Archive for the ‘Bible Study’ Category

Serving From the Heart

Posted: January 23, 2010 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Happiness, Inspiration, Money, Uncategorized
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Saturday, January 23, 2010
Serving from the heart
by Rick Warren

From now on if you listen obediently to the commandments that I am commanding you today, love God, your God, and serve him with everything you have within you, he’ll take charge of sending the rain at the right time …. Deuteronomy 11:13-14 (MSG)
Repeatedly, the Bible says to “serve the Lord with all your heart.” God wants you to serve him passionately, not dutifully. People rarely excel at tasks they don’t enjoy doing or feel passionate about. God wants you to use your natural interests to serve him and others.
How do you know when you’re serving God from your heart?
The first telltale sign is enthusiasm. When you’re doing what you love to do, no one has to motivate you, or challenge you, or check up on you. You do it for the sheer enjoyment. You don’t need rewards, or applause, or to be paid, because you love serving in this way.
The opposite is also true: When you don’t have a heart for what you’re doing, you’re easily discouraged.
One characteristic of serving God from your heart is effectiveness: whenever you do what God wired you to love to do, you get good at it. Passion drives perfection. If you don’t care about a task, it is unlikely that you’ll excel at it.
On the other hand, the highest achievers in any field are those who do it because of passion, not duty or profit.
We’ve all heard people say, “I took a job I hate in order to make a lot of money, so someday I can quit and do what I love to do.” That’s a big mistake. Don’t waste your life in a job that doesn’t express your heart.
Remember, the greatest things in life are not things. Meaning is far more important than money. The richest man in the world once said, “A simple life in the fear-of-God is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches” (Proverbs 15:16, Msg).
Don’t settle for achieving “the good life,” because the good life is not good enough. Ultimately, it doesn’t satisfy. You can have a lot to live on, and still have nothing to live for. Aim instead for “the better life” — serving God in a way that expresses your heart.
Figure out what you love to do — that which God gave you a heart for — and then do it for his glory!

TIME OUT FOR THE LORD

Posted: January 23, 2010 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Happiness, Inspiration, Money, Uncategorized
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TIME OUT
The Book of Joshua

The phase TIME OUT has several meanings. Let talk about a couple of them

• Take a break while playing a game.
• It is use as a form of discipline for a child

When taking a TIME OUT from a game or any other physical event, what is that break use for?
What happens when a child is placed into TIME OUT or sent to their room after doing something that they weren’t suppose to? How can we relate these examples of TIME OUT to the word of God and our own personal lives? At times, do we need to take a TIME OUT?
TIME OUT to Witness
TIME OUT to Pray
TIME OUT to Fellowship
Jesus always took TIME OUTS to pray and in what ways does God put us in TIME OUT and why?
Did God ever send anyone to TIME OUT in the Bible?

Mission Was Given to Jonah: Jonah Chapter 1: 1-2, the word of the lord came to Jonah son of Amittai. (2) Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me. (3) But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish, He went down to Joppa where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.

TIME OUT: Chapter 1:17, Jona was inside the fish three days and three nights.
• What did he do while in Time Out? Prayed to the LORD (Read Chapter 2)
Some time God places us in TIME OUT to humble us, to get our attention and at times so we do not start taking credit for the victories in our life.
• Moses and Joshua
Lets read Joshua 1: 6-9: Do you think Joshua was taking a TIME OUT by receiving instruction from the Lord?

Important points:
• Ver 7 be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
• Ver 8: So not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; 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.

If God is with us, as Joshua, why do we fail or struggle to defeat tough situations, difficult people, and temptations?
• 1 Samuel 17:38-40: David refused to go into battle with Sauls armor because he had not tested or trained with them. He wanted his sling and 5 stones.

Hebrews 5: 13, 14 states: Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

• Commitment to Christ moves people out of their comfort zones. We must train ourselves to distinguish good from evil.

Are we using our TIME OUTS effectively?
• Paying attention, praying in faith, or as James say (James 2; 23), walking away from the mirror and forgetting what we heard or learned. Or are we failing to apply what we learned because of a lack of commitment to the primary work of the ministry (to be soul winners for Christ Mat 28:19)?

In Ver 9 of Chapter 3: Joshua tells the Israelites to come here and listen to the words of the lord your God

• Joshua gathered the people to hear the words of the Lord. Their excitement was high. No doubt they wanted to rush on, but Joshua made them take a Time Out and listen. We run all day in this fast pace age where everyone rushes just to keep up. It is easy to get caught up in our tasks, becoming to busy for what God says is most important-listening to his words. Before making plans, take a Time Out to focus on what God wants from all your activities. Knowing what God has said before you rush into your day can help you avoid foolish mistakes.

Why did Joshua fail to defeat the town of AI the first time around?

Chapter 7: 3,
1. Did Joshua fail to take a (TIME OUT) to consult God or wait for Gods direction before going into battle?
2. Sin has entered the camp, why did it effect the entire group? Chapter 7
3. (Remember what God told Joshua in the beginning)
• Chapter 1:7, Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful in wherever you go.

Is there sin in your camp? Do you need more TIME OUTS? Remember, as Joshua, you are responsible for the sin in your house

What are some of the things that get in our way of taking TIME OUTS?

Take some TIME OUTS to confess your sins when God reveals them to you (7:19-21), when you fail, refocus on God, deal with the problem, and move on (7:22-25; 8:1). God wants the cycle of sin, repentance, and forgiveness to strengthen us, not to weaken us. The lessons we learn form our failures should make us better able to handle the same situation the second time around. Because God is eager to give us cleansing, forgiveness, and strength, the only way to lose is to give up. We tell what kind of people we are by what we do on the second and third attempts.

They gave Joshua the city. Yesterday’s defeat became today’s victory. Once sin is dealt with, forgiveness and victory lie ahead. With God’s direction we need not stay discouraged or burdened with guilt. No matter how difficult a setback sin may bring, we must renew our efforts to carry out Gods will.

A SET BACK IS A SET UP FOR A COME BACK

The only way to do this is to take more Time Out and spend it with the Lord.

Rob Henry
Army of Christ
Sergeant First Class
Unite States Army Retired

It’s All In Your Mind

Posted: January 23, 2010 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Happiness, Inspiration, Money, Money Issue, Scripture Memory, Uncategorized
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It’s All In Your Mind
Dr. Creflo A. Dollar
Your mind holds tremendous creative ability. That’s why God gave you an imagination–so that you could create mental pictures, add faith to them and see those pictures manifest in your life.
Once you have an image in your mind of something you want to do or become, nothing can stop that image from coming to pass. Whatever you meditate on will become the blueprint for your reality. Too often, though, Christians suffer from “stinking thinking.” They give the devil control of their minds by meditating on thoughts that do not line up with the Word of God. Then they reap the results of the curse because their carnal mindset produces the fruit of the flesh described in Galatians 5:19-21.
To keep the devil from gaining a foothold in your life, you must develop a sound mind that is completely controlled and directed by the Holy Spirit. In other words, you must renew your mind with the Word of God. Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” When you become born again, your spirit instantly changes; you are recreated in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Yet your mind is not recreated. You must conform your thinking continually and on purpose; it is not an overnight, one-time event. Renewing your mind to God’s Word every day is vital. By reading the Scriptures and meditating on them thoroughly, your thinking will be transformed to line up with the mind of Christ. And when you have the mind of Christ, you can do anything!
When you set your mind on the Word of God, you’ll also experience soul prosperity and peace (3 John 2). The Bible says that the issues of life flow out of the heart (Proverbs 4:23). The word heart in this scripture actually refers to your soul–your mind, your will and your emotions. If you can control your mind, you can control your destiny. But it will take a quality decision on your part to dedicate your life to changing the way you think.
First Thessalonians 5:23 says, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is God’s will that your mind, will and emotions be whole, with nothing missing or broken. As a Believer, you can receive a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). It is then up to you to enforce and maintain soundness of mind by keeping your thoughts and imaginations in line with God and His Word (Isaiah 26:3).
When your mind is focused and directed by the Word, you will position yourself for success. You’ll have wisdom, discernment, insight and the ability to accomplish anything. A renewed, Word-controlled mind guarantees abundance and prosperity in every area of your life. Don’t let another day go by without a daily dose of meditation. Set your mind on the Word of God and let it become the focal point of your life and purpose!

Dr. Creflo A. Dollar is the senior pastor of World Changers Church International, 25,000 member church in College Park, Georgia. He is committed to changing the world one person at a time, and his award-winning “Changing Your World” television broadcast reaches nearly one billion homes worldwide. Visit http://www.CrefloDollarMinistries.org to learn more. Click here to browse and purchase Books, CDs, and DVDs by Dr. Creflo A. Dollar!

What You Can Achieve

Posted: January 22, 2010 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Uncategorized
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Verse of the day
“[Ask, Seek, Knock] “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”- Matthew 7:7-8

Friday, January 22, 2010
What you can achieve
If you’re not overwhelmed with enthusiasm for the goal, make it bigger. Make it so big and so compelling that you cannot avoid thinking about it and working on it day after day.
If you find yourself complaining that it’s too difficult, the real problem could be that it’s not meaningful enough. You can change that.

Everything you do requires effort and some level of commitment. So make that effort and commitment count for something that’s truly important to you.

Set your sights on an objective that will positively pull you toward it. Choose something that will keep you excited and enthusiastic and focused on achievement.

Give your life and your efforts a clear, solid, meaningful direction. Give yourself a compelling reason to persist through every challenge.

Envision a goal so valuable and desirable that you cannot help but work toward it every day. And be truly amazed at what you can achieve.

— Ralph Marston

Time And Patience

Posted: January 21, 2010 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Uncategorized
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Time And Patience
Lisa Birch

What does it really take to renew the mind?
To shift negative thinking to positive?
To transform hopeless thoughts into more productive views?
To look at every aspect of your life with sincere optimism?

The answer to these questions isn’t deep. In fact it’s rather simple. It all comes down to time and patience with God. You become what you spend the most time with.

It’s impossible to take in God’s word diligently and increasingly over time and not become more like Him. An ongoing plan to read His word, say it, memorize it, write it, meditate on it, trust it, and then read and say it again will not only allow God to overtake our minds, but will also let Him drive our actions and eventually pervade our being.

While you’re spending time with Him, you might as well enjoy the slow-cook process.

Because a quick drive-thru experience isn’t enough to renew the mind. That’s often the biggest struggle for God’s impatient children. But assistance comes to those who ask. At your request, He’ll equip you with the Great Helper, the Holy Spirit, to give you longevity and the power to wait peacefully while divine transformation takes place.

Maybe you want to take down your defenses.
Or come off of constant guilt trips.
Perhaps you really want to manage money better.
Or pull back from being a control freak.

Whether you need to let go of pride or passivity, invest some serious time and patience with Your Creator and He promises to make all things new.

And that includes you and your mind.

Publisher of Vertical Fix online magazine, Lisa Birch has a passion for music with integrity. Along with her husband Chris, Lisa is the co-founder of Vertical Fix internet radio. A 15-year writer and editor, Lisa has contributed writings for corporate, creative, editorial and several ministerial environments. For more information about Lisa, log onto http://www.verticalfix.com.

Spiritual gifts for serving God

Posted: January 21, 2010 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Uncategorized
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Thursday, January 21, 2010

Spiritual gifts for serving God
by Rick Warren

Whoever does not have the Spirit cannot receive the gifts that come from God’s Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:14 (TEV).
You can’t earn your spiritual gifts or deserve them — that’s why they are called gifts! They’re an expression of God’s grace to you: “Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us.” (Ephesians 4:7, CEV)
Nor do you get to choose which gifts you’d like to have. Paul explains that God determines that, “It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.” (1 Corinthians 12:11, NLT).
Because God loves variety, and he wants us to be special, there’s no one single gift given to everyone, and no individual receives all the gifts. If you had them all, you’d have no need of anyone else, and that would defeat one of God’s purposes — to teach us to depend on each other.
Your spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit but for the benefit of others, just as other people were given gifts for your benefit. The Bible says, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church” (1 Corinthians 12:7, NLT). When we use our gifts together, we all benefit. If others don’t use their gifts, you get cheated, but if you don’t use your gifts, they get cheated. This is why God wants us to discover and develop our spiritual gifts.
Whenever we forget these basic truths about gifts, it always causes trouble in the church. Two common problems are “gift-envy” and “gift-projection.”
The first occurs when we compare our gifts to others, feel dissatisfied with what God gave us, and become resentful or jealous of how God uses others.
The second problem happens when you expect everyone else to have your gifts, do what you’re called to do, and feel as passionate about it as you do. The Bible says, “There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving” (1 Corinthians 12:5, NLT).
Sometimes spiritual gifts are overemphasized to the neglect of the other factors that God uses to shape you for service. So keep in mind, your gifts reveal one part of God’s will for your ministry, but not all of it.

Hebrews 13:5

Posted: January 21, 2010 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Money, Money Issue
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Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have because God has said He will never leave you, nor he will he forsake you.

WE ARE ENTITLED TO A DOUBLE PORTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Posted: January 21, 2010 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Money, Money Issue, Uncategorized
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WE ARE ENTITLED TO A DOUBLE PORTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

2nd Kings
In this chapter we read where the Lord is about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Before Elijah was taken up, he ask Elisha, who has been his attendant, and seen the miracles performed by Elijah was ask, is there anything I can do for you before I am taken from you? Let me inherit a DOUBLE PORTION of your spirit.
That is correct, a double portion. Why a double portion? Please go to Deuteronomy 21:15 – 17 (The right of the Firstborn). The first born has the right to a DOUBLE SHARE of all he has. The son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.

Hebrews 1:6 – And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him”.
Colossians 1:18 – And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Colossians 1:15 – He is the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation.
Romans 8:29 – For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Now, some of you might still be asking the question, how do we get a double portion if we are not the first born?
Romans 8:17 – Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

We have to be obedient to God’s Command in order to get the inheritance. Notice how Elisha was tempted three times to not travel with Elijah, but he went anyway. Can you now see what Elisha would have missed out on if he did not stick it out to the end? That is what we have to do; we have to continue the fight the good fight to the very end. Don’t give up on what you need to do. The moment we do that we just might miss our blessing. The next time you are tired, and do not feel like going to church, go anyhow. Then asked yourself afterward, if I did not go today I would have miss whatever you heard in church that day. Same with Bible Study or any other study group you belong to.

Instructor of this Bible Study is Dr. Albert Suggs, Pastor and Teacher of The Way of Life Church http://101020.agchurches.org/.  If you want to get grow spiritually, this is the place you need to be on Wednesday nights.

The Way of Life Church, 1300 Hanover Road, Hanover MD  21076

0930-1030 Sunday School

11:00 Worship Service

Wednesday: 1900 – 2030  Bible Sudy

http://101020.agchurches.org/

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