Authentic - Stop Reading Your Bible, Part 2

Are you tired of people telling you to read the Bible, but when you do, you don't get anything out of it. I want to tell you. Reading the Bible and start meditating on the Bible away change your life will show you how today. Thanks for joining us for this Monday edition of Living on the Edge with shipping chip serves as our Bible teacher of his daily international discipleship program really is a danger continues in a series of authentic Christian without being religious.*Previous broadcast. Online anytime@livingontheedge.org provides a lot of context for which your great help. While you're there.

One of download chips free message notes make a great study tool as you listen well and strong chip for part two of his message from Romans chapter 12 stop reading your Bible. There's times we need to stop reading your Bible and start hating on and so I'll take the one verse that might slightly stick out to me and then I'll say it out loud and emphasize different words. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth but you shall meditate on it day and night and you and all the sudden it goes from something God said to Joshua and see what meditation does.

It takes the cold light of Scripture and it turns it into the hot passion of God's very personal word to you and it only comes by meditation, but that also explains what people can read the Bible. Here in the Bible and listed on godly lives. Meditate is the missing link. We need to say God.

What does this mean what does this mean to me.

God what I've read this. What do I learn about your character.

Today see, the key to meditation really is asking good questions. It's like taking that passage like the prison and turning it God. Is there a sin in my life that you want to point out from this passage. Is there anything else you want to talk about. I don't really want to deal with them today. Okay, you got worse with you.

Is there a promise for me. You want to clean since just asking key questions. What is it mean what does it mean to me. Is there a center for sake. Is there a promise to claim what can I learn about you and the author my mind will shift and I realize God's faithful God comes through God, didn't you know your Josh was got these millions of people. He didn't say you know. Good luck Josh said Josh here's what will help you make it through and I don't have any kind of responsibility like Joshua and if this book of the law shouldn't depart out of his mouth, I think I'll take this one verse and memorize it this week and I think I put on 3 x 5 card and I think you know not what I'm driving, but maybe while I'm shaving hundred and then I get to go beyond meditating because meditating gets me ready.

It personalizes and I really see how God speaks me. Then I get to go to phase 3.

I'm going to apply it, see the truth gets digested and it needs to be applied because why was Joshua told to meditate this book along reception you meditate day and night.

Why in order to obey all that's written.

See, this is this is why people never get to application because it will meditate, times have we read something and you can even tell anybody what you read or what it meant to you.

Jesus made an incredible statement to a group of Jews who just believed in John eight.

They just come to Christ and he said if you continue in my word. If you abide in my word and the word means not only to receive the word but to hold onto it and put into practice. He said to them, if you continue in my word, you will know the truth see knowing the truth isn't intellectually having known the truth is it reading the Bible, knowing the truth is, this is what is right for everyone. But this is what is right for me. You will know the truth and the truth will set you in that what you want to be free to God points out sin in my life.

Not because he's down on me because one may not be greedy or not be lustful because you know he goes. Oh gosh chips doing it again its own. Paris is me is because is a holy heavenly father and he says that'll destroy chips life better destroy your life. I want to point out sin to my children. So instead of going over the cliff, they just hit a guardrail and they stay within the boundaries and walking wisdom. And so you receive the word God speaks you get personal.

He speaks to you.

Meditation then you respond and you apply it in your attitudes change in your behavior changes like for me this week because meditating on a passage and for me, I meditate of memorize some verses and so when I review them seems a time when God speaks me and I was reviewing area a passage about integrity and about speech and I was involved in a in a big meeting recently and in that meeting we really shared our hearts with one another and something came out of my mouth was just wrong. You know, words have two possibilities that can give light or they can give heat, light, helps people keep wounds people and you can even use the right word and can really give light but the impact is it hurts him. And in that meeting, I realized there was some light but I gave some heat out. I gave heat up because I was hurt.

I gave heat out because my pride was wounded and saw meditating on this passage and wake up in the morning and God says what you do. I don't feel so II called the fellow that I need to apologize for and was thankful that his line was busy.

I put off a day so I get a call from a close friend early in the week and he says a you know that meeting we ran yeah you know was really gracious about you know you did this well you did this while you do this well, something came to my mind. Even that phrase you used, I said all thank you you got article, so I tried to call one more time in one home. Praise God, you know.

And so then I went away to pray for day and came back and then another friend came and said you you ask me member while back you said if there's ever anything in your life. I said the phrase the meeting. Yeah I said not before the weekends off. Make sure and I had a very positive conversation. Confess my sin receive forgiveness and peace restored. See that's applying the word changes your life to God wants you to receive it. He want you to meditate on it. If you don't meditate on it you'll never apply it, and that you apply it in the truth gets integrated and its transformation so you literally grow from growth in knowledge growth and understanding, then you grow in grace when you apply it you can't do it. I couldn't do it I could make it work but when I take the step of disgrace. And then when you grow in grace, and the scripters growth and fruitfulness.

You become a more Christlike woman, a more Christlike man, a more Christlike and so this is the process that God wants us over time you cut a build new ruts.

If you will in your mind where when this happens your honest instead of one.

When this happens your less greedy. When this happens, instead of it being wounded and strike back to get a hold hearing in the early days.

Maybe it's biting your tongue, but over the years. As you meditate on the word and as you deal with it. And as you apply it. What happens is you find you're not an angry person you find over period of years and months you will no longer be a proud person you will find over years and months you will no longer be a lustful person.

Yes, you will have ups and downs, and struggles that you will find as you receive the word as you meditate on the word and as you apply the word you will be transformed.

It will be integrated into how you think and how you act and guess what people say.

While he was exposed to the Scriptures. Here, here, she's life is changed here and isn't that the plan means everything the New Testament doesn't seem to be like the basic plan that we will be conformed to the image of his son. When I what I want to do is give you the key phrase here and then talk about how it works in daily practice. The key phrase.

The key to change is renewing your mind.

You might want to jot that down, renewing your mind. That's what meditation an application does. It renews your mind you can be exposed to a lot of Bible you can hear a lot of messages. You can even memorize and study, but it doesn't necessarily renew your mind until you meditate and apply the connection between what goes in your mind what you keep out of your mind and what you meditate or ponder or muse or think on is the key to life transformation and giving the Holy Spirit raw material so they can give you grace to change your life. Let me give you a concluding passage that will wrap up and show you how this works in daily practice. The big picture, Psalm 11 to 3.

The transformational process. Joshua 18. The daily practice. Romans 12 to see. Listen, this verse has the same outliner component parts. As Psalm 1 to 3. Notice the first portion of this verse is what a person does not do the second aspect of this verse is what a godly person does, and the third aspect of this verse is the impact it will have on your life. Does that sound familiar.

This is the New Testament, Psalm one Romans 12 to and do not be conformed, molded or squeezed is the idea. Do not be conformed to this world. Don't let the junkyard of life in our day and culture that is apart from God conform or squeeze you into its thinking thoughts like I need to have a lot to be a lot thoughts like I'm gonna be beautiful. My mind can be per becoming abundantly worthwhile box like if I'm not married. I'll never be complete boxlike all my kids have to turn out perfect drama failure boxlike lots of money stored up in lots of big places and I'll never be secure. Those are all thoughts of the world, but they drive us to the drive they drive your values thoughts about I get my needs met, or I will be fulfilled… Be happy every moment.

Everyone needs to come through for me to keep come through for you. Don't be conformed to this world but okay that's what you don't do. Here's what we do, but be transformed. How are you ready for phrase by the renewing of your mind, be transformed literally the word is the metamorphic size member ninth grade biology metamorphosis. It's a transformation that begins from the inside out, and then noticed the result. Don't be conformed, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, here's the impact that you may prove or demonstrate test what the will of God is, what's the will of God.

That which is good, acceptable and perfect. You can apply to every area. Don't be conformed to the world and how you think about relationships be transformed by the renewing of your mind think about relationships the way God does then you'll test and discover how relationships really work that the good acceptable and perfect. You be swimming upstream.

Mind you know is a couple key phrases here that I like the highlight. And then I want to tell you a brief story before I understood anything that I've ever shared how this actually worked in my life. I like you to notice that a literal translation of don't be conformed is stop being conformed the grammar here indicates that the apostle Paul by means of the Holy Spirit assume the people were being conformed so he says stop being conformed so there's an action, you need to stiff arm the world. But notice the second half, a literal translation would start allowing yourself to be transformed. Don't fall into the self-help mentality here.

Don't pull up your bootstraps on the reader by one to memorize them to meditate on to get like God it won't work.

It says start allowing yourself. That's the passive voice the only one that can change he was Christ. The only we can change with his grace. You have to put yourself in a position where his grace can operate start allowing yourself to be transformed so you get the word in your life you talk to God. Honestly and you meditate on it and you take steps dependently. Any changes I have no idea. To be candid. How any of this work I I opened this book for the first time when I was 18 came to Christ.

The summer after high school, went away to college met a bricklayer who is trained by the navigators and I spent the next six or seven years or so with him learning to be a follower of Jesus. This group was real high on Scripture memory of the Christian about 2 to 1/2 years or so.

My roommate was a I was for the black sheep of the ministry. Everyone said he ought to do that and I question everything, so they were making progress and I sort of was always behind and they were real big that everyone needed memorize Scripture.

My theory was if I want to find it. It's in the book a look at up and Scripture memory seem like an awful lot of work side and want to go for that. But my roommate was going to go to the summer training program and he had to have the 60 versus memorized before he could go and out of the purest of motives, ego, pride I'm better than you all show you Bob when he left he had the 60 versus on these cute little cards I want you to pay for the cards so I cut out 3 x 5 cards.

These are my originals for over 20 years ago, and I cut out the cards and when he was out of the room.

I wrote down all the verses he was both member and since my pride and ego were involved. He was get out. Do three versus a week what wimps do real man do verse the day so I can tell I didn't telling I just couldn't wait.

After 60 days, and I walked in today Bubba, go ahead. Anyone is cards you show so anyway I get these cards and I do verse today. I mean the first one about killed me. I can't memorize this trying trying trying trying Savannah and then I reviewed every verse, I learned I reviewed every day.

As I realizes what you can learn. Four days later for you. Okay so I'm walking around. I mean I'm walking to baseball practice. I'm in psychology class was very boring and and I'm reviewing reviewing reviewing know why my doing all this I'm doing it because I want to beat Bob but what I didn't tell you is I have a problem you guys will probably not understand this but I'm sure my heart. After about two and half years. You know the external big moral issues like I don't remember the day I stop cussing but I stop cussing and in some of the big sins. It probably Christians are supposed to do you know I could hang out places and doing things.

What is blatantly wrong, but this problem of lust that no one else could see that was in my mind and my heart.

I can look at me. I had this. Oh God, oh God, and God help me, help me I'll never think that will never do that again, never, never, never, four minutes later you know that I get so discouraged upright. Help me help me help me sorry sorry sorry help me help me help me sorry sorry sorry and finally after about two and half years I thought okay this is the unconquerable sin.

All men live with this cleanup the big major areas.

No one can see what's going on in your mind and just pretend so you look at girls a certain way you play certain games and you see, but down deep in your heart you lost. I don't think you can.

When I did know and I did know about this process but after memorizing a verse every day for 3 1/2 weeks not know what that is 2526 versus a member having a conversation with a very attractive girl that I lusted for before and she was a believer, and that maybe even guilty or talk about God in my heart these things. Oh you been there guys you know tell me where was so anyway, I have this conversation and then we depart, and I start walking to a different cafeteria. I'm thinking why my walking this cafeteria.

I always eat with the basketball team above the freshman dorm of girls and I always sit with them. We make crass remarks about girls and I lust with them. I just had a conversation with a girl I did lust. I don't know why and I know I don't want to go to that cafeteria today and I memorize the rest of the 60 versus and then I did about 3 to 5 versus a week for the next five or six years and I like to tell you men that I never have a lustful thought. I'm telling you that I struggle like everybody else.

Periodically the stranglehold of my life God transforms my thinking. Now I did know about meditation. All I knew was as if I didn't review them every day. I kept forgetting them. So I'm reviewing and when you review first John 215 and 16 love not the world nor the things that are in the world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the boastful pride of life is not from the father but is from the world and all the things of the world are gonna be gone, but he who does the will of God abides forever. When I pondered that when I meditated on it when I reviewed it when I realized it was I was breaking God's heart. I was thinking in a dysfunctional way and I would never have the kind of relationships, God wanted me to have. If I thought about the opposite sex. That way I was program for 18 years to think like the world and think of women as objects and hormonal releases and God says their co-heirs of the grace of God and the people there to be treated with dignity and you look them in the eye, not at other places and you love and care for them as people. And that's the kind of man, a real dolly will be looking down the road and 4 1/2 years later, instead of getting someone who may have met my physical need, and I would play all kind of games with. I met a godly woman and had a great marriage ended up with four kids. Like a tree firmly planted by the streams of water, yielding its fruit in its season in my leaf didn't wither and whatever I did prosper, stop conforming to the world. Eliminate can I encourage you the spiritual toxins in your life you be surprised how your mind is so infiltrated. You have to stop the spiritual toxins.

Ask yourself what I think what life you what I read what movies do I go to what people do I associate what comes out of their mouth. Spiritual toxins stop and conform to the world and allow your mind to be transformed by the renewing of your mind how you doing biblical meditation. Here's a game plan. It's not original.

I got it from a missionary in South America, many, many years ago.

He called at the two prolapsed method and that there's no kidding spiritual meeting to two prolapsed so here's what the two prolapsed stands for first pray and ask God to speak to you. I'm amazed sometimes I just forget that expecting to speak to you the second P preview read to the passage quickly for an overview where it's a paragraph or chapter.

What is read through it quickly is to get the big picture, the way your mind works. He wants to get the whole picture so they can put in the pieces. The next letter is our read read the passages second time slowly and contemplatively and I would add out loud. There's something to hear in your own voice hear the word of God out loud. The O stands for observe your now going back and reading it for the third time you observe. Go back and underline keywords circle words or phrases that are repeated and highlight the most meaningful verse to you see this in real heart and then a stands for apply choose 1 Specific Way to put into practice the truth. You discovered it might be memorizing the verse. It might be like me to call someone apologize it might be writing an encouraging note, it might be choosing to serve to help someone but don't leave this book until you decide to do one specific thing and according to Jesus, when you respond to the word you get more light, but those who think they have, even what they think they have to be taken away.

Contest is marked for responding to Scripture after you apply then pray ask for God, ask God for power and wisdom to follow through with your application. This isn't about you trying harder. It's not you, depending more and then finally tell share with at least one person what new insight truth or application you've made in response to God's word to you and if you do you will become like a tree firmly planted by the streams of water which yields its fruit in season, your leaf will not whether and whatever you do, you prosper to the conclusion is stop just reading your Bible and start Medicaid chip will be back in some additional thoughts about today's teaching but if you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram's message today. Stop reading your Bible is from his series authentic how to be a Christian without being religious, being a Christian who lived like a Christian.

One person, one family, one church, one community at a time is how you can make an authentic difference in your world. This powerful series is available in a couple of audio formats and for limited time. The MP3s are absolutely free.

When I get a set for yourself or send them to a friend who could benefit from a fresh perspective on how to live the Christian life without getting caught up in all kinds of religious activity for complete pricing and ordering information, go to LivingontheEdge.org or we'd be happy to have you call us at 1-888-333-6003 chip thinking about authentic you make it very clear in the Bible is clear that we have to be in God's word and we need to do life in community with other believers will speak truth into our lives, but I've often heard you say that having a mentor is a great way to grow up. Someone said he chip would you mentor me. What would you actually do and how would you help them become a more athletic follower of Jesus will Dave I have to tell you, a lot of people asked me that you know will get an email we get letters in unit people I've never heard of. And they say would you mentor me, I'm thinking you know I would love to do something like that but you know there's thousands and thousands of people and in fact one of the joys of having a broadcaster getting to to write a book, is that you get to mentor people that you'll never meet them. The people that have mentored me.

I bit over half of them are dead. It is through their books that I've studied because what we learned is that when you really want to become authentic follower is that someone is already blaze the trail and so as we talk about this series, I wrote a book called good to great in God's eyes. The 10 practices. The great Christians have in common in and out of that grew a small group study and that, of course, MP3s, and lots of other ways but I have done a lot of mentoring in the church that I pastored and I've done a lot of mentoring of individuals and I literally say okay you really are serious about being authentic follower and people say yes absolutely that I'll give him his book or I give them that the videos are the you know the audios are trying to figure out how do people learn and give it to them in the way they get it best and then I say I want you to listen to this or read this and I want to make some notes and then let's get together and discuss where and how you're putting this into practice and all share where I met on my journey and so we walk through you know reading great books imprint great prayers and pursuing great people and one of the ones I love is dreaming great dreams.

At 11 that I that always shocks people is is developing great habits is that so often we think there's this mystical magic bullet out there and yet it's the grace of God over time in his word in the community of God's people. Where were honest with one another. With the spirit of God progressively transforms us. This is a journey and when we talk about being authentic. What we wanted to do was help you have a resource in whatever way it helps you most to literally practice the things that all great Christians have in common is called good to great in God's eyes. Why don't you take the initiative get a handful of people and get after it. Frank's trip good to great in God's eyes is a great resource to help you become the authentic follower of Jesus, you want to be so authentic is only here were discounting the entire set of series resources for good to great in God's eyes as well to order or preview the video resources for small group you'll find everything you're looking for online that LivingontheEdge.org will now here's chip with the final application as we wrap up today's program. I hope something happened as you were listening, I I hope that I was talking about the power of meditation and not going through the motions of reading the Bible, but meditating have the Holy Spirit take the written word and make it the living word and and speak to you and encourage you and and convict you where necessary in this relationship happened that so many Christians talk about God wants that for you. And don't get put off by the two pro-Appleton and think that there's all these steps I have to go through what I want you to know is that yes it is a powerful, supernatural thing that God does, but there are some skills that we have to learn in the two Pro app is a way to learn those skills. One of my sons is an amazing musician and what he tells me is still to this day. He does scales. You know he does all those scales and it's the fundamentals I coach for a number of years and and every practice I had the kids go through the basic fundamentals ballhandling drills.

Many were college athletes and yet what I knew was they could improvise and they could do things they never dreamed once the skills became second nature. We've put together a course called how to hear God's voice in Scripture and I take this to Pro at method in about 5 to 7 minute teachings in five sessions I can help you learn the skills to meditate and hear God's voice, go to LivingontheEdge.org and join us this year is with a high view of Scripture. We are committed not just reading the Bible to hearing from God will just before we close over think those of you who make this broadcast possible through your generous giving Living on the Edge invests those dollars to purchase her time create programs and provide resources to help Christians live like Christians if Living on the Edge is been a blessing to you. Would you prayerfully consider sending a gift today.

You can donate online at http://livingontheedge.org or by calling us at 1-888-333-6003. Thank you for your partnership with us. While I hope you'll join us again tomorrow as chip continues our current series. For now though, the Steve Ruiz saying thanks for listing this addition of living on the