Answers FOR the Heart
So then, we have been talking about truth and living it out in our lives. Let’s briefly describe how this looks from an experimental perspective. Notice four things.
FIRST, believers need to experience the truth of the Bible in prayer - God says:
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me (Psalm 50:15). Consider also Psalm 91:15; Jeremiah 29:12; Jeremiah 33:3.
NEXT, we must experience the truth of the Bible in giving! Many churches are struggling right now financially because, not only have many people quit personally attending church, they have stopped giving to the support of the charitable, gospel centered work of the church. Read Malachi 3:10. Jesus made a powerful statement concerning giving in Luke 6:38.
Concerning this point, I want you to go with me to Philippians 4.
Philippians 4:19 states,
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
We all love this promise, but I want you to see why Paul made this promise to the Philippians. Look at
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me (This is Christlike thinking - Sacrificial thoughts) hath flourished (bloomed like a flower) again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity (They were unable to provide what the truly desired). However, Paul doesn’t stop there. He states,
14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate (to participate with / go in the same direction) with my affliction (Paul had much difficulty attempting to preach the message of Christ and these people were willing to enter into that sacrifice and suffering).
15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated (To share materially in a joint venture with mutual goals) with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
Philippians 4:16
16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again (there was regularity to the giving) unto my necessity.
In Philippians 4:18, Paul tells the believers that God was well pleased with their sacrificial mindset, their participation in the work of the gospel and their giving!
THEN comes the promise of verse 19....
NEXT, we must experience the truth of the Bible in witnessing!
There is a special presence of God to the ones that go and speak for Christ. Read what Jesus said in Matthew 28:18–20
Notice the times Paul wrote to Timothy, stating how Jesus was with him as he spread the Gospel message (2 Timothy 4:16–17; Acts 23:11; and Acts 27:23-24).
LASTLY, we must experience the truth of the Bible in the struggles of daily life...
Some people think that a Christian’s life is to be smooth sailing and easy. That’s crazy! In fact if your Christian life is too easy....you need to be concerned!
Can wrestling against principalities and powers ever be easy?
Can fighting the world, the flesh, and the devil ever be easy?
Can living as sheep among wolves ever be easy?
Can being salt and light in a putrefying and dark world ever be easy?
Can spreading the Gospel among the lost and indifferent ever be easy?
I want you to read Jeremiah 48:11 and Zephaniah 1:12 - Consider as you read, the “lees.”
What are the “lees?”
The lees are the sediment that occurs on the bottom of the wine....the dregs. That which is not good! If left sitting too long the wine thickens and spoils and is ruined. The idea is that of becoming complacent and lazy. The answer to this problem was that the wine needed to be poured frequently to remove the dregs. God has to pour us out at times to remove the bad and retain the good.
If you are going to say that you are a Christian, then be one
If you are going to say that you follow Christ, then follow Him
If you are going to say that you love and support the church then love and support it!
If you are going to say that you are honest and upright, then be honest and upright!
The Bible states in Proverbs 11:1
A false balance is abomination to the Lord: But a just weight is his delight. There is an honest and a dishonest way of doing just about everything. If you are going to be accused of something, be accused of being too honest, too good, too right!
“If the stars fall from heaven do right!”
Bob Jones