Mentoring Men for the Master

THE ONE THING YOU MUST DO TO BE MENTORED

If we have any intention of obeying the 10 Commandments, we must obey the first one, which in essence commands, “Put the Lord Jesus Christ First in Everything.”  When you do this, you will not bow down before an idol, never take His name in vain, honor the Lord’s Day, honor father and mother, not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie or covet.

Now when it comes to Mentoring Men, if we would be mentored we must obey the first “I”, which is “The Internalization of the Word of God.”  Notice, I did not say “The Word of God,” but “The Internalization of the Word of God.”

There are literally thousands of Bible studies – Hundreds of them in Wilmington.

  1. I ask you, how many of these Bible studies emphasize the “Internalization of the Word.”  I know of none, except MMM, which I humbly and gratefully declare.
  2. How many of these studies have literally changed men into godly husbands, fathers, deacons, teachers, pastors?
  • Now is there value in just reading the Word of God as commanded in 1 Timothy 4:13?

There is some, for the Holy Spirit sometimes takes a Word and compels individuals to Internalize it but that is rare.

  • Is there value in studying the Word as commanded in 2:Timothy 2:15?
  • Is there value in searching the Word of God as stated in Acts 17:11?
  • Is there value in hearing the Word of God as stated in James 1:22?
  • Is there value in loving the Word of God as stated in Psalm 119:97?
  • Is there value in cherishing the Word of God as stated in Job 23:12?
  • Is there value in hearing the Word of God as stated in James 1:22?
  • Is there value in desiring the Word of God as stated in 1 Peter 2:2?
  • Is there value in memorizing the Word alone?   Man on Front Street quoted the Book of Revelation who never could answer one question I asked.

Surely there is some value, but here is the proofs that all these things are not enough.  How do I know this?

  • Because millions of people read, study, etc. the Word repeatedly who are never really changed in life style.
  • Even teachers, preachers, youth pastors, etc. are not even changed even if they are handling the Word all the time.

Illus.:  Take the matter of eating. You get greatly interested in steak, so you begin to read about steaks, to study about steaks, you love steaks, you cherish steaks, even desire steaks, but steaks will not help you until you take it into your mouth, chew it with your teeth, it enters your stomach, you digest it and it begins to nourish your body.

So the Bible commands that:

  • We eat the Word after we’ve read it, studied it, etc – Exodus 3:1, “…eat this roll and go speak to the house of Israel.” Revelation 10:9, “Take the book and eat it up” (all of it).  Did you know that the  Bible tells of a man who ate the book?  Jeremiah 15:16.
  • Jesus commands that we “Abide” in the Word – John 15:7; John 8:31-32. Jesus uses the term “abide in the Word” (John 15:1-11).  “Abide” (meno in Greek) means to live or exist by.  In fact Jesus says this is the mark of a true disciple.  “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:21-32).

Jesus used the verb “live” to describe the power of the Internalized Word: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which is proceeding from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Please understand that the word “eat” is a metaphor or figure of speech.  It does not mean we are to cram the KJV, or NIV down our throat.   But it does mean that we are to know this Word in our head, then memorize it and meditate on it until we understand what it means, that we obey what it says as it applies to our lives until we get our spiritual nurture (just as you get physical nurture when you eat), our guidance, our head and hearts being filled with His truth and lived out in our lives until we are conformed to the image of Christ.

Now all this truth is packaged in our “Pledge to the Bible.”  Whatever you do, don’t just say these words.”  I think we should have a Gentlemen’s Agreement that no one would quote or read these words who are not obeying them in life.

Specifically, how do we go about Internalizing the Word?

  • Let’s begin with our life verse? Will the following stand and show how you have internalized your life verse?  4:6-7; Romans 12:1-2; Gal. 6:14; Phil. 2:2-5; Romans 1:16; Micah 6:8; Proverbs 16:9; Proverbs 3:5-6; Job. 23:12; Matthew 5:16; Romans 8:24-25?
  • Let’s show how you would internalize the 10 Commandments?
  • Let’s show how would internalize the 8 Beatitudes. The 11th Commandment and the 9th