DEVOTIONAL 5 Theme: Say It Out Loud Read: II Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Another great way to meditate on the Word of God is to read a verse out loud, focusing on a different word each time. Work through Psalm 19:8 this way. Write down anything that stands out to you. Work your way through the exercise above. Write down the different thoughts that come to mind as you emphasize each word. God teach me Your Word. Help me to set aside time on a regular basis to meditate on what the Scriptures say. John Chapter 15 40 Days in the Word WEEKLY GUIDE
CONTENTS DEVOTIONAL 4 Service Program 2 Sermon Notes 3 Connection Group Guide 6 Devotionals 8 SERVICE PROGRAM Part One // Music Welcome: Ben Crownover Song: Cornerstone Song: One Thing er: Ben Crownover Part Two // Message Video: 40 Days In The Word Scripture Reading: Hunter Bachman Message and er: Pastor Minerva Part Three // Conclusion er and ion * Feel free to come to the front at this time if you would like a pastor to pray with you. Song: Behold Our God er: Hunter Bachman Offering to the LORD & Announcements Theme: Questions To Ask Read: Psalm 119:99b thy testimonies are my meditation. Remember, there is nothing mystical or weird about meditating on Scripture. It simply means to ponder, muse, or think about something. There are several questions we can ask ourselves that will help us as we get to know God and help us focus on what He wants to tell us. Keep in mind that there is nothing sacred or magical about these questions, but they will help us think about or meditate on what the Bible says. What is the context of this passage? What does this passage reveal to me about the nature of God? What does this passage reveal to me about myself? Does God offer any promises in this passage? What does the grace of God want to do in my life? What particular verse stood out the most to me today? C o l o s s i a n s 3 : 1 6 g i v e s u s t h i s encouragement Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. This cannot be done if we rush through our reading. However, as we take the time to slow down and soak in the Word it will. Take some time and ask these questions about a passage of Scripture. God, I pray that you would slow down my busy heart and mind so that I can soak in Your Word. John Chapter 14
DEVOTIONAL 3 SERMON NOTES Theme: Gospel Verses to Memorize Read: Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Any time spent seeking to hide God s Word in your heart is time well spent. All Scripture is profitable 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us. These one verse statements of the gospel can be especially profitable. When we memorize a verse that summarizes the gospel, we have hidden in our hearts divinely inspired and inerrant expressions of the very point of the Bible and the focal point of all of history. Committing these verses to memory will strengthen us spiritually and root us deep in the love of the Father. Memorizing Scripture literally re-wires or renews our mind with the very words of God. These verses are a great place to start: Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 8:1 T h e r e i s t h e r e f o r e n o w n o condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Take some time this week to memorize a few of these verses. Father, thank you for saving me. I pray that as I memorize Your Word, Your Spirit would renew my mind and make me more like You. John Chapter 13 GOD S WORD IS HELPFUL Introduction: The ultimate goal of being in the Bible is to see God s glory that leads to everlasting worship. Psalm 19:7-8 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Reading what is written (the Bible) is a window into the glory of Christ. - John Piper I. THE SCRIPTURES Ephesians 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ). One of the biggest scams Satan has running is the lie that reading the Bible is a chore. - David Mathis
SERMON NOTES DEVOTIONAL 2 II. THE SCRIPTURES Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. When we learn Scripture by heart, we re not just memorizing ancient, enduringly relevant texts, but we re listening to and learning the voice of our Creator and Redeemer Himself. III. THE SCRIPTURES Psalm 119:15a I will meditate in thy precepts, Meditating is deep thinking on the truths and spiritual realities revealed in Scripture for the purposes of understanding, application, and prayer. - Donald Whitney The design of the whole Scripture, and all the parts of it, has an impression on it of divine wisdom and authority: and hereof there are two parts: first, To reveal God unto men; and secondly, To direct men to come unto the enjoyment of God. - John Owen Theme: Read the Bible for Yourself Read: Ephesians 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Whether you are brand new to reading the Bible, or you have been reading it for years, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is to regularly read the Bible. The fact that we can have the Bible with us wherever we go, on our phones, or on our computers, really is a luxury that has not been the case for most of church history and in many places in the world today. Unfortunately, with so much access to God s Word, we often take it very lightly. Reading your Bible every day is not a law that every Christian must abide by, because most Christians don t have this option! However, the daily habit of reading the Bible is a tremendous means of God s grace. Why wouldn t we make it a regular habit? Below are a few practical tips for reading the Bible for yourself: Read for the author s meaning It can be so easy to superimpose our own meaning onto the text, but if we do this we can make the Bible say almost anything. When we read, we want to know what the author intended for the original audience to hear. Ask Questions We have several listed questions out in Devotional 4, but here are a few good ones: 1. Ask about word definitions (what does this word mean?) 2. Ask about context (what is the big picture the text is communicating?) 3. Ask about application (how should my actions respond?) 4. Ask about affection (how should my heart respond?) Ask for God s Help Every time you read the Bible ask God to open your eyes and show you wonderful things from His Word (Psalm 119:18). Trust that the Bible is how God speaks to you and then spend some time reading it! Thank Him for giving you His Word. Lord, I know that the Bible is Your Word and it is how You speak to your children. Thank You for giving it it us and speaking to us. John Chapter 12
DEVOTIONAL 1 CONNECTION GROUP GUIDE Theme: Shape Your Life With The Word Of Life Read: Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. From start to finish the Christian life is totally dependent on the grace of God (Romans 3:24, Acts 13:43). The most basic way we experience this grace is by immersing ourselves in His Word. Before we jump into a few different methods of immersing ourselves, consider what an incredible gift it is to have the Word of God. The Bible tells us that it was with a simple word that God created the universe (Genesis 1:3). Long before we ever had it printed and nicely bound, we see God speaking. He reveals Himself to us. He communicates with us. The very One Who created us and sustains us talks to us in human words! Then this Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). He fully and finally made the Father known (John 1:18). Jesus is the Word of God embodied. None of us have seen the resurrected Jesus with our physical eyes, and that is ok, because He has given us His written word. John wanted us to be able to experience the same thing they did when the disciples saw, heard, and touched Jesus. This is why he wrote 1 John (1 John 1:1-4)! As crucial as it is for our spirituality that we have Jesus, so we need the God-inspired Scriptures. His revelation of Himself. If we are going to saturate our life in the grace of God, we must saturate our lives in His Word. Our lives should be shaped by the Word of Life. There may be different ways that we each go about doing this and there are a lot of different methods for sure. But before we dive into those, let s decide to allow His Word to shape our lives. Fashion rhythms into your routine that help you shape your life by the Scriptures. God, thank you for the amazing gift of Your Word. Help me to, by Your grace, shape my life by it and ultimately be conformed to the image of Your Son. John Chapter 11 Opening er God, we trust that You are here with us today. Help us to hear from You; soften our hearts to Your leadership and presence. Amen. Psalm 19:8 the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Spend a few minutes reviewing with your Connection Group Bible Study how your daily time in the Word of God went. What passage of Scripture spoke to you this week? What about it stood out to you? Have you done the exercise in Devotional 4 and 5 yet? What was your experience like? OR Did you memorize any of the verses in Devotional 3? If so, recite it to your group.
CONNECTION GROUP GUIDE CONNECTION GROUP GUIDE On Sunday, we saw how engaging the Bible does the same for our soul as listening to Jesus did for the early Christians. Reading the Bible is how we see the glory of God. 1 John 1:1, 3 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. How can this truth change the way we approach the Scriptures? _ Once we have the correct foundation, we see three different ways that we can engage the Bible: Read - Ephesians 3:4 Memorize - Psalm 119:11 Meditate - Psalm119:15 It is important to remember that as we engage the Bible in these three ways, we do so with a heart of faith, and keep the ultimate goal in mind. Being in the Bible is ultimately about seeing God s glory which leads to everlasting worship. Of the three methods of engaging Scripture that we looked at Sunday, which is your strongest? Which is your weakest? _ What is God currently doing in your heart through His Word? What steps can you take this week to make the Bible more of a priority in your life? Share with your group about a time the Word of God gave you exactly what you needed. Closing er God, You know our next right step and what you are inviting us into. As we head out into our week, help us to be sensitive to Your presence and Your invitation. Help us to engage in the Bible in meaningful ways so that we can encounter You and the life change You provide. WEEKLY MEMORY VERSE Psalm 19:8 the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.