn't matter. Keep it handy for something you don't understand.

Flip the page and look at finally ask yourself the question, how can this apply to me today. More often than not.

If you begin your Bible reading by asking the Holy Spirit of God to guide you and give you insight.

He will more often than not it's rarity that I would be reading the word of God and I would not since the spread of God saying to me.

Michael this is for you. This encouragement meant for you. This tribute cement for you. This challenge is for you this morning is for you. This exhortation meant for you wanted to listen to what's Charles Spurgeon said about reading the Bible. By the way, if you gonna say with your self-worth that was Charles Spurgeon. He's a great theologian in a but I am a layman material that man dropped out of school at the age of 15. That said, go back and yet I promise it is not a pastor anywhere in the world does not have a shelf of Spurgeon's books from one end of the other. How diligence application and coming under the authority of the Holy Spirit, God gave him more in science more powerful insights. Some of the great theologians listen to what is said about the Bible said what the Bible has wrestled with me.

The book has smitten me. That book has comforted me that Lucas confronted me. This book smiled upon me. This book frowned on me. This book clasped my hands. This book worn warmed my heart. This book weeps with makeup and sayings with me. It whispers to me and preaches to me, it maps out my way and holds up my goings. It is a young man's best companion, and it still my morning and evening chaplain I thought of practical way, and I am extremely reluctant, as most of you know to talk about what I do because I really don't want people to God's. This must be the only way to do things that looks pleasant. There are a lot of ways and methods from software on computer to start for you can get from the Christian bookstores.

There are varieties of ways in which you can read through the Bible. I honestly just counted from the top of my head of what I know will over 13 or 14 different ways, but I find that in my own devotions, not in my study for sermon preparation. If you see the Bible fall apart from all personal devotion I come across the chronological Bible and it goes January 1 and December 31. I know my weaknesses, so I know that I need discipline and so I began the good thing about this daily Bible reading is a he begins by giving you a history timeline and then the little gray section.

There were, he marks notes so that you follow what happened what's coming next. What has happened in the give you some explanations and every time I try to change doesn't work so for my own personal edification of God. Read the Bible first thing in the morning.

Day one until it's finished day to until it's finished.

If I don't finish, which is very seldom.

I still make time during the day at night or something to finish the Bible reading of the day that's what I mean.

As you spend time with God feed upon his word is going to speak to you is going to show you is going to make you grow and you gonna move from one point of glory into another.

Although Jesus, we confess that we've got so many powerful enemies are trying to stop us from reading your word meditating upon your word studying your word being challenged by your word and being motivated by your word. Lord, we know that the reason the church is in the mess that sent today is because your people have neglected your word, and so our pride in the name of Jesus that you will encourage us.

Each of us a thank you for those who made a genuine commitment to read your word, not private. To continue drinkers now pray for those who have not that today it would be nonemotional and not a moment for decision but a constant decision, give us hunger for your word, and so that we cannot go without it for a day anymore than we can go without food so father give us first that we would drink deeply and that not only we be transformed but we might transform the world around us for for the rest of us in Jesus. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael.

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