Do The Book w/Guest Speaker Joe Skiles Jr.

Devotional

Day 1: Life’s Pieces Need God’s Instruction Manual

The chaos of scattered Legos mirrors life’s fragmented seasons—grief, marriage, parenting, uncertainty. Without the Bible’s guidance, confusion reigns. But God’s Word acts like a step-by-step manual, revealing how every piece fits into His redemptive design. Just as Legos form cities when assembled correctly, Scripture aligns our struggles and joys into a coherent story. Trusting the “instruction book” transforms frustration into clarity, one piece at a time. [38:10]

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
(Colossians 1:9–10, ESV)

Reflection: What “piece” of your life feels disconnected or chaotic right now? How might intentionally seeking God’s wisdom through Scripture bring clarity to that area?

Day 2: Trusting the Book That Outlasts Empires

The Bible has survived burning, bans, and skeptics like Voltaire who claimed it would vanish. Yet it thrives, shaping cultures and hearts for millennia. Its durability isn’t human effort but divine breath—God’s voice preserved across generations. While earthly powers fade (even Caesar became a salad), Scripture remains the unchanging foundation for those building lives on eternal truth. [46:01]

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
(2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you doubted Scripture’s relevance? How does its enduring impact across history strengthen your trust in its authority today?

Day 3: When the Bible Reads You Back

Scripture isn’t a passive window to observe others—it’s a mirror exposing our hidden thoughts and motives. Like a surgeon’s blade, it cuts through excuses, revealing both wounds and pride. The living Word confronts, comforts, and calls us higher, not to shame but to freedom. Reading expectantly means letting God highlight areas needing His repair. [58:55]

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
(Hebrews 4:12, ESV)

Reflection: What recent situation has Scripture “mirrored” back to you, revealing a need for growth or surrender?

Day 4: Four Engagements, Fewer Regrets

Reading the Bible four times weekly isn’t magic—it’s medicine. Research shows it reduces addiction, anger, and isolation by rewiring desires with truth. Like daily bread, consistent intake nourishes resilience against temptation. This isn’t about checklists but letting God’s voice drown out the world’s noise, one faithful encounter at a time. [01:05:13]

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”
(1 Thessalonians 2:13, ESV)

Reflection: What temptation or struggle could diminish if you prioritized Scripture four times this week? What practical step will you take to start?

Day 5: Burn the Ships of Halfhearted Faith

Cortez’s men burned retreat options to fully commit to their mission. Similarly, God calls us to torch backup plans—addiction, compromise, doubt—that hinder wholehearted discipleship. Engaging Scripture daily isn’t about perfection but surrender: letting His Word become the non-negotiable compass for every decision, relationship, and dream. [01:11:42]

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
(Joshua 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: What “ship” (habit, mindset, or sin) do you need to burn today to fully embrace God’s instruction for your life?

Sermon Summary

Paul prays in Colossians that God would fill his church with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding the Spirit gives so that a life worthy of the Lord shows up in fruit and growth in the knowledge of God. That prayer sets the target: do the book. The image of the Lego instruction manual shows how scattered pieces only click when the manual is trusted. Life is full of pieces like grief, marriage, grandparenting, school, and retirement. God is the genius, and Scripture is the instruction book that makes the picture appear one piece at a time.

Objections show up. The Bible is old, human, criticized. Yet circulation soars, translations multiply, and durability outlasts every attempt to bury it. Rome looked unbeatable and Jesus looked small, yet Jesus is the subject of the most-read book and Caesar is a lunch order. If this really is the word of God, it does not just inform a life. It reads a life. It transforms a life. The attack, then, targets the word of God, offering substitutes for marriage, man and woman, family, and life.

Second Timothy names Scripture God-breathed, useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training so that the servant of God is thoroughly equipped. The sail-and-wind picture makes it simple. Human writers were sails. The Spirit was the wind. When the church opens the Bible, it hears his voice. First Thessalonians says the word is received not as human word but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in those who believe. Across 66 books and 40 plus authors over 1500 years, one story holds: God’s redemption of humanity from Eden to Gethsemane and an empty tomb.

Hebrews says the word is alive and active. The Bible is a mirror, not a window. It penetrates thoughts and attitudes and meets a person right where the ache is. So practices matter. Read expectantly. Read your Bible, not your feed. Go to the throne before the phone. Stop being algorithm disciples and let Scripture set the values that actually hold.

Usefulness lands in the real. When covenant lines are named, correction is not cruelty but rescue, and obedience blooms fast as people choose to do the book. Engagement shapes holiness and mission. The power of four shows that opening Scripture at least four days a week drops addictions and anger, lifts peace, and multiplies witness and generosity. A simple plan helps: ten minutes and one question, God, what are you saying to me through your word. Faith burns the ships. No more one foot in retreat. The way forward is Scripture in hand, Spirit in the sails, pieces clicking into place as a life worthy of the Lord.

Key Takeaways

1. Do the book, piece by piece Life comes in scattered seasons, and God’s word is the manual that makes sense of them. Trust does not begin with seeing the whole picture but by placing the next brick where the manual says it goes. Obedience over time reveals an image that was hidden in the pile. The genius is not in the builder but in the Author. [41:04]
2. Scripture is God-breathed and alive If the Bible only delivered information, a person could browse it and move on. Because it is God-breathed and living, it searches a heart, exposes motives, and heals what arguments cannot touch. Expectancy, not speed, is the right pace because a living voice is speaking now. Reverence grows when a disciple realizes the text is reading them. [58:22]
3. Read your Bible, not your feed Inputs shape instincts. Algorithms catechize before anyone notices, replacing convictions with reactions. Starting with Scripture resets appetite and authority so values are formed before the world tries to replace them. Go to the throne before the phone, and let the Spirit, not trends, set the cadence of the day. [54:15]
4. Correction opens doors to obedience Rebuke in Scripture is not a scolding but a rescue line that pulls a life back into covenant space where blessing actually lives. When boundary lines are named plainly, repentance becomes concrete and immediate, not abstract. Joy follows clarity because God’s design is not cramped but life-giving. Correction is the kindness that rebuilds a home. [62:32]
5. Practice the Power of Four Regular engagement is the hinge where transformation swings. Four days a week moves truth from occasional inspiration to internal architecture, weakening temptation and strengthening resilience. Memory, courage, generosity, and witness all rise because the heart is being re-scripted. The Scriptures become the script that cures. [64:59]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[35:31] - Open Bibles, posture of readiness
[36:35] - Colossians 1:9-10 reading
[38:10] - Lego manual and life pieces
[41:04] - Do the book: God’s instruction
[43:30] - Why trust the Bible?
[44:16] - Circulation and hunger rising
[46:01] - Durability: Rome or Jesus?
[51:19] - All Scripture is God-breathed
[54:15] - Read your Bible, not your feed
[55:56] - One unified redemption story
[58:22] - The word alive and active
[61:14] - Useful: teach, rebuke, correct, train
[64:59] - The Power of Four
[71:42] - Burn the ships call

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV)
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Observation Questions

What does Paul pray for the Colossians to be filled with, and what two outcomes does he connect to this filling?
According to 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (referenced in the sermon), what four purposes does Scripture serve?
How does Hebrews 4:12 describe the nature of God’s Word, and what does it reveal about our inner lives?
The sermon compares life’s challenges to scattered Lego pieces. What examples of “pieces” were mentioned? [42:04]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul link being filled with the knowledge of God’s will to living a life “worthy of the Lord”? How do wisdom and understanding enable this?
The sail-and-wind metaphor (sails = human writers, wind = the Spirit) explains how Scripture is inspired. How does this imagery clarify the relationship between human effort and divine guidance in the Bible? [52:33]
The sermon calls correction a “kindness that rebuilds a home.” Why might rebuke and correction feel harsh initially, yet ultimately lead to freedom? [01:02:32]
How does engaging Scripture at least four days a week (“Power of Four”) create measurable changes in behavior, according to the examples shared? [01:05:42]

Application Questions

What practical step could you take this week to prioritize reading Scripture before checking social media or news feeds? How might this shift your daily mindset? [54:15]
When has a passage of Scripture ever felt like a “mirror” (revealing your thoughts/attitudes) instead of a “window” (observing others)? What did you do with that conviction?
Identify one area of life (e.g., anger, fear, relationships) where you need the “Power of Four” to weaken temptation. How will you schedule regular Bible engagement around this?
The sermon says, “Correction opens doors to obedience.” Is there a boundary or instruction in Scripture you’ve resisted? What would it look like to trust God’s design as “rescue” rather than restriction?
What “ship” (habit, mindset, or compromise) do you need to “burn” to fully embrace the life Scripture calls you to? How can your group support this step? [01:12:04]

Sermon Clips

50s

“Hernan Cortes arrived in Mexico from Spain with about 600 men, and they were about to face a massive empire and an impossible mission. But Cortez knew something about human nature. He knew that if it got hard, that people would want to retreat and run away. So he did something that was really shocking. Once he landed on the beach with his 600 men, he signaled back out to somebody on the boats that were docked in the harbor to burn the ships. I got a picture of an artist rendering of burning the ships. He said, burn the ships. And when they burnt the ships, the soldiers realized that there was no turning back and going where they were they were they came from. And if they were gonna survive, it would only be by taking the next step forward.”

45s

“let's do it. Let's do it with our staff, and let's do it with our team because we're never finished, and we want more of it because it transforms our life. I like the part when it says the Bible is useful. So it's alive and active, and it should be, but the Bible is useful. Let's go back to second Timothy chapter three verse 16 through 17. All scripture is God breathed, and look at these four things, is useful teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. That covers a lot. Okay? Teaching teaches us what's right. Rebuking teaches us what's wrong in our lives.”

43s

“Some in here have have not been taught that or you haven't, and that's okay. That's why you're here. The power four, if you engage the bible four times, it uniquely predicts how often people give into temptation and struggles. And it helps you if you read it at least four times, not three, for whatever reason, it changes. And they found that if people engage the Bible at least four times, their odds of giving into temptations and things that bind their life, it decreases. So if people have read the Bible four times and they're struggling with drug addiction, did you know if they engage it four times, that addiction decreased by sixty two percent. Wow. Wow.”

39s

“Throughout history, bible has had enemies who have tried to destroy it. That book you bring into here every week, the one that's on your phone or on your iPad, the one that sends you those scriptures, They're trying to destroy it and ban it. I've said in meetings in the Bay Area where they've tried to take it out of our our schools, and and we've got to say, now that doesn't work for us, yet it lives on, and its influence continues to to spread. So let me make it personal. Let me ask you this. You may say, should it matter to me?”

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