Bible Study April 4, 2024

1 Corinthians 4:7 (NET)

“7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.”

We do many things to protect our homes. We buy homeowners insurance in case of a loss. We buy a warranty in some cases should something go wrong. We put up a fence to keep the dog in or intruders out. We should do what we can to stay safe and protect what God has given us. Many people have concealed carry permits to protect themselves and their families.

But there is something far more important that we need to guard. Paul says we have the Gospel of grace that we should protect. That is what he is writing about in the above verse. Earthen vessels are fragile and easily broken, but there is till a treasure in them. It is the presence and power of God which is deposited in our earthen vessels.

We all have experienced ways that the enemy will attack our vessel and try to crack it or worse break it all together. The devil is out to “seek, kill, and destroy” every vessel he can. But Paul says the vessel is protected so “the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (verse 11).

Always remember under all conditions we are a child of God who is there to protect us from all things that Satan may bring upon us, His treasure is deposited within us.

God Bless.

Bible Study April 3, 2024

Luke 23:40 – 45 (Legacy Standard Bible)

“40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” 44 And it was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until [e]the ninth hour, 45 because the sun was obscured. And the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two.”

Rarely do we talk about heaven today and I really am uncertain why that is. It should be topic of conversation for us.

However we may be like the little boy in Sunday School class when all the children were asked if they wanted to go to heaven to raise their hand. All but one little guy raised their hands. The teacher asked him if he wanted to go and his response was a cute one. He said, “If you’re getting up a load right now, I can’t go. Momma said to come home right after church for lunch.”

Jesus discussed it with one person – the thief on the cross. Two thieves hung with Jesus but one mocked Him while the other asked for forgiveness. Jesus’ answer was “Today you will be with me in in paradise.” Their physical bodies died but their spirits lived on for another day.

Today is the day of your salvation if you have not placed your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t make the eternal mistake of waiting too long.

“Death to a saint is nothing but the taking of a sweet flower out of this wilderness, and planting of it in the garden of paradise.” Thomas Brooks.

God Bless.

Bible Study April 2, 2024

Psalm 51:1 – 4 (Legacy Standard Bible)

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the abundance of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak and pure when You judge.”

One of the greatest emotions we face in our lives is that of guilt. It arises from many sources and can keep a person in turmoil. It is a painful and keeps chewing away at us and keeps us from making a life free of worry.

King David wrote Psalm 51 after his affair with Bathsheba and he was truly guilt ridden over all that he had done in the sin and the covering of it up. David like most of us cannot get rid of anything like this on our own.

Sin in most cases hurt not only the one committing the atrocity but also the one harmed but many people do not see the other party in their guilt they are only ashamed because they got caught. In sin our greatest one to harm is God, He sent His Son to cover the sin we commit.

When we deal with the guilt, seek forgiveness from God, and the other party, then it is time to forgive ourselves. We must be reminded that when God forgives it is finished. When we do this we are free from the guilt and condemnation of our actions.

“Biblical forgiveness … is the beginning of restored freedom and renewed health.” Ken Nichols.

God Bless.

Bible Study April 1, 2024

Revelation 22:10 (NASB)

“He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

Yesterday we worshipped the “King” as our risen Savior. Have you thought the first time He came to earth He came very quietly much to the surprise of the world around Him. He left the earth the first time in thunder, the sun going dark, the moon stopping its shining, and the stars falling from heaven. The next time He comes back will be an amazing event. An event the whole world will see and experience.

The Lamb of God coming in riding on a white horse and the whole world will know who has come back. He is the Lord of Judah bringing judgement on the world.

According to some scholars there are 1,845 reference to His second coming with 318 in the new Testament. Only second to faith is this the most talked about topic in the scriptures. Jesus mentioned it twenty one times Himself.

Final victory over sin, death, and the grave is in our future, only God the Father knows the return of His Son. We should live in an expectant hope of heaven, talking about it, sharing it with one another by showing an interest in their futures. What is the hope that we have within us? Are we sharing that hope with others?

God Bless.

Bible Study March 29, 2024

Hebrews 6:17 – 19 (Legacy Standard Bible)

“17 In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and confirmed and one which enters within the veil.”

Jesus is our only hope for the future world. Many proclaim there are more than one way to go to heaven the scriptures teach is what Jesus said. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” That settles it for me. He is it, the only way.

But He is more than our hope for the future He is our hope for today. In all that we face He is there to watch over us. We do not think of heaven enough because we get caught up in the events of the day. Heaven is our future home we should be making plans to go there. I know moving so many times while working it seemed we were moving every two to three years always making plans, looking for anew home.

We worry about children, our parents, our jobs, our safety, all the concerns that can easily overwhelm us but He is the great “I AM” for all situations.

When we hear Jesus calling us we know that great anchor is watching over us. Set your anchor deep in His waters of salvation, seek His forgiveness knowing He is calling and waiting for our response. He is only a word away.

“Fastened to the Rock that cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.” Priscilla Owens.

God Bless.

Bible Study March 28, 2024

Psalm 77:4 – 8

“4 You don’t let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray! 5 I think of the good old days, long since ended, 6 when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and ponder the difference now. 7 Has the Lord rejected me forever?     Will he never again be kind to me? 8 Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed?”

Victory is one thing as is defeat but neither should be relied upon nor should we rest on them. Winston Churchill said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

We fail and sometimes we decide “I’m never going there again” only to find out we are back once again. Even in failure there a benefits to be claimed. Failure is fatal to many people they simply give up. Where would many of us be if we shared our faith with someone and they said “No” and we never shared it again, someone would be lost. Be resilient.

The scriptures teach us we will have both valleys and mountains, we will have ups and downs life is never the same. But that is no reason to give up when we think we have failed we have another opportunity to grow. Giving up is easy going forward and battling back often takes more strength but gives more rewards. Never quit trying.

If you think you haver failed put your concerns in the hands of God.

God Bless.

Bible Study March 27, 2024

Isaiah 12:2 – 4 (Legacy Standard Bible)

“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not dread; For  Yah—Yahweh Himself—is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.” 3 Therefore you will joyously draw water From the springs of salvation. 4 And in that day you will say, “Give thanks to Yahweh, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted.”

Where do we put our trust? If you listen to the news today you will hear many stories that could make you fear even going outside your home. Just yesterday how many people would have thought a bridge would collapse in Baltimore? If we lived in fear we would most likely live in seclusion.

But fear is not what is intended for His followers to do. His words were “Fear not.” Many people fear the word Armageddon and I will admit I not anxious to see it but also I am looking forward to heaven. There are many things people fear.

Clarence McCarthy wrote “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee. That is good, very good. But better still is what Isaiah said, “I will trust and not be afraid.”

Christ came to banish fear in the life of His people. There is a fear (respect) of reverence but not fear of being afraid.

No matter what comes our way we can live in the assurance that God rules and He has it all in His hands, just believe.

“Let your life reflect the faith you have in God. Fear nothing and pray about everything. Be strong, trust God’s word, and trust the process.”

― Germany Kent

God Bless.

Bible Study March 26, 2024

Judges 7:4 – 8 (Legacy Standard Bible)

4 Then Yahweh said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. And it will be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And Yahweh said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, you shall set him aside by himself, and so also everyone who kneels to drink.” 6 Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. 7 And Yahweh said to Gideon, “I will save you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his place.” 8 So the 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.”

This is one of my favorite stories from the Old Testament. Gideon was a farmer that God called into service. Gideon was called to go against the mighty army of the Midianites and he had his own plan. You will remember that he put out a couple of fleeces to insure he had it right.

He makes his plans (without asking God) and gathers 32,000 men to fight in his army. But God had other plans He reduces it to 10,000 then reduces it even further down to 300 men. The amazing thing was the weapons they took into battle they had only torches and trumpets, Gideon must have thought God missed it here but as we all know God had it exactly right as He always does.

Gideon and his 300 men soundly defeat the Midianites and God once again is the victor in the battle. There are two things I see in this story. First, do not test God by putting out some type of challenge to God just trust Him. Second, we can plan all we want, gather all the troops we want but the final victory lies with the hand of God.

“We never test the resources of God until we attempt the impossible.” F. B. Meyer.

God Bless.