Bible Study December 19, 2023

Acts 2:42 (LSB)

“And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.”

As a believer I try to check my journey in my growth as a follower. Sometimes I am at a high point and then a point not so high. I wish I could say it was high all the time but I cannot.

As I read the above verse it seems to say to me that I need to “devote” myself more. It seems like the early Christ Followers spent much of their time in prayer, teaching, and communion. Maybe that is something we all should get back to doing more.

The best way (if we are able) is to attend church. There are times that we cannot but we should set aside time for study when we cannot attend. However you choose to study make it intentional. Find a good Bible that is easy to understand and a good Bible based commentary to use with your study.

One thing that has helped me is an accountability group that I am in. In fact, I just talked to a member of it yesterday always a joy to connect. Spend some time monthly sharing, encouraging, sharing, and praying for others and I am certain we will see our faith grow as well as our knowledge of the scriptures.

Along with group meetings do some personal time in study and prayer. There is no maximum or minimum but find time to wait for understanding it will come. Be intentional, committed, and faithful in your effort.

If you are reading this and do not have a church let me encourage you to find a Bible believing church and join them in worship.

God Bless.

Bible Study December 18, 2023

Ephesians 5:25 (LSB)

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,”

What do you do to surprise your spouse if anything? Is doing something for him or her a surprise, does it show I’m thinking about you? Maybe your home is one where decisions are made and one of you the other does not know what is going on. That is not a healthy environment.

How do we take care of each other’s needs. What can I do to make his or her life better today than it was yesterday, are there any surprises I can find to do something special for my spouse?

Honoring and respecting our spouse is paramount to a good marriage. The spouse that God has given us is with us until death how do I make it the fantastic relationship it is meant to be?

There are many simple things that can be done to show your spouse how special they are. Holding a door open for your wife, running to the grocery store to save her a trip, take the kids to the park to play, take the dog for a walk so your spouse can take a quick break.

Find a way to nurture your souse it will pay enormous dividends.

Love is a sacrifice.

God Bless.

Bible Study December 15, 2023

 (LSB)

“Not that I speak from want, for I learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in abundance; in any and all things I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

There is constant pressure on people to do better, achieve more, improve yourself, your company, your church. I know business improvement and church growth. In fact, many denominations judge the success of a church by their attendance. Why not judge it by spiritual growth? After all this must be foremost, then we are equipped to move forward.

The same thing is true for our personal lives. We set expectations for our children and if they do not achieve them in many instances we feel disappointed in their achievements hopefully not disappointed in them.

How can we be content when things fall short? We begin by thanking God for what He has done for us and where He has brought us from. Other people may have more than we do but we should be thankful for what God has blessed us with and celebrate that in our lives.

Paul as an example could find joy and peace sitting in a prison cell. In fact Philippians is a joyful book written from prison. If we are content in our situation then our families will be content. Same goes for all aspects of our lives. Should we seek more in life only if it advances you toward the kingdom nothing should interfere with that.

Do not feel like you missed out be thankful for each of God’s blessings.

God Bless.

Bible Study December 14, 2023

1 John 4:7-8, 12 (LSB)

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 14. We have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”

Who are the lovers? They are the ones that have time for other people. One writer said they are the people that go for a five-minute walks and return an hour later, they are the ones who go to get a loaf of bread and are gone an hour. They find people to encourage, advise, laugh with, and cry with.

Do we take time to give that little extra? It makes no difference who we are we can all have impact on someone’s life. There is that person that you will find that only you can help them.

No better time that today to step up and step our and make the decision to be a lover. There is so much negativity going on in the world today people are looking for one that cares, will stop, and take some time with them and hear what is on their hearts. People have troubles and we can be the listener they need.

Is there someone you need to make special today? They are right before us. Be their encourager, their hearer, and maybe God will show us how to share about their liberator.

Spend time with the people God brings into your life.

God Bless.

Bible Study December 13, 2023

Psalm 46:10 (LSB)

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

We live in a troubled world. Wars, rumors of war, inflation, sense of uneasiness on the world front. Fear of an attack internally in America we are not certain who is entering the country.

Yet we are to cease striving and know the God is our God. Sounds challenging at the least but that is what we are to do. There are some things we have no control over (other than voting) and when all seems lost God said, “Be still.” That in itself is a challenge. But when we have an internal perspective on things around us then we can live at peace.  

We have all faced things and as one writer said, “we all have been in the eye of the storm.” Things around us begin to deteriorate we see the external and we fear. One moment things are going well the next moment we get bad news. One moment all is well the next it changes.

Circumstances around us begin to fall apart. But it all God is there. I am often reminded of the words of this song from Andre Crouch:
“Through it all

Through it all

Oh, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus

I’ve learned to trust in God

Let me tell ya that

Through it all

Oh, through it all

I’ve learned to depend upon His word”

God is there totally in control, calm, and in His sight all is fine.

No matter what the circumstances He is our shelter.

God Bless.

Bible Study December 12, 2023

Philippians 1:9-11 (LSB)

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in full knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and without fault until the day of Christ, 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Maybe one of the most misused words in our language is the word “love.” I remember growing up and we heard the word “Free love” often. Love is not free there is a price for loving someone.

Paul said it correctly to these believers at Philippi. He said the beginning of love is found in love our love for God not our love of God but for God. As we grow in the Lord (gain knowledge) we will develop the ability to love more deeply. Maybe the first scripture reference I ever heard was John 3:16.

There are many illustrations of God’s love in the scriptures. From His love for the disciples, the family of Lazarus (raising him from the dead), to healing the centurion that Peter cut off his ear, to dying on the cross for our sin, no greater love has a man than he lay down his life for another.

It is difficult to love sometimes. People say and do things that hurt us. There are types of things that come against us that make us not want to love someone but the commandment is to love others as we love ourselves.

God never gets tired of us telling Him we love Him but our love for Him should be reflected in our love for one another.

God Bless.

Bible Study December 11, 2023

1 Kings 19:10 (LSB)

“And he said, “I have been very zealous for Yahweh, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, pulled down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

Elijah sitting alone basking in self-pity over his plight. Who hasn’t at some point in our lives.

It happens when the joy is gone. This Sunday will mark the third Sunday of Advent when we light the Advent candle of joy. Some may have done something to you or said a word that was not truthful and it hurt you.

Sometimes people will unload on us because they have been given something they did not anticipate so you get to hear about it. Christ Followers know God has placed us where He wants us for His purpose. Then the rain comes and drowns out your parade and we get discouraged. It happens to all of us. Step up to dry land.

The good thing is that we do not have to stay in that place we can get out. We need to pick ourselves up and move on. Make the decision that you will not wallow in self-pity but you get up and get out of it. The first thing you do is decide to move on. Get over anything that is keeping you back it only hurts you.

God has so much for us to do and we can only do it in the right frame of mind.

God Bless.