Pastor Scott Applegate

“People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 NLT

“You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.” Hebrews 5:12-14 NLT

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105 NLT

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”  2 Timothy 3:16 NIV

Teaching: The Bible shows me the path of life that God has designed for me

Rebuking: The Bible shows me when I have strayed off the path

Correcting: The Bible shows me how to get back on the path

Training: The Bible shows me how to stay on the path

The Steps:

• Step 1: Inspiration 

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16 NASB

Requirement: Faith

• Step 2: Devotion

“I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” Psalm 119:16 NIV 

Requirement: Time

• Step 3: Meditation

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2 NLT

Requirement: Thinking

• Step 4: Investigation

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Acts 17:11 NIV

Requirement: Study

The Results:

• Illumination

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Psalm 119:18 NIV

• Transformation:

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 NLT

• Application:

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” James 1:22-25 NLT