"No Doze Sermon"

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place

Pulpit Series Volume 17 Issue 24 06/10/2007

Judi and I are praying that as you study God’s Word, you will get to know Him, for we have seen first hand that those who know God have great energy for God!

We really appreciate that you chose each week to be part of our fellowship. You need to understand that we value you. It is to that end that we seek God for practical, personal and above all significant messages for you.

The sad truth is most of the present generation of Canadian youth have no Christian memories. Most would have no clue as to the words to “Guide Me Thou Great Jehovah”, yet could verbatim recite Kelly Clarkson’s hit “Never Again”.

The message of Christianity is just as strange and new and fresh today as it was in the 1st century. We are going to have to readjust our approach in order for us to be effective.

Today I hope to show you a simple way to travel to the High Ground of God’s Word! I hope to give you some pointers to help you in your “untried” faith, producing in you a spiritual maturity, bringing you to a place of Extreme Faith!

Let me ask you
· Do you really want to know God?
· Do you long for a deep relationship with Him?
· Do you want to know what He requires of you?

Most Christians have been encouraged to study the Word of God, yet many have never been shown how.

My job description as Pastor / Teacher is to help you recognize and believe the Truth when they see it! In His inspired Word, God has given us everything we need to know about life and godliness. But He doesn't stop there. He gives every believer a resident teacher - the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides us into His truth.

Really, the Bible needs no other books or truths to supplement it. The Bible is its own commentary, and it can be understood by any believer.

Beginning with prayer. Prayer is often the missing element in Bible study.

Even the most effective method of Bible study, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, is but a method. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth, taking the things of God and revealing them to us.

· Do you ask God to teach you as you open the scriptures?

· Do you think there is more to the Word of God than you have discovered so far?

· Do you want a rock solid faith that keeps you from being tossed around by
conflicting winds of doctrine?

· Do you want to be able to face the future without fear?

If you answered yes to even one of these questions then what I am about to show you is of the utmost importance. Please keep in mind that God can give you insight at any point in your study, so be sensitive to His leading.


Take the Word as He reveals it to you, eat it, every bit of it. Allow it to become part of you, for as James says, it is the implanted Word that is able to save your soul.

As you study the Bible chapter by chapter, book by book, you will grow in your ability to comprehend the whole counsel of God. This will lead to "wholeness" of spirit, character and life.

The very heart of inductive study is: seeing truth for yourself, discerning what it means, and applying that truth to your life.

In-duc-tion: The bringing forward of separate facts as evidence in order to prove a general statement.

Certainly NO study method will be successful if you don’t apply what you learn. Ask yourself, is there a truth here I can put into practice? What changes should I make in my life?

"To Hear the Word and Not Act upon it, robs us of understanding and effectiveness!"

When you know what God says, what He means and how to put His truths into practice, you will be equipped for every circumstance of life.

Turn to James Chapter 1.

Background: What a turnaround from the day James told his half-brother what to do if he wanted to be known publicly!
Full of unbelief and convinced that Jesus was nothing more than his eldest brother, James told Jesus to take His disciples and go up to the Feast of Booths and do his work there. Jesus might have found more disciples there, but James was not to be numbered as one of them - until Jesus rose from the dead (I Corinthians 15:7)

From that point on James would lay claim not to his physical relationship to Jesus, but rather to his spiritual relationship as a bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

James became a pillar of the church and a friend of Peter and Paul. But most of all he was a friend of Jesus, a covenant friend for whom he would be martyred.

James wrote one epistle to be included in the pages of Holy Scripture, an epistle that would show what the gospel is like when it is lived out in shoe leather.

Prayer: “Holy Spirit I welcome your leading. You have promised to bring me into all truth. I want to hear what you have for me to learn. Heal me of my pre-conceived ideas and opinions. Remove the wax of worldly knowledge from my ears. Heal me of dull hearing, open my eyes that I may see wondrous things out of your Word.”

Over the next few minutes consider:
· What does the Bible say? Establish the facts
· What does it mean? Avoid Speculation
· What does it mean to me? Be willing to put it into practice

Read: James 1 (re-read 2-3)

What are the facts in those two verses? What exactly is said, not your words or opinions, rather what facts are written in that set of verses.

Keep what you read in Context, avoid bunny trails. Context: “With text”.

Read at least 3 verses before and after your study verse. You don’t need to cross reference from cover to cover. Each individual Book or Letter should be in fact must be able to stand on its own.

When a verse you are reading begins with a word such as: “And”, “Then”, “So”, “If”, “When”, and “Therefore” you can be pretty sure that there is more information around that verse (in context).

Get to a place where you ask, “What is the therefore there for?”

Look at James 1 again, read verses 2-3.
· James speaks of trials, does he give any indication to what some of them are?
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· What produces patience?
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· Compare those who consider it joy to those who do not.
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