Bible Study February 15, 2024

Luke 22:39 – 44 (ESV)

39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow.”

Yesterday many denominations set aside some time to share in an Ash Wednesday service a time of reflection and repentance. We find repentance through prayer but prayer is much more one time a year.

We have been going through a series on spiritual warfare at Asbury Chapel and Satan will attempt to beat a Christ Follower up for any reason. Along that line of thought he will condemn you for not praying “enough.” “Enough” is not determined by Satan. In our series we are currently looking at the armor that God has provided through the words of Paul in Ephesians 6.

Paul found his list most likely looking at the attire of a Roman soldier. He would not have found prayer in the armor of that soldier. But he adds this verse “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” Stay in an attitude of prayer, repentance, and faith.

We should pray before the battle, not until we are in the midst of it. Preparation is one of the keys to victory over Satan.

God Bless.

Bible Study February 14, 2024

John 15:12 – 13 (ESV)

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

A commandment from Jesus to love. This is a good topic to share about today being Valentines Day. It is not always easy to love someone. There may be various reasons for it but there are no reasons given in our scripture today. It is unconditional love we are called to give.

I will admit it is not always easy and often I miss it but I still strive to find some good in everyone. The greatest thing we can do is to lay our life down for others, but we may not be called to that extreme. But what can we do? How about considering the desires of others before ours? Maybe allow a person with a different opinion some grace rather than offending them? What about laying down “our time and give some to others?

A popular movie from 1970 was Love Story. A line from that movies was “Love means never having to say I’m sorry.” I have found myself saying I am sorry but I said that because I loved someone.

I have conducted several celebration of life services where there has been malcontent in families; some may not have spoken for years. Let me encourage you this Valentines Day find them and make peace before it is too late. There is no better time than today to make amends for any wrongdoing you can go to someone even if they offended you the important thing is – do not wait until it is too late.

“Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays.” Andrew Murray.

God Bless.

Bible Study February 13, 2024

Romans 12:1 – 2

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

It’s easy to be conformed to this world and it takes more than determination to avoid the pitfalls that beset people. How do you go about it? The best way to change your mind is to change your mentality.

Jeremiah 15:16 says, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart.” God will provide the guidance we need to move forward and be transformed. Our mind is the key to renewal.

Our bodies often fall victim to poor eating habits, weight gain is the result, maybe obesity, heart issues, blood pressure spikes many things can happen if we do not care for ourselves as we should.

Our minds need spiritual support as well as our bodies. It is easy to avoid allowing some things to come into our minds because we avoid them. Other times thoughts come into our minds and we wonder where that thought came from. When this happens we need to cut it – renew our minds with thoughts that are positive, constructive, ordered by the Holy Spirit.

Paul said think on these things “whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report.” (Phil. 4:8).

God Bless.

Bible Study February 12, 2024

Job 42:1 – 7

“Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,   but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” 7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.”

Friends are great only if …. In our reading for today we see where Job had answered God with a very emphatic statement. Notice the words in verse five “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.” How Jobs eyes were opened when he saw God. It totally changed him and he repented.

There is no doubt Job was a righteous man, God knew how he would respond but I am uncertain if his three “friends” had any idea how Job would respond to all the God had allowed.

There has been the question about God allowing things or doing things. Many people are affected by what Satan does but there is distinction between doing an action and allowing an action. Frances Kamm wrote “I argue that the distinction between doing and allowing matches a difference in the structure of imposition. When an agent does harm, the agent imposes upon the victim; when an agent merely allows harm, then absent additional factors, the agent does not impose on the victim.”

What are your thoughts on what Kamm said agree, disagree? No matter your position we are in a spiritual battle with Satan and we need to know who his, what he can and will do, and then prepared to go against him. That is the point of our current sermon series at Asbury Chapel.

God Bless.

Bible Study February 10, 2024

Titus 2:11 – 13 (ESV)

“11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

We get ourselves into situations during our lifetime that when we are rescued we look back and say, “I’ll never do that again “or “Why did I do that in the first place.” Most of us if not all have felt that way.

Who do we believe got us out of the situation we are in? We are confident when we call on God He will deliver us from the peril we are in.

That’s the perspective we must take as believers. When we find ourselves caught in the midst of a situation we are in we need Him then as much as we ever need Him. Someone needs to rescue us and that Someone is Jesus. We have His promise found in Titus who is our “blessed hope and glorious appearance. Life brings us challenges but nothing is a challenge to God He has it all under control, but as we must turn the wheel over to Him.

Carrie Underwood sang these words to Jesus Take the Wheel:

Jesus, take the wheel

Take it from my hands

‘Cause I can’t do this on my own

I’m letting go

So give me one more chance

And save me from this road I’m on

Jesus, take the wheel

Let Him take your wheel

God Bless.

Bible Study February 8, 2024

Matthew 6:30 – 35 (ESV)

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Are you a worrier? There is no reason to worry from what Jesus told us in Matthew above. I once heard a minister say if you need love, give love. My next statement is not about the prosperity gospel but if the previous statement is accurate can you receive by giving. I am not saying “give to get” there is a vast difference.

The God Read Me file is found in Matthew 6:33. “seek you first the kingdom of God.” That is the key to everything seek first, ask first, then knock. He is waiting to reassure us all is just fine in our world but stay in faith.

If you put God and His kingdom first in your life everything else that is needed will be there for you. Life will then be added to you but we must begin with God as our source.

If you want to avoid worry, stress, unhappiness all those things that take our peace then seek God first.

“Worry is an indication that we think God cannot take care of us.” Oswald Chambers.

God Bless.

Bible Study February 7, 2024

James 1:19 – 23

“19 Know this, my beloved brothers. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, laying aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in gentleness receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror.”

James says, “Be ye doers of the word.” There are many people who can quote the Word, many even sing about it with extraordinary talent. That is wonderful but beyond knowing and performing what are dong with the Word?

This coming Sunday the Superbowl takes place in Las Vegas. The average purchase price of Super Bowl tickets listed on TickPick is $9,804. If you paid that price for a ticket what do you expect to take place? You expect a football game.

What if the teams have done their pregame activities, come out of the locker room, the flyover has taken place by the Air Force, the coin toss has taken place and both teams go back to their respective sidelines.

The game is ready to begin but the teams stay on the sidelines and the fans become upset that nothing is happening. They begin to wonder if the game will be played. What if the players were content to stay on the bench?

Look at the Body of Christ (His Church) the same way. God wants us in the game to work to win till the final buzzer has come. He needs all of us as committed and resolute players to win the game of life.

“The only necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke.

God Bless.

Bible Study February 6, 2024

Ezekiel 36:26 – 28 (LSB)

26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to do My judgments. 28 And you will inhabit the land that I gave to your fathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.”

We read in the scriptures that God wants to exchange our “stony” heart for one that is new and formed in His image. A heart that is forgiven and will beat continually through this age and into heaven.

But having a renewed heart means more than my changing my mind, it means we have repented, He has changed our heart, and we will live for Him being led by the Holy Spirit.

These words from Ezekiel give us hope. When He gives us a new spirit He puts a new heart in us. When He does this we are to walk in His ways we no longer can go about doing some of the things we have done in the past they must be left behind. Leaving the behind is our choice. He will give strength to press on.

But it does not stop there we must follow His guidelines (“careful to do my judgements” vs. 27). When we do that we have the promise of inhabiting the land He gave our fathers.

The new Spirit He will put in His people is a description of the “New Covenant” that was given to us when Jesus’ death occurred. That “New Covenant” will be applied to His people when He returns.

“Give me a new heart, a perfect heart, from doubt, and fear, and sorrow free.” Charles Wesley

God Bless.