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.

Bible Study February 5, 2024

1 Corinthians 4:1 -4 (LSB)

“Let a man consider us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court. In fact, I do not even examine myself. 4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted. But the one who examines me is the Lord. 5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and make manifest the motives of hearts. And then each one’s praise will come to him from God.”

Our children should be taught to be good stewards of what God has given to them. They learn that through what we as parents teach them. We do this by teaching, setting an example, and following through on what we have taught them.

The same is true for adults we are to continue to be good stewards of all God has provided for us. What do we do with our time do we redeem it wisely? What about our resources that God has provided for such as the beauty of the world? What about the financial resources He has provided, are we good stewards? Do we pay our bills on time, do we help others when we know God has told us to do, are we faithful with the money God has allowed us to have through our work? Hopefully we can answer all those questions with a “Yes I am being faithful.”

Above all we should be using our resources to build the kingdom of God. At Asbury Chapel we are budgeting an amount to give to The Bridge of Hope in 2024. That is one way we want to support what God is doing in our midst.

“Stewardship is what man does after he says, “I believe.” W. H. Greaves

God Bless.

Bible Study February 3, 2024

Luke 18:1-7 (LSB)

“Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a certain judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice from my opponent.’ 4 And for a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow is bothering me, I will give her justice, lest by continually coming she wears me out.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge *said. 7 Now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?”

Do you ever feel fatigued, you have no energy even after sleeping all night? Vince Lombardi the famous and successful coach of the Green Bay Packers said, “Fatigue makes cowards out of all of us.”

Fatigue will easily allow the devil to enter your life and cause you all kinds of problems from defeat, deception, lack of faith, and maybe make you question if God is really out there for you and watching over you. He will use any device he can to defeat you and make you question God.

When you feel that way maybe it is time to take some time away and spend it in prayer encouraging yourself reminding you of the promises God has given for His followers. It’s not that we have lost our salvation but maybe momentarily lost our way. Take the time to be alone and pray.

“Rest is not a waste of time. It is economy to gather fresh strength … It is the wisdom to take occasional furlough. In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less.” Charles H. Spurgeon.

God Bless.

Bible Study February 2, 2024

Matthew 14:23 – 27

“22 Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 And after He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already many stadia away from the land, being battered by the waves; for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 Now when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Jesus had just miraculously fed five thousand men (not counting the women and children) without the help Long John Silvers. I imagine after doing what He had done including His teaching He was humanly tired. He went to the mountain to pray. Jesus was miracle working savior.

I find it interesting that only one person who got out of the boat, was our friend Peter. Peter had no fear he would do almost anything when Jesus was around. We do not know the reason he got out of the boat but he did.

John Ortberg in his book “If You’re Want To Walk On Water You’ve Got To Get Out Of The Boat” has an interesting chapter titled simple “Boat Potatoes.” In this chapter he wrote about the high cost of being a boat potato. He writes of missed opportunities.

He lists some such as: great bold prayers you never prayed, exhilarating risks you never took, forgotten dreams, you see yourself as the person who could have been, you never followed your calling – because you never got out of the boat.

God has given us a gift(s) but if we never use them they are like and unopened Christmas gift.

Do as Peter did step out of the boat of comfort (in faith).

God Bless.