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Living By The Word Psalm 119:9-16

Living By The Word Psalm 119:9-16. Happy New Year! New Year – a time to plan a fresh start with new goals Are you looking forward to setting some fresh new goals for yourself? Your health? Your finances? Your career? How about your spiritual life?.

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Living By The Word Psalm 119:9-16

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  1. Living By The WordPsalm 119:9-16 • Happy New Year! • New Year – a time to plan a fresh start with new goals • Are you looking forward to setting some fresh new goals for yourself? • Your health? • Your finances? • Your career? • How about your spiritual life?

  2. 2012: a year to renew our commitment to give God first priority in our lives. • We can show that God has first place by taking the time every day to read His Word. He speaks to us through the pages of the Bible. What did you hear God say to you through His Word in 2011?

  3. Interestingly many Christians do not read their Bibles.

  4. A Christian is a person who has committed himself or herself to be a follower of Jesus Christ • John 8:31 [ESV] - “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.” • So why should we read the Bible? • Psalm 1:1,2 [ESV] – “Blessed is the man whose…delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates night and day.” • Realize the Importance of God’s Word • Prioritize the Reading of God’s Word • Internalize the Message of God’s Word

  5. 1. Realize the Importance of God’s Word • Why is it important that we take time each day to read the Bible? • Psalm 119: 9a [ESV] - “How can a young man keep his way pure?” • Keeping ourselves pure has always been a characteristics of a follower of Jesus: • Philippians 1:9-11 [ESV] – “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ…”

  6. Why do we need to “keep our way pure?” • We live in a polluted world polluted by sin • We have an Adversary who isconstantly tempting usto drift & stray from God’s ways. • Psalm 119:9b [ESV] - “…guarding [our way] according to your word.” • NIV Psalm 119:9b [NIV] - “By living…” • NLT Psalm 119:9b [NLT] - “By obeying…” • The Bible is TRUE and LIVING and RELEVANT for your life today!

  7. Hebrews 4:12 [NLT] - For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. • 2 Timothy 3: 16,17 [NLT] - All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

  8. 2. Prioritize the Reading of God’s Word • If you acknowledge that as a Christian, it is important to read God’s Word, you need to act on that truth. • It takes effort • It takes a change in attitude. • Psalm 119:10 [ESV] - With my whole heart I seek you. • Psalm 119:12 [ESV] - Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! • Psalm 119:15 [ESV] - I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.

  9. How do I prioritize? • Plan a Time - make an appointment with God every day and keep it. • Choose a Place - pick a place that is free from distractions. • Follow a Good Method - read through a book systematically. • Try to identify one key thought that God is communicating to you that you can reflect on during the day.

  10. The benefit of a daily quiet time in God’s Word:  like taking vitamins • The real value comes from the long term effect on our overall spiritual well-being. • If you miss your appointment with God once in a while: • Don’t get yourself on a guilt trip • Don’t let Satan discourage you • Don’t give up – keep at it!

  11. Joshua 1:8 [NIV] – Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. • A challenge and an encouragement to us as we make a fresh new start at the beginning of a New Year! • Let’s not let God’s Word depart from us but meditate on it daily.

  12. 3. Internalize the Message of God’s Word • Psalm 119:11[ESV] - I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. • Psalm 119:13 [ESV] - With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. • Psalm 119:16 [ESV] - I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. • The Psalmist models for ushow to deepen our engagement with God’s Word • God’s Word impacts our lives the most when we let it transform us into the people He wants us to be.

  13. v.11- “storing up [God’s] word in [our] heart” • The best way to “store up God’s Word in our heart” is to memorize key verses that we can recall when the opportunity arises. • Knowing a number of key verses from the Bible will help encourage you in your walk with God because His Word will be a part of you and you will be able to recall important truths when you need them most.

  14. How can we keep our lives on track in this New Year – 2012? • By living according to God’s Word. • Realize the Importance of God’s Word • Prioritize the Reading of God’s Word • Internalize the Message of God’s Word • James 2:22 [NIV] - Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

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