Growing Deeper, Getting Stronger: Getting Grounded in God's Word

Have you begun exploring what it means to follow Christ, but are sensing that there is more? Maybe you've been a Christian a while but have moved away from your closeness with Christ. In this series, we talk about some key elements to growing and getting stronger as a follower of Christ. What if I offered you a choice that would make your life better one year from today? Would you take it? #1. We need to know the Word Matthew 7: 24-27 Only 15% of Americans read the Bible every day. Almost 50% never read the Bible or read it 1-2x per year. (source: http://www.americanbible.org/uploads/content/state-of-the-bible-data-analysis-american-bible-society-2014.pdf) Matthew 4: 4 II Timothy 3: 16 God’s Word tells us... - what is right - what is wrong - how to get right - how to stay right Acts 17: 11 Is the extent of your Bible exposure just what you get at church? Is that enough? Do you treat the Word like filling up with gas or eating food? Are you depending too much on what you have learned in the past? #2. We need to live out the Word. Hosea 6: 3a Being grounded in the Word does not mean I am an expert in what the Bible says. It means I am consistently seeking to live it out in my life. Ezra 7: 10 Luke 11: 28 James 1: 22-25 How often do I come to church, listen to a message, and just leave? Don’t treat God’s Word like an irrelevant, college subject you have to study. Treat it like an owner’s manual you must consult for things to work right.