RELIABLE 1: Edified – Pastor Craig Smee

RELIABLE 1

EDIFIED

1 Corinthians 14:3 (NKJV)

But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and encouragement to men.

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John 17:3 (NKJV)

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Intimacy with God transforms mundane, flesh oriented humans into supernatural eternal beings.

Being in an intimate relationship with the Word (prophetic representation of God himself) is life. 

It is a life of being shaped into something better (edified), being pulled from our current mediocrity (exhorted), and being shaped for a purpose (encouraged).

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Remember – Spiritual Photo Album

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THE WORD EDIFIES

It teaches us the light! It teaches us life! It teaches us the way!

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HEBREWS 4:12

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

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IT TEACHES US BECAUSE…

1. IT IS LIVING

JOHN 6:63 (NKJV)

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

It is a seed (life) Luke 8

Seed = growth

ISAIAH 28:10 (NKJV)

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept,

Line upon line, line upon line,

Here a little, there a little.”

PSALMS 119:93 (NKJV)

I will never forget Your precepts,

For by them You have given me life.

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2. IT IS POWERFUL

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

Let there be light…

Genesis 1 – The Word of God (Jesus) and God (The Father) were so closely wound together that the Universe was transformed through the power of God’s Word from mass darkness and blackness to life, light, and love…

Lisa Haley (Psalms 43:3-5)

Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!

Let them lead me;

Let them bring me to Your holy hill

And to Your [a]tabernacle.

Then I will go to the altar of God,

To God my exceeding joy;

And on the harp, I will praise You,

O God, my God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God;

For I shall yet praise Him,

The [b]help of my countenance and my God.

In a world of darkness, God’s chosen people will always have the light in which to feel loved, edified, encourage, and exhorted.

Connie Dockum (Exodus 10:23)

They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

The light of God’s Words can teach you to live a whole new life. A life of power and purpose, not mediocrity and defeat!

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3. IT KNOWS JUST WHERE AND HOW TO TEACH YOU

Man is a threefold being, body, soul, and spirit.

Whatever affects you physically, will also affect you emotionally. Whatever affects you emotionally will affect you physically. Whatever affects you spiritually will also affect you emotionally and physically.

Many people have great emotional experiences that they think are spiritual experiences.

Sometimes your flesh needs some teaching

Sometimes your mind needs correcting

The Word of God cuts between the soul and the spirit. It can differentiate between your man-made spirituality and God’s genuine Word for you…

He knows just where to teach you because His Word is a discerner of the thoughts and the intent of the heart.

David said, “Search me O God and know my thoughts, try me know my heart, and see if there be any wickedness in me.”

PSLAMS 139:1-2 (NKJV)

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up;

You understand my thought afar off.

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4. IT TEACHES US TO THINK DIFFERENTLY

1 THESSALONIANS 2:13

For this reason, we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

It turns our thoughts into effective action.

How many of us have thoughts that either result in nothing, or bad actions?

DONALD ZERINGUE (PHILIPPIANS 4:8)

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

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CONCLUSION

To gain knowledge of the scriptures is to gain life, for they are Spirit, and they are life.

You are being taught by God in every letter, verse, and punctuation mark from the printed representation of Jesus himself.