Keeping In Touch With "Home"

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Keeping In Touch With "Home"</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id355.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Secret of Spiritual Growth"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id357.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How To Deal With Destructive Habits"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>"Keeping in Touch With 'Home'"</B></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, February 9, 2003am</B></div> <bR> <div>      "His name is Kelvin Deupree, and he's a 36-year-old mortgage banker living with his wife and two young sons in the suburbs of Dallas. Here was a man awakening to what his life had somehow become, noticing for perhaps the first time that he was losing control - of his waistline, career, marriage, health. . . . But he wasn't too far gone. This was a guy we could still save. And as you'll see, we did. In just 8 hours, we had a nutritionist clean out his fridge, our fitness editor install a home gym, a career coach lobby his boss for a raise, our style editor supply a new wardrobe, and his minister recharge his soul. We even waxed his back, mowed his lawn, repaired his balky garage door, and trained his dog. By the end, 14 different experts had visited and rendered almost $13,000 worth of services." (Men's Health, 1-03). Kelvin experienced a lifestyle makeover.</div> <div>       We who are Christians need  spiritual growth and development. A "spiritual makeover" starts with adopting God's values. To do so, we must be immersed in his culture, the culture of heaven. Last week we looked at Colossians 3:1-2: "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, <U>set your hearts on things above</U>, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  <U>Set your minds on things above</U>, not on earthly things." How do we get immersed in the culture of heaven, while we live on earth. How do we end up basing our decisions on the values and culture of heaven? It starts by spending regular time with God. Here are two basic principles:</div> <bR> <div> <B>1. Reading the Word and praying are essential to spiritual growth; however, they are not a "magic pill." </B></div> <div>      You cannot grow in Christ apart from spending time with Christ through his word and through prayer. You can try all you want. It will not work. Christ works through his word in conjunction with the Holy Spirit to develop his people. You cannot get there on your own. But maybe you have read the word before, maybe for one month, expecting some kind of miraculous, immediate change. When the "miracle" did not happen, you were discouraged and gave up reading the Bible and praying. The reality is that growth often happens gradually, over a period of time. Very few people pick up a musical instrument and immediately are able to play with excellence. People who are gifted musically spend time developing their talent, and gradually they improve. It happens through everyday exposure. The same can happen through the word of God. Being exposed to God's values will begin to affect a change in your values, and ultimately in your behavior.</div> <bR> <div> <B>2. </B><B>If you want to make better decisions in every area of your life, spend time with God in prayer; and learn and practice His word. </B></div> <div>      Generally, our life will change as our decisions are changed. When you need financial advice, you may go to an investment counselor. When you need advice for life and spirituality, go to the Creator of life.</div> <div>      Take time every day to spend some time with God. In learning an instrument, practicing a little every day is better than several hours once a week; day after day, it pays of subtly. Let the word of God soak into your life by repeated exposure.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Time In The Word</B></div> <div> The following Scriptures show that the word of God makes a difference in a person's life, when a person reads, understands, and practices the word.</div> <div> - Psalm 1:1-2: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night."</div> <div> - Psalm 19:8: "The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes."</div> <div> - Psalm 119:9-11: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."</div> <div> - Joshua 1:8: "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."</div> <div> - James 1:22: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."</div> <div> - Colossians 3:16-17: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."</div> <div>      Allow the word (the Bible, the record of the truth, including the teachings of Christ) to live in you abundantly. It should be the dominating influence in your life and resulting lifestyle. It includes not just personal reading, but teaching and instruction, including through our worship. By the word dwelling in us, we can do all we do (word and deed) "in the name of the Lord Jesus" ("while naming or calling on the name" - BDAG). We get his direction, his authority, and his help. We don't just pray in Jesus' name, we live our lives in Jesus' name!</div> <bR> <div> <B>How to Make the Most of Your Time In the Word</B></div> <div> 1. Schedule an appointment with God every day.</div> <div>      It is not legalism to "schedule"/ reserve time with your spouse (rather than, "I only spend time with my spouse when I feel like it.") It is not legalism to schedule time to eat a few times a day - we need food. We need spiritual food to keep growing, and we need a daily, regular intake. Let it be a delight, not drudgery.</div> <div> 2. Read to understand and apply the Word to your life.</div> <div> - Read one book of the Bible at a time, one chapter each day.</div> <div> - Pick a principle and work on applying it to your life. Do this with the aid of the Holy Spirit.</div> <div> - Check out this resource:  "<A HREF="id294.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How To Understand The Bible"><U>How to Understand the Bible</U></A>."</div> <div>      Studying the Bible but not obeying is like studying a cookbook but never getting the ingredients and cooking the food. With a cookbook, you translate the words on the page into a meal. Translate the concepts and commands of Scripture into your lifestyle; they are more than mere words on a page. Don't let the fact that some things are hard to understand keep you from getting into the word. Some things are difficult, but not everything is.</div> <div> 3. Study the Bible in community.</div> <div> - Be accountable with someone else for your reading.</div> <div> - Share what you are learning with someone.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Time In Prayer to God</B></div> <div>      Like any relationship, spending time together involves both listening and talking. With God, not only must we read and meditate on his word, we must also respond to him in prayer. The following Scriptures show the incredible privilege we have of talking directly to the God of the universe.</div> <div> - James 4:8: "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."</div> <div> - Ephesians 3:12: "In Christ and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."</div> <div> - Hebrews 4:14-16: "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."</div> <div> - 1 Thessalonians 5:17: "Pray continuously."</div> <bR> <div> <B>How to Make the Most of Your Prayer Time</B></div> <div> 1. Balance worship and thanksgiving, confession, and requests. Our response to God includes all of these. Prayer is not just about "getting stuff" from God. He encourages us to worship and thank him, to confess our sins, and also to make our requests known to him.</div> <div> 2. Schedule a regular time of prayer. (See above about the word).</div> <div> 3. Pray anywhere and anytime. It is a conversation with God. The implication of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is that we can carry on  a regular conversation with God as we live our lives.</div> <div> 4. Pray specifically. </div> <div> Develop a list of things to pray for regularly.</div> <div> Record answers to prayer.</div> <div> 5. Pray expecting answers. That is what it means to pray in faith. We submit to his will, but we know that he answers prayer. So we ask and believe.</div> <bR> <div>      Have you ever realized in the middle of the hour that you were missing an important meeting or appointment you had set with someone? You have an appointment with God. Day after day he waits for you to pause and acknowledge his presence. Don't keep him waiting any longer.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2003, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>