The Key that Unlocks God’s Biblical Potential in Your Life

1 Timothy 4:7 (ESV)
“Train yourself for godliness;”

1 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV)
“Exercise yourself toward godliness.”

1 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)
“Train yourself to be godly.”

1 Timothy 4:7 (NASB)
“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;”

1 Timothy 4:8 (ESV)
“For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

Hebrews 1:3 (ESV)
“He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Humility: The key that unlocks God’s biblical potential in your life. 

1 Corinthians 8:1 (NKJV)
“Knowledge puffs up”

Mark 10:35-45 (NIV)
“Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want Me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, (Jesus is letting them know you will suffer, you will endure incredible pain and you will die because of me) but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 

Not so with you. 

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

1 Peter 5:5-6 (NKJV)

“Be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

Psalm 138:6 (NLT)

“Though the Lord is great, He cares for the humble, but He keeps His distance from the proud.”

Isaiah 57:15 (NLT)

“I live in the high and holy place

    with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.”

Philippians 2:5-9 (NLT)

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor…” 

1. God is waiting for you.

James 4:8 (ESV)
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

Jeremiah 29:12-13 (ESV)
“Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”

Proverbs 8:17 (ESV)
“I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me diligently find Me.”

2. God is waiting to reveal His glory to you.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (ESV)
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”2 Corinthians 3:13 (ESV)
(We are) “not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.”

2 Corinthians 3:14 (ESV)
“For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

“The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself.” – Charles Spurgeon

Why can you have confidence in the Bible?

1.      It is unique to all other books.

2.      Proofs of early manuscripts.

3.      The mathematical probability of messianic prophecies fulfilled in Jesus.

Luke 24:27 (NIV)
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.”

John 5:46 (NIV)
“If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me."

4.     The archaeological proofs. 

Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” 

How to Experience the Blessing of God Through the Bible

2 Timothy 3:14-17 (ESV)

(Timothy) “Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints, and marrow; (cutting deep) it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” 

How do you approach the scriptures to receive the blessing of God?

1.      Stand in awe of His word.

John 5:39 (NIV)

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.”

2.       Kneel in submission to His word.

John 14:23 (NIV)

“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

3.     Walk in the illumination of His word. 

Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

“Your word is a light to my feet and a light to my Path”

Proverbs 4:20-27 (ESV)

“My son, be attentive to my words;
    incline your ear to my sayings.

Let them not escape from your sight;
    keep them within your heart.

 For they are life to those who find them,
    and healing to all their flesh.

Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for from it flow the springs of life.

Put away from you crooked speech,
    and put devious talk far from you.

Let your eyes look directly forward,
    and your gaze be straight before you.

 Ponder the path of your feet;
    then all your ways will be sure.

Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
    turn your foot away from evil.”

John 15:5 (NIV)

 “apart from Me you can do nothing.”

John 15:1:11 (ESV)
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (NIV)

“If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”

John 14:1-3 (NIV)
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.”

John 14:16-17 (NKJV)
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

John 14:18-19 (NKJV)
“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.”

John 14:27 (NKJV)
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

John 16:8-11 (NIV)
“When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in Me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see Me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”

John 16:20 (NIV)
“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” 

I-Spy

Truths to Live By

1. God will lead you into difficulty, and He will be with you.

1. John 16:33 (NLT)

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Psalm 23 (ESV) 

“He leads me.” “You are with me.” 

Romans 5:3-5 (ESV) 

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” 

2. If you don’t take a step, you will never arrive.

Numbers 13:30-31 (ESV)

“But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 

3. Provision is inside obedience. 

Numbers 14:7-9 (ESV)  

“The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 

They are our bread

 
Numbers 23:19 (ESV) 

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” 

Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV)

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”  

The Glory of Christmas
Part 2

John 5:39 (NASB)
“You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is those very Scriptures that testify about Me.”

Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 7:10-12 (NLT)
“Later, the Lord sent this message to King Ahaz: “Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead. “But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.”

Isaiah 7:13 (NLT)
“Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well?”

Matthew 1:21-23 (ESV)
“She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;”

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
...the government shall be upon His shoulder,
and His name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God
,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:7 (ESV)
“Of the increase of His government and of peace 
there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over His kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

Luke 4:18-19 (ESV)
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

Luke 4:30 (ESV)
“But passing through their midst, he went away.”

The Glory of Christmas

Galatians 4:4 (NLT)
“But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.”

Luke 1:26-27 (NIV)
“God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”

Luke 1:28-30 (NIV)
“‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.’”

Luke 1:31-33 (NIV)
“‘You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you are to call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.’”

Luke 1:34 (NIV)
“‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’”

Luke 1:35 (NIV)
“‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.’”

Luke 1:37 (ESV)
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:38 (ESV)
“Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”

Matthew 10:39 (ESV)
“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

Matthew 1:20-21 (NIV)
“An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.’”

Matthew 1:24-25 (NIV)
“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.”

Mark 6:3 (NLT)
“Then they scoffed, ‘He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary.’”

The Good News For and Through the Church

The Good News in 4 Phrases 

1. God with us.

Matthew 1:23 (NIV)

“‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).”

Isaiah 14:7 (NIV)

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and will call Him Immanuel.”

John 1:14 (ESV)

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Hebrews 1:3 (ESV)

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.”

John 3:16-17 (ESV)
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”

“He who was the Son of God became the Son of man, that we who are sons of men have the promise that we can become sons of God.”

- Pastor David Cook

2. God for us. 

Luke 19:10 (ESV)

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Titus 2:14 (NIV)
“(Jesus) gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.”

1 Timothy 1:15 (ESV)

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

John 10:18 (NIV)
“No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.”

3. God in us.

2 Corinthians 1:22 (NIV)
“(God) set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

Colossians 1:26-27 (NIV)
“The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)

“Your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God…”

4. Us with God. 

Revelation 21:1-4 (ESV)

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 22:20 (ESV)
“Surely I am coming soon.”

Love Makes All the Difference

1 Corinthians 14:1 (ESV)
“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts.”

1 Corinthians 12:31 (NIV)
“And yet I will show you the most excellent way.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV)
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

Love Makes All the Difference

1 Corinthians 13:1 (NIV)
“If I speak in the tongues of men (earthly) or of angels (heavenly), but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”

1. Without love, our words push people away.

2. Without love, our spiritual knowledge and mysteries inflates. 

1 Corinthians 13:2 (NIV)

“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge...but do not have love, I am nothing.”

1 Corinthians 8:1 (NIV)
“We know that ‘We all possess knowledge.’ But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.”

3. Without love, our faith is dead. 

1 Corinthians 13:2 (NIV)

“If I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”

4. Without love, giving is selfish. 

1 Corinthians 13:3 (NIV)

“If I give all I possess to the poor...but do not have love, I gain nothing.

“You can give without loving but you cannot love without giving.” - Amy Carmichael, Missionary in India

5. Without love, noble sacrifice is self-serving. 

1 Corinthians 13:3 (NIV)    

“...Give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

Colossians 3:14 (ESV)
“Above all these put on love.”

What does love look like?

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”