Give Me Strength
“Wisdom is Found in God’s Word”
Isaiah 40:28-31; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:14-16

Isaiah 40:28-31

There are small, but specific, spiritual practices that God can use to grow our endurance, our wisdom, our grace and our strength. 

The first habit: Seek daily wisdom from God’s Word. 

What is God’s Word?
1. Jesus Christ - John 1:1
2. Scriptures 

Sola scriptura = Scripture alone
The Bible is the infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. 

The Bible shows us who God is, who He wants us to be, and therefore should be our final authority for everything we believe or do. 

Five wrong ways to use a Bible: 
1. Bible roulette - You can’t open to a random page and hope it will give you something. 
2. Magic eight ball - You can’t shake it up and have it tell you whether this person or job is for you or not. 
3. Fortune cookie - It won’t tell you want is going to happen tomorrow. 
4. Paper weight or decor - If it’s collecting dust, the problem is not how often you clean. 
5. Textbook - To study the word and not let it influence every part of you means you are missing the Holy Spirit. 

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” –Hebrews 4:12 

If we want to find new strength, if we want to know the will of God, if we want to have peace, we have to allow God’s word to be God’s Word. 

Often times we are overwhelmed by or we over complicate the Bible. God has, or will, give you everything you need to understand His Word.

How to use the Bible as simply as possible: 
Read - Everyday seek wisdom from God’s word, the Bible. 
Think - Ask questions, talk with a friend, find out the meaning,  
Do - God will transform us by his Holy Spirit through his living Word.  

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” –James 1:22 

Five things the Bible will do as your authority (from Psalm 119)
1. Keep you from sin - Psalm 119:9-11
2. Encourage your heart during trails - Psalm 119:49-50
3. Give you life - Psalm 119:92-93
4. Give you peace that won’t fail - Psalm 119:165 
5. Light your path - Psalm 119:105 

BONUS
6. Able to make you wise for salvation - 2 Timothy 3:14-16

“But as for you, 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 3:14-16 

What are we going to do? 
Seek daily wisdom from Gods word (the Bible) and find new strength. 

On December 31, 2023, we want to be able to say …
“I ran the race with endurance, because I learned how to rest in God.”
“I lived wisely, because I hid God’s Word in my heart.”
“I grew in grace, as I spent time with God in prayer.”
“I became stronger, because of the circle of friends around me.”