Bible Study 12-30-13

I was reading through Mark chapter 10 this morning and I came upon the story of when blind Bartimaeus is healed.  It's in verses 46-52.  

He's crying out to Jesus to have mercy on him, the multitude is telling him to be quiet, but he cried out even louder.  So Jesus stops, calls him over, and asks what he needs.  He tells Him he wants his sight.  Here is what happens in verse 52:

"Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road." (Mark 10:52, NKJV).

There are two things that need to be recognized here.  The first is how the blind man is healed.  Jesus didn't make a mud mixture or touch his eyes as done previously.  What was going to heal this guy was faith alone to which he had because he received his sight immediately.  That begs the question, when we bring things before The Lord do we have the faith that He can fulfill our requests before we ask Him or do we just ask and wait and see what happens?

The second thing that needs to be recognized is what the blind man does next.  Jesus tells him to, "go your way", so after the blind man was healed he followed Jesus.  The blind man had an encounter with Christ.  The only way he had to go now was wherever Christ was leading.  Isn't that truth?  When we are saved, when we have that encounter with Christ and recognize that He is the only one that offers salvation the only way to go is wherever He is leading.  

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Bible Study 12-21-13

I was reading in Mark chapter 5 verses 1-20 this morning and was amazed by some things. If you're not familiar with the story, it's where Jesus casts the demon into swine.

The first thing that caught my attention was the actions of Legion, we find out that's his name in verse 9 because he is not occupied by one demon but many (the number my be around 2000 according to verse 13).

It says in verse 3-5, he "3had his dwelling in the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains.  And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.  5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones." (NKJV). 

What happens next is what blew my mind and caught my attention the most.  Verse 6 of Mark says this, "But when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped Him." (NKJV).  

This guy, Legion, has all this chaos going on inside of him and around him.  The one thing that brings a peace to him is the sight of Jesus to which he responds in worship.  What an application!  It says in Philippians 4:7, "and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (NKJV).  Our peace comes through Christ.  Next time your world seems like it is chaotic, distorted, unconquerable remember the One who brings peace, Jesus.

Bible Study - 12-1-13

It's important how we treat and serve others.  I’ve been reading through Matthew and seeing just how much of a servant Jesus actually was.  Nothing would prevent Him from serving someone (in terms of their need, not necessary their wants) even if He had to go out of His way to do it.  I was blown away in Matthew 19 and 20 by how important it is for us to follow that example.  

In Matthew 19 Jesus comes across a rich young ruler.  The ruler asks Christ how to inherit eternal life.  Jesus responds in Matthew 19:17, "But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." (NKJV).  The young ruler then replies, "which ones?" Here is where I was blown away by the importance of serving others.  Jesus gives him this response in Matthew 19:18-19.  "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, 19Honor your father and your mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself".  That right there is 6 out of the 10 commandments.  

The 10 commandments are broken up into two parts.  The first four tell us how to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength.  The last six tell is how to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Christ stresses the importance of serving others by telling the rich young ruler that if he wants eternal life, Christ is going to look at how he treated and served others while here on Earth.  

Obviously our decision to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior ultimately decides where our eternity is spent, but in that decision to follow Him there should be a shift in thinking and actions that drives us to serve others as He Himself served others.  If it hasn,t then take it to the Lord in prayer and seek out why.

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Bible Study 11/16/13

Matthew chapter 10 starts out with Jesus getting ready to send out His disciples to serve the multitudes and  cities of Israel.  Before He sends them out He instructs them in how to handle themselves. 

One of those instructions caught my attention this morning.  Jesus says in verse 16 of Matthew chapter 10, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise serpents and harmless as doves". 

In my service to Christ through my community I need to be wise about my surroundings and the intentions of those I'm serving and serving with.  However, in that, there has to be a spirit of gentleness and a heart that displays grace.  This doesn't mean I let someone walk all over me.  In fact, I think it means quite the opposite.  If someone has bad agenda I need to be able to recognize that and then in the spirit of grace and gentleness tell them to step away.

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Bible Study - 4/22/13

55I called on Your name, O LORD, From the lowest pit, 56You have heard my voice; Do not hide Your ear From my sighing, from my cry for help. 57You drew near on the day I called on You, And said, "Do not fear!" 58O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life. (Lamentations 3:55-58, NKJV)

What great confindence we can have in our Lord to answer when we call on Him. From a subtle sigh to a screaming cry. He hears it all. He knows our hearts and what we need, to which He replies "Do not fear!" We can have confidence in that. We can also have confidence in our redemption. He's pleaded our case and redeemed our lives. Why? We called on His name. He answered.

Bible Study 4/15/13

It's been a while since I've posted.  I've been extremely busy.  The new website is up.  Go check out http://www.the119project.com.  It's an online magazine of sorts.  It will be discussing the variety of topics contained in Psalm 119.  The first issue, The Introduction, is ready to be read.  The second issue on Obedience to God's Word is coming soon.  Be sure to check it out.

In ay event, my daily devotions have brought me to the book of Lamentations.  I came across the following verse this morning:

20See, O LORD, that I am in distress; My soul is troubled; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious...(Lamentations 1:20, NKJV)

When bringing our sin to the Lord, this is how our heart should feel and our spirit should feel when confession is taking place.  Our insides should be so troubled and feel so out of place that we recognize our rebellious nature and confess it to God.  This type of attitude most certainly lays the foundation for repentance, which if you don't know means laying your sin down and not returning to it.  Wow.  Such an applicable verse for tax day.  (Just kidding!)  Such an applicable verse for our prayer lives and our walk with Christ!  

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Bible Study - 9/22/12

Since my last blog post, I am continuing my study through Isaiah and have ventured into 2 Corinthians.  I will share some of the verses that affected me spiritually and really caused me to stop and think during my study through Isaiah.  It says in Isaiah 34:18, "Search from the book of the LORD, and read: Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate.  For my mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them."  If you're not searching God's Word, you should.  It will not fail you and it will not lack in fulfilling, but rather fulfill over and above.

In Isaiah 35, God gives Isaiah a glimpse into the coming Kingdom.  The 1000 year reign of Christ.  I love how in verses 8-10 the Highway of Holiness is described.  Nothing "unclean shall pass over it", "whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray", "But the redeemed shall walk there", "and the ransomed of the LORD shall return".

In Isaiah 37:16 I believe we are given a great example of how to start a prayer to God.  Jesus gives us an outline of how to pray in Matthew chapter 6, and in that outline the beginning is praise to God.  Matthew 6:9, "...Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name."  Isaiah 37:16, is the start of a prayer from King Hezekiah to God.  It says, "O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth.  You have made heaven and earth."  

Isaiah 40:6-8 - "6The voice said, 'Cry out!'  And he said, 'What shall I cry?'  All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.  7The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.  8The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever."  People wither and fade away.  Our eternity rests in the promises made in God's Word.  The promise that if we have Jesus as our Savior then we will spend eternity with God.  We can rest in that, and have peace in that.  People don't stand the test of time, but God's Word does, it stands forever.

The latest thing to get me thinking and being truly thankful for is in chapter 43:1 and chapter 44:23.  The two, in my opinion, go hand in hand.  Let me give a little background story first.  In Genesis 25:26, Jacob is born and he is named Jacob because he came out of the womb holding onto his brother's heel.  For those that don't know, Jacob means supplanter or deceitful, and deceitful his was throughout his life.  If you don't know the story I suggest you read it. Anyways, in Genesis 32 after Jacob wrestles with God, God renames him Israel which literally means Prince with God.  Okay, now we can proceed.  Isaiah 43:1, "But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel; 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have call you by your name; You are Mine."  Isaiah 44:23, "...For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, And glorified Himself in Israel."  God creates life in our birth.  Then we are born, but we are not born pure we are born sinners.  Look at the story of Jacob if you don't believe we are sinners when we are born.  He came out of the womb grabbing onto his brother's heel as if to say "I want to come out first".  Pride in the heart of a newborn already.  However, God does not stop at the creation process.  He takes that life he created and forms it when we allow Him to do His perfect work in us which is triggered by our true and whole hearted acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  Read these verses from Romans.

Romans 8:1, and 12-17 - "1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.  12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.  13For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  14For as many as are led by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  15For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father'.  16The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."

WOW!  There is so much goodness in Romans 8.  I encourage you to read it.  In any event, I shared these verses because when we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior and living according to the Spirit, we are considered co-heirs with Christ.  We are Princes with God.  We go from being created sinners (Jacob) to being formed into Princes with God (Israel).  How awesome is that!?  I am so thankful for that!  Words can't even express the joy!  Why does God do it?  If you look at Isaiah 44:23 again, our redemption is for His glory.  Simple as that.

Thank you for reading.  I know these a multitude of things going on here, but it just goes to show the dynamics of God's Word.