Latest / First15 Devotional / Seeking God through Scripture

Transcript

Seeking God through Scripture · First15 Devotional

• 0:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: In our second day of exploring what it means to seek God, we're going to focus in on the act of seeking God through the Scriptures.
• 0:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: We have been given an endless well of life-giving truth through the gift of God's Word.
• 0:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Whatever needs you have, God wants to use His words to bring peace, life, strength, guidance, and hope to you today.
• 0:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: He promises you will find him when you seek him with your whole heart.
• 0:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: and God is ready and waiting to meet with you today, eager to meet all your needs, and exceed all your expectations.
• 0:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: May your heart be open to God's truth today as you experience this presence.
• 0:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast.
• 1:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 4, verse 4, Scripture says, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
• 1:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: The pages of Scripture are filled with declarations of the wonderful, mysterious, powerful and loving nature of our heavenly Father.
• 1:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture is one of God's greatest gifts to His people, who so easily forget the labor of love He has undergone to gain restored relationship with us.
• 2:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible is a companion to those who long to seek and find the invisible God who so greatly desires to be discovered.
• 2:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's open our hearts today to Scripture and the Holy Spirit and receive fresh revelation on how God longs to use His Word to guide us as we seek His face.
• 2:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: In Matthew 4 verse 4, Jesus says, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
• 2:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture is meant to fill us with life, by leading us directly to our Heavenly Father.
• 2:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: the power of Scripture lies in the fact that its pages are filled with the words of a God who is still active, powerful and loving.
• 3:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I went years using Scripture incorrectly.
• 3:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: I viewed it as a set of rules I needed to read and try to keep, rather than as a guide to experiencing the adventure of communion with my Heavenly Father.
• 3:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: I viewed Scripture as a chore, rather than the words of God meant specifically for me.
• 3:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I finally came to the realization that if I wanted to read the Bible, I would.
• 3:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: My problem wasn't a lack of will, but rather a lack of revelation on God's intention behind authoring the Bible.
• 3:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: My problem was that I hadn't experienced a life-lived by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
• 3:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Wherever you are in your understanding of Scripture, know that God has fresh desire for His word in the store for you today.
• 3:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: He longs to fill you with the desire to read the words that will guide you to abundant life.
• 4:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Holy Spirit longs to speak directly to you through words written thousands of years ago.
• 4:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Our Bible is a powerful miracle.
• 4:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Safe guarded for the benefit of all who had used it to seek the face of its creator.
• 4:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: May we all have the heart of the Psalmist and grow in our love of Scripture in the God who inspired it.
• 4:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: He said in Psalm 119 starting in verse 97,
• 4:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, how I love your law.
• 4:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is my meditation all the day.
• 4:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies for it is ever with me.
• 4:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: I have more understanding than all my teachers for your testimonies are my meditation.
• 4:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I understand more than the age for I keep your precepts.
• 5:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: I hold back my feet from every evil way in order to keep your word.
• 5:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me.
• 5:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth?
• 5:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Through your precepts, I get understanding.
• 5:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Therefore I hate every false way.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: As you head into guided prayer, open your heart and settle your mind and come before God with expectation that he'll speak a fresh word to you today from this book, Isn't Spired.
• 6:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: as we begin.
• 6:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's start by meditating on the power of Scripture in seeking God.
• 6:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus says in John 15 verses 10 through 11, if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.
• 6:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just as I have kept my father's commandments and abide in his love.
• 6:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
• 7:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: next.
• 7:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Where do you need the help of Scripture in seeking God?
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: What lie do you believe about the character of God?
• 7:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: What thought or perspective is keeping you from pursuing God with all your heart?
• 7:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture is a powerful tool to combat incorrect thinking with God's truth.
• 8:10
  [UNKNOWN]: You
• 8:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: last.
• 8:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Ask the Spirit to guide you to a passage of Scripture that will speak directly to your situation.
• 8:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Pay attention for a passage or book that comes to mind and take a few moments to allow God to speak to you through it.
• 9:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: As you go about your day, may you have ears to hear the voice of God speaking to you through the pages of Scripture.
• 9:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: May your heart become soft and open to God's presence as you open as word.
• 9:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: And may you experience the delight that comes from the knowledge of God's will for you as found in the pages of the Bible.
• 10:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with first 15.
• 10:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for listening to today's podcast.
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: There are so many incredible resources for studying the Bible in deeper ways.
• 10:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: The U-version Bible app has lots of great reading plans to help you dive deeper into God's Word.
• 10:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: You can just search for the Bible in your app store and find their app.
• 10:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day and may God bless you as you see Kim.