PASSIONATE SPIRITUALITY Part 3: How To Develop A Passion For The Bible

Spiritual Purpose leads to Spiritual Passion

Romans 12:2 NIV
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

If we renew our minds and are transformed,
we can discern God’s will for our life,
and remain spiritually passionate.

What consumes your mind will control your future.

Proverbs 23:7 KJV
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.

Why do we develop wrong thinking?
Trauma
Past experiences
Social conditioning

Examples of wrong thinking:
* Negative self-talk
* Catastrophizing
* Black-and-white
* Mind reading
* Personalization

How do we renew our thinking?

Joshua 1:8 NIV
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Make the Word first place in your life.

Proverbs 22:17-18 NIV
17 Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, 18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.

1 Peter 1:23 NIV
23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:24 NIV
24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,

1 Peter 1:25 NIV
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

Deliberate Practice

Our spiritual passions will center around our spiritual practices.

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Psalms 119:105 NIV
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Make the Word first place in your life.

Romans 8:38 NIV
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Romans 6:11 NIV
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 54:17 NIV
17 no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Mark 5:36 NIV
36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

James 1:19 NIV
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

James 1:22 NIV
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Psalms 1:2 NIV
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

1 Peter 3:8 NIV
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

1 John 2:11 NIV
11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

Ephesians 4:32 NIV
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Isaiah 53:5 NIV
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Mark 16:18 NIV
18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV
15 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.

Psalms 119:130 NIV
130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

Isaiah 54:13 NIV
13 All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.

Deuteronomy 28:6 NIV
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.