1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,520 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church podcast 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,480 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,720 My name is Pastor Josh and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:10,480 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,680 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:16,080 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,160 Now come along, let's look into the Bible and see what God has 8 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:21,440 for us here today. 9 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,850 For most of you, you're experiencing some snow and some cold 10 00:00:27,850 --> 00:00:30,490 weather and I hope that you're staying warm. 11 00:00:30,650 --> 00:00:32,170 I hope that you're staying safe. 12 00:00:32,650 --> 00:00:35,050 And thank you for tuning in. 13 00:00:35,050 --> 00:00:39,090 I know that we'll have various people tuning in at various moments 14 00:00:39,090 --> 00:00:43,370 through the live stream here this morning, but what I'd like to 15 00:00:43,370 --> 00:00:47,570 do is just welcome you all here today to Middletown Baptist 16 00:00:47,570 --> 00:00:49,050 Church in a different setting. 17 00:00:49,530 --> 00:00:53,370 Sometimes I'd like to come to you from the actual facility there, 18 00:00:53,370 --> 00:00:56,410 but today we're going to be streaming from from my house. 19 00:00:56,410 --> 00:00:59,470 So I'm going to go ahead and open up with a word of prayer and 20 00:00:59,470 --> 00:01:02,590 share a few thoughts here this morning with you. 21 00:01:02,750 --> 00:01:05,830 Certainly won't be as long as our normal worship service in the 22 00:01:05,830 --> 00:01:09,510 mornings, but I do want to speak to you about the word of God 23 00:01:09,510 --> 00:01:09,870 here today. 24 00:01:09,870 --> 00:01:12,750 So let's open up with a word of prayer and we will get started. 25 00:01:13,310 --> 00:01:16,830 Lord, we do thank you for this time that you've given us today to 26 00:01:16,830 --> 00:01:20,710 come together on the live stream to study your word, Lord, 27 00:01:20,710 --> 00:01:25,410 to worship you through the op, the openings and the opportunities 28 00:01:25,410 --> 00:01:29,250 to follow your word and to grow in the truth of scripture. 29 00:01:29,250 --> 00:01:33,090 Lord, I pray that you be with everybody today that might be experiencing 30 00:01:33,330 --> 00:01:35,050 this snowy weather. 31 00:01:35,050 --> 00:01:37,330 Lord, I pray that you keep anyone safe that might need to get 32 00:01:37,330 --> 00:01:38,050 on the roads. 33 00:01:38,210 --> 00:01:41,570 And I pray that through all of us today that we can have fellowship 34 00:01:42,050 --> 00:01:43,810 over the Internet today. 35 00:01:43,970 --> 00:01:46,930 We know it's not ideal, Lord, but this is an opportunity for us 36 00:01:46,930 --> 00:01:51,460 to continue on in your away and in your word. 37 00:01:51,460 --> 00:01:53,500 So we just ask that you bless us in this time. 38 00:01:53,500 --> 00:01:54,340 In Jesus name. 39 00:01:54,340 --> 00:01:54,940 Amen. 40 00:01:56,140 --> 00:01:57,060 Well, again, thank you. 41 00:01:57,060 --> 00:02:01,180 If you're joining us, we're going to continue on in our sermon 42 00:02:01,180 --> 00:02:03,300 series looking at up in and out. 43 00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:04,860 Last week we talked about the. 44 00:02:04,860 --> 00:02:06,140 The theme for our church. 45 00:02:06,860 --> 00:02:08,540 And it's more than a theme. 46 00:02:08,540 --> 00:02:12,540 It's really what we desire to be the rhythm of our church culture. 47 00:02:12,860 --> 00:02:17,180 Our church culture can look many different ways depending on 48 00:02:17,180 --> 00:02:18,260 what we focus on. 49 00:02:18,820 --> 00:02:23,060 But if our focus is our relationship with God first and foremost, 50 00:02:23,140 --> 00:02:25,140 that up relationship that. 51 00:02:25,220 --> 00:02:30,060 That relationship in which we see a growth in not only our knowledge 52 00:02:30,060 --> 00:02:34,740 of who he is, but also in our personal walk with him, and if that 53 00:02:34,740 --> 00:02:38,620 relationship's where it needs to be and we're walking in tune with 54 00:02:38,620 --> 00:02:42,230 His Word and His will, then we're able to interact with other 55 00:02:42,230 --> 00:02:43,590 believers within the church. 56 00:02:43,590 --> 00:02:48,150 And so that's the in idea, the, the inward focus that we can 57 00:02:48,150 --> 00:02:51,750 look to one another as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and 58 00:02:51,750 --> 00:02:56,390 encourage one another, edify one another, exhort one another, 59 00:02:56,790 --> 00:02:59,950 even in some cases, educate one another in the truths of the 60 00:02:59,950 --> 00:03:00,510 Word of God. 61 00:03:00,510 --> 00:03:05,150 And then lastly, we looked at that out rhythm, the, the, the rhythm 62 00:03:05,150 --> 00:03:09,210 of going out into the world and sharing of the gospel, as the 63 00:03:09,210 --> 00:03:11,490 Bible says, sharing the gospel with every creature. 64 00:03:11,730 --> 00:03:14,810 And, and we see that in the Great Commission in Matthew chapter 65 00:03:14,810 --> 00:03:18,530 28 and in many other places in the New Testament, that importance 66 00:03:18,530 --> 00:03:21,290 of sharing the Word with other people. 67 00:03:21,290 --> 00:03:24,850 But today, what we were going to look at if we met in person is 68 00:03:25,170 --> 00:03:29,730 the rhythm of our relationship with God and the importance of walking 69 00:03:29,730 --> 00:03:33,370 with him and, and how we can focus on him in the passage of Scripture. 70 00:03:33,370 --> 00:03:36,650 I'd like us to, I'll start with here this morning, if you can 71 00:03:36,650 --> 00:03:37,690 follow along with me. 72 00:03:37,690 --> 00:03:40,170 Is Colossians chapter three. 73 00:03:40,170 --> 00:03:45,610 Colossians chapter three tells us the position of the believer. 74 00:03:46,410 --> 00:03:52,250 As a believer, we are renewed, we are redeemed, we are, we are given 75 00:03:52,570 --> 00:03:56,370 gifts of grace so that we can walk in newness of life, so that 76 00:03:56,370 --> 00:03:59,130 we can stand strong in the truth of God. 77 00:03:59,130 --> 00:04:03,290 And over and over again in Scripture, it reminds us to be identified 78 00:04:03,530 --> 00:04:06,450 in Christ to, to walk in that new truth. 79 00:04:06,450 --> 00:04:09,970 And so In Colossians chapter 3, verse 1, it says, if ye then be 80 00:04:09,970 --> 00:04:11,010 risen with Christ. 81 00:04:11,010 --> 00:04:14,570 And so it's a question if you're risen with Christ, if you're 82 00:04:14,570 --> 00:04:18,330 identify with Christ, if you're a believer, see those things 83 00:04:18,330 --> 00:04:19,330 which are above. 84 00:04:20,050 --> 00:04:24,450 And so the idea here in this passage is that as a Christian, as 85 00:04:24,450 --> 00:04:29,610 a believer, we're to be seeking, striving, chasing after 86 00:04:29,610 --> 00:04:30,810 the things which are above. 87 00:04:30,810 --> 00:04:32,690 Now what does that mean, things which are above? 88 00:04:32,690 --> 00:04:36,850 Well, speaking of things of eternal perspective, it's speaking 89 00:04:36,850 --> 00:04:40,810 of things that are not of the here and now, the material world, 90 00:04:40,810 --> 00:04:44,890 the, the selfish, fleshly focus, but to invest into the kingdom 91 00:04:44,890 --> 00:04:48,290 of God, to walk with the things that are important with the 92 00:04:48,290 --> 00:04:48,610 Lord. 93 00:04:48,610 --> 00:04:52,610 And that means for us to think about those things that God has called 94 00:04:52,610 --> 00:04:56,410 us to do and in the personal relationship with God, the, the up 95 00:04:56,410 --> 00:04:57,570 relationship with God. 96 00:04:57,650 --> 00:04:59,490 He's called us to fellowship with Him. 97 00:04:59,490 --> 00:05:01,910 He's called us to, to walk with Him. 98 00:05:01,910 --> 00:05:05,910 He's called us to get into an intimate relationship with Him. 99 00:05:05,910 --> 00:05:08,710 And so part of that would be Studying His Word. 100 00:05:08,710 --> 00:05:13,870 Part of that would be walking in a life of prayer to be strengthened 101 00:05:13,870 --> 00:05:17,550 in his truths and then ultimately to fellowship and to serve 102 00:05:17,550 --> 00:05:22,070 him and to walk alongside of, not only walk alongside of him, but 103 00:05:22,070 --> 00:05:23,990 walk in his will, as the Bible says. 104 00:05:23,990 --> 00:05:27,350 And so says, if ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which 105 00:05:27,350 --> 00:05:30,950 are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 106 00:05:30,950 --> 00:05:33,710 And so this speaks of our relationship with the Father, it 107 00:05:33,710 --> 00:05:35,790 speaks with our relationship to the Son. 108 00:05:35,790 --> 00:05:38,630 And we even know that in First John, chapter two, the Bible says 109 00:05:38,710 --> 00:05:40,430 that Jesus is our advocate. 110 00:05:40,430 --> 00:05:42,670 He's the one that's fighting for us. 111 00:05:42,670 --> 00:05:47,790 He's the one who is, is the one who is positioning himself to 112 00:05:47,790 --> 00:05:48,790 intercede for us. 113 00:05:49,270 --> 00:05:52,950 And so he says, how do we seek those things which are above? 114 00:05:52,950 --> 00:05:58,600 Well, verse 2 of Colossians 3 says this, set your affection, set 115 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:05,440 your heart, set your desires on things above, not on things on 116 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:06,040 the earth. 117 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:10,439 And so the picture that we see here is he says, instead of desiring 118 00:06:10,439 --> 00:06:14,280 the things of this world, instead of loving the things of this 119 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:17,920 world, instead of spending all of our time on the things of this 120 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,280 world, instead of just investing everything into the here 121 00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:25,160 and now, he says, set your affection, set your heart, set your 122 00:06:25,590 --> 00:06:28,230 passions on the things that are going to matter for eternity. 123 00:06:28,950 --> 00:06:31,870 We know in other places the Bible says in Matthew chapter 6, 124 00:06:31,870 --> 00:06:34,390 Seek ye first the kingdom of God. 125 00:06:35,430 --> 00:06:38,550 And, and so when we're looking at the Christian life and we're looking 126 00:06:38,550 --> 00:06:43,190 at that rhythm of up, our up relationship with God, we think about 127 00:06:43,350 --> 00:06:45,990 putting our priorities in, in check. 128 00:06:46,230 --> 00:06:47,830 What, what's our priority in life? 129 00:06:48,950 --> 00:06:50,630 What's our focus in life? 130 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:56,280 What's our ultimate goal in what we're trying to accomplish within 131 00:06:56,280 --> 00:06:57,840 the church and in our personal lives. 132 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,120 And so what we can ultimately see at the end of the day is that 133 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,600 the Bible says, don't get hung up on the distractions of this world. 134 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:10,040 Set your affection, set your time, set a specific place, set a 135 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:15,320 specific time, set a specific schedule to the place where we say, 136 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:15,640 you know what? 137 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:19,830 I'm not going to allow the things of this world to pull me away 138 00:07:19,830 --> 00:07:20,910 from the things of God. 139 00:07:20,910 --> 00:07:24,550 So he says in verse 3, for ye are dead and your life is hid with 140 00:07:24,550 --> 00:07:25,510 Christ in God. 141 00:07:25,990 --> 00:07:30,550 When Christ, who is our life, verse four, and I love that phrase, 142 00:07:30,550 --> 00:07:34,230 when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall he also 143 00:07:34,230 --> 00:07:35,910 appear with him in glory. 144 00:07:36,070 --> 00:07:39,190 You know, you hear a lot of people say things like, you know, 145 00:07:39,910 --> 00:07:44,190 this, this sport is my life, or my job is my life, or this hobby 146 00:07:44,190 --> 00:07:47,110 is my life, or, or even my family. 147 00:07:47,110 --> 00:07:47,790 Is my life. 148 00:07:47,790 --> 00:07:49,630 And, and we all know what that means. 149 00:07:49,630 --> 00:07:50,870 It means that it's my everything. 150 00:07:51,510 --> 00:07:52,070 It's my. 151 00:07:52,070 --> 00:07:54,830 It's my complete focus in. 152 00:07:54,830 --> 00:07:56,270 In the majority of my life. 153 00:07:56,270 --> 00:08:00,550 And so what this passage here is saying is that we as Christians 154 00:08:01,109 --> 00:08:03,510 have to understand that Christ is our life now. 155 00:08:03,510 --> 00:08:03,790 He. 156 00:08:03,790 --> 00:08:04,710 He is our. 157 00:08:05,030 --> 00:08:05,870 Our goal. 158 00:08:05,870 --> 00:08:07,430 He is everything to us. 159 00:08:07,430 --> 00:08:10,870 He's the focus of our affections. 160 00:08:10,870 --> 00:08:12,260 And so how do we do that? 161 00:08:12,260 --> 00:08:12,540 How. 162 00:08:12,540 --> 00:08:13,940 How do we live that Life? 163 00:08:13,940 --> 00:08:18,420 As Colossians3 has stated to to be setting our affections on the 164 00:08:18,420 --> 00:08:19,060 things of God. 165 00:08:19,060 --> 00:08:21,580 To be setting our focus on the things of God. 166 00:08:21,580 --> 00:08:24,060 Well, I want to take you to a few other passages of Scripture here 167 00:08:24,060 --> 00:08:26,420 this morning that speak to those. 168 00:08:26,580 --> 00:08:27,700 Those specific things. 169 00:08:27,700 --> 00:08:31,140 And so one passage of Scripture that I think would be very 170 00:08:31,140 --> 00:08:33,780 appropriate to turn to is, Is the book of. 171 00:08:34,020 --> 00:08:34,780 Of Psalms. 172 00:08:34,780 --> 00:08:38,479 And we're going to go to Psalms 55, 17. 173 00:08:39,599 --> 00:08:43,039 Now we're going to look at a few passages here in the Psalms. 174 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:45,759 And I think that this can give us a description of what that life 175 00:08:46,319 --> 00:08:48,479 fully committed to the Lord looks like. 176 00:08:48,719 --> 00:08:53,279 And so if you go to Psalm 55 and you look at verse number 17, 177 00:08:54,479 --> 00:08:58,639 this is the Psalmist here describing his commitment to God. 178 00:08:59,199 --> 00:09:04,199 He's describing what it means to be setting his affections on the 179 00:09:04,199 --> 00:09:04,439 Lord. 180 00:09:04,439 --> 00:09:06,399 And in this case, it's talking about communication. 181 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,920 We all know that in a relationship, communication is key. 182 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,400 Within the context of marriage, which within the context 183 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,920 of friendship, within the context of a workplace environment, 184 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:18,720 communication is key. 185 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:22,600 And so the way that we communicate to God is a life of prayer, 186 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,400 communicating to him not only our needs, even though that's part 187 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,960 of prayer, bringing our requests to God, bringing our petitions 188 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,480 to God and our needs to God, but also prayer comes worship. 189 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:35,920 I'm also in prayer comes thanksgiving. 190 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:39,280 And we could go to passage after passage looking at those. 191 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:42,640 But I think this is a good passage of Scripture speaking of 192 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:46,440 the frequency that we should go to the Lord in with our prayer 193 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:46,640 life. 194 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:52,000 And it says in verse 17 of Psalm 55, evening and morning, and 195 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:57,040 at noon will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice. 196 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:03,370 This speaks of the frequency evening, morning and at noon. 197 00:10:03,370 --> 00:10:06,210 There's other passages of Scripture, obviously in the New Testament 198 00:10:06,210 --> 00:10:09,570 and first Thessalonians that speak of praying without ceasing. 199 00:10:09,570 --> 00:10:13,810 And this doesn't mean that we pray 247 constantly. 200 00:10:13,810 --> 00:10:15,770 And we can't focus on anything else in our lives. 201 00:10:16,090 --> 00:10:19,090 What this means is to be in a constant state of communication with 202 00:10:19,090 --> 00:10:22,450 the Lord, to be in a constant state of prayer, to be always ready 203 00:10:22,450 --> 00:10:26,130 to Go before Him with our needs and with our praises and with 204 00:10:26,130 --> 00:10:26,890 our thanksgiving. 205 00:10:26,890 --> 00:10:29,760 And there's a lot of things that we could talk about when it 206 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:31,000 comes to the format of prayer. 207 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:35,080 But the best example is what we find in Matthew and in the book 208 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:35,760 of Matthew. 209 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:40,080 Jesus is speaking and he gives the teaching on prayer. 210 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:43,040 And many folks call this the Lord's Prayer. 211 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,720 And certainly that would be an appropriate term. 212 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:47,280 I like to call this the model prayer. 213 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:51,840 In Matthew chapter 6, going down all the way from 5 to verse 214 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:52,240 15. 215 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:52,900 He. 216 00:10:52,970 --> 00:10:56,050 He speaks of this, this type of prayer that we should have. 217 00:10:56,050 --> 00:10:59,530 And I think a good model that we can look at in the prayer life 218 00:10:59,530 --> 00:11:02,610 is I call it the Acts model Acts. 219 00:11:02,610 --> 00:11:06,290 There's adoration, first and foremost, just adoring God, praising 220 00:11:06,290 --> 00:11:10,290 God for who he is, praising him for his glory, praising him for 221 00:11:10,290 --> 00:11:13,730 his power, praising God for His provisions, praising God for 222 00:11:13,730 --> 00:11:17,970 everything that he is to us in even the greatest way, that he's 223 00:11:17,970 --> 00:11:18,490 our Savior. 224 00:11:19,390 --> 00:11:21,750 But then we look at the sea there in this confession. 225 00:11:21,750 --> 00:11:24,590 The Bible says if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just 226 00:11:24,590 --> 00:11:26,950 to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 227 00:11:26,950 --> 00:11:30,630 And so one aspect of prayer is confessing our sins before God. 228 00:11:30,630 --> 00:11:33,990 It doesn't mean that we keep getting re saved over and over and 229 00:11:33,990 --> 00:11:34,350 over again. 230 00:11:34,350 --> 00:11:37,710 But what it does mean is that we're restoring that relationship, 231 00:11:37,710 --> 00:11:40,990 we're restoring that fellowship with him when we're walking 232 00:11:40,990 --> 00:11:42,270 outside of his will. 233 00:11:42,270 --> 00:11:45,550 And so we have a C T T is thanksgiving. 234 00:11:46,330 --> 00:11:49,410 Another passage of scripture that you could jot down maybe in 235 00:11:49,410 --> 00:11:52,690 your notes when it comes to the idea of prayer would be Philippians 236 00:11:52,690 --> 00:11:53,450 chapter 4. 237 00:11:54,010 --> 00:11:55,690 Philippians, chapter 4, verse 6. 238 00:11:55,770 --> 00:11:57,850 Be careful or anxious for nothing. 239 00:11:58,010 --> 00:12:02,570 But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, 240 00:12:02,570 --> 00:12:04,650 let your requests be made known unto God. 241 00:12:04,730 --> 00:12:07,450 So the Bible says that one element of prayer is giving thanks 242 00:12:07,450 --> 00:12:10,290 to the Lord for the things that he provides for us in our lives. 243 00:12:10,290 --> 00:12:12,290 And so that's communication with Him. 244 00:12:12,290 --> 00:12:15,990 And then lastly the s there is supplication asking God for things. 245 00:12:15,990 --> 00:12:17,910 And maybe it's physical things. 246 00:12:17,910 --> 00:12:22,270 And certainly it's appropriate to ask God for physical healing. 247 00:12:22,270 --> 00:12:25,110 And we know that that is certainly appropriate. 248 00:12:25,110 --> 00:12:29,030 In the book of James, it says for us to come and bring forth those 249 00:12:29,030 --> 00:12:30,350 that are sick and pray for them. 250 00:12:30,350 --> 00:12:34,030 But then also I think it's supplication in areas of our spiritual 251 00:12:34,030 --> 00:12:34,950 life, right? 252 00:12:34,950 --> 00:12:37,110 There's things that we might be struggling with when it comes 253 00:12:37,110 --> 00:12:42,270 to a temptation or trial or whatever it might be, doubts that 254 00:12:42,270 --> 00:12:45,340 we have in the spiritual, a life that we can bring to him and 255 00:12:45,340 --> 00:12:49,860 give him where we're at and ultimately ask him for that victory 256 00:12:49,860 --> 00:12:50,980 that he brings us. 257 00:12:50,980 --> 00:12:54,100 And so over and over again in scripture, it calls us to live a 258 00:12:54,100 --> 00:12:56,020 life of prayer, and that's part of the up relationship. 259 00:12:56,020 --> 00:12:59,060 And so one very practical challenge that I like to give all 260 00:12:59,060 --> 00:13:02,260 of us, including myself here this morning, is that that we can 261 00:13:02,260 --> 00:13:06,700 come in our life and say, lord, I want to grow in my lifestyle 262 00:13:06,700 --> 00:13:07,180 of prayer. 263 00:13:07,180 --> 00:13:09,870 I want to grow not just in, hey, hey. 264 00:13:09,870 --> 00:13:12,110 I want to pray once a day before my meal, but I want to live 265 00:13:12,110 --> 00:13:13,390 that life of prayer. 266 00:13:13,870 --> 00:13:16,390 And so that's one element of that up relationship. 267 00:13:16,390 --> 00:13:20,630 But another element of our up relationship would be the Word of 268 00:13:20,630 --> 00:13:23,790 God to be studying in the Word of God. 269 00:13:24,190 --> 00:13:28,110 And there's verse after verse that speak to the importance of the 270 00:13:28,350 --> 00:13:31,950 Bible in our life, one that certainly many of you know, if you 271 00:13:32,190 --> 00:13:34,870 follow Middletown Baptist Church, either on the live stream 272 00:13:34,870 --> 00:13:38,260 or in you're coming in person that I quote quite frequently. 273 00:13:38,260 --> 00:13:40,100 Second Timothy, chapter 3, verse 16. 274 00:13:40,660 --> 00:13:44,140 All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable 275 00:13:44,140 --> 00:13:47,980 for doctrine, that's teaching, for reproof, that telling us where 276 00:13:47,980 --> 00:13:51,060 we're wrong for, for correction, how to fix that, for 277 00:13:51,060 --> 00:13:53,060 instruction in righteousness, how to. 278 00:13:53,060 --> 00:13:56,900 How to stay in the path of that the man of God, that the person 279 00:13:56,980 --> 00:14:00,220 of God may be perfect, that's mature, thoroughly furnished unto 280 00:14:00,220 --> 00:14:01,140 all good works. 281 00:14:01,540 --> 00:14:04,740 And so that's one passage of scripture that challenges us to understand 282 00:14:04,820 --> 00:14:09,550 the benefit of walking in the Word of God to, to obey the Word 283 00:14:09,550 --> 00:14:13,550 of God, not just know the Word of God, but to walk in the Word of 284 00:14:13,550 --> 00:14:16,830 God, to obey the Word of God and make that a part of our lives. 285 00:14:17,390 --> 00:14:21,270 Another wonderful chapter of the Bible that I think that all of 286 00:14:21,270 --> 00:14:24,990 us could go to and study and really learn a lot about how we should 287 00:14:24,990 --> 00:14:28,030 interact with the Word of God is Psalm 119. 288 00:14:29,070 --> 00:14:34,210 Most of you know that Psalm 119 is a very, very long chapter, 289 00:14:34,210 --> 00:14:37,770 but in that chapter, there's so many verses that specifically 290 00:14:37,770 --> 00:14:39,890 deal with our relationship with the Word of God. 291 00:14:40,450 --> 00:14:44,210 And, and if you look at Psalm 119 and, and you go to. 292 00:14:44,290 --> 00:14:48,010 Well, we could go to a lot of verses, but I, I think verse number 293 00:14:48,010 --> 00:14:50,210 16 is, is a good one. 294 00:14:50,530 --> 00:14:52,890 Says, I will delight myself in thy statutes. 295 00:14:52,890 --> 00:14:54,770 I will not forget thy word. 296 00:14:55,410 --> 00:14:59,950 If you go all the way back to verse number five, it says, oh, that 297 00:14:59,950 --> 00:15:02,550 my ways were directed to keep thy statutes. 298 00:15:03,350 --> 00:15:06,950 And so this is this idea of allowing the Word of God to direct 299 00:15:07,030 --> 00:15:07,790 our steps. 300 00:15:07,790 --> 00:15:09,950 You could even go down to verse number nine. 301 00:15:09,950 --> 00:15:14,910 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto 302 00:15:14,910 --> 00:15:17,550 unto the word of thy word. 303 00:15:17,550 --> 00:15:20,870 And so there's verse after verse about walking in the statutes 304 00:15:20,870 --> 00:15:24,150 of God and the blessings of that and the importance of walking 305 00:15:24,470 --> 00:15:25,590 in his truth. 306 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,480 You go on to Psalm 119105. 307 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:31,800 It says, Thy word, ha. 308 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:35,400 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. 309 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,840 So you could break down, really, if we had time, we could 310 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:43,200 break down all of Psalm 119, and we could look at the importance 311 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,520 of allowing the Word of God to guide our lives. 312 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,718 But I think the summary of all of that would be found in Psalm 119, 313 00:15:48,842 --> 00:15:49,400 105. 314 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:53,810 Thy word, those scriptures are a lamp unto my feet. 315 00:15:53,810 --> 00:15:55,850 Now, we're walking in a really dark world today. 316 00:15:55,850 --> 00:15:56,570 We know that. 317 00:15:57,290 --> 00:16:00,010 We know that there's sin all around us, there's temptations and 318 00:16:00,010 --> 00:16:01,450 trials all around us. 319 00:16:01,530 --> 00:16:04,490 And the way to light our path is by following the Word of God. 320 00:16:04,490 --> 00:16:08,650 And so it's not, though, just an opportunity for us to avoid bad 321 00:16:08,650 --> 00:16:11,770 things, even though that is a benefit of the Word of God. 322 00:16:12,010 --> 00:16:14,170 One of the benefits of the Word of God is that it guides us 323 00:16:14,170 --> 00:16:14,890 into truth. 324 00:16:15,210 --> 00:16:18,570 John 17:17 says, Sanctify them through thy truth. 325 00:16:18,570 --> 00:16:20,090 Thy Word is truth. 326 00:16:20,860 --> 00:16:22,060 So it brings us the truth. 327 00:16:22,540 --> 00:16:27,340 An amazing thing, but also one element of Bible study would be this, 328 00:16:28,220 --> 00:16:30,980 that I love God so much that. 329 00:16:30,980 --> 00:16:31,260 That. 330 00:16:31,260 --> 00:16:34,340 That he is my Savior, but He's also My Father, and I want to know 331 00:16:34,340 --> 00:16:35,820 everything that he tells me. 332 00:16:36,380 --> 00:16:40,540 And so it's a growth not only in the practical application of learning 333 00:16:40,540 --> 00:16:41,540 the Word of God that's. 334 00:16:41,540 --> 00:16:45,860 That's great, but also it's a growth in loving God so much that 335 00:16:45,860 --> 00:16:49,250 we want to know His Word, that we want to spend time with Him. 336 00:16:49,250 --> 00:16:52,730 And there's verse after verse in the Old Testament and the New 337 00:16:52,730 --> 00:16:56,930 Testament that speak of the importance of walking and meditating 338 00:16:56,930 --> 00:16:57,650 on the Word. 339 00:16:57,890 --> 00:17:00,930 A passage of Scripture that maybe some of you are familiar with 340 00:17:00,930 --> 00:17:02,530 is in Joshua, chapter one. 341 00:17:02,850 --> 00:17:05,090 Joshua, chapter one, verse eight says this. 342 00:17:05,170 --> 00:17:08,490 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou 343 00:17:08,490 --> 00:17:12,250 shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to 344 00:17:12,250 --> 00:17:14,450 do according to all that is written therein. 345 00:17:14,790 --> 00:17:18,550 For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt 346 00:17:18,550 --> 00:17:19,590 have good success. 347 00:17:19,670 --> 00:17:24,790 And so the Bible reminds us that it's not just important to read 348 00:17:24,790 --> 00:17:27,150 the Word, even though reading the Word is so important, because 349 00:17:27,150 --> 00:17:30,310 we can't meditate upon it in our life if we don't read it. 350 00:17:30,310 --> 00:17:33,150 So reading it is good, but also it's meditating on. 351 00:17:33,150 --> 00:17:33,950 Meditating on it. 352 00:17:33,950 --> 00:17:38,830 And meditating on the Word of God means to dwell in it and on it 353 00:17:38,830 --> 00:17:42,750 and, and learning not only just what it says, but the application 354 00:17:42,750 --> 00:17:44,150 and the meaning behind it. 355 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:49,000 And many of you have heard me use the analogy of how an animal 356 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,800 chews the grass and gets all the nutrients and regurgitates that 357 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:57,080 and chews it again and pulls every nutrient that it can out from 358 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:57,800 the food. 359 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:01,200 That's exactly what the Bible says for us to do when it comes to 360 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:05,200 the Word of God, to meditate on it, to chew on it, to, to absorb 361 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:06,600 it into our lives. 362 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,520 And the Bible says it's when we do that, when we, when we read 363 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:14,480 it, when we know it, when we meditate upon it, when we walk in 364 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:19,020 it, that's when we those blessings of knowing God and understanding 365 00:18:19,020 --> 00:18:19,220 him. 366 00:18:19,220 --> 00:18:23,420 And there's verse after verse that speaks about walking in the 367 00:18:23,420 --> 00:18:24,980 precepts or the word of God. 368 00:18:24,980 --> 00:18:29,180 Psalm chapter 1 speaks of being a Christian planted by the 369 00:18:29,180 --> 00:18:29,820 rivers of water. 370 00:18:29,820 --> 00:18:32,100 It says in verse 2 of Psalm 1. 371 00:18:32,259 --> 00:18:36,540 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth 372 00:18:36,540 --> 00:18:38,420 he meditate day and night. 373 00:18:38,420 --> 00:18:41,540 And so I think what we've looked at so far when it comes to 374 00:18:41,540 --> 00:18:44,550 having this up relationship with God is first and foremost, it 375 00:18:44,550 --> 00:18:45,470 starts with faith. 376 00:18:46,590 --> 00:18:49,670 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. 377 00:18:49,670 --> 00:18:50,510 That's Romans. 378 00:18:50,750 --> 00:18:56,270 And so the Bible says that if we trust in the Lord in faith, the 379 00:18:56,270 --> 00:19:00,070 result of that is going to be desiring to know him more and to 380 00:19:00,070 --> 00:19:01,070 walk in his truth. 381 00:19:01,070 --> 00:19:04,110 And so what does it mean to have an up relationship with God? 382 00:19:04,110 --> 00:19:05,550 Well, it starts with faith. 383 00:19:06,590 --> 00:19:10,830 It's supported by a life of prayer and a life of Bible study 384 00:19:11,790 --> 00:19:16,270 and, and then in tune, it's then perceiving what God has for 385 00:19:16,270 --> 00:19:21,750 us in His Word and following the Spirit, obeying the Spirit as 386 00:19:21,750 --> 00:19:24,830 the Spirit guides us and leads us into that truth. 387 00:19:24,830 --> 00:19:27,790 The Bible says in the Book of John that the Holy Spirit guides 388 00:19:27,790 --> 00:19:29,430 us or leads us into all truth. 389 00:19:29,430 --> 00:19:30,670 He's the great teacher. 390 00:19:31,790 --> 00:19:37,420 And so as we pray and as we study the Word of God, we are more 391 00:19:37,420 --> 00:19:41,500 equipped to discern the guidance of the Spirit as we follow 392 00:19:41,500 --> 00:19:41,860 God. 393 00:19:41,860 --> 00:19:45,380 And so I want to go back to our original text here this morning. 394 00:19:45,380 --> 00:19:46,980 We only have a few more minutes. 395 00:19:46,980 --> 00:19:49,860 I don't want to keep you a long time here today, but if we go 396 00:19:49,860 --> 00:19:53,420 back to Colossians chapter three, this is where we began. 397 00:19:53,420 --> 00:19:56,780 And if you are just joining us, we read those first four verses. 398 00:19:57,660 --> 00:19:59,500 If ye Then be risen with Christ. 399 00:19:59,980 --> 00:20:02,460 Seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth. 400 00:20:02,460 --> 00:20:03,500 On the right hand of God. 401 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,120 Set your affection of the things above, not of the things of 402 00:20:06,120 --> 00:20:06,680 this earth. 403 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:10,280 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ and God. 404 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,560 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also 405 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:14,920 appear with him in glory. 406 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:17,920 So he says, that is the start of it. 407 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:21,560 The start of it is that initiation of I am now a child of 408 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,200 God, I now setting my affections on him. 409 00:20:24,360 --> 00:20:27,200 But then what does the guidance of the Spirit, the discernment 410 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:28,280 of the Spirit, lead us to? 411 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:29,320 Well, verse number five. 412 00:20:29,740 --> 00:20:30,220 Mortify. 413 00:20:30,300 --> 00:20:33,580 Kill therefore your members which are upon the earth. 414 00:20:33,580 --> 00:20:35,580 And so we die to the flesh. 415 00:20:36,060 --> 00:20:39,980 We turn away from the things that gave us pleasure before. 416 00:20:40,060 --> 00:20:43,660 And he lists some of those things, he says, a fornication, uncleanness, 417 00:20:43,660 --> 00:20:46,740 inordinate affection, evil concupiscence and covetousness, which 418 00:20:46,740 --> 00:20:47,660 is idolatry. 419 00:20:47,980 --> 00:20:49,540 And so he lists all these things. 420 00:20:49,540 --> 00:20:53,020 And then he says later on in verse eight, put these things away 421 00:20:53,020 --> 00:20:53,500 from me. 422 00:20:53,500 --> 00:20:55,660 But now ye also put off all these things. 423 00:20:56,250 --> 00:20:59,490 Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out 424 00:20:59,490 --> 00:21:03,490 of your mouth, lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put 425 00:21:03,490 --> 00:21:04,970 off the old man with his knees. 426 00:21:06,090 --> 00:21:09,490 And so what he's essentially saying is, is that now, when we're 427 00:21:09,490 --> 00:21:13,650 walking in a life of prayer, in a life of Bible study, in the 428 00:21:13,650 --> 00:21:16,890 life guided by the Spirit, we put off the old. 429 00:21:16,890 --> 00:21:19,290 And then we put on something, verse 12. 430 00:21:19,530 --> 00:21:22,890 Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, as believers, holy 431 00:21:22,890 --> 00:21:26,130 and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of 432 00:21:26,130 --> 00:21:29,230 mind, meekness and long suffering, forbearing one another 433 00:21:29,390 --> 00:21:33,630 and forgiving one another, even if any man have a quarrel against 434 00:21:33,630 --> 00:21:36,750 you, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 435 00:21:36,750 --> 00:21:39,870 And above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond 436 00:21:39,870 --> 00:21:40,750 of perfectness. 437 00:21:40,990 --> 00:21:44,990 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also 438 00:21:44,990 --> 00:21:48,190 you are called in one body, and be ye thankful. 439 00:21:48,350 --> 00:21:52,950 And then verse 16, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly 440 00:21:52,950 --> 00:21:53,630 in all wisdom. 441 00:21:54,350 --> 00:21:58,230 And so you see that the product of that right relationship 442 00:21:58,230 --> 00:22:03,990 with God is a lifestyle that then seeks those things which God 443 00:22:03,990 --> 00:22:08,430 wants us to live in, dying to the flesh, yielding to the Spirit, 444 00:22:08,430 --> 00:22:09,710 walking in the Spirit. 445 00:22:09,870 --> 00:22:13,510 And then, as you can see, as transition for next week, we see 446 00:22:13,510 --> 00:22:16,830 that there is that overflow of how we deal with others. 447 00:22:16,830 --> 00:22:20,710 Remember, back in verse number 12, he says, put on as the elect 448 00:22:20,710 --> 00:22:21,310 of God. 449 00:22:21,750 --> 00:22:25,630 Later on he says, forbear one another, forgive one another, don't, 450 00:22:25,630 --> 00:22:27,230 don't quarrel anymore. 451 00:22:27,230 --> 00:22:30,790 Don't fight anymore, have this type of love, this type of charity, 452 00:22:30,790 --> 00:22:35,030 and that bond of unity, that bond of peace, one body. 453 00:22:35,190 --> 00:22:37,710 We see that Colossians chapter three is a. 454 00:22:37,710 --> 00:22:41,550 Is a parallel passage to what we've been studying with church culture 455 00:22:41,550 --> 00:22:42,870 in Ephesians chapter 4. 456 00:22:43,190 --> 00:22:47,310 Ephesians chapter 4 has the same principle of putting on the 457 00:22:47,310 --> 00:22:49,270 new man and putting off the old. 458 00:22:49,980 --> 00:22:52,300 And that's why we walk with God. 459 00:22:52,380 --> 00:22:55,820 It's not just so that we can be good people. 460 00:22:55,820 --> 00:22:59,860 It's so that we can follow him and be walking in newness of life 461 00:22:59,860 --> 00:23:01,140 as he has called us to walk. 462 00:23:01,140 --> 00:23:04,580 And so when we're thinking about that model of up, in and out, 463 00:23:04,580 --> 00:23:07,660 I think of it as a triangle, right? 464 00:23:07,660 --> 00:23:09,180 We don't have at the top. 465 00:23:09,180 --> 00:23:10,780 We have that relationship with God. 466 00:23:11,340 --> 00:23:14,060 And if that relationship with God is not right, we're not able 467 00:23:14,060 --> 00:23:17,270 to have the type of relationships with others in a proper 468 00:23:17,270 --> 00:23:18,750 manner that he has called us to have. 469 00:23:18,750 --> 00:23:21,390 And so what I would encourage you to do before you think about 470 00:23:21,390 --> 00:23:25,030 how I treat other people, how I'm witnessing, even though those 471 00:23:25,030 --> 00:23:28,030 are great things and those are necessities within the Christian 472 00:23:28,030 --> 00:23:31,550 life, what I would say is that first and foremost, stop, pause, 473 00:23:31,630 --> 00:23:35,430 and say, am I, as the psalmist says, being still and knowing that 474 00:23:35,430 --> 00:23:39,750 he is God, and am I walking in fellowship with him, or am I trying 475 00:23:39,750 --> 00:23:40,630 to get ahead of the game? 476 00:23:40,630 --> 00:23:43,610 Am I trying to do all the things that he's called me to do 477 00:23:43,610 --> 00:23:46,850 without walking with him and fellowshipping with Him? 478 00:23:46,850 --> 00:23:49,970 And as the book of Colossians says, seeking those things which 479 00:23:49,970 --> 00:23:50,650 are above. 480 00:23:51,210 --> 00:23:54,330 I mean, there's verse after verse that we could go to when it 481 00:23:54,330 --> 00:23:58,010 comes to that new perspective that we are to have. 482 00:23:58,010 --> 00:24:03,130 But I think that it would be appropriate to end in another passage 483 00:24:03,130 --> 00:24:05,570 in the book of Psalms, because obviously, you know, the book of 484 00:24:05,570 --> 00:24:09,130 Psalms, though, it's a book of praises as, As a. 485 00:24:09,130 --> 00:24:09,490 As a. 486 00:24:09,490 --> 00:24:13,810 As a book of songs, basically, it is a book of worship, and it is 487 00:24:13,810 --> 00:24:15,050 a book of prayer. 488 00:24:15,370 --> 00:24:19,010 And it is something that we can learn from as the psalmist guides 489 00:24:19,010 --> 00:24:22,010 us through his walk in worship. 490 00:24:22,010 --> 00:24:28,770 But in a passage of Scripture that we see in Psalm 63, this is. 491 00:24:28,770 --> 00:24:30,570 This is speaking of a thirst for God. 492 00:24:30,570 --> 00:24:34,330 And the Bible says that words of hunger, thirst after righteousness. 493 00:24:34,330 --> 00:24:37,500 And so to hunger, thirst and thirst after righteousness is to 494 00:24:37,500 --> 00:24:40,620 hunger and thirst after God because He is righteousness. 495 00:24:41,500 --> 00:24:45,700 So often we try to remove God from the equation of our Christian 496 00:24:45,700 --> 00:24:45,940 life. 497 00:24:45,940 --> 00:24:50,820 And that is completely crazy, because if we're thinking about walking 498 00:24:50,820 --> 00:24:53,380 as a Christian and we try to remove God from the Equation. 499 00:24:53,380 --> 00:24:55,260 We're walking in a fleshly manner. 500 00:24:55,900 --> 00:25:01,020 So to want to grow in our Christian walk means to grow in our 501 00:25:01,020 --> 00:25:04,400 relationship with God, with our Heavenly Father. 502 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:06,960 And so Psalm 63 says this. 503 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,800 O God, Thou art my God. 504 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:12,720 It's a recognition of this. 505 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,240 You aren't just a friend, even though God is a friend. 506 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:19,520 He's not just a helper, even though God is a helper. 507 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:20,720 He is our God. 508 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:21,600 He is our everything. 509 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:23,720 Nothing comes close. 510 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:24,960 Nothing compares. 511 00:25:25,360 --> 00:25:27,080 Oh, God, Thou art my God. 512 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:28,700 Early will I seek thee. 513 00:25:28,770 --> 00:25:29,330 Meaning this. 514 00:25:29,330 --> 00:25:32,050 I'm going to seek you before anything else steals my attention. 515 00:25:32,210 --> 00:25:35,650 I'm going to seek you before anything else pulls me aside. 516 00:25:36,290 --> 00:25:37,970 Early will I seek thee. 517 00:25:38,050 --> 00:25:40,210 My soul thirsteth for thee. 518 00:25:40,850 --> 00:25:43,530 I don't know about you, but there's been times in my life that 519 00:25:43,530 --> 00:25:46,330 I'm just so thirsty that there's nothing else I can think 520 00:25:46,330 --> 00:25:47,810 about other than getting some water. 521 00:25:48,450 --> 00:25:50,970 Not soda, not coffee. 522 00:25:50,970 --> 00:25:54,450 Even though I enjoy drinking soda and coffee at certain points 523 00:25:54,450 --> 00:25:54,770 for. 524 00:25:55,260 --> 00:25:55,500 For. 525 00:25:55,580 --> 00:25:57,900 For other reasons, obviously. 526 00:25:58,380 --> 00:26:01,500 But when you're thirsty, it's that I want water. 527 00:26:01,580 --> 00:26:03,580 That's the only thing that will satisfy. 528 00:26:03,580 --> 00:26:07,980 That's the only thing that's going to bring me some type of sustaining 529 00:26:08,940 --> 00:26:09,660 hydration. 530 00:26:09,740 --> 00:26:11,980 And that's what he says here in this passage. 531 00:26:12,140 --> 00:26:14,540 My soul, it doesn't thirst for anything else. 532 00:26:14,540 --> 00:26:15,820 It thirsts for you. 533 00:26:16,060 --> 00:26:18,300 It thirsts for your living water. 534 00:26:18,380 --> 00:26:21,180 And we even know that Jesus in the New Testament, the woman at the 535 00:26:21,180 --> 00:26:22,740 well says, I am living water. 536 00:26:22,740 --> 00:26:26,700 He says, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land. 537 00:26:26,700 --> 00:26:29,020 And, boy, do we live in a dry and thirsty land. 538 00:26:29,740 --> 00:26:34,460 We live in a land that is hopeless because they've turned to 539 00:26:34,540 --> 00:26:35,900 sin and emptiness. 540 00:26:35,900 --> 00:26:39,540 But he says, even though I live in a dry and thirsty land and 541 00:26:39,540 --> 00:26:43,700 there's no water around me, says, where no water is, I will look 542 00:26:43,700 --> 00:26:46,620 to you, he says, to see thy power and Thy glory. 543 00:26:47,020 --> 00:26:49,420 So as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 544 00:26:49,500 --> 00:26:51,900 Because thy loving kindness is better than life. 545 00:26:52,590 --> 00:26:54,190 My lips shall praise thee. 546 00:26:54,590 --> 00:26:56,790 Thus will I bless thee while I live. 547 00:26:56,790 --> 00:26:59,550 I will lift up my hands in thy name. 548 00:26:59,550 --> 00:27:02,350 And so he says, I'm going to worship you because of who you are 549 00:27:02,350 --> 00:27:03,390 and what you have done. 550 00:27:03,550 --> 00:27:07,230 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness. 551 00:27:07,390 --> 00:27:12,710 And my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips when I remember 552 00:27:12,710 --> 00:27:16,990 thee upon my bed and meditate on Thee in the night watches. 553 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:21,760 And so he says here, from morning till night, I going to meditate 554 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:23,000 upon your truth. 555 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:25,000 We should desire God. 556 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:27,000 We should want to know him more. 557 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:28,800 We should want to be around him more. 558 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:32,760 We should want to be around those that love him as well. 559 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:35,560 And I think that one of the passages of Scripture that I love, 560 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:40,160 and I know I said the Psalm 63 would be the last one, but I think 561 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:43,930 another one that came to mind here, as I close is, is First Peter, 562 00:27:43,930 --> 00:27:45,170 chapter two, verse two. 563 00:27:45,890 --> 00:27:52,450 He says, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word 564 00:27:52,610 --> 00:27:53,970 that he may grow thereby. 565 00:27:55,250 --> 00:27:58,570 You know, many of you have had experiences with babies, and you 566 00:27:58,570 --> 00:28:00,850 know that when they're hungry, they want the milk, right? 567 00:28:00,850 --> 00:28:03,010 There's nothing else that would satisfy them. 568 00:28:03,410 --> 00:28:06,810 And that's exactly what Peter is saying here in First Peter. 569 00:28:06,810 --> 00:28:11,250 He says, as a Christian, we should be so hungry for the Word 570 00:28:11,250 --> 00:28:14,530 of God, because why that it's the only thing that's going to bring 571 00:28:14,530 --> 00:28:15,010 us growth. 572 00:28:15,010 --> 00:28:17,850 It's going to be the only thing that brings us satisfaction 573 00:28:17,850 --> 00:28:21,170 here in this earth other than obviously knowing God personally. 574 00:28:21,170 --> 00:28:24,210 But the only way that we can get to know God in a personal level 575 00:28:24,210 --> 00:28:26,890 is to know what he has told us, and so to communicate with him 576 00:28:27,050 --> 00:28:27,770 through prayer. 577 00:28:27,770 --> 00:28:30,890 But to receive the Word of God and to meditate therein. 578 00:28:30,890 --> 00:28:34,250 And so First Peter, chapter two, verse two, is a great testimony 579 00:28:34,250 --> 00:28:37,490 for all of us that we should desire the sincere milk of the Word. 580 00:28:37,490 --> 00:28:40,540 And so if we could summarize in any way when we're talking about 581 00:28:40,540 --> 00:28:44,500 the up relationship, the up relationship really is this, Number 582 00:28:44,500 --> 00:28:44,740 one. 583 00:28:44,740 --> 00:28:45,660 It starts with faith. 584 00:28:45,660 --> 00:28:48,060 I have to believe that God is who he says he is. 585 00:28:48,060 --> 00:28:51,340 I have to believe that Jesus Christ came to this earth, that he 586 00:28:51,340 --> 00:28:54,620 lived a perfect life, that he died on the cross for my sins, that 587 00:28:54,620 --> 00:28:57,580 he was buried, and that he rose again on the third day to conquer 588 00:28:57,580 --> 00:28:57,820 death. 589 00:28:57,820 --> 00:29:00,740 And then he offers that gift of grace to all of us. 590 00:29:00,740 --> 00:29:05,110 And so if we trust in him, if we put our faith in him, that's when 591 00:29:05,110 --> 00:29:08,150 we are entered into a relationship with God. 592 00:29:08,310 --> 00:29:10,390 Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 593 00:29:10,390 --> 00:29:12,190 No man cometh unto the Father but by me. 594 00:29:12,190 --> 00:29:16,070 And so we're entered into a relationship as a child of God. 595 00:29:16,390 --> 00:29:19,590 And in that we find salvation, in that we find everlasting life, 596 00:29:19,590 --> 00:29:20,950 in that we find forgiveness. 597 00:29:20,950 --> 00:29:23,870 And so all of us that are watching here this morning, I encourage 598 00:29:23,870 --> 00:29:27,830 you to think about that first step of walking in the truth of God. 599 00:29:27,910 --> 00:29:31,030 The first step of walking in truth is taking that step of faith 600 00:29:31,030 --> 00:29:34,530 to believe in God, to believe that he is our Savior. 601 00:29:34,770 --> 00:29:38,410 And if you do that, then the relationship starts. 602 00:29:38,410 --> 00:29:41,010 But we all know that just when we're introduced to someone. 603 00:29:41,090 --> 00:29:44,370 When I got married to my wife, our marriage wasn't the end. 604 00:29:44,770 --> 00:29:46,770 The day of our wedding was just the beginning. 605 00:29:46,770 --> 00:29:50,050 And now it's that growth process of getting to know our Savior, 606 00:29:50,290 --> 00:29:56,810 to talk with him, to pray to him, to pray for others, to lift 607 00:29:56,810 --> 00:30:00,400 our requests to him, and then ultimately to worship him through 608 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:04,400 obedience and worship him through a life of prayer and singing. 609 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:07,440 In the book of Colossians, it says, yes, be in his word, but also 610 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:08,640 sing praises to Him. 611 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:11,520 And so these are all things that I encourage you to think about 612 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:13,200 when it comes to that upward relationship. 613 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:15,920 Some of those practical things would be to get a prayer journal 614 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:20,640 to track your prayers, to be able to organize your prayers, or 615 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:24,160 to find a Bible reading plan, or to find a Bible study or a small 616 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:28,320 group at the church that we can find more ways to intake the 617 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:33,280 word of God, to know it, to heed it, to believe it, to meditate 618 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:35,960 upon it, and to grow in it and apply it to our lives. 619 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:37,960 And so that's the up relationship. 620 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:42,040 And in John 15:5, Jesus says, Without me, you can do nothing. 621 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:45,280 And so I think that that's what we have to rely on. 622 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:49,200 We have to rely on the fact that God I want to see truth. 623 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:51,080 I want to see growth. 624 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:52,920 I want to see souls saved. 625 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:55,500 I want to see things happening in my life. 626 00:30:55,500 --> 00:30:58,260 I want to see you glorified in worship. 627 00:30:58,260 --> 00:31:02,300 And the way that we do that is by living in him and longing for 628 00:31:02,300 --> 00:31:04,740 him and desiring everything about Him. 629 00:31:04,740 --> 00:31:08,020 And so may we seek those things which are above, not those 630 00:31:08,020 --> 00:31:11,300 things which take up our time here on this earth. 631 00:31:12,100 --> 00:31:16,180 Well, I'm going to go ahead and close in a word of prayer after 632 00:31:16,180 --> 00:31:17,220 I'm done praying. 633 00:31:17,300 --> 00:31:19,740 What I'd like to do is just kind of go through a few announcements 634 00:31:19,740 --> 00:31:22,100 with you and then we'll be done. 635 00:31:22,100 --> 00:31:26,020 But if you are asking questions about maybe something we've 636 00:31:26,020 --> 00:31:29,820 talked about today, or maybe you haven't started that relationship 637 00:31:29,820 --> 00:31:35,180 with Christ through faith, you would feel free to message us either 638 00:31:35,180 --> 00:31:39,220 on our YouTube, you could comment or message us on Facebook, 639 00:31:39,300 --> 00:31:42,020 or you can check out our website and you can find ways to 640 00:31:42,020 --> 00:31:45,220 contact the church, and we would encourage you to do so. 641 00:31:45,380 --> 00:31:48,930 But if you are walking with Jesus Christ and you are a member 642 00:31:48,930 --> 00:31:52,130 of Middletown Baptist Church, even so, there's still areas of growth. 643 00:31:52,130 --> 00:31:54,930 And if there's something that you would like to have help on or 644 00:31:54,930 --> 00:31:58,130 to grow in or to know more about, please feel free to reach 645 00:31:58,130 --> 00:31:58,810 out to me. 646 00:31:58,890 --> 00:32:03,930 And I would love to be a blessing to you in your life by not 647 00:32:03,930 --> 00:32:07,170 being a blessing and how good I am, but to show you how good our 648 00:32:07,170 --> 00:32:10,010 Savior is and how wonderful His Word is in our life. 649 00:32:10,090 --> 00:32:12,530 So let's pray and then I'll have a few announcements and then 650 00:32:12,530 --> 00:32:13,690 we'll be done here this morning. 651 00:32:14,260 --> 00:32:16,900 Lord, I do thank you for this time that you've given us to look 652 00:32:16,900 --> 00:32:20,220 into the model of up, in and out and here this morning. 653 00:32:20,220 --> 00:32:23,820 Just thinking about how you as our Heavenly Father have allowed 654 00:32:23,820 --> 00:32:25,220 us to have a relationship with you. 655 00:32:25,220 --> 00:32:27,540 What an amazing thing that is, Lord. 656 00:32:27,540 --> 00:32:31,300 May we understand the importance of that relationship and 657 00:32:31,300 --> 00:32:34,740 would help us to grow in our love for you and our knowledge of 658 00:32:34,740 --> 00:32:38,340 you and our worship to you. 659 00:32:38,900 --> 00:32:41,860 Pray that we can before we go anywhere else in our life, whether 660 00:32:42,510 --> 00:32:46,870 relationships with friends, family, co workers, the unsaved Lord, 661 00:32:46,870 --> 00:32:50,510 that we start our relationship with you, Lord, and to be able to 662 00:32:50,510 --> 00:32:55,310 walk in fellowship with you so that we can grow to desire your Word 663 00:32:55,310 --> 00:32:57,990 like the baby desires the milk. 664 00:32:57,990 --> 00:33:00,390 And so Lord, I pray that you bless us here today. 665 00:33:00,390 --> 00:33:02,630 Help us to meditate upon your word day and night. 666 00:33:02,630 --> 00:33:06,870 Help us to be in prayer day and night and help us to be those 667 00:33:06,870 --> 00:33:10,030 that display our love for you by the way that we obey. 668 00:33:10,450 --> 00:33:12,290 And so we just thank you for your love and grace. 669 00:33:12,290 --> 00:33:15,530 Pray that you keep everybody safe in this season of weather and 670 00:33:15,530 --> 00:33:17,690 I pray that you return us back safely at the appointed time. 671 00:33:17,690 --> 00:33:18,930 In Jesus name I pray. 672 00:33:18,930 --> 00:33:19,410 Amen. 673 00:33:21,250 --> 00:33:23,890 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 674 00:33:23,890 --> 00:33:24,530 Podcast. 675 00:33:24,690 --> 00:33:27,090 I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you. 676 00:33:27,730 --> 00:33:30,010 If you would like to find out more information about our church 677 00:33:30,010 --> 00:33:33,490 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 678 00:33:33,730 --> 00:33:35,840 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 679 00:33:35,910 --> 00:33:36,390 YouTube. 680 00:33:37,110 --> 00:33:42,070 You can also email me directly at Josh massaro@middletownbaptistchurch.com. 681 00:33:42,470 --> 00:33:45,950 if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow 682 00:33:45,950 --> 00:33:48,870 along for future podcast and updates. 683 00:33:49,510 --> 00:33:50,390 Thank you so much. 684 00:33:50,550 --> 00:33:51,350 God Bless. 685 00:33:51,510 --> 00:33:52,870 Have a wonderful day.