How To Have a Spiritual Summer (Part 3)

We have been looking at John 17 as a Spiritual Survival Guide for the Summer. Jesus is praying for the Disciples as He prepares to leave for Heaven and He gives good advice for them as well as for us to use in our lives this summer to stay spiritual and close to Christ.

III.   Search The Scriptures

John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Jesus reminds the Disciples here that they have the Word of God with them. Jesus was going to be crucified and would be leaving, but they would still have the Word of God. He also prays that God would reveal some things to them about His Word.

1. Spiritual Growth Through The Word

2. Simple Faith In The Word

"Sanctify them through thy truth: ..."  - Jesus lets them know that it is through the Word of God that we are sanctified. Spiritual growth is achieved through the Bible.

"thy word is truth" - The key to growing spiritually through the Word of God is to simply believe it is the ultimate, absolute truth.

Jesus did not leave the Disciples without a connection to Him or His Father. He knew they had the Word of God.

During the summer, we step away from our schedules, and we have a lot more free, relaxed time. The days are less rigorous and demanding and more relaxing and mellow.
If we are not careful we will lay down our Bibles from Sunday to Sunday and only pick them up to go to church.
In doing so, we do ourselves a great disservice.
Remember, spiritual growth comes through the word as well as simple faith.

NO BIBLE = NO GROWTH

Tell me how much you have been reading your Bible this summer and I will tell you whether or not you are headed for a spiritual summer or for a backslidden one.

Without spending time in the Word of God, we become cold to the things of God. Church is not important nor interesting, friends of God become enemies and sin is easier and more acceptable.
All of this because of not reading the Bible? YES! It is that Important!

1.  Decide to Read the Bible Everyday

If you are new to reading it, start in John, Psalms, Proverbs, or Romans. Start with 1 Chapter a day, then 2, then 3. Read and let God speak to you through the Words. The Bible is GOD's WORDS.

2.   Decide to DO What You Read

James 1:22
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Take God at His Word. Try Him. Put Him to the test. Take the Bible and put it to practice in your life. When you find a truth, a promise, a warning, or an example, take it, claim it, believe it, obey it and watch God work it in your life.

3.  Keep Your Bible Open This Summer

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Don't close your Bible like a book you sit on a shelf. Leave it open on your dresser. Let it stare at you every morning. Let those black and white pages stare back at you like God's eyeballs. He can see you you know!?

Maybe with the Bible open, you wont forget to read it. Maybe with the Bible open you wont listen to that song, watch that movie, say those words or disrespect your parents. Maybe knowing God is looking right at you and you seeing those pages stare back at you will "Sanctify" you.

How do we have a Spiritual Summer?

1.  Summer Fun
2.  Separation
3.  Search the Scriptures

#fuel