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Sermon:
Full Immersion Part II
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Pt 1:
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Pt 2:
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Pt 1-2021
Pt 2-2021
From the Body of Christ; those with the Holy Spirit, I receive 3 recurring questions. These are the most asked questions of members of God’s church. They are:
1) How can I get closer to God? 2) How can I know God’s will? 3) How does God Speak to us?
I went on to state that the most effective way to get closer to God and to know His will is to fully immerse ourselves into the Word of God.
I spent the balance of that sermon giving some overall concepts and guidelines on what “full immersion” means. I even ended the sermon by stating that these overall concepts were just the beginning and that the rest was up to you.
In another recent sermon, I spent the entire time in one verse…2 Corinthians 3:18. Let us take a brief look at this verse:
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
This is a key verse about being full immersed into the Word of God. It says, in essence, that we, with clear view and understanding behold the Word of God and by doing so are changed into the same image of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In all of this speaking about getting fully immersed into the Word of God, I began to receive e-mails from individuals asking that I speak specifically and describe techniques on getting fully immersed into God’s Word.
We will do this today. In doing so we will touch on not just the subject of Bible study, but prayer, fasting, meditation and contemplation and how they all work together to make us ONE with the Word of God.
Before we begin, I want to share one more thing that drives home the importance of the Bible in our lives and our Salvation Process. It is one paragraph from our doctrine on the Bible…
“In summary, Christians should study the Bible diligently, respect it as the Word of God and seek its guidance through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 16:13) and the teachings of the Church. In order to become like God, we must seek to understand the Bible, which is the clearest expression of the mind of God. This we can only hope to achieve through profound and regular Bible study, and through the internalized implementation of its precepts and values.”
Let’s get started…
1---Daily Bible Reading
This is a program whereby you read the Bible in its entirety in one year. Let us know and we will send the Daily Bible Reading schedule to you.
2---Doctrine Study
Both at the Web Site and in printed form, we have all the doctrines of the church. They are the things that hold us together as a church.
For example, besides having full doctrinal papers on God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Bible, we have them on the Angelic Realm, the Sabbath & Holy Days and Biblical covenants. We also have doctrinal papers on the Ministry, Fellowship in the church and a whole paper on our relationship with God. One could spend a lifetime learning and reviewing these doctrines. Problems often arise in the church when one or two lose touch with our own doctrine…which is the Word of God.
3---Booklet study
4---Book by Book of the Bible analysis of message or outline.
5---Studying the Psalms
6---Topical study—examples would be a study of Godly principles:
Make a notebook on the Principles of God---what we call the fruits of the Spirit.
7---Harmony of the Gospels study
There are a number of Harmony of the Gospels in print today. The one by
Robinson is a good one. Studying a harmony of the gospels is a great
foundation to both immersing yourselves in those gospels but as a
tickler to any number of other studies, such as the parables of Jesus
and to the crucifixation and resurrection.
8---Correspondence course
Many of you are familiar with the Correspondence course published by the Worldwide Church of God. It was my first official Bible study after being called by God. Those courses are still available today on the Internet in both the 58 and 32 lesson versions. In addition, we have a correspondence course based on our doctrine. See the link below.
http://www.herbert-armstrong.org/index32L.html 32 Lessons
http://www.herbert-armstrong.org/index58L.html 58 lessons with
tests 9---Appendixes to the Companion Bible
Some of you are probably familiar with the Companion Bible or have heard
Mr. Armstrong refer to it a number of times in sermons. Not only is it
full of commentary within the scripture, it has almost 200 Appendixes in
the back on a number of subjects and words. Each is an in-depth study
and/or explanation. Most noteworthy are appendix 156 which details the
final 6 days of Jesus life before His death on the stake and appendix
165 which details the hours of the Last Day of Jesus on this earth.
10---Chain Referencing of the Bible
Obtain a copy of this notebook from me or access it on the church web site.
11---Study what people said.
Become an expert at who said it, who they are talking to and why. Examples: Who is the speaker and who is the hearer for these statements.
“Am I my brothers' keeper?” (Cain to God) “What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?” (Judas Iscariot to the chief priests) “Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee…” (The angel Gabriel to Mary)
12---Become an expert at explaining supposed Bible contradictions
There are a number of books on the market and web sites on the Internet that explain supposed contradictions in the Bible. I have seen hundreds and hundreds listed and there are explanations for each. There are no contradictions in the Bible, but it can be of value to be able to explain and understand them.
Contact me and I will give you a list of the publications and web sites.
13---Word study---did you know there are 9 Greek words for “prayer” in the New Testament?
In addition to the word prayer, we have the words “ask”, “petition”, “supplication”, “seek” and “request”.
All of these have different meanings and we can enhance our prayer life by knowing and understanding them. These words reflect our manner and our attitude before God. Knowing them helps us to focus before the throne of God.
One of the words for prayer is Deesis (deh’ –ay-sis) and is word 1162 in Strong’s. A good example of Deesis in in James 5:16.
…the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Deesis stresses (1) our needs.( 2) our inability or insufficiency to meet that need, and (3) God’s willingness to hear, respond and meet the need.
Deesis is not an appeal to God’s reluctance, but an appeal to His willingness. Man’s extremity becomes God’s opportunity to hear and answer prayer.
14---Study the context of the passage under consideration by relating it to the sentences and paragraphs immediately proceeding and following it. Try to relate the ideas of the passage to the line of thought of the entire Bible book.
In Part I of this sermon I talked about this and mentioned Luke 17:21 where Jesus states to those gathered with Him, “The Kingdom of God is within you” and the fact that many religions use this to proclaim that the kingdom of God is already in us.
Besides the fact the phrase is more properly rendered “the Kingdom of God is among you (in the form of Jesus standing there), we find by reading the verse in context that Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees!! And we know what Christ felt about them.
He called them hypocrites. Even if the verse WAS saying that the Kingdom of God is within you…He wouldn’t be saying it to the Pharisees.
Checking the context will lead you to truth and understanding and cut down on being in error.
15---In connection with the study of the biblical text, explore the historical and cultural factors. Archaeology, anthropology, and history may contribute to understanding the meaning of the text.
For example, why did Jesus go to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane? What took place in this garden? What relationship is there to what takes place there and the fact that Jesus sweat “as if it were blood”?
By looking into the history and archaeology of the garden, we find that olives were harvested here. The primary resource in olives is olive oil. To extract that oil, the olives are first ground into a pulp using a huge millstone. The pulp is gathered into flat, plyable baskets and stacked 5 or 6 high. Then the heavy Gethsemane stone (a column of hard stone) is placed on top ot the baskets literally squeezing the oil from the pulp. It is as if the weight of the world were on all that pulp.
Such was the case with Jesus. He, at that moment, had the weight of the world on His shoulders, as if the Gethsemane stone were on Him. Is it any wonder that He sweat as if it were blood?
See how this knowledge brings us closer to that moment and its meaning. This is repeated each time we do this kind of study.
16---Hymnal music
Study the stories behind the hymns or the psalms that have been made into hymns. Use hymnal music as part of your meditation, Bible Study and praise to God. I gave a 3-part sermon on Prayer and discussed this idea of using music in praise and prayer to God.
Contact me and I will give you several stories behind the hymns and that 3-part sermon on Prayer.
17---The Handbook of Bible Application method
The Handbook of Bible Application is one of my most valuable tools in the Web Site Office. It covers over 450 topics and answers over 1,000 questions. It is arranged in sermonette format. It gives the subject, an appropriate question about that subject, a Bible Reading, the key verse and then the appropriate commentary or lesson. The book is quite accurate to our beliefs and doctrine.
18---Study of life processes from the Word of God. ---sin process ---the process for stopping sin ---conversion process ---Godly calling ---Salvation process
For example, the sin process is outlined
James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Study the process and you understand the process.
19---Character Studies.
What made the great men and women of old memorable?
How did they develop their faith in God?
One way to understand the Godly characters of the Bible and what motivated them is to do a character study.
For example, you can study the life of Moses. Follow his life from birth to death in the Old Testament noting the things he did and how he responded to the people around him. Ask questions about his life.
---What gave him or her the strength to handle persecution the way he did? ---Why did he or she find favor in God’s sight?
20---Study the Salvation Process ---includes study of its elements:
21---Study to seek a biblical solution to a specific life problem. Examples would be
22---Biblical answer to a specific question.
23---Audio/Video Bible Study---That the World May Know series
We showed 4 of the 27 lessons of this series at the Feast this year in Victoria. The best way to introduce you to this series is to read the text of the ad we had in the Feast Bulletin…
“That the World May Know” is a unique video series that brings God’s Word to life with astounding relevance. By weaving together the Bible’s fascinating historical, cultural and geographical contexts, you will see revealed keen insights into the Scriptures’ significance to us today. Join us as we explore the towns of Gezer and Jerusalem and the areas of the Decapolis, where Jesus took the disciples and En Gedi where David fled from Saul. Find out about those “living stones” that Samuel and Peter talked about. Discover the importance of Jerusalem’s location. Visit the location of Living Waters mentioned by Jesus. Listen as you find out why the garden, in which Jesus prayed, is called “Gethsemane”. Be astounded as you learn why Jesus “sweat blood” before going to the crucifixion. Learn the importance of city gates and what they have to do with your Salvation.
You can tell from
that description that there is a value to knowing the meaning of these
things and how they are used and referred to in scripture.
24---Bible Question Club
This means that each person will have 2 questions a week to study. It is a great impetus to get our Bible Study in.
The key here is not to ask just quiz type questions but something that will require a little study and research.
Examples:
1] What are Urim & Thummim? 2] What are the parts of the Temple and what do they represent? 3] What is the casting of lots and why was this done?
Have a minister or local elder monitor all the questions and answers to insure that nothing is taken too far a field.
25---Working with Teens---but good for the whole family
As you know, there are lots of Biblically based games on the market and some are conducive to learning and applying God’s Word in our lives. They help to get us immersed into the Word of God. I found one such game. I will read the ad from the web site:
THE NEW TEEN CHOICES Grab your family or your friends (or both) and get ready to come face to face with some of life's toughest decisions, including those involving peer pressure, honesty and purity. Learn how to base all your decision making on Biblical principles.
You promised to take your little sister for ice cream, but your best
friend has dropped by to visit. What will you do about the promise to
your sister?
At a shop in the mall, you see a friend slipping some jewelry in to a
bag. She doesn't know you noticed. What will you do?
Someone from school has spread gossip about you. You know who it is. How
will you react when you see this person? 26---Meditation
If you do a study of all the kinds of meditation, you will find they fall into one of two categories:
1] those where you are asked to empty the mind and 2] those where you are asked to first fill your mind.
God’s way is the latter. Notice some key scriptures:
Psalm 77:12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
Psalm 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
Psalm 119:48 I will meditate in thy statutes.
Philippians 4:8-9 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Where better to find these things that are true, honest, just, pure and lovely, than right in your own Bible----immerse yourself into the Word of God.
1 Timothy 4:13-15 [see Lesson] 13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Meditation is so important that God commands us to do it. Notice…
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Synonyms for meditate are think, commune, consider, and remember. Mary, Jesus' mother, is particularly noted in Scripture for her thoughtful meditation on God's Word and ways:
Luke 2:16-19 16 And they (the shepherds) came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
The primary goal of meditation is nourishing the heart: “It is in meditation that the heart holds and appropriates the Word. . . . The intellect gathers and prepares the food upon which we are to feed. In meditation the heart takes it in and feeds on it.”
27---Studying Out Loud---a technique
This technique is based on the same basis and effectiveness as praying out loud. Studies have shown that when we pray in our minds or read silently, the mind can easy be distracted and wander.
In this technique, we read the Bible alone and out loud. The idea is that by reading out loud the mind is forced to focus much more than reading silently. It is a filling of the mind. Some will combine this type of study with follow-up meditation and prayer.
28---Redeeming the Time
29---The Chapter 22 Technique
This is the last technique I have for today. It is one that Herbert Armstrong called one of the most outstanding experiences of his life. He recounts this experience in Volume 1, Chapter 22 of his autobiography.
The year was 1930. Herbert was fully involved in his clay business, but had hit a huge financial setback as the Depression was in full swing.
His wife, Loma was pregnant with Garner Ted but was very, very sick. They were without food, wood for the stove and they still owed the hospital for the last birth and they would not take Loma unless the old bill was paid.
God had healed Mrs. Armstrong back in 1927, but this time, despite repeated prayers, nothing was happening. He thought of 1 John 3:22
"Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him BECAUSE we keep his commandments.”
He knew that the second requirement was Faith and he had that from the time God healed his wife before. He was desperate. He had to find the answer and he knew only one thing he could do….fasting and prayer.
Listen now to what happened next… The fasting was begun on a Sabbath morning. That morning I ate no breakfast. Not knowing how one ought to go about fasting and prayer, I first prayed and asked God to show me the way -- to open my understanding. Then, since God speaks to us through His written Word, I began to search the Bible for instruction about fasting. For one hour with the aid of a concordance I studied passages of Scripture on the subject of fasting and praying, much of the time on my knees. Then for one hour I sat in thought and contemplation. I turned over in my mind the scriptures I had read. I reflected on my own life in recent months. I tried to compare it with God's way, as revealed in the Scriptures. Then I spent the next hour in talking to God -- in prayer. And so I decided to continue in this order -- one hour in Scripture study, one in contemplation, and one in prayer. I did not once ask God to heal my wife -- as yet. I had been doing that for weeks, without result. I was fasting and praying, not for the purpose of bringing pressure on God to force Him to obey my will and give what was asked -- but to find out what was wrong with me! I realized we did not need to nag at God. NEVER fast as a means of inducing God to answer! I read of Elijah's prayer, in presence of all the priests of Baal, when God answered and the fire came down from heaven. I timed that prayer. It was very short -- only about 20 seconds. But the awe-inspiring answer came crashing from heaven instantly! Elijah did not need to talk God into it by a long prayer, or by repeated prayers. But I knew that Elijah at that moment was close to God -- that he had previously been spending hours in long prayers to be in contact and close communion with His Maker! And he naturally knew His Maker would answer! Gradually the truth began to pierce through the fog in my mind. Gradually, as this process of fasting and prayer continued all day, and into the afternoon of Sunday -- as I became more and more hungry -- but closer and closer to God, the realization came that I had been keeping my mind more and more fully on this clay project. Finding the Trouble This experience in fasting and prayer, and the overwhelming result, has been broadcast over the air, and probably related previously in The Plain Truth. But it is one of the outstanding experiences in my life and properly belongs in this present account, even though a repetition for numerous readers. This process of self-examination, in the order of one hour of Bible study, followed by an hour of reflection and contemplation, and then an hour of prayer, under the unpleasant weakness of fasting, continued until the middle of Sunday afternoon. Suddenly I heard one of our daughters cry out: "Here comes Grandpa and Grandma!" My father and mother were driving their Ford 2-door sedan up our driveway. At the moment I was lying on the bed in our bedroom, in an hour of thinking and reflecting. By this time I KNEW where the trouble had been. I realized fully that I had gotten so wrapped up in this clay project -- the development of formulas -- devising plans for marketing -- and selling enough of it to beauty shops to keep us from starving, that I had unconsciously been drifting farther from the previously close relationship with God. I had not stopped Bible study or prayer. I had not even realized that I had been diminishing it. But now I realized that I had actually become closer to this clay project than I was to God. It was fast becoming first in my mind, my interest, and my time. And God will not play second fiddle to anything! I wonder, as I write, how many of my readers are more wrapped up, in their interest, and in their hearts, in some material business, project, or other interest, than they are in GOD! Probably most of you who are reading this need what God had brought me to do. I realized now that God had mercifully, in His wisdom and His love for me and my family, refused to answer my prayers to force me to fast and pray and come to see where I was unconsciously drifting. But in a flash, as I heard my father's car drive past the bedroom window, the realization came that the mission of the fasting was accomplished! No need to continue it, now! I must end it, and go out and greet my parents. And so, in a brief prayer not much longer than Elijah's, but in deep earnestness and absolute faith, I now -- for the first time during this fast -- asked God to heal my wife and put iron in her blood and give her needed strength. Like a flash it came to mind that we were completely out of food -- out of wood for fuel to keep warm (in January) -- so I asked Him to send us food and fuel. I asked Him to send money for the hospital bill for the delivery of the baby. Quickly I thought of my winter topcoat -- it had a big hole at the rear of one hip, which was embarrassing and a handicap in my work -- and asked God for a new coat. Asking God for these five things had taken less than a minute. But by now my parents were alighting from the car, and I wanted to go out to meet them. Two scriptures flashed to my mind: "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him" (Matthew 6:8). "My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). So quickly I ended my prayer, saying, "Father in heaven, you know what I need, before I ask -- and you have promised to supply every need -- so I ask you to supply whatever else I need." Then I quickly thanked God for it, rose and ran to greet my parents. Dad was just handing Mother a big covered roaster out of the car, and then gathering up an armload of wood. He had removed the back seat before leaving Salem, and piled into the entire rear part of the car a large supply of wood. We soon had a fire going in the kitchen cook stove, and Mother reheated an entire big dinner she had brought in the roaster. Dad had managed to pile about a week's supply of wood into his car. So here, even as I was asking for it, was the answer to two of my prayer requests -- the immediate fuel and food. Arising Monday morning, my wife's cheeks were rosy red! When the doctor saw her, he exclaimed: "What in the world has happened to you!" He could not understand how her anemia had so suddenly disappeared. She had her old zip and pep and strength. (Mrs. Armstrong always was an energetic person -- as recorded earlier, her brothers had nicknamed her variously "Shebang," and "Cyclone" as a little girl.) The very first mail delivery after my prayer request, on that Monday morning, brought a letter from one of my wife's uncles in Iowa containing, most unexpectedly, a settlement from her mother's will, in the exact amount of the hospital bill! My wife's mother had died when she was twelve. You may be sure that Mrs. Armstrong and I were overwhelmed with gratitude. Our prayers that morning were all of thanksgiving to a God who is REAL, and near to every one of us -- if we will be near to Him! (tape ends).
I can tell you that
this works. It is the ultimate self-examination technique. Anyone
honestly doing this is going to find out what is wrong and they will see
results.
So there you have 29 methods and techniques to get yourself fully immersed into the Word of God. We have the goal before us. Immerse yourself into the Word of God and be transformed into the image and character of Jesus Christ.
It’s time to get into the deep end of the pool.
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