Right over there in Matthew chapter number five and of course on Sunday mornings. We've been going through this series
Entitled shine as lights and we've been learning about
how to be the light of the world and the fact that we are the light of the world and
How to let our lights so shine and this morning
I'm not preaching a Christmas sermon
I'll be preaching a Christmas sermon on on our Christmas Eve service this Thursday
So I'd encourage you to join us for that and our Christmas Eve service will actually be the last sermon in this
Series and on Christmas Eve. I'll be preaching a sermon called the light of the world
But this morning I am dealing with a subject
on
how to not burn out and
I want to speak to you about how to stay in the Christian life and we're supposed to shine as lights
But the problem is that we
Often find Christians who burn out and they burn up and they don't last
Very long in the Christian life and you're there in Matthew chapter 5 and this of course where we began our series
Several weeks ago verse 14 says this is what Jesus said to his disciples and what Jesus says to you and I he says he
Are the light of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid
Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel
But on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house notice verse 16 let your light
So shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven
The Bible tells us that we as Christians and in the Christian life. We are to burn bright
In fact, if you're taking notes tonight
I encourage you to take our excuse me this morning and I'd encourage you to take notes this morning on the back of your course
Of the week there's a place for you to write down
Some statements and I don't want to preach very long this morning because we've already had
Several long announcements and activities and the choir and of course
But I encourage you to just jot these things down if you don't have a baby sitting on your lap or something like that
Number one this morning is this in the Christian life. We are to burn bright like a lake candle
This is what the Bible teaches or the illustration the representation giving given of the Christian life
Is that we're the light of the world and therefore we are to burn bright
You're there in Matthew chapter 5 flip over with me. If you would to the book of John John chapter 5
You've got Matthew Mark Luke John Matthew Mark Luke John John chapter 5
I want you to notice what the Bible says what Jesus said about John the Baptist
Jesus said that John the Baptist was the greatest man that had lived up to that time
And in John chapter 5 in verse 35, and of course not including the Lord Jesus Christ himself
John 535 I want you to notice what Jesus said about the John the Baptist
He's speaking about John
John 535
He says this he referring to John the Baptist
Notice these words was a burning and a shining light and he were willing for a season
to rejoice in his light see John the Baptist was a
Believer was a Christian was a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and John the Baptist
Lived his life in the way that Jesus tells us we ought to live our life in Matthew 5
He was a light he let his light so shine, but I want you to notice the wording in John 535
he says he was a burning and a
Shining light and we've been talking for the last couple weeks about shine as lights and what that means
So we've been talking about our personal walk with God and testimony and we started off with a sermon on
The fact that the Bible says let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father
Which is in heaven and we talked about what it means to let the world see our good works
And how we ought to live our lives that our light may shine and then we've also talked about
Spiritual warfare and light versus darkness and putting on the armor of light and
Turning those that are in darkness from darkness to light
but here's what I want you to understand everything we've talked about up to this point whether you take the idea of letting your light so
Shine before men and the works that you and I must do in our lives not for salvation
But because of salvation not to get saved but because we are saved whether it is an engaging in spiritual warfare
Whether it is going out soul-winning or preaching the Word of God if you're a man, you know behind the pulpit whether it is
Just preparing ourselves for the battle putting on the armor of light
Taking off the old man putting on the new man all of those things require effort require energy
require
you to
Use up some of that fuel and it's interesting because in John 5 he says this about John
He was a burning and a shining light and I would submit to you this morning that you cannot shine
you cannot be a
Candle that is lit. You cannot be a
Fire that is a providing light you cannot shine without burning. I
Mean the act of shining a light shining a candle means you are also
Burning that light
Burning that candle Jesus said that John was a burning and a shining light
So if you sometimes feel a little tired or a little weary you sometimes feel like man
You know this there's this Christian walk and this being a disciple of Jesus Christ
It kind of feels like I'm I'm using up some energy. I'm using up some fuel. I'm I'm burning up a little bit
Hey, that's the whole point
You can't light without burning you can't shine without burning he was a burning and a shining light
You're willing for a season to rejoice in his light and people often say they say well
You know, it seems like the being a disciple requires a lot of discipline
Well, that's what it means to be a disciple
the word disciple means to live a disciplined life means to live a life in which you are denying self and
Walking in the spirit all of this all of this requires energy
So you need to understand and you and I need to understand that we're gonna shine as light
So I think most Christians would say oh, yeah
You're the light of the world let your light so shine before men but realize you can't do that
you can't do that without burning up and
some Christians
Don't only burn up in the process of shining because we all burn up
We all get tired we all get weary
some Christians burn out
They burn up
completely
You've heard me say this before and I've heard it from others and I agree with it. The Christian life is not measured by years
Don't don't tell me and don't try to impress me
With how many years you've been serving the Lord and I'm not putting down how many years you've been serving the Lord
But the Christian life is really not measured in years. It's measured in decades
You know, if you want to really impress somebody to tell us how many decades
That's why we don't normally when it comes to
Anniversaries we don't normally go around asking every married couple how many years they've been married
But there are certain couples that we do make a big deal about it because you want to press somebody tell somebody you've been married
for 42 years
Tell somebody you've been married for 50 years
You want to impress me with your soul winning?
Don't tell me how many months you've been out so winning how many years you've been out so I'm how many decades you've been out
so winning
The Christian life is not measured by years. It is measured by decades the reason that it is so
It is so unique
It is so unique to find a Christian who's been reading his Bible consistently every day and has a habit of daily Bible reading
And has been doing it for decades
The reason it's so unique to find a Christian who's read their Bible cover to cover 20 times 25 times 30 times
You don't do that in three years
Do that over a period of decades?
Though the reason it's so unique to find a soul winner that's been soul winning for 30 years 40 years
The reason is so unique is because when you shine that way you burn that way and is very likely
to burn out
There are many Christians who quit
There are many Christians who burn up
Who burn out?
Who don't have the energy and the resources the fuel that is required to continue to burn
There are people who have done studies and they've done studies on churches and and and and people who call themselves
Believers in Jesus Christ and it's interesting because what they have found is that the average church goer
last in their church faithfulness for about three years
When people decide like I'm gonna you know, whatever we call it
Hopefully getting saved and walking with God, but when they decide I'm gonna start going to church and I'm gonna start walking with God
I'm gonna start living the Christian life
Generally speaking people do that for about three years and then they quit I remember reading that and hearing that I thought that was interesting
and I wondered if that was true, then I passed her to church and
We came to about our three-year anniversary
And it seems like almost everyone we started with was gone almost everyone not everyone almost everyone we started with was gone
Then I began to just watch people in our church
I'm talking about people who just came in one service or came in, you know, come in every few months or I'm
Here Sunday morning Sunday night Wednesday night soul winners faithful serving and it seems that right about they get to that three-year
Mark, they just kind of start getting an itch
Start
Needing to do something else and go somewhere else
And we call it all sorts of different things
But what it really is it's a burning out
It is a burning up
We're told that if you make it past the three-year mark then the next
Time that someone usually quits about the seven-year mark
We found that to be true. And of course, this is not specific. There are exceptions and we understand that
But generally speaking most Christians are many Christians and hopefully not most Christians at Verity Baptist Church
Will not make it very long in their Christian life will not make it past three years
Will not make it past seven years
it is an unfortunate thing, but when our church is celebrated ten year a ten year anniversary and when we get to 20 year anniversary and
30 year anniversary, it'll be rare the church member that we can say they've been with us for 20 years
They've been with us for 15 years. They've been with us for 18 years
They've been with it for a while because most Christians never figure out
How to burn bright and not burn out
See we're supposed to burn bright
Like a kid like a lit candle go to the book of Leviticus if you would in the Old Testament Leviticus
24 you've got Genesis Exodus Leviticus Leviticus 24. We're supposed to burn bright in the Christian life
We are to burn bright like a lit candle
Here's point number two in the Christian life
We must burn bright
without burning out
See the trick is
the trick is
To not burn bright see a lot of times you get new people in church
And I'm always thankful for new people new people are excited and exciting and sometimes
But I used to have a pastor who would call them. You know they're they're like they're like they're like a firecracker
They're like a firework you kind of set them on fire
And there's a you know big BAM all sorts of energy and show for a little while
And it's like what would happen so-to-so
And they were so excited, and they were so you know into all of it, and and they just you know blew up
See in the Christian life we are to burn bright like a lit candle yes number one number two in the Christian life
We are to burn bright without burning out
Here's a question
Can you keep a candle from burning out I
Mean can you light a candle?
And keep that candle from burning out
Because if you cannot
Then we're all destined to quit
if you cannot
We're all doomed to fail
But yet there are Christians there are Christians sitting in this room right now who have served the Lord for decades
so
Can you keep a candle from burning out? Here's what's interesting?
God expects it
God expects us to light a candle and to keep it lit
Without letting it burn up or burn out. It's interesting because in the book of Leviticus we have God
expressing to the children of Israel and to Moses how they are to set up the
Tabernacle and in that tabernacle we could go do a whole study on the tabernacle
We've done that studies on the tabernacle in that tabernacle
You have all sorts of different types of furniture that represent certain things in that tabernacle
You had lit candles lit candles that I believe represent the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe represented New Testament Christianity
I believe represented the whole concept of he are the light of the world
I want you to notice what the Bible says in Leviticus 24 and verse 1 the Bible says this and the Lord spake unto Moses saying
Command that the children of Israel notice command the children of Israel that they bring unto thee
pure oil
olive
Beaten for the light. So notice they're supposed to bring oil
pure
oil olive beaten for the light
Why?
They were supposed to bring oil for the light. Why were they supposed to do that notice to cause the lamps to burn
Continually
God said I want you to set these lights
Why don't you set up these lamps?
I want you to set up these candles and I want you to light them and I want you to keep them lit
I don't want them to burn out and they would say well, okay God you mean that when it burns out
Do you want us to get new fire and set them back on fire? He said no, no, no, that's strange fire
See, I'm gonna give you God's fire that comes from heaven and I don't want you to let that fire burn out
I want you to bring strange fine
I don't have time to do a study on that but God actually killed people in the Old Testament for offering
strange or different fire
He said I want different fire
He said I want the same fire to be continually lit and I don't ever want it to burn out
And they would say well, how do you expect us to do that?
because when you shine a light it burns and
this candle will eventually burn up or burn out and
He would say bring oil
He said bring unto thee pure oil olive beats and for the light to cause the lamp to burn
continually
Don't let it burn out. I want to continue
One of these days we will do a study in the New Testament of the word continue
The Bible often tells us as New Testament believers that we are to continue
Continue in the things that thou has heard of me Paul would say
We're to continue in the faith continue in the one and walking with God notice verse number four same chapter
Leviticus 24 verse 4 notice what he says. He says he shall order Leviticus 24 for he shall order the lamps
upon the pure candlestick
before the Lord
Continually, he said I want those lamps on the candlesticks
They're candles on candlesticks and I want them burning before the Lord
Continually, so here's the question. Can you keep a candle from burning out and the answer is yes because God expects it
The answer is yes, because God says I want you to cause the lamps to burn continually
I want you to order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the Lord
continually
So then you ask the question. Well, how do you do that go to the book of Exodus if you would Exodus chapter 25?
You're there in Leviticus, so if you just head back one book you have the book of Exodus Exodus chapter 25
Luke verse 31
Exodus 25 in verse 31 notice what the Bible says and thou
this is again God talking about the tabernacle and specifically about
the lamps
Exodus 25 31 and thou shall make a
Candlestick of pure gold a beaten work shall the candlestick be made then he tells him he says here's what I want the candlestick
To look like he says his shaft
His branches then he says this his bowls
His knops his flowers shall be of the same
So he said I want you to make this candlestick and I want to be a beaten work
I want to be made out of gold. He said I want the whole thing to be made out of gold
I want the shaft to be made out of gold. I want the branches to be made out of gold
He's I want the knobs and the flowers
He said the decorations around it to be made out of all out of gold, but he says this he says his balls. I
want the balls
to be made
Out of gold you say well, why would God want this candlestick?
this candlestick with a shaft and branches and balls to
place the candle in
I'll read to you a little article here
Called creating an oil lamp
Science experiment. It's just a little article explaining how to do this
And I think it's actually meant for like homeschoolers or for kids, but but it's interesting. I'll read this to you
Pour about a half an inch of vegetable oil in a bowl
Crumble up a paper towel into a ball and place it into the bowl with the oil
You want the oil to soak the entire ball of paper, but you also want the paper to stick up
above the surface of the oil
Use a match or a lighter to carefully light the top edge of the paper towel
It should easily catch fire now watch carefully the fire
continues to burn but the paper towel does not burn up as
Long as there is oil in the bowl the flame will continue without burning up the paper
How can that be?
When you have what you have just made is an oil lamp very similar to the ones that have been used for thousands of years
The paper towel serves as a wick to carry the oil up to the flame as the oil is in the paper
As the oil in the paper is burned more oil soaks up
Into the paper the oil actually keeps the paper cool enough so that it does not burn
Except at the very edge where you first lit it
This is something that's been used and practiced for thousands of years by mankind an oil
You say well
How do you keep a how do you keep a paper a wick a?
Candle from burning and the answer is this you place it in oil
See when you take a candle and you light it on fire, and there's no other fuel. There's no other source
Then there's no other way for it to burn bright it has to burn
Something and it will burn its own wick it will burn its own candle
It will use itself as the field needed to shine you say what's wrong with that the problem with that is that?
Eventually the wick runs out eventually it burns up
Eventually it burns out and the light goes out you say well
How do you keep it from burning if you put a candle in a bowl and fill it with oil and keep it filled with?
Oil then it'll soak that oil it'll burn that oil
It'll use that oil as a source as a fuel to shine bright without ever burning up
And
This is the picture that God gives us
When God appeared when the angel Lord appeared to Moses the Bible says that Moses saw a burning bush
But what was interesting about the burning bush is not that it was a bush that was burning
I'm sure Moses had seen many bushes that had been burning what caught his attention
Was that the burning bush the bush was burning and was not consumed
The Bible tells us that our God is a burning fire
He's a consuming fire
God wants to consume everything in our lives, but he does not want to consume your life
See the trick to burning bright and never burning out is to keep the fuel source
It's to keep the oil in the lamp is to keep the oil in
The bowl go to 1st John if you would 1st John chapter 2 and towards the end of the New Testament
You've got the book of Revelation if you go backwards you have Jude 3rd 2nd and 1st John Jude revelation Jude 3rd 2nd and 1st
John the trach is to keep oil in the lamp I
Thought about I wanted to actually bring a bowl today with oil and a paper towel
And you know just do it here live, but then I you know I thought more about it
I thought goodnight. You know I'm gonna make these
Fire you know the the fire alarm to go off and then the sprinklers are gonna go off
And I thought that could become a I mean it'd be funny to watch the sprinklers go off and all the ladies and the water
You know, but you might not come back and the kids were singing and all that so I decided not to
Maybe after the service in the parking lot kids meet me in the parking lot and we'll
Set something on fire
We must burn bright
Without burning out
The oil becomes the field for the flame
not the candle itself in
the Bible oil
represents something first John chapter 2 look at verse 27
first John 2 27
but the anointing
But the anointing
What do you use to anoint something oil?
you anoint
something with oil
But the anointing the oil
Which he have received of him talking about God notice what it says abideth in you
This is all referring to the Holy Spirit
the Holy Spirit is what abides in you and
He need not that any man teach he but as the same notice anointing
teaches you of all things and is truth and is no lie and
Even as it have taught you he shall abide in him
Why don't you notice that all throughout the Bible and I'm not gonna take the time to run you to a bunch of verses
But you can study this out on your own all throughout the Bible oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit oil and anointing
represents the Holy Spirit and I want you to notice in this passage specifically he talks about the anointing and then he
Connects it. He connects it with the Word of God
He says but the anointing which he have received of him abideth in you and he need not that any man teach you
but as the same anointing teaches you of all things and is truth and is no lie and
Even as it hath taught you he shall abide in him in the Old Testament
You can go to the example of David when David when Samuel anointed David to be king
The Bible says that he poured oil physical oil upon David and when that oil came upon David
The Bible says that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him
because oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit and
Here's what the Bible is teaching us
And here's what the Bible tells us
That when you have the Holy Spirit as a source of fuel you can burn bright and not burn out
When you have the Holy Spirit as a source of fuel you can burn bright and not burn up
Over the last 10 years of ministry I've had
many people unfortunately
Say to me pastor I just feel like I'm burnt out
You know every Sunday morning Sunday night Wednesday night in the soul winning and then you know tithing 10%
And then you know and then special meetings and then this and then that and then choir and then service and then cleaning and things
There's just so much. There's so much going on
I'm just kind of tired of it. I
Just got tired of reading the Bible. I just got tired of having a prayer time. I'm just kind of tired of being married
Just got tired of raising my children
I just feel like I'm I feel like I'm I'm at my wits air I
Would submit to you this morning that if you ever say that if you ever feel like that
I'm not beating up on you if you've said that or you felt that way
I'm just telling you that is a sign that you're burning the wrong fuel
So I'm just feel so tired tired we're tired we're in my flesh well, why are you doing it in your flesh?
I'm just so tired in my flesh of soul winning well. Let me let you in a little secret
You're not supposed to be so winning in your flesh
I'm just so tired of raising these kids just in my foot, but you're not supposed to be doing it in your flesh
You're supposed to be doing it in the spirit
Walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh
And I just just know this just submit it because people leave churches for all sorts of things and nobody ever really tells the
Truth as to why they leave people always have to give a fake reason as to why they leave nobody ever
Quits a church and says hey, just let me send a text message to everybody let you know I'm backslidden
That's why I'm not coming back
I'm back on drugs. That's the thing just letting you guys know remember you guys
I was a recovering alcoholic and the church helped me, but now I'm back to drinking alcohol
That's why I'm leaving that's not what they ever say here's what they say they say
The pastor said something in the sermon that offended me
Translation I'm backslidden
I
Do not burn up
walk in the spirit
Let the Holy Spirit fuel you
Let the whole I mean how is it that some people how is it that some people stay married for 42 years?
Raise kids for the glory of God go soul winning our faith for the church do it live for God
Do it for decades and decades and decades and like Caleb say hey
I'm just I still got the energy like Moses says at 80 years old
I still got the strength of a young man. Give me that mountain it belongs to me. How do you make it to the end?
Not burnt out and tired and weak
and faint
You do it by tapping into a different source
When you're tapped into yourself when you're doing it out of your flesh when you're doing it out of your own energy
You will not make it
In the Christian life we are to burn bright like the lit candle number one
In the Christian life we must burn bright without burning out
Number two here's point number three. Go to the book of Ephesians if you would
Ephesians chapter 6 you kept your place in John, and I'd encourage you to keep your place at John
We're coming back to John in a minute if you have your place in John you go John acts Romans first second Corinthians Galatians Ephesians
John
Acts Romans first second Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Ephesians chapter 6 here's point number three. We're almost done
In the Christian life
We connect to the Holy Spirit through the Word of God
You say well, how can I be filled with spirit?
There's lots of things you can do to be filled with spirit
I preach entire sermons on the subject of the filling of the Holy Spirit
And I'd encourage you to check those out
But if there's just one thing that I can tell you you know if there's one thing that the Bible
Emphasizes in regards to the Holy Spirit and us and what connects us to the Holy Spirit
I would say this it is the Word of God in fact
We just saw it in 1st John where he says the same anointing
Teacheth you it is a reference of the fact that the Holy Spirit is going to teach you the Word of God
The Holy Spirit will help you understand the Word of God
Unsafe people cannot understand the Bible because they don't have the Holy Spirit
They are spiritually discerned
Throughout the Bible you find this connection between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God the Holy Spirit in the Word of God
I'll show it to you in Ephesians 6
We've been talking about the last couple of weeks spiritual warfare
And we've been talking about the armor of light and we've talked about Ephesians 6 is that famous passage with the armor of God
notice verse 17 the Bible says and take the helmet of salvation and
Notice these words the sword of the Spirit
Notice how the Bible what the Bible connects the Spirit of God with the sword of the Spirit you so well
Here's the Holy Spirit in the armor of God. He's the sword of spirit. What is it? He says which is the Word of God
the Word of God is
The sword of the Spirit there is a connection in the Bible between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God in
Fact the Holy Spirit one of his primary purposes like we've already said is to help you understand and learn and teach you the Word
of God
There's a connection between the Word of God of the Holy Spirit go to John
John chapter 15 if you wouldn't
John chapter 15 look at verse 6
John chapter 15 in verse 6
In
John 15 and verse 6 the Bible says this if a man abide not in me, this is Jesus speaking
By the way, Jesus is the word
If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch notice these words and is withered
Now this is using an illustration. There's all sorts of illustration in the Bible here. We're using illustration of a of a plant
With a branch that is withered that is the same as a candle that burns up
That's the same as a tree that dries up
It's all in reference to the fact that they're not connected to the proper source if a man abide not in
Me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire
The end they are burned if he abide in me notice what he says and my words abide in you
You shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you
Look at verse 3 if you go back to verse 3 same chapter notice the context of these words that Jesus said John 15 verse 3
He says now you are clean through
notice the words the word
referring to the Word of God
Which I've spoken unto you
The Word of God fills us
with the Holy Spirit
The Word of God is connected
To the Holy Spirit go to Deuteronomy chapter 17 if you would in the Old Testament you have Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy chapter 17
Deuteronomy chapter 17 and look whatever illustration you want to use if you want to use the
Illustration of the branch if you want to use the illustration of the tree if you want to use the illustration of life
It's all the same thing if you're not connected to the right fuel if you're not connected to the right source
You will begin to get weary you will begin to burn up you will begin to burn out
You will not last in the Christian life if you don't learn and figure out how to get connected to the right source
This is why Psalm 1 says this blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly
Nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of scornful
But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law that thee meditate day and night and he shall be like
a tree planted by the rivers of water
That bringeth forth his fruit and his seeds and his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever you do it shall prosper
How do you become a tree?
That brings forth his fruit and his season
That it does not wither his leaf also shall not wither
And whatsoever you do it so proud. How do you do that?
You get your roots down
into the rivers of water
John 17 a says this for he shall be as a tree planted by the waters and
That spreadeth out of her roots by the river and shall not see when he cometh
And shall not see when he cometh but her leaf shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought
Neither shall cease from yielding fruit
You say pastor, what is the trick?
To maintaining in the Christian life and there's lots of things that we would say to that
There's lots of things that we could say, but if I just say one thing it would say I would say this daily Bible reading
Well, I'm just I'm not trying to hurt your feelings trying to help you with something here
Say what is the difference between the one you know, you two guys start at the same time the same year
to come to church
Three to thrive Sunday morning Sunday night Wednesday night soul winning tithing serving get involved get connected
Three years later one burns out while the other one's still shining bright
What's the difference it look and sometimes they don't tell us that we don't know we don't ask those types of questions
But I will say this if I had to guess one figure it out the discipline of daily Bible reading
And the other one did it in their flesh
Why do people burn up
Why do people burn out?
Yeah, pastor, but they said they quit cuz you offended them or really cuz Bible says great
Peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend them
You know what I know about a guy you say pastor
Why are you trying to get people to read the Bible read the Bible read about you know?
Why I'm trying to get people to Bible cuz who's I know if I can get you in the word the word can transform you
And you're not gonna get backslidden, and you're not gonna get offended and even if I step on your toes
You're gonna say well. I mean that's what the Bible says
But the Word of God says
See in the Christian life we connect to the Holy Spirit through the Word of God
This is why we must practice daily Bible reading
You're on me 17. Let me just show you a couple of verses. We'll finish out
Do not be 17 look verse 18
and it shall be
When he and these are instructions in the Old Testament for the future kings of Israel
Don't forget the Bible says that we are kings and priests unto God and his father
to him be glory and dominion forever and ever amen and
It shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom
Notice that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which before the priest out of that
Which is before the priests and the Levites look at verse 19, and it shall be with him
And he shall read therein all the days of his life
Say why why does God want the king to read the Bible all the days of his life?
Here's why that he may learn to fear the Lord is God and to keep all the words of this law and these statutes
to do them
It's not it's not about knowledge for knowledge's sake
It's about application. I
Read it. I do it. I read it. I do it. I read it
I do it go to Acts 17 if you wouldn't act 17 New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John acts because somebody was it
Well, that's just all time. That's just the kings of Israel in the Old Testament
Well, let's look at it in the New Testament New Testament believers New Testament Church act 17 verse 10
Matthew Mark Luke John acts act 17 verse 10 and the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night
Unto Berea who coming hither went into the synagogue of the Jews look at verse 11
These were more noble than those and Thessalonica
Here we're told the Berean Christians were more noble than the Christians and Thessalonica
Now we live in this, you know, no child left behind
Culture that says oh you never say that anyone is better than anyone else
Okay, but that's not what the Holy Spirit doesn't ask. He says look the Christians in Berea were better than the Christians in Thessalonica
And I'm not preaching about this this morning, but let me just tell you something. Not all churches are created equal
There are some churches that are better than others
And some of you aren't you afraid, you know people go visit some other church somewhere
Why aren't you afraid your church people go visit somewhere else?
What if they like that church better
You know my thoughts if you if you leave this church and go to some contemporary
watered-down and I be rock concert look like you walked into a casino church
If you can't tell the difference I can't help you I
Mean if you can't tell the difference between this preaching Bible preaching
full biblical preaching and watered-down liberalism then
Then you deserve them
And they deserve you
Act 17 11 these were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with already as might notice
They were under the preaching of the Word of God. They had received the Word of God
They were ready to take in the Word of God
That's part of the Christian life going to church where you're gonna be given the Word of God in heavy doses
And you need to be ready to receive it. You say how do I get there?
Here's how you do it and search the scriptures daily whether those things are so
You know what we need you said what do we do that very Baptist Church we need Christians
We need you need a pastor and Lord willing I'm doing it
And I'll do my best to continue to do it and get better at it. You need a pastor who's gonna preach the word
Who's gonna not hold back and we need Christians who are searching the scriptures daily
Searching the scriptures daily whether those things were so so that you don't have we don't have Christians look
We don't have Christmas day. Well, why do you dress like that? Cuz pastor says wrong answer
Your family asks you Christmas
Why do you guys do why do your family do this?
And why do you do that? And why do you not vaccinate and why do you go there?
And why do you you know you if you don't know?
You know this vaccine coming out right now
You have all sorts of worldly people that well, why don't you vaccinate your kids?
Well, you better have a Bible answer and if you don't know then you better read and study the Bible
Bible says to have an answer for every man that asketh you the reason of the hope that is in you with me Chris and
fear and
Look, my job is to stand up here and help you go further faster and help you learn the Word of God
But you need to take some responsibility
For your Christian life and get some oil and get the Word of God and put some oil in that lamp and burn
And never burn out
Search the scriptures of daily the Bible says
Whether those things were so go to second Corinthians, we'll finish up right here second Corinthians chapter 4
Acts Romans first Corinthians second Corinthians. So what are you talking about?
Here's what I'm talking about
daily Bible reading
I'm not trying to pick on you. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, but I'm talking to you right now
I'm taught you say who you're talking to. I'm talking to you if you're sitting under the voice of the the sound of my voice and
You do not and I don't need you to raise your hand
I don't need you to confess this to anybody but I'm telling you right now if you do not
Have a discipline of daily Bible reading meaning you don't have a habit. You don't have a manner
You don't have a form of getting up every day opening your kingdom Bible reading it every day
If you don't have that I'm talking to you. I don't know how else to be clear. I don't know how clear to me
I'm talking to you
I'm not trying to hurt your feelings. I'm trying to keep you in the fight
You
Can't make it in the Christian life
You can make it for three years burning on your own
Might make it for seven years burning on your own
But you can't burn bright and not burn out
If you're not being filled
by the Word of God
There's two types of Christians in this world
Those who read their Bibles and those who don't
And we want you to read your Bible. That's why every year for the last ten years. We've had this church
Reading challenge
January is Bible month and we challenge you to read the Bible you say why why do you challenge you to read the Bible you?
Know nine chapters a day in the month of January. That's a lot of chapters. That's a lot of day
You know here's what I'm hoping if we can get you if we can motivate you if you I'm feeling kind of guilty okay number
One that's the Holy Spirit number two if I can guilt you if I can guilt you into reading the Bible
Hey, I'll get I'll guilt you in to read the Bible. I'm a problem with that
Hey, I'd pay you to read the Bible
Yeah, I feel like guilty well. That's you know. It's usually you feel guilty where you're not doing something right
Nine chapters a day. Why do you do it?
Here's my hope if you can read nine chapters of the Bible every day in the month of January
it'll develop a habit or develop a
momentum going in February 1st
You know reading three or four chapters a day
Doesn't seem that hard
You know that we had I don't know what the number I should have checked
Well, I think 90 or something not 90 80 90 people read nine chapters a day in the month of January last year
You know that if you read the entire New Testament in the month of January
Then you could read the entire Bible the rest of the Old Testament over the next 11 months by reading three to four chapters a day
Three or four chapters a day. We're talking about at ten minutes
Ten minutes of Bible reading
We could have a church. We've got about 175 people here this morning obviously
Covid has affected some of our attendance. We have a church of about 180 200 people in it
We could literally have a church where half of our church about a hundred people read the Bible cover to cover
the the entire year
every year I
Mean imagine what would happen the average pastor only reads the Bible cover to cover in seminary
Which is why they preach the way they do
You could read the Bible to cover cover cover every year
I
Said where do I start glad you asked nine chapters a day?
Nine chapters a day
You know, I don't have time for that you have time for whatever you make a priority
You you make time for whatever priorities you want I
Doubt I doubt you say I'm real busy. I doubt you're so busy
But I have an AI pass. Let me tell you something. You wonder how busy I am. I have an eight in the last three weeks
I just haven't had time
I just I mean I try to make time to sit down and eat. I just I'm so busy. No, I'm you make a priority. I
Haven't slept in 42 days. Okay, Elijah. I
Just I don't have time I mean I try to go slate on but I'm just so busy
No, you're not look look we make time for the things that are important
And you need to make Bible reading important. You need to make it a priority
Let me give you some real quickly just some steps for Bible reading
Step for daily Bible reading number one choose a place
Choose a location decide right now. This is where I will read the Bible. I'll read the Bible, you know at my
Dinner table. I will read the Bible, you know and during my lunch break and this place at this, you know
I've choose a place and don't long lap. Don't let that place be you're bad. Okay
You know
Don't let it be the super comfy chair. Maybe you know the the hard wooden chair
But I choose a place number two use a plan
Look yet. I have a plan for charting your way through the Bible
We're talking about these things and you don't need to use ours. You can make your own you can google it
There's all sorts of things. Let me tell you something look
You say I just kind of read whatever I just got over the Bible not read and I'll read through the Bible
No, you won't let me tell you something. I'm not done. Look. I'm just telling you the truth
You are not gonna read through the book of Leviticus unless you do it our purpose
You're not gonna read through Zephaniah
You're not gonna read through
Ezekiel
There's just certain books the Bible you're not gonna read through them unless you purposely set out to read them
You're not gonna read the Bible cover to cover unless you purposely set out to do it
So you need a plan you need a chart you need a way to be able to track and say yes
I've read that. Yes. I've gone there. Yes. I've done that. Yes. I finished. Yes. I read nine chapters a day
Yes, I read the Old Testament. Yes. I am reading the Bible. Is that what what's the point to keep yourself fueled?
Choose a place use a plan make an appointment you got to make an appointment with God
Make an appointment with God. I
Mean if you had an appointment with God
If God sent you an email and said I want to meet you in this place this time
Be there. I mean wouldn't you make that a priority?
Let me tell you something. God wants to meet with you every day
God wants to meet with you through his word
The Holy Spirit wants to teach you his word
Make an appointment
You know, I recommend and what we do in our home
My wife and I is first thing the morning when we get up we make coffee
We sit on our tape at the dining room table. We read the Bible
We read the Bible together. We're not really reading the Bible together. I'm reading the Bible. She's reading the Bible
We're having a cup of coffee, but that's just our appointment
That's our appointment now
Obviously sometimes things get in the way and that doesn't happen and we make it up later on their day
But in general in general
You know, that's our Bible reading time
I said some of you guys text me, you know in the morning. I don't get back to you till later
I turn that thing off and I have an appointment with God
Make an appointment now. Look I encourage you to make it first thing in the morning. Maybe that doesn't work for you
Maybe you've got different shifts and different things or whatever
But here's what I'm telling you make an appointment choose a place get a plan make an appointment get in a habit
Read the Bible and we'll see you in 10 years
We'll see you in 20 years
We'll see you in 30 years. I
Want to encourage you to take the nine chapters a day challenge?
to develop the habit of daily Bible reading
To become one of these all-star more noble than those in Thessalonica Christians
Who actually takes the time to read their Bible?
Second Corinthians chapter 4 look verse 16 notice what the Bible says
Notice what Paul said
Paul went through a lot of heartache
Trials tribulations and Paul did a lot of work for God
Paul did things that required a lot of energy a lot of fuel
Notice what he says second things 416 for which cause we faint not
What does it mean to faint not?
To not wither away to not burn out to not burn up to not quit. I
Mean Paul's about to give us his his secret
for not quitting
The guy who got to the end of his life
Probably being the most effective soul winner evangelist a church planner missionary that has ever lived
The guy that gets to the end of his life and says I have fought the good fight. I have finished my course
I've kept the faith
You know, I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand
He says there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness
Which the Lord the righteous God he said he's gonna give it to me that guy is about to tell us how he stayed in
It here's what he says
for which cause we faint not
But though the outward man perish
Look your flesh doesn't get tired. We understand that
I'm tired right now
Your flesh and tired. We're gonna have things we're gonna have events. We're gonna have well conferences
We're not this we're gonna have that you're gonna have things going on in your life
He says though our outward man perish we understand your flesh will get tired your your things will get difficult things will get hard
You will be burdened you will be stressed you will be stressed out
Here's what Paul says, but though the outward man perish he says yet the inward man is renewed day by day
He says, you know what I do, you know pulses, you know what I do every day
So I don't faint
So I don't quit
So I don't burn out he says the outward man perish he's like we have persecutions and trials we have you know
People fighting us and people attacking us. He says though the outward man perish
He says but you know what I do every day. I make sure that the inward man is renewed day by day
every day
renewed
You say what's a synonym for the word renewed refueled? I
Just put some more oil in that Bowl
And I keep that light burning. I
Keep that light shining
That's what you need. That's what I need and just know this just know this
If I quit three years from now
Seven years from now if you quit
Whatever the reason well, I was being honest. Okay, whatever the reason I will submit to you this
No one quits on God without first quitting on daily Bible reading
So read your Bible
read your Bible
Get renewed for which cost we faint not but though they are outward man perish
Yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Let's bow our heads and I'm going to pray. I'm like father
Well, thank you for your word. Thank you for the Bible
Thank you for the study in the Bible
We know that we're supposed to shine bright shine as lights
The Lord help us also not to burn out
Not to burn up
Not to faint
Help us to be renewed day by day
what I pray that you would help us to have a
church filled with Christians
Who get up every day and read the Bible?
Just have a habit
nothing flashy
Not for the praise of man not for the to be seen of men
Just open up their Bible every day and have an appointment with God
Have a time with God get revealed
Get renewed in their inner man
We love you
What I pray you'd help us to have a great nine chapters a day challenge this year that many of our church people would take
The challenge get committed stick with it
The matchless name of Christ we pray. Amen