Archive for the ‘Bible Study’ Category

Spiritual Training 21 May 2014

Posted: May 21, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 03:16-17 (16) Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? (17) If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.  

Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that they were a unified assembly (“you yourselves are God’s temple” and “God’s Spirit live in you”). They were not to see themselves as a collection of competing interests or independent individuals. Paul was emphasizing the intent of Jesus prayer in John 17:21-23 that believers be unified in God.

Lets Bring it Home: What actions could you take this week to strengthen your ties to fellow Christians in the Church of Jesus Christ?

Spiritual Training 20 May 2014

Posted: May 20, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 03:10-17 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. (11) For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already land which is Jesus Christ. (12) If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,

(13) his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. (14) If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. (15) If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

Two sure ways to destroy a building are to tamper with the foundation and to build with inferior materials. The church must be built on Christ, not on any other person or principle. Christ will evaluate each person’s contribution to the life of the church, and the day of judgment (“the Day”) will reveal the sincerity of each person’s work, God will determine whether or not they have been faithful to Jesus instructions. Good work will be rewarded; unfaithful or inferior work will be discounted. The builder “will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames” means that unfaithful works will be saved, but like people escaping from a burning building. All their possessions (accomplishments) will be lost.

(16) Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? (17) If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.  

While some have applied these verses to personal spiritual growth, Paul’s teaching has to do with ministry to others. What do we do to build others up? Do we build on Christ as foundation? Do we build with perishable materials? The Corinthians could construct their church with lasting, eternal teaching or with the changing, temporary wisdom of the day.

Lets Bring it Home: Paul’s words challenge our methods of discipleship. Do we attach others to ourselves as the foundation, or to Christ? Do we use our abilities and spiritual gifts to build up others in the church or keep them tied to us? Do we use Bible-based teaching or merely adaptations of worldly wisdom?

Proverbs 20:18 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 20, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 20, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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 Proverbs 20:18 Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.

Good advice is necessary for good decision-making, and good advice is only gotten from good counselors. Solomon here taught you to submit your major plans to the scrutiny and criticism of wise counselors, who can save you from disappointment and trouble. This is true wisdom – to deliberate before you act, and to establish your plans by wise counsel.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, for your deceitful heart convinces you that your plans are brilliantly devised and certain to succeed (Pr 16:2,25; 18:17; 21:2; 28:11; Jer 17:9). You must use a multitude of counselors for safety (Pr 11:14; 15:22; 24:6).  Rushing forward in heady pride is foolish and will soon cost you. If you are prone to be impulsive and hasty by temperament or training, you must doubly heed this warning.

It is a sin to be hasty in spirit, in speech, or in action (Pr 14:29; 29:20; 19:2). Haste is destructive, as a common adage says, haste makes waste (Pr 21:5; 25:8). Paul condemned a sinful trait he called heady, which is to impetuously and rashly rush ahead in some activity or choice recklessly (II Tim 3:4). Slow down to get counsel and good advice.

If you neglect seeking counsel, you are proud, heady, hasty, or foolish. If you reject counsel you have been given, you are rebellious or stubborn. If you avoid counsel for fear of its criticism, your heart is foolishly involved in a risky proposition – you are already emotionally attached to a plan. It is foolish to get your heart involved before your head.

The only perfect counselor is the Lord (Is 9:6). But He has not left you without other counselors. You have His perfect Word, which can make you wise (Ps 19:7-11; 119:98-100). You have His ministers, who can be perfect counselors by His Word (II Tim 3:16-17; Mal 2:7). You have parents, who usually have much greater wisdom and experience, and they also have strong motivation to save you from trouble (Ex 18:13-27). You have friends and brethren who are known for wisdom (Pr 20:25; 27:9-10; Acts 15:1-6).

What kind of counselors do you seek and use for your weighty decisions? Though older men are not always wise (Job 32:9), they generally are wiser (Job 12:12). A saint is better than a pagan, if there are any moral considerations at all; they should have God’s wisdom in their heart and the highest degree of concern for your safety and prosperity. Look for critical counselors for sure, for the landscape is littered with the corpses of optimists.

When a plan or purpose is established, it is made stable, secure, and permanent. It has a solid foundation for the future, and this is obtained by good counsel. When plans and purposes are pursued without good counsel, they are usually disappointed (Pr 15:22). How can you avoid the mistakes that so many make? By keeping this proverb diligently!

Merely seeking counsel to fulfill this proverb is not enough, for you must also listen to the advice and follow it. Otherwise, the whole mechanism of safety and success is violated and overthrown. Rehoboam sought counsel, but he rejected the advice of the wise men who had counseled his father (I Kgs 12:1-19). And he lost the kingdom for it.

A multitude of counselors is not needed for every decision, and you can see this by the inclusion of war in the proverb. War is the weightiest decision made by men, for it determines the lives and futures of whole nations, with enormous hardships. It should only be pursued after thorough counsel from many angles (Luke 14:31-32). So the lesson does not apply to all decisions, but rather to those of serious consequence and risk.

But matters like marriage are certainly worthy of counsel. The pain and consequences can be horrible; most people entering marriage have no experience at it, so they need the good advice of others (Pr 19:13). An uninvolved third party can save you much grief in this decision, and he or she can probably spot potential problems more easily than you.

Other matters like business ventures, employment changes, housing moves, health issues, child training, investment alternatives, and similar plans should be subject to counsel. Why would you rush ahead in such large decisions without seeking good advice? The consequences of mistakes in these decisions far outweigh the hurt pride of correction.

A multitude of counselors is the wisest course, for they will give you much to think about from different perspectives and a variety of experiences. If their counsel is shared with a wise man, it will result in even better counsel. The bottom line should be found by considering the overall weight of answers, the answers of the wisest counselors, and the advice on the most important aspects of your plan or purpose.

Of course, this choice to seek counsel takes time. It also requires humility to ask others for their opinion, implying your need of their assistance. Such caution is prudent discretion, and such humility is wisdom. Do not let men or devils convince you that you cannot afford the time or that you can make better decisions than counselors yourself.

Young man, you need wise counsel more than most. Folly and vanity are still bound in your heart, and sober counsel can save you from much trouble and pain. Older man, you are not above this lesson, for the hearts of all men are deceptively dangerous (Jer 17:9). It is pride, not principle, that keeps you from seeking counsel and testing your own plans.

The ultimate counselor is the Holy Spirit, Who guides you by the Bible, not feelings. It is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Ps 119:105). If you submit your plans to the Lord, He will establish your thoughts (Pr 16:3; 3:5-6). If your heart is in fellowship with Him, you can move ahead with plans, submitting all to His will (Pr 16:9; Jas 4:13-15).

The more you learn the word of God, the more wisdom you will have (Ps 19:7-11; 119:98-100; Is 8:20). And this book of Proverbs is filled with the wisdom of the wisest man with the most experiences in life, and he wrote by the inspiration of God (Pr 1:1-9). The Lord Jesus Christ has all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and the closer you are walking with Him, the more wisdom you will have yourself (Col 2:8).

Proverbs 19:24 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 19, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 19, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 19:24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

Lazy people do not deserve comfort or kindness. Solomon used sarcastic hyperbole to ridicule them in this proverb. They fold their arms and are too lazy to even feed themselves. They want food to fall into their mouths. An exaggeration? Yes, but one that makes a powerful point. So necessary is the lesson, Solomon repeated it in Prov 26:15.

You hear similar words when some say, “That lazy bum sits around with his arms folded.” Consider, when your arms are folded, your hands are held against your bosom by the opposite arm. You also hear, “He stands around with his hands in his pockets.” Lazy people dislike the thought of exertion, so they put their hands into safekeeping. David even asked the Lord once to take His hand out and use it to deliver him (Ps 74:11).

A great work ethic did not originate with man. God worked six days in creating the world, and His example should be good enough for you. He wisely ordained that work is good and should be done with diligent zeal. Before Adam sinned, God had appointed him the work of dressing the garden (Gen 2:15). Work is not a curse; it is a blessing.

The cure for lazy people is starvation. Welfare promotes slothfulness and encourages people to be lazy. Paul commanded that those who did not work should not be allowed to eat (II Thess 3:10), and Solomon commanded against giving food to lazy people, even in the plentiful time of harvest (Pr 20:4). Christian charity does not include sluggards.

Wise parents remember this rule. Children and teenagers do not deserve to eat unless they have worked in school, a job, or chores. Why create lazy adults? Fixing meals and snacks when they do not work hard is not love; it is cruel hatred. Train them to work hard, to work fast, and to enjoy a job well done. They will be successful and have plenty to eat!

A favorite place for lazy people to hold their hands in their bosoms is in bed. The pleasure of self-cuddling for an unnecessary hour of sleep is just too much to resist. The wise Preacher saw this love of sleep and ridiculed it (Pr 6:9-10; 24:30-34; 26:14). Snooze buttons on alarm clocks are foolish. Get up, sluggard! Get up! The day is wasting!

Once a person starts down the path of laziness, work becomes harder and harder. A lazy attitude toward work will make you sleepy (Pr 19:15); obstacles will seem much more difficult (Pr 15:19). Diligence begins in the heart and mind, when you choose to enjoy work. The best way to tackle a job is to start now, with intensity. Do not think about it. Hard work is its own reward, but you only know this blessing by getting to work.

Ever heard, “I’m too tired to fix anything tonight”? Virtuous women do not say this. A woman would feel better and less tired, if she ran to the kitchen and creatively put supper together. The words themselves, and the thoughts generating them, are mentally and physically disabling. Do not make excuses. Work! You will feel better and sleep better.

Lazy people have blessings, but they are too lazy to take advantage of them. They may take game in hunting, but they are too tired to dress it when they get home (Pr 12:27). An opportunity is frightening to them, for it likely involves more than sleep. What a shame!

Of course, sluggards always have excuses for not getting much done. They tell of dangers on the job (Pr 22:13; 26:13) and of unfavorable circumstances (Pr 20:4). And their arrogant slothfulness will resist even seven wise men giving good answers (Pr 26:16).

Solomon could spot a sluggard by checking his field (Pr 24:30-34). Dear reader, how clean is your car? Your house? Your closets? Your desk? Is there clutter anywhere? Why? Is there a lion in the way? Is it too cold? Or is folding your hands too exciting?

Saints should hate slothfulness (Rom 12:11). Their reputations and assets should reflect a godly work ethic. Instead of holding hands in your bosom, they should be put to good productive labor (Acts 20:34-35; Eph 4:28; I Thess 4:11-12). Instead of the idleness that ruins women (Ezek 16:49), let them keep a house full of children (I Tim 5:13-14).

The Lord Jesus Christ was intent on the work He had been given (John 4:34; 9:4; 17:4), and you should be thankful for Him and His diligent faithfulness in saving your soul. You now have an opportunity to be spiritually diligent for Him (Heb 6:11-12; II Pet 1:10).

Spiritual Training 19 May 2014

Posted: May 19, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 03:10-11 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already land which is Jesus Christ.

The foundations of the church-of all believers –is Jesus Christ. Nothing and no one else will do, wrote Paul. A building with no foundation, or one poorly constructed, will not last. The finest materials used to construct a home quickly rot and fall apart if they are resting on the ground. And a building is only as solid as its foundation. The foundation of our life is Jesus Christ; he is our base, our reason for being. Everything we are and do must fit into the pattern provided by him.

Lets Bring it Home: Are you building your life on the only real and lasting, or are you building your life on the only real and lasting foundation, or are you building on a faulty foundation, such as wealth, security, success, or fame? Be careful how you build.

Spiritual Training 16 May 2014

Posted: May 16, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)


1 Corinthians 03:7-9 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers, you are God’s field, God’s building.

God’s work involves many different individuals with a variety of gifts and abilities. There are no superstars in these task only team members performing their own special roles. We can become useful members of God’s team by setting aside our desires to receive glory for what we do. Don’t seek the praise that comes from people, it is comparatively worthless. Instead, seek approval from God.

Lets Bring it Home: Our leaders should certainly be respected but we should never place them on pedestals that create barriers between people or set them up as substitute for Christ.

Proverbs 15:06 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 15, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 15, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 15:6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

Shelter and sustenance with love and peace is better than increasing income with pain and trouble. A righteous man enjoys a happy and quiet life with his necessities supplied, but a wicked man has pain and trouble even while increasing financially. The proverb compares the consequences of righteous living to those of a wicked lifestyle.

Many of Solomon’s proverbs have two clauses that make a comparison or contrast, and the right meaning and lessons are found by carefully comparing those clauses. In this proverb you should see: a house compared to revenues, the righteous compared to the wicked, and much treasure compared to trouble. Righteous living makes the difference.

Solomon, king and philosopher (Pr 1:1-6; Ec 1:1-3,12-14), taught that intangibles such as love, peace, and righteousness are superior to tangibles like income, assets, luxurious dining, etc. He often stated the superiority clearly so that you would not miss it (Pr 15:16-17; 16:8; 17:1; 21:19; 28:6; Ec 2:26; 4:6; 7:1). These priorities for living are priceless.

Here he taught the same lesson obscurely – more like a true proverb, or dark saying of the wise (Pr 1:6). The lesson is simple. A righteous man may lack the revenue of the wicked, but he lives in his house with much treasure that the wicked man cannot even imagine – a clear conscience, God’s presence, love, peace, quiet, a coming eternal inheritance, etc.

Wicked men may prosper now, but they will spend an eternity in hell (Ps 17:14-15; 73:18-20; Matt 16:26). While righteous men may not have an impressive balance sheet or the adoration of the world now, God blesses them with favor and advantages far greater, both in this life and the next (Pr 3:31-33; 10:22; 13:25; 23:17-18; Mark 10:28-31).

Wicked men, regardless of their riches, often have strife and trouble in their lives that make their life on earth a hell as well. Covetousness and greed will not let them rest. Fear of loss by many means keeps them nervous and troubled. The brevity of life reminds them that they will leave all they have to some fool behind them who will waste it.

What is the lesson? Righteous living is far better than sinful living, regardless of income. Is there another lesson? Godliness with contentment is great gain (Pr 30:8-9; I Tim 6:6-10). Is there another? A mystery and hidden wisdom of the gospel is that the righteous truly own everything already (Rom 8:17; I Cor 3:21-23; II Cor 6:10). What is the reward for righteous living? Intangible blessings from God, others, and your own heart now, and tangible blessings in heaven in the future (Pr 14:14; Rom 8:18-23; II Cor 4:17-18)!

Spiritual Training 15 May 2014

Posted: May 15, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 03:06 I planted the seed, Apllos watered it, but God made it grow.

Paul planted the seed of the gospel message in people’s hearts. He was a missionary pioneer; he brought the message of salvation. Apollos’s role was to water to help the believers grow stronger in the faith. Paul founded the church in Corinth, and Apollos built on that foundation. Tragically, the believers in Corinth had split into factions, pledging loyalty to different teachers. After the preachers’ work is completed, God keeps on making Christians grow.

Lets Bring it Home: Our leaders should certainly be respected but we should never place them on pedestals that create barriers between people or set them up as substitute for Christ.

Proverbs 14:02 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 14, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 14, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 14:2 He whose walk is upright fears the LORD, but he whose ways are devious despises him

It is easy to know if you love God or not. A fool says, “You can’t judge me, because you don’t know my heart.” But Solomon says you can know his heart easily. You simply judge him by his actions. Good men show they love God; bad men show they hate Him.

O hypocrite! You have been found out. Your talk is cheap. Your Sunday religion is vain. Your baptism is empty. Your friendship is false. Your words lie. Your actions tell the truth. Your lack of godly living and your wicked choices prove that you truly hate God.

You will soon be exposed before the whole church (Pr 26:26; Ps 144:7-8). You are afraid to say you hate God, but your actions say you despise Him. Your pious words or regular attendance mean nothing, for a man that truly fears God will obey Him in all parts of life.

The man who walks uprightly – does that which is right all the time – fears the Lord. The man perverse in his ways – who regularly disobeys – despises the Lord. This rule is simple; it is accurate; and hypocrites claiming to fear God do not deceive wise men at all.

A common proverb says, “Actions speak louder than words.” Solomon agreed. He said even children are known by their doings, whether they are pure and right (Pr 20:11). Do not believe what you hear, if a person’s actions contradict (Pr 14:15; 26:6-7,24-25).

Good trees bear good fruit; evil trees bear evil fruit. And so it is with man. Unless his heart is good, his actions will be evil. The mouth speaks and the feet walk according to what is in the heart. Evil men cannot bring forth good actions (Matt 12:33-35). No matter how hard a hypocrite tries, wise men see the inconsistent life betraying his words.

Hypocrites do not want to be discovered or judged, for their whole life is a lie. They pretend they fear the Lord in order to get some thing. They defend their inconsistent lives by denying that anyone knows their hearts. But sincere hearts are known by consistent righteousness, and evil hearts are known by sins. The rule is simple to identify character.

Why do men pretend to fear God? Think closely, dear reader. They need something in the church, so they act religious to get it. They need friends, and Christians are friendly. They need a job, and their boss is a Christian. They need a spouse, and the best women are Christians. They want financial help, and Christians are generous. They fear their spouse leaving, so they obligate her as a Christian. They will pretend to keep their family happy.

The fear of the Lord is not a single profession of an emotional event. “Going forward” at a revival is not scriptural or Christian, so it has no meaning at all. “Making a decision” is not walking uprightly; it is just vain thinking. “Getting saved” shows great ignorance about salvation, for there are at least five phases of it. “Being baptized” or “joining the church” are only single, small steps. They alone do not prove the fear of the Lord at all.

The fear of the Lord is a lifestyle of obeying God, keeping His commandments, and hating sin (Eccl 12:13; Pr 8:13; 16:6). The early churches walked in the fear of the Lord, for they gave up their lives to follow Jesus Christ, even at great personal cost (Acts 9:31). Let Solomon’s father David tell you how he walked uprightly in his house (Psalm 101).

Walking is not a step: it is many steps. Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31). If you do not continue, you do not fear the Lord. You are to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long (Pr 23:17). Others can judge your heart.

Few say they hate God. How horrible! But a lazy spiritual life with sin says louder than words that you despise Him (Mal 1:6-14). If you are not sold out for Him, He despises you and your life (Rev 3:14-19). Loving Christ means keeping His commandments (John 14:21-24). Knowing God truly is only by keeping His commandments (I John 2:3-5).

Eli despised God by loving his sons too much (I Sam 2:29-30). He was perverse in his ways by not killing them. David despised God by taking Bathsheba (II Sam 12:9-10). He was perverse in his ways by taking another woman. These great men violated the rule.

O hypocrite, consider your ways. You have been found out! And if your evil heart is known by men, how much more does God know your hypocrisy and wicked heart, before whom all things are naked and opened (Heb 4:12-14)? Repent of your hypocrisy quickly.

O beloved saint, keep your heart with all diligence (Pr 4:23). Pray for God to examine it thoroughly (Ps 139:23-24; 26:1-2). Confess every variance from His holy standard in Scripture. Remember that your heart is only as good and pure as your actions.

What of Jesus Christ’s heart? It was full of the fear of the Lord, and God honored His heart by hearing His prayer (Heb 5:7-9). His perfect life proved a perfect heart! Amen.

Spiritual Training 14 May 2014

Posted: May 14, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)

1 Corinthians 03:01-03: Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?

Paul called the Corinthians infants in the Christian life because they were not yet spiritually healthy and mature. The proof was that they quarreled like children, allowing divisions to distract them. Immature Christians are “worldly,” controlled by their own desires; mature believers are in tune with God’s desires.

Lets Bring it Home: How much influence do your desires have on your life? Your goal should be to let God’s desires be yours. Being controlled by your own desires will stunt your growth.

 

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