TRUSTING GOD’S WORD
Pastor Dennis Clanton
Woodland Church
Sunday, July 9, 2023
(2 Peter 1:16–21, NLT) “For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.”
1. THE BIBLE IS INSPIRED BY GOD. (GOD-BREATHED)
(2 Timothy 3:16, CJB) “All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living;”
(Psalm 119:138, NLT) “Your laws are perfect and completely trustworthy.”
(Revelation 22:18–19, Message) “I give fair warning to all who hear the words of the prophecy of this book: If you add to the words of this prophecy, God will add to your life the disasters written in this book; if you subtract from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will subtract your part from the Tree of Life and the Holy City that are written in this book.”
2. GOD ENABLES ME TO UNDERSTAND AND APPLY HIS WORD.
(1 Corinthians 2:10, CEV) “His Spirit finds out everything, even what is deep in the mind of God.”
(John 14:16, CEV) “Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you.”
(John 16:13, CEV) “The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth.”
“The Bible in the memory is better than the Bible in the bookcase.” –Charles Spurgeon
3. THEREFORE, I CAN TRUST THE BIBLE HISTORICALLY.
(Luke 1:1–4, NLT) “Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.”
(1 Corinthians 15:6, NLT) “After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.”
4. THEREFORE, I CAN TRUST THE BIBLE CULTURALLY.
(Luke 24:21, NLT) “We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.”
(Romans 12:2, Message) “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”
5. THEREFORE, I WILL TRUST THE BIBLE PERSONALLY.
(Luke 24:32, NLT) “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”
(Luke 24:27, NLT) “Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
The Bible is all about Jesus not me.
GROWTHWORK
(James 1:22–25, NLT) “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”
1. Trust
2. Delight
3. Obey
4. Steward