New Community Adult Service
October 29, 2008
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Sunday morning message
October 26, 2008
Rick Howard
Zachariah 4
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Sunday morning message
October 19, 2008
Series: Reaching Your Dreams
Pastor Wayne Mancari
Nehemiah 4
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by Brett Deal
“To develop a lifelong passion for the study of God’s word.”
“How do I read the Bible?” This is no doubt a question that
every one of us has asked at some point. How can I read it and
get the most out of it? When will I get to the place where I
draw from the pages of Scripture what the pastor seems to so
easily access in his sermons?
This is a new addition to the Healing Touch that will in the
future give simple principles for studying God’s word but
before there can be any pointers the central pieces must be in
place. In this instance of “how” it is summed up in the one
word in our anthem above: lifelong.
As every new believer, we all start out with a fire in our hearts
and deep-seated longing to know our Savior more. We
passionately desire to draw near to Him because He has so
lovingly drawn near to us.
But passion alone will not hold out. It is not enough to be
passionate if there is no consistency, no longevity, no true
relationship. The Psalmist wrote, “Blessed are those who keep
his statutes and seek him with all their heart” (Ps. 119.2) This
is the passion of a new life properly channeled into a lifelong
passion for seeking the face of God.
The more you prepare yourself before you enter into the Word
of God, through prayer, study, understanding, and obedience,
the more you will draw out living water. In this we apply our
passion for the Lord through daily faithfulness and devotion in
reading His Word. And our lifelong pursuit of the Lord in turn
stokes the flames of our heart.
Perhaps off center passion and fervency have kept you from
establishing the spiritual discipline of waiting on the Lord and
because of it you feel yourself draining more each day.
Beware. Burnout is around the corner waiting for you.
Remember that this life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and to
make it to the end we must have the endurance not just spurts
of energy. Build your muscles in studying the word of God
(and feel free to come and join us as we study the Gospel of
John and the letter of First Peter) and you will begin to see
what our pastors see so readily.