First of all, we're supposed to start first Samuel
today but I think this may take longer on the
note -taking side than We probably will not get
the first so we'll use this as a I'm sorry Okay,
so we are talking about note -keeping. So who
knows where the text for that message will come
from? 1st Timothy, so turn to 1st Timothy if
you would. By way of introduction, we will say
this, that there is one authority in the church.
Who is that? Jesus Christ. And he has... Seen
fit to make his will known by leaving us what?
The Bible and he has further seen fit then to
have that Bible be taught in his church by Faithful
men gifted by him to teach that word and Expound
it and apply it so when we're talking about notekeeping
The purpose of note -keeping is what? To aid
in our learning and retaining the Word. Every
activity of the Church, our note -keeping is
what? Word -centric. There's nothing that is
more important in the life of the Church than
the Bible. And so whatever note -keeping we do,
we ought to have that in mind. that it has to
be focused on the Word if it's to have any spiritual
value whatsoever. There's nothing that has spiritual
value that is outside of the Word of God. And
so I went to Timothy because Paul is telling
Timothy then to establish certain traditions
and certain activities to set things up in the
church so that it would be conducive to that
taught word. So we're not going to obviously
go through the entire book of 1st Timothy. We
are going to focus on two areas if we're going
to take good notes or if we're going to glean
from the word without taking notes. There's two
things that Timothy is instructed by Paul to
establish in the church. In other words, for
everyone in the church to do if that word is
going to be effective in God's in the lives of
God's people. And then Paul goes to great lengths
in Timothy to tell us what it is that he anticipates
will be taught and what the goal is of the things
taught in the church. In other words, this is
what you're going to teach. And if you teach
it well, this will be the outcome of that taught
word. So let's look. We're not going to read
the whole, even the first chapter, but we are
going to start in verse three. as I besought
thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into
Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that
they teach no other doctrine." Okay, so there's
the first thing. Now, the first thing that Paul
instructs Timothy to do when he's setting out
these elders, these men, is that they teach no
other doctrine. Now, presumably that's what?
The doctrine that Timothy has been taught by
Paul, and Paul has received from... Jesus. But
we don't really know that but we will know that
here shortly. Neither give heed to fables and
endless genealogies which minister questions,
rather godly edifying which is in faith. So then
what's that contrast that's going on there? How
is this doctrine going to be taught? Well one
of the things that it's going to be is clear.
When you minister these genealogies, at the end
you have what? All kinds of questions. So Paul
anticipates that this sound doctrine that he's
going to teach in the churches is going to be
clear and it's going to lead what? It's going
to lead to a greater faith. It's going to be
delivered in faith and it's going to be received
in faith and it's going to encourage faith. Now
the end of the commandment is charity out of
a pure heart and a good conscience and a faith
unfamed Now there there is a good definition
of what is going to be taught in the church.
What's it? What's it going to do? The teaching
in the church is going to result in what? Love
is going to be in abundance in the church Devoted
to God a heart that is in love with God and cares
for his people that wants to hear the instruction
From God and then that word that a doctrine that
is taught is going to result in what in God's
people a clear conscience These people are going
to know God so well They're going to understand
God's will for their life and they're going to
put that into practice that they're going to
have clear consciences so The third thing then
is a faith on faith. So when this doctrine goes
forth, when this teaching goes forth from God's
men, it's going to result in what? In God's people.
It's going to establish their faith firm. They're
going to know what they believe. It's going to
enable them to exercise that faith as they apply
that doctrine and their faith is going to grow.
Now that's the inevitable result of the proper
teaching of God's Word in the church. If that's
not the result, then there's a problem on one
side or the other. In order for that to happen,
what is required? Who is required? The Holy Spirit.
So both in the teaching of the Word and in the
receiving of the Word, the Holy Spirit is required.
It's a spiritual exercise that goes forth. The
man of God receives the word from God through
the leading of the Holy Spirit. And by the Spirit's
power, he delivers that word to God's people,
having received it himself first. So the teaching
doesn't go forth first to the people. First it
goes forth to the person teaching. Then it goes
forth to the people. And the people are presumably
prepared by the Holy Spirit and enabled by the
Holy Spirit to receive that word. But that word
that they receive is not a word, it's not my
word. So if it's my word, where does it belong?
In the trash heap of history. We just throw it
out. We don't need it. God's people don't need
Dave Dickman's word any more than they need Tim
Dickman's word or Mike Dickman's word or Carol
Murray's word. What they need is a word from
their master, from their authority, from their
God. And that word... delivered through his servants
is effective in their lives. All right. So that
that hopefully that will cement in our minds
that what we're doing when we're taking notes
is we're trying to discern the word of God. Now
there is and and since it's a spiritual exercise
enabled by the Holy Spirit, it should not be
surprising to any of us that one person hears
one thing in a sermon clearly emphasized and
just exactly what they need. And another person
hears something else entirely different and emphasized
because of a need in their life. Sometimes I
preach or I teach and I feel like it was a waste
of my time. I just feel like I didn't have my
thoughts organized nearly as well as I wish I
would have. I didn't emphasize the things I thought
I was going to emphasize Saturday when I was
in preparation. And the word is received and
people say, oh, that was great. Other times I
think boy I nailed it. I think I had everything
organized and crickets is the response now the
only explanation for that is that the Holy Spirit
is at work and What he intends for everyone to
hear is Exactly what each person needs and so
when you're taking notes then that's what you're
taking notes on You're taking what's being taught
and how does this change my perspective? How
does this apply to my life? How do I need this
and how is this going to help me? But if you're
going to listen and be able to take notes well,
what has to happen ahead of time? You thought
you were coming here and I was just going to
give you a mechanical lesson on how to take notes.
Hopefully nobody really thought that. And what
does that look like? What? Okay, so in first
Timothy three, no, three, two. First Timothy
two, turn to the next chapter. Verse one, I exhort
therefore that first of all, supplications, prayer,
intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for
all men. Then in verse eight, I will therefore
that men pray everywhere. lifting up holy hands
without wrath and doubting. Now, that is an exercise
that is a discipline in the life of the church
for what purpose? So that the word can go forth
and be received. If you think you're going to
come in here and take effective notes and you're
going to be able to hear what God is saying to
you, But you haven't bothered to dedicate the
time in your life to ask the Lord for a word.
To ask the Lord to give that word to the person
who's speaking. If you haven't asked the Lord
to give you ears, spiritual ears, and a spiritual
heart to receive that word, then don't expect
to take effective notes. Don't expect to hear
from the Lord. It's really as simple as that.
Paul lays it out. If the word is going to go
forth, and if it's going to have its... Desire
effect in the lives of the people the people
are going to have to do what? pray Believing
Do you pray that the Lord would have a word for
you is that the burden of your heart throughout
the week Do you pray that the Lord would have
a word for everybody else that's here? If you
don't then don't be surprised when you come in
here you're frustrated with your note -taking
Don't be surprised if you come in here and you
leave and you think, I was just a bunch of words.
I didn't understand it. I didn't understand the
application. It doesn't meet any need of my heart
or in my life. Nothing really went on. Well,
the first question to ask ourselves is, did I
pray? Paul apparently thinks it's fairly important.
Now, what's the other thing that he gives instruction
to the people to do to prepare for to receive
the word? Turn over to chapter 5. Now there's
all kinds of instruction, we're skipping over,
inside the church. Most of it is given to the
elders of how to conduct things. These two though,
he instructs for everybody in the church to do.
Verse 17, let the elders that rule well be counted
worthy of double honor, especially, or namely,
they who labor in the word and doctrine. For
the scripture says, Thou shalt not muzzle the
ox that treadeth out the corn, and the laborer
is worthy of his reward. This is a side note,
but do you know where that second quote is from?
The laborer is worthy of his reward. Now what
would that lead you to believe? Paul says that's
scripture. So one of two things had to go on.
Either the book of Luke was already written,
the gospel of Luke was written down, or Paul
knew that Jesus had said this and that it was
written down by someone and that that was the
very word of God and it was going to be written
down and preserved by God and used in the church.
or it was already written down and already recognized
as Bible when Paul was writing this letter. Now
that's just, you can take either one of those
that you want, but Paul apparently thought that
the gospels written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John were scripture, equating it with, whereas
the first quote comes from the Old Testament.
So if you're ever trying to figure out how to
think about God's word and how things came to
be Bible, There's a key verse for you. Alright,
Paul tells the people to give. Now, is that an
important part of church life? Is that an important
part of Christian life? What does that have to
do with the ministry of the Word? Have you ever
thought, Paul just threw that in there for no
particular reason. Well, what is giving? How
is that related to the Word and why is it important
that the people that are teaching the Word are
supported by the people who are being taught
the Word? Let me just ask this. Is that a spiritual
activity? So is that as spiritual as the hymns
that we sing? Is that as spiritual as our prayer
life? Okay, so we're not we're not trying to
find a hierarchy of spiritual activity What we
are saying is that and what Paul says is that
our entire lives sacrificed to God. Everything
that we have and everything that we are is a
reasonable thing based upon what Christ has done
for us. And so giving is no less of a spiritual
exercise than anything else. It is first and
foremost then we would say it's worship. Was
it commanded by Jesus? We'll turn over to Matthew
chapter 6. Verse 1, Take heed that ye do not
your alms before men, to be seen of them. Otherwise
ye have no reward of your father, which is in
heaven. There's a reward there. Therefore, when
thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet
before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
and in the streets, that they may have glory
of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their
reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy
left hand know what thy right hand doeth. that
thine alms may be in secret, and thy father which
seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly."
Now, if I was a televangelist, I might say, give
to me and God will give back to you ten times.
Send me a dollar, you'll for sure get a check
in the mail or you'll find the ten dollar bill
somewhere today. But what's the reward that God,
that Jesus has in mind there when he says, Give
your arms and expect something from the Lord.
What is that? Have you ever thought about that?
Does that have nothing? First of all, it's just
Jesus just kind of presumes and assumes that
this giving is going on He doesn't say if if
it fits with inside your budget or if you remember
on this week or that month or whatever else or
if you have some surplus Well, then He just says,
when you give, now who's He writing that to?
Let's not be like the Jehovah Witnesses. Who's
He writing that to? To every one of His people.
All of us. It's written to you and it's written
to me. It's a personal teaching from Jesus to
you and to me. This giving is going to go on.
What's the reward? Okay? So it's going to increase
faith. You're going to experience the provision
of God through your giving. Especially what?
When you give more than what you're comfortable
giving. Now I'm not telling you that you ought
to... Whatever the paycheck comes in, you just
turn it all over to the church. I'm not saying
that at all. That's between you and the Lord.
But I guarantee you that whatever it is... If
you say we're going to give X number of dollars
a week or we're going to give this percentage
of every penny that comes into our house, whatever
it is, it's not going to be easy all the time.
And you'll be able to find an excuse without
any problem whatsoever that will seem very legitimate.
Has anyone ever experienced that before? So what's
the reward then? An increase in faith, is that
it? That's the entirety of the reward that we're
going to get from Jesus. Your teachers are taking
care of it. The people that are watching out
for you. What else? Which means what? Which is
going to lead to or enable what? Okay better
and more So that's so the so the question then
comes back to us have we taken that seriously
Do you expect to come in here and receive a word
from God Almighty? But you haven't devoted enough
of your life to support the work that goes on
Paul apparently thought that was ludicrous. That
that's the way fools would think. Now those are
the two things. So if you haven't been praying,
start praying. And if you haven't decided to
give, start giving. And you'll be amazed how
much easier it will be to take notes. You'll
be amazed at how much easier it is to hear from
your God. Remember that you don't have because
you don't ask. If you haven't asked for a word,
don't expect to get it. If you haven't said,
this is what's important to me and I want it
to keep on going and therefore I'm going to give
support for that word, then don't be surprised
if you don't get one. So do those two things.
So prayer before, giving, consistent, joyful,
respect. No, we talk about honor for the elders.
This is so hard. But it's for you. I mean, it's
real. It's there, right? It's in the Scriptures.
It's double honor. What does that mean? Undoubtedly,
it has to do with money. We've already talked
about that, but what's the other one? That only
gets us halfway there. Paul apparently had two
things in mind when he was talking about giving.
What's the other one? It expects that from all
of us. Okay, I've already given it to you. Those
who are keen of hearing would have heard. Respect,
honor, a certain decorum is expected between
the elders and the people. between the people
and themselves when we come to church. A certain
amount of honor is due. A certain amount of respect.
A certain way of conducting yourself that says,
this is important to me. That's what's expected
when you come into the house of God to hear from
God Almighty. That can be applied in all kinds
of different ways. throughout church history
been applied differently. But one thing that
is consistent throughout church history is that
it is a serious and it is an important part of
a Christian's life when he comes together in
the church. So however that is manifested both
to each of us here and to the world at large,
I will leave that to you to make a determination.
But if you haven't even thought about that, If
this to you is just like going to Walmart on
a Tuesday afternoon to pick up a carton of eggs,
then you're thinking about it all wrong. What's
perfectly acceptable and good and right when
you go to Walmart may or may not be good and
right and acceptable and respectful when you
come into the house of God. So you need to at
least think through that process and think, how
is it that I am going to show my respect for
the elder? for the person that's been preparing
and I is now teaching and most importantly before
God Almighty to whom I have requested that there
be a word for little old me all right enough
of the prayer and enough of the giving now I
have an acrostic for you the first one in my
life you need to come then quiet Come to the
meeting quiet. And so for the cue we have Quiescent
Q U I E S C E N T Which is characterized by an
absence of upheaval or discord so what does that
mean for you and for me in respect to our State
of being and our state of mind when we come here
to the church What is the absence of upheaval
or discord Because why Okay, we have peace with
God we have We are content with where God has
put us. That's the main emphasis that I want
to put here If you are not content with where
God has put you in life, and there is discord
there, that doesn't mean that you can't get that
straightened out when you come to church, and
hopefully there will be people there that will
help you. But if you're going to hear from God,
the first thing you need to do is be totally
and fully surrendered over to God and be content
with where he has you. That doesn't mean, now,
if there's sin in your life, that's gotta be
dealt with, undoubtedly. resentment or there
is worry. Those things have to be dealt with.
You have to come into the meeting place of God
with his people to hear from God quiet. The U
stands for undisturbed by regret or worry about
responsibilities or needs. In other words, I'm
coming in here and I'm undisturbed by what's
gone before in my life. That's gone on. It's
done. I've confessed those sins before the Lord.
I'm not concerned about what's going to happen
next week. I'm not concerned about what's going
to happen this afternoon. What I am concerned
about is the present, right now. The things that
are going to happen, I will leave to the Lord.
I'm not going to be caught up with worry. The
things that have gone on, I have done my best
to correct whatever wrongs I've done and I have
learned my lessons and going forward I won't
have, but I'm not going to be overtaken with
regret. Undisturbed by regret or worry. I, Q
-U -I, intentionally focused on God and undisturbable.
My focus when I come in and this is something
that we, now these are all things that you have
to do. These things don't happen. Are you content
with where God has you? You've got to think about
that. You've got to come to a conclusion. Are
you purposely saying I'm not going to be thinking
about the future and my settled position is that
I don't worry, but in this place I'm not even
going to think about the responsibilities that
I have in the week ahead. I'm not going to concern
myself with regrets about what's happened before.
I am coming in here and I am focusing all of
my attention on God and on His Word. Now, that
means that I'm not giving any... In other words,
what I'm saying is that I don't want to be in
any way distracted in my thinking. I don't want
to be in any way thinking about two different
things. I want to have my sole focus, my attention
is on the Lord. And no matter what happens around
me, I'm not going to allow that to disturb my
attention or to interrupt my focus on God. Things
happen, right? One of the things that happens,
I was talking to Dan tonight, is we heard the
static that came through the speaker. Now, is
that ideal? Who likes that? Let's see some raised
hands. Hey, none of us like it. Now the second
question is, is the amplification that goes out,
is that good for people? Well, it's good for
Joanne for sure. When Thelma comes back, she's
been asking for her for years, I'm going to assume
that it's good for her. And so then the rest
of us then, we should anticipate that occasionally
we're going to have some stag that comes through
there. And what are we going to do when that
happens? Well, we're going to jump up and down
and say, No, and not in our minds. We're going
to say, I expected that, but that's not going
to distract me from. That's not easy. Maybe somebody's
going to kick a cup over and we're going to hear
someone's security or what is it? Yeah, a security
Stanley cup. Do you anticipate that those types
of things may happen? Well, how am I going to
react when I hear that? Am I going to get a good
laugh out of it? Am I going to look around and
see who did that? No, I just know it's going
to happen. Unless it happens right next to me
and there's something for me to do, I'm not going
to concern myself with it. It's not going to
distract me. It's not going to interrupt the
train of thought that's going on. It's not going
to interrupt this interchange between teacher
and student. It's not going to interrupt the
line of communication between me and my God.
Somebody can kick a Stanley Cup across the room,
but my determination is that I'm not going to
allow that to affect if I hear God's Word from
me. Now, do we come into this place with that
kind of resolution? Every time the door opens,
do we all have to turn and see who's coming in?
Does it matter? Maybe it does. I'm not saying
that it doesn't. If you're expecting somebody
to come in, you're looking for them. What I'm
saying to you is every single thing that you
can set out of the way That gets in between you
and God say get it out of the way Anticipate
that things will be said that things will happen
outside of anyone's control or outside of anyone's
Potential control Undisputable I'm going to sit
in that way e q u i e Enjoying God's salvation
having sin confessed and I have pursued God in
the week before enjoying God's salvation, which
means I've confessed my sins and I have pursued
God in my personal life. If you want to profit
from the taught word, then you are going to be
a person that is enjoying God. You know Him.
You know yourself. And you bask in the glory
of this great salvation of God's that has been
given to you as a gift. And out of respect and
just out of... a good and a new heart that loves
God, we openly and eagerly confess our faults
and our sins before Him. We seek Him in our free
time. We seek Him in the time that we've set
aside to seek Him in prayer and in study and
in His Word. So if you're going to come into
the house of God to hear from Him, then you've
got to be enjoying his salvation. And then T
is obvious. What does T stand for? What? Trust.
I knew Carol would get it. Trusting in God the
Father's plan and provision. If you're not trusting
God to provide for you in every part of your
life, then don't be surprised that He doesn't
provide it for you. Has He promised to meet with
you? Has He promised to guide and direct His
church? Has He promised to make His will known?
Has He promised to make Himself known? Has He
promised that He will help you to understand
what's going on in the world? Has He promised
that He's going to help you understand what's
going on in your own heart? Yes, He's promised
you all those things. Do you trust His Word though?
Is His Word good enough? Or do you need His Word
plus the philosophers to help you get through
life? Do you need His Word plus the psychiatrist
to get through this life? Are you trusting in
God alone and His purpose and His plan? Are you
trusting in God the Son to speak? He spoke when
He was here in the world in the flesh and walking
on this earth. He still speaks today, doesn't
He? Are you trusting Him to speak? Or are you
trusting Me to speak? God forbid that you trust
in me. Your trust has got to be focused entirely
on the Son. God has said that this is the way
it's going to happen. So one of the exercises
that I do in my life is I try to thank people.
I'm not the best at it, admittedly. And probably
people here think, you didn't thank me enough.
And that may be true. But when I'm thanking someone,
who else am I thinking of when I'm thanking that
person? God Because it's God that put that person
in my life to do that thing for me or Whatever
good that's that has come to me through that
person. I'm thankful to God for that provision
Now if you put that if you'll just put that way
of thinking in your life at all times It will
help you tremendously. It will help you to see
God in places that you never imagined that he
was Someone does something nice to you in the
parking lot at let's go back in Walmart God put
that person there. That's a blessing from God
to you And then you're trusting in God the Holy
Ghost to enable the speaking and the hearing
and the applying of that word Trusting in all
three you're trusting in God. You're not trusting
in yourself Am I am I going to be able to be
smart enough to understand? Am I going to be
able to be? discerning enough or understanding
enough to apply that word? No. That's the answer.
No. Is the Holy Spirit going to make you ready
to receive that word and to understand what he
has for you? Absolutely. But if you're trusting
in yourself or again if you're trusting in the
teacher, well that teacher really he's got acrostics
every week. Now the teachers want to be better.
We'll just say, we want to be better. Tim wants
to be better. Dad wants to be better. It's hard
to teach an old dog new tricks. We all know that.
But there's still a little bit of hope that Dad
will get better. He wants to be better. I want
to be better. But whatever we have, what? It
will be sufficient because the God... will provide
to you what you need through us. And that should
be entirely humbling, both to you and to me,
that God is able to use me to help you in your
walk with Him. All right. There's my shot at
an acrostic. I don't know that I'll ever do it
again, but. Turn back in 1 Timothy. I believe
it's chapter 1. Yes. Okay, so he goes through
all these things. Teachers of the law, they think
they know, but they don't really know anything.
Then we get to the end of verse 10. And if there
be any other thing that is contrary to sound
doctrine, now there's sound doctrine again. And
then in verse 11, according to the glorious gospel
of the blessed God, which was committed to my
trust. So there we've got two things. We've got
the objective truth of the gospel, the objective
truth about who God is, and then we've got the
objective truth about everything that God has.
given to his church, the blessed God. So when
you're taking notes, those are the things that
you're looking for. Who is God? Has this teaching
given me a new perspective on who God is? Has
it enabled me to appreciate more of who God is
because of the way that it was presented? I never
saw God in that way before. I knew He was holy,
but I've never thought about Him in this terms.
When you hear that, then you write that down.
Your objective when you listen to someone preach
is not to be able to figure out what their outline
was. It's not really to figure out how many points
they had. It's not to figure out if there was
an A, a B, and a C in a subgroup number one and
number two. is to figure out what is the Lord
saying to you and what is He telling you about
Himself. Then what? He's going to tell you about
who you are. How do I view myself now in light
of this truth about God that I've just learned?
How does that make me feel about myself? How
does that make me discern myself? How do I know
myself better? And when you hear that, you're
going to write it down. Write it down. Sometimes
you hear a new way of expressing a concept that
you never thought of before. Sometimes it's totally
new. We're going to give out that book. What's
the name of it? How to... Leading Your Family
by Beeke. There's a phrase in there that he uses
which is... the illusion of intimacy. So, I don't
know how much time you've thought about social
media. Why is it so predominant in our society?
It's everywhere. There must be a perceived need
by most people that they believe is being filled
by social media, right? That's the only explanation.
That's the only explanation. That's why millions
of people are on however many different platforms
all involved in each other's lives over the internet
on these what we call social media and and the
reason is because it gives you the illusion of
intimacy It gives you the illusion of friendship
gives you the illusion of relationship All those
things are illusions the devil would love for
you to think that you have a relationship with
somebody halfway across the world because you
follow them on their Instagram account. But it's
not true. It's just an illusion. You don't know
that person at all. You know very little about
them and you know only what they want you to
know. But it fills that need for community. It
fills that need for friendship. But only in an
illusion. Now, I'd never heard that before. But
that's a very succinct way of saying exactly
what social media is, the illusion of intimacy.
When you hear something like that in a teaching,
write it down. I'd like to remember that. That
could be helpful to me the next time that I'm
thinking about this, that, or the other thing.
I've never heard somebody express the worship
of God in that type of a phrase. I'm going to
write that down. I'd like to remember that. Maybe
I can use it in my family. Maybe I can use it
in my prayers. Maybe I can use it in my discussions
at work. Whatever it is, the Lord has spoken
that. It seems especially fitting to me and it
helps me to understand what's going on. I'm going
to write it down. That's what you're looking
for. are the two aspects of any good teaching,
any spiritual teaching in the church. We have
first what? Objective truth. We know it's objective
truth because it comes to us from the Word, right?
So here is the doctrine of God's goodness laid
out. It comes from the Bible. It's taught according
to Scripture. What else do we have to have? What
does that mean for me, Dave? I've heard everything
that you've said. Have you ever been under someone's
preaching? For years, maybe. And they're just
teaching you words. Is there anything more frustrating
to a Christian than to leave a place and feel
like all that I know is the Greek word for love?
And I know what the cultural situation was back
in Ephesus at the time of Paul's writing this
letter. But I don't understand how am I supposed
to use this in my life. And nobody really cares
if you know Greek. And nobody really cares if
you're an expert on ancient Greek culture. The
church doesn't gather together for a Greek lesson.
or a cultural lesson, a history lesson. The church
gathers together for what? To hear the truth
of who God is and to understand then how is that
going to be applied in my life. When you hear
that on a Sunday morning, you write that down.
The Lord may speak to you while that's going
on. If God really is good, I... probably have
not been thinking about him the right way in
this part of my life. And you note that on your
notes. I've probably given too much of an emphasis
on this part of my life, but not nearly as much
emphasis over here as I ought to. I haven't even
considered this that I heard today. I'm going
to have to go home and consider how it is that
I'm going to work this into my daily life. That's
what I do when I take notes. Now you can do as
much more of that as you want. You want to try
to see, you want to try to understand what has
been taught and you've written all those things
down, you've written down the application of
those things, and you've written down the hymns
that were sung. Maybe you take a few notes on
a few parts of the prayer meeting that stood
out to you. Maybe you write down some of the
testimonies that were given. You go home and
you say, Can I discern the leading of the Spirit
in all of these things? Was it just random that
we sang these particular hymns? Somebody says,
well, I was thinking about this, I wanted to
sing that hymn. Well, is that a spiritual activity?
How is it that the opening ties together with
the Lord's Supper meditation and with the main
teaching of the day at the pulpit? Does it? How
does Wednesday night tie together with Sunday
morning? Can I pick and choose? Maybe I'll just
take Wednesday nights. Or does Wednesday night
make a whole lot more sense when I'm there on
Sunday morning? Does Sunday morning make a lot
more sense if I'm there on Wednesday night? Does
it go together? Does the Lord have a unified
message for all of His people? And if you only
hear for half of it, you're only getting half
the message. Now that's what I would say. Last
thing then. Last thing, and that is the part
of the preparation if you're going to take notes,
especially, well not even especially, if you're
going to take notes, if you're going to hear
from the Lord, is that you do at least a minimum
of reading the text before you get here. So it
only takes, now, I'm trying to be understanding
on Wednesday nights because we in the Old Testament,
we cover, you know, a few chapters. Maybe that's,
you know, I think you should be able to read
that without cramping your schedules. I don't
think that's asking too much. If you do, then
I'll give you a little bit of leeway that on
Wednesday nights. You don't want to read those
four or five chapters. I think you ought to do
it. I think the Lord will bless that and reward
that in your life. But on Sunday mornings, generally
speaking, if someone is preaching through a book,
you really only have to read six, seven, eight
verses. So if you wanted to read it in context,
you're reading one chapter. How long does it
take to read a chapter? Five minutes? Five minutes
we're talking about. If you haven't read, in
other words, the chapter in 1 Peter that Tim
is going to be preaching on on Sunday morning,
then you have cheated yourself out of the opportunity
to glean more from that from his teaching. Now
it may be difficult because Dad didn't tell us
where he was going in the Proverbs. That's okay.
It's not always possible. I didn't tell you I
was going to be teaching and using 1 Timothy.
So you couldn't read it. That's fine. I understand
that. But if I tell you that next week we're
going to be in First Samuel, I think it's reasonable
that I would expect, you know, you read a couple
chapters in First Samuel. Just what I think.
You want to be able to understand it better.
You want to be familiar with the passage. You
want to, you know, maybe there are a couple of
verses that you're like, I have no idea what's
being said there. That's the weirdest way to
say something that I've ever heard in my life.
That's okay. Then you're ready and you're prepared
and when you come in you can say what does this
mean? same thing in on the Sunday morning you
read it and you're thinking I Need some help
here, but at least I've got the groundwork done
at least I understand that I don't understand
it That's half the battle, right? Sometimes that's
a better place to be in than what you say. Well,
I know what that's saying So that's the focus
of your notes. A word from the Lord and a proper
application of it. The Lord speaks. He really
does speak to us. And if you don't believe that,
then give it a try. If you don't believe that
the Lord really speaks to you personally, then
take notes. Dedicate some time in your life for
prayer. dedicate a very little bit of time to
read the Word in preparation for the teaching.
Get your giving in order and then listen. The
Lord speaks to us. Is there anything sweeter
than that? Has anybody ever heard from the Lord
and thought, that was for me? In any place of
your life. Have we all heard that voice? Now
we all heard it when we came to repentance and
faith, right? There's no question about that.
That was how the relationship between you and
the Lord and me and the Lord started, was the
still small voice that said, I won't cry, that
said, Jesus is your savior. Do we expect then
that the rest of our life will be filled with
silence? That that's the only time in my life
that I'm ever going to perceive the voice of
God If that's the way that you think you're wrong
and I'm begging you Come prepared to hear it
is the sweetest most blessed thing in the world
to think that little old me From Hillsboro, Missouri
Who, when I'm dead, maybe my kids will remember
me, but in two or three generations, I'll be
nothing. Ask my kids what they think about my
Grandpa Dickman. They'll say, what do you think
about him, Hannah? Nothing. I don't think anything
about him. I know him only by what you've told
me. And so when she tells her daughter about
him, that's going to be, it's over. Hopefully
she'll have this vague appreciation for the history
of her family that's gone before, but nobody,
I'm a nobody. Maybe we'll have somebody here
that will be a somebody, I don't know. Somebody
in God's kingdom that I'll applaud. A star on
TikTok. I don't want to hear about it. Most of
us will go on to the next life and be forgotten.
But God has a word for you. You see, you're not
a nobody to Him. To Him, you are the person for
whom He sent His Son to suffer and to die in
order that you would be reconciled to Him. so
that you could live in this world as the new
creation. So that you could exercise dominion
in a way that honors God in every part of your
life where He's given you responsibilities. He's
got a word for you. And He's got help for you
as you try to do that. He answers the plea of
your heart to be loved. He answers the plea of
your heart that says I need some fellowship.
I need some friendship. I need some solid...
Unquestionable parts in my life. I've got to
have something to build on. He answers that from
His Word and in His teaching. And that's for
you. It's because He loves you. It's because
He cares about you. And He intends for everyone
in the whole world or everyone that knows you
to know that His grace is sufficient for you.
So bring your notepad to Wednesdays and to Sundays
and take notes in that way. Not so that you can
be a scholar on First Samuel. You won't be that
anyway. You can take as copious a note as you
want. That won't happen. But you will hear the
voice of God and then when you go back and you
look at it again later on, those things hopefully
will come to mind and be helpful. That's what
we're looking for. That's why Paul says it doesn't
matter. I didn't come to you in flowery words.
I didn't put together a speech that would be
recognized by Shakespeare as the most beautiful
things ever spoken in Greek, I suppose. Is that
what he spoke? Paul wasn't concerned about that.
He wasn't trying to accomplish that. You can
hear the voice of the Lord and the Lord can deliver
a message to you through anybody that he sees
fit. He wants to deliver a message to you from
a guy from Louisiana who speaks in this weird
Cajun accent that is almost, you know, it's hard
to hear and understand. And yet, and still, the
Lord uses that person to deliver a word to you.
Or you listen to Martin Lloyd -Jones, who is
logical and well put together, well thought out,
and delivers exactly the word that is organized
the way that we all wish we could organize our
thoughts, and the Lord can speak through that
to you. And anywhere in between those two, and
he has throughout church history, used those
people. Who's the greatest preacher alive today?
Don't know don't care But the preacher that God
has given to you is sufficient to deliver God's
word to you to fuel your heart and to instruct
your living and If you want more than that, then
you'll have to go somewhere else You'll have
to go to the Catholic Church or you'll have to
go listen to some Pentecostal guy talk about
the prosperity gospel try to explain to you how
there's only one God and Jesus wasn't really
God. You can get all kinds of stuff anywhere
else, but what you want is a word from God Almighty
for you and you're going to hear that from somewhere
in maybe not flowery language, but from a person
who is dedicated to the Word of God and to deliver
that and be used in your life for your benefit
and for God's Lord. And that ought to be enough
for us. Questions? You want to answer all your
note taking questions? I will, I'm serious, if
somebody's got a question real quick.