Welcome to Waymaker Church! We are so excited to have you join us today! We exist to Encounter, Live for, and Advance the Kingdom of God!

Recap
As a church, we have been in the word. That’s been the whole point of this series is being in the word. To dwell with God. How are we to get to know him? In his word!

It’s funny because when I say stuff like that, it’s easy for most of us to simply go, “Well, duh.” But what do we do with that duh moment?

Week 1
We saw the word tell us that the power of God is in his word! Is. 55:10-11
This is truth...
Isaiah 55:10–11 NLT
10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. 
11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

God’s word prospers because He said it! He sent it out… it will ALWAYS produce fruit. It WILL accomplish , it WILL prosper!
We need to know his word!

Week 2
When God speaks, it is! Heb. 1:3
The truth is...
Hebrews 1:3 NLT
3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

God isn’t simply do and don't. He is revealing his very character and his word is true!

Week 3
Pastor Chris taught that the promises of God don’t expire.
His word is true! He told Abraham that his descendants would outnumber the starts and here we are with our son of promise being asked to sacrifice him.
Abraham didn’t see the fullness of the promise in his lifetime, but God delivered on his promise!

Week 4
Pastor Joel preached on Covenant. If the word of God is truth and it WILL produce fruit, and if his promises don’t expire, then we see in His word a covenant God!
Reminder that contracts deal with Goods
Covenants deal with us… they deal with people… they deal with you and me. My life for your life… not my product for your money… or my product for your product. It’s not a deal… its a commitment.

Week 5
Pastor Joel challenged us to seek God!
You see… He isn’t abstract… he isn’t simply a lofty idea. He is a God who has revealed himself to his creation.
In creation, in his word, and even in human form through Jesus. Then on top of that, he gives a deposit of eternity by giving us his Holy Spirit.

The question was posed to us this last week… and I’m not sure if you have given it much thought, but it’s worth pondering… and that is, If God has revealed himself with such clarity to the world, then why is it so difficult for many to find him. And that thought from last week left me thinking about Matt 7

Intro
And I ask the question… what is it that makes sanctification so difficult? And I’m going to answer that question with another question…
How important is it for you to be right?

Now don’t answer that right now, but let it brew in your head!
We are talking about dwelling! Abiding with God

We dwell in the word of God to better know the author. And in that, the word’s desire is to dwell in us!

So we see the heart of the father… love, grace and truth.

These are mantles that even our own father has left behind for Ps. Joel and me… they were the essence of who he became and what He lived for in Christ after living a life seeking the father.

-The Love of God
-The Grace of God
-Honor the Truth

Study
The Love of God, The Grace of God, Honor the Truth
1. THE LOVE OF GOD
a. Sin is what we deal with, but God!!
i. Gave us the Law to show our need for a savior
ii. Gave us the answer to our sin issue
iii. Gave the sacrifice for the sin issue
iv. Gave us His Spirit to keep us free from the sin issue.
b. The love of God changes the focal point on the sin issue from stuck to free.
i. And He paid the price…He shed the blood… He is the one who still forgives
1. Which points to the grace of God
2. THE GRACE OF GOD
a. The grace of God comes from the Love of God… “For God so LOVED the world that he GAVE…”
i. Gave what? HIS SON… THE ANSWER… THE LAMB AND THE LION… THE SACRIFICE AND THE SOLUTION… THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA… THE BEGINNING AND THE END… THE KING OF KINGS and the LORD OF LORDS.
b. And in that giving, there is NO CONDEMNATION for those who accept him.
i. The grace of God shows us that he understands our human plight as Paul is writing that very issue.
1. “I want to do what is right, but inevitably I do what is wrong.”
2. The Law of Moses is only weak because of our sinful nature. IT’s actually righteous and good just as HE is, but it’s our weakness that brings the need for HIM!
c. It’s God’s GRACE that frees us from sin through the blood of His son. IT IS GOD THAT CHOSES TO LOOK AT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS INSTEAD OF YOUR WORKS FOR YOUR SALVATION!
i. Does that mean we go do whatever we want because we are in Christ Jesus??
1. NO… IF that is your desire. TRSUT ME… YOU DON’T KNOW JESUS!
2. HE didn’t say, “I died so you can sin!” No, He said, “I died so you DON’T HAVE TO DIE TO SIN!”
ii. And that is the truth!

3. HONOR THE TRUTH
a. The trouble is not with the Law, for it is spiritual and Good
i. The trouble is in us and our unwillingness to follow God’s lead.
ii. Again, “How important is it for you to be right?”
b. And can I tell you, before we point to some simple truths in this passage of scripture, that the way our adversary the devil likes to entrap you is by wrapping a lie around a truth.
i. i.e. What we just said.
1. the trouble is not the Law, for it is spiritual and good. (Truth)
2. The trouble is me, for I am all too human and a slave to sin. (Also Truth)
3. I guess I’ll never add up. (LIE)
ii. Though i could hang out here for the next 10 minutes, I won’t… but the next time you are putting too much faith in your shortcomings, recognize that the enemy is trying to keep you stuck! But whom the Son sets free is free indeed! Don’t believe the lie simply because it looks like truth in your eyes.
c. Honor the truth! (Let’s see the truths in the scripture we just read!!)
i. The truth is Jesus is the answer (7:25)
ii. The truth is there is no Condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (8:1)
1. meaning in a right relationship with Him, believing in his identity, purpose, life, death and resurrection.
iii. the truth is you are freed by the Spirit of God (8:2)
iv. the truth is that Jesus is the just requirement the law demands. (8:4)
v. The truth is the spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (8:11)
vi. The truth is you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. (8:12)
vii. The truth is when you are led by his spirit you are a child of God and we cry out, “Abba Father” vs 15
viii. The truth is as a child of the most high, you are His heir and heir to his glory. vs 17
ix. the truth is that it isn’t going to be easy and we will share in His suffering vs 18-27
x. The truth is that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. (vs 28)
xi. The truth is God is for YOU! (31)
xii. The truth is God has given you right standing! (32)
xiii. The truth is God isn’t looking to condemn you (34)
1. John 3:17
xiv. The truth is Jesus is pleading for you! (34)
xv. The truth is NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM Christ’s love even in suffering (35-37)
xvi. The truth is nothing can separate us from God’s love (38-39)
1. Neither death nor life
2. Neither angels nor demons
3. Neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow
4. Not even the powers of Hell can separate you from God’s love
a. in the sky above or in the earth below
b. NOTHING IN ALL CREATION
HONOR THE TRUTH!!!! .

I bring all this up because if we chose to live a life scraping by… if we chose to live a life of just enough when it comes to seeking God… WE WILL NEVER KNOW THESE TRUTHS!

We might hear of them but the lie will speak louder than the truth because we will believe what we can see before we believe in a Deity. But God is calling us into relationship!

It’s our own action— or inaction— that keeps us away! It isn’t him hiding from us! And that action is a choice.

Usually it boils down to DIFFICULTY. But God has given us everything we could ever need to succeed! And his success might not look like your idea of success! Is success everything going our way? Is success being right? IS success being followed?

Wk1 The power of God is his word!
Wk2 When God speaks… it is!
Wk3 Those promises don’t expire!
Wk4 Because he is a covenant God!
Wk5 So seek him!
WK6 LEARN HIS TRUTH and not your own!

The word “Know” means to a make oneself known, to perceive and see, to find out and discern. There is something more to knowing wisdom that I want you to see. Before that let me give you practical application the concept of knowing.

There are people in this room that know about me, but there are also people in this room that know me. Most know that I pastor this church, don’t have crazy fashion sense, and love Jesus.

But there are others that know me. They know what foods I like, the car I drive, my hobbies, and even a little bit of what makes me who I am.

There are also people in this room that know me well. They can tell just by looking at me wether or not I am having a good day, or what my mood is, etc.

Solomon in Proverbs 1says to know wisdom and instruction. It seems to be that His writing is referring to general knowledge, and subjects like justice, judgement, and equity. It can almost be viewed as just general information about these topics. Can I tell you this morning there is more to it than general knowledge.

So the question I asked earlier is “How important is it to be right?”

You see… more often than not, our struggle with God is really a war we have within ourselves. God is actively making himself known, but if we have to be right… we will only see God through the filter of what we know. And the moment God is relegated to what we know… He is no longer God in the situation. WE ARE. And that is a dangerous place to be, because we all know… we would not make good gods. But far too often, we are allocating God’s do and do not based off our own understanding.

So in that…
In learning the truth… by abiding in his word (which I could do for the rest of my life and never “arrive”) I recognize that it’s not my job to be right. It’s my job to be faithful in pursuit of Him and His Kingdom and His righteousness… then all the other things…

I want to challenge you to not let the lies speak louder than truth! Don’t let your situation dictate God’s abilities based on your understanding.

Honor God’s word because it is the truth!

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