Bible Study February 1, 2024

1 Corinthians 1:1-4 (LSB)

“1 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called as saints, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all word and all knowledge.”

Appreciation is something we like. We like to know if we’re doing a good job in our employment. We should always be looking for a way to compliment our spouse, our children. I have always believed in some good in everyone, we all have value. A compliment is an expression of grace.

Appreciation nurtures us, gives us a feeling of acceptance. Someone has coined the phrase “attitude of gratitude.” There is a story in the scriptures of ten lepers being healed in Luke 17. They were given instructions to go and show themselves to the priests, that was the only requirement. It is interesting to note what is found in verse fourteen. “When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And it happened that as they were going, they were cleansed.” They had not even arrived yet and they were cleansed. If you look at verse fifteen only one showed any gratitude to Jesus for the miracle.

Phillip Yancey in “What’s So Amazing About Grace” writes you can break the cycle of ungrace. He says, “Grace is unfair, which is one of the hardest things about it.” However, that is not an excuse to live in ungrace.

Grace is a choice lifestyle we should chose to live in it.

God Bless.

Bible Study January 31, 2024

Philemon 1:10- 16 (LSB)

10 “I plead with you for my child Onesimus, of whom I became a father in my chains, 11 who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. 12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, my very heart, 13 whom I intended to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel, 14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but voluntarily. 15 For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.”

Philemon was a rich man living in Colossae who owned a slave by the name of Onesimus. Onesimus ran away after stealing money and ended up in Rome. In Rome he met Paul and was converted to Christianity. Paul sent him back to Philemon with the encouragement to no longer see him as a slave but as a “beloved brother.”

God desires for us to do what is right because of our love for Him and desire to follow Him. There are some religions and even denominations that have codified what must be done to be follower of Jesus. That was not the purpose in Jesus’ death it was to save humanity based on the scriptures not man’s interpretation of what he wanted it to say.

Our desire should be to follow the scriptures as the Word of God seeking it for what it says asking the Holy Spirit to shed light on it for our interpretation. James A. Borland wrote, “We must examine our own lives to insure that proper actions are produced by proper motives.”  We find those in the Word.

Be Blessed.

Bible Study January 30, 2024

Matthew 6:9 – 14 (LSB)

“9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’] 14 For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Forgiveness is a wonderful thing. There is much talk these days about student loan forgiveness. Someone will pay the cost of that. There is no such thing as free forgiveness. Jesus forgives us of our sin but it cost Him His life. Jesus paid a debt we cannot repay. It was free by any means. There is a cost for any forgiveness.

We ask for our sins (debts) to be forgiven but if we do not forgive others our prayer is unheard. There is a price to pay for our sins being forgiven by God. That price is our forgiveness against others. That sometimes seems like a high price based on what someone may have done to you, we have no choice. And yes, it is often a deep hurt but the greater the forgiveness the greater the grace.

What God has forgiven should no longer be of any concern to us. It is forgiven and not to be brought up again. If we continue to dwell on someone or something they did to us we must ask ourselves “Have I truly forgiven them?”

Jesus has forgiven us it went to Calvary with Him; He does not want us to remember it anymore so we can live in peace. He has forgiven it and forgotten it because He said it is to remembered no more.

“There is unspeakable joy … for the person who knows release from guilt and the relief of forgiveness.” Stuart Briscoe

God Bless.

Bible Study January 26, 2024

Psalm 19:7 – 9 (LSB)

“The law of Yahweh is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of Yahweh is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of Yahweh are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether.”

The law or the statutes of (Yahweh) God are perfect. One translation uses the word “right.” Perfect says it better for me. He is always perfect. His testimony is sure (certain). He never gets anything wrong.

We have some illuminated Bibles available on our Bible shelf at church. They work in conjunction with a computer app. Charles Spurgeon said, “There is nothing like reading an illuminated Bible. You may read for all eternity, and never learn anything by it, unless it is illuminated by the Holy Spirit and the words shine forth like stars.”

How do you read the scriptures for understanding? I have seen some Bibles designed for adding notes in the with a single column for notes. Others often journal what the scriptures are saying to them by writing down thoughts and words that come to their mind. Others do it a with an electronic tablet and keep it handy. There is no right or wrong way to read the scriptures. However there is a way that is ineffective and that is not reading them at all.

“Let me tell you a secret: whenever you cannot understand a text, open your Bible, bend you knew, and pray over the text.” Spurgeon.

God Bless.

Bible Study January 25, 2024

2 Corinthians 8:16 – 23 (LSB)

“16 But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. 17 For he not only accepted our plea, but being himself very earnest, he has gone out to you of his own accord. 18 And we have sent along with him the brother whose praise in the things of the gospel is throughout all the churches. 19 And not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work that is being ministered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, 20 taking precaution lest anyone discredits us in our ministering of this generous gift, 21 for we respect what is good, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found earnest in many things, but now even more earnest because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.”

Many people involved in discovery or facing a challenge beyond their minds ability to grasp the challenge get someone to go with them. I’m thinking about teams of mountain climbers as an example the climb is daunting and you need someone with you to aid you in case of an accident or for support to move on.

Paul set the example by always taking someone with him when he ventured out on one of his missionary journeys. He did that to help train them to carry on the work. Ministry is the one thing we should never have to go it alone. There is always someone we can find to support what we are doing. There is also another side to this, we can invest in others to mentor and train them to move in ministry.

God Bless.

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.