Bible Study January 24, 2024

Colossians 3:22 – 25 (LSB)

“22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with integrity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ. 25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”

Hunter Thompson gave us a saying we have often heard. It is “Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.” Ayn Rand gave us one not so often mentioned. She said, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing.”

Hard working people can easily be spotted. In most cases they succeed. The farmer’s crops turn out well, the surgeon has a successful surgery and the patient recovers, the vehicle the mechanic repaired runs well for years.

There are those who strive to do what is right and acceptable the scriptures speak of it. The Word of the Lord is right (Psalm 33:4). You can’t go wrong when you follow God’s statutes. If you follow His word, His statutes, His precepts, you will always do what is right in the eyes of God, and not what seems right in your own eyes.

And satisfaction comes from doing it right. In fact, many people go the extra mile to “overdo” a task. Where do we fit in?

“The reason some people do not recognize opportunity when they see it is because it disguised as hard work.” Unknown

God Bless.

Bible Study January 22, 2024

1 Peter 1:1-5 (LSB)

“1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as exiles, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to the obedience of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, having been kept in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

The scriptures are full of promises for people who choose to follow Christ. Our treasures are laid up in heaven but there is also a storage area where God has all our blessings stored just waiting for us to ask for one or call one out when needed.

He is waiting to supply our needs. God does not supply “out” of His riches but “according” to His riches. His riches are in glory. If it were “out” of His riches then the supply would run out but when we say “according” to His riches they are unlimited. His bank is full, never to run out.

God has made promises to all of us they are found in His word. What are some promises God has made to you? How can we live they we will be able to draw upon His resources He has for us?

“The future is as bright as the promises of God.” Abrahmm Lincoln.

God Bless.

Bible Study January 19, 2024

Galatians 6:6 – 10 (LSB)

“6 And the one who is instructed in the word is to share in all good things with the one who instructs him. 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”

Do you believe we reap what we sow? It is true in the agriculture field we sow corn we reap corn; we sow wheat we reap wheat. The same thing holds true for all we do both the good and the bad.

There are consequences for doing bad there are consequences for doing good. Evangelist D. L. Moody was holding a revival preaching on these verses when a man stood up and said, “I don’t believe it.” He was arrested after the service for theft by a policeman who was waiting for him in the back of the church. Moody observed, “I really believe that when he got to his cell, he believed you reap what you sow.”

A word spoken in anger, some wrong act we do such as the one in the story above will always bring about negative results. However the opposite is equally true. A smile, an encouraging word, a pat on the back, time spent with someone who needs you to pray for them. All time well spent and will provide unbelievable results.

“The evil harvest of sin and the good harvest of righteousness are as sure to follow the sowing as the harvest of wheat and barley. “Life is not casual, but causal.” D. L. Moody

God Bless.

Bible Study January 18, 2024

Philippians 4:4 – 7 (LSB)

“4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your considerate spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

For a Christian to be at peace their heart and mind must work together to produce that peace. What we desire comes from the heart and our actions come from our hands. But the problem is they must be working together to achieve a right outcome. If not the peace we are seeking will pass away from us.

How do we achieve that peace and harmony in our lives? Paul answers that question in verse six by saying “by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.” Prayer is one thing but to do it with thanksgiving is yet another. Paul in a few verses later gives us the theme for on which our heart can settle all things in peace. It is found in verses eight and nine. “8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is dignified, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, consider these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

We can pray for peace and be at odds with others and find no peace. We must set our minds on resolving the conflict that exists to gain the joy we are seeking. We do that by a favorite expression of a former pastor and good friend – “you guard your heart.”

Guarding your heart is a heart decision.

God Bless.

Bible Study January 17, 2024

Jude 1:2 (LSB)

“2 May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.”

Has anyone ever said to you “I see what God is doing in your life?”

No matter who said that it was a feeling that they may have been struggling with some issue, or that we had been blessed by God., they could see something different in our lives had occurred. We wanted to share with them or someone else about what happened. When this happens it is a great source of reassurance.

David was a recipient of that love from Jonathan. He made a covenant with David and gave him his coat as a symbol of that relationship. “Now it happened when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan cut a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even his sword and his bow and his belt.” (1 Samuel 18:1-4).

Jonathan showed David what God was doing in their lives. We can learn how deep the love between these two was. None of us can be loved too much nor can we love enough.

Is there someone you know that you could bless with support, a word of encouragement, a blessing for them?

“The smallest, good deed is better than the greatest intention.” Unknown

God Bless.

Bible Study January 16, 2024

1 Peter 2:11 – 17 (LSB)

Churches are always trying to find new methods of doing ministry. I remember James Kennedy years ago with his Evangelism Explosion plan. It worked well at the time. Then the Roman Road to salvation was developed which is effective in that we know the steps to leading one to Christ.

Then we have churches with great music programs (which I like) and great acoustics (which are very beneficial) we have some with elaborate lighting systems all leading to what we hope is an attitude of worship and a blessed worship experience. I have no issues with what any church does.

But the question that oftentimes presents itself is “Do we have to change?” Sometimes the method does not need to change. God’s primary means of reaching others is through evangelism. People need to see the hope of Christ in our daily lives and ask us about it.

When that happens we should be ready to give an answer. 1 Peter 3:13 says, “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and fear,”

God’s method is to allow our light to shine that others may see Jesus through us by what we do and glorify Christ.

God’s message is Christ, His method is us.

God Bless.