One Thing--HOW? (pt. 1)

Now that we’ve established WHAT needs to be done (renewed spirit) it’s necessary to determine HOW to do it. (It does no good to tell someone they need to build a house—what—without also telling them HOW to do it.) Paul’s instruction sets us on the right path.

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

This is another way of saying what you learned last time—be renewed in the spirit of your mind. But it can also be stated a third way.

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

But even these verses only tell you what to do in a pictorial way. You need something more concrete to work with. That’s where the wisdom of Solomon comes to the rescue. In Proverbs 2:1-5 he details exactly how to be renewed in knowledge/filled with the Spirit/have God’s word abide in you.

  Fill in the blanks (on the left) with the following italicized words that show the five steps necessary for having God’s word abide in you: request, research, reflect, receive, retain.

1.    [______________] ^1a My son, if thou wilt receive my words, …

2.   [______________] ^1b… and hide my commandments with thee;

3.   [___________] ²So that thou incline thine ear [________________] unto wisdom, and apply thine heart [_________________________] to understanding;

4.   [______________] ³Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

5.    [____________] ⁴If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

⁵Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

Fill in the extra blanks in verse 2 above with “practical application” or “pay attention” to show what the previous phrase means.

Next time we will look at each step in more detail.