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BIBLE STUDIES (Newest ones are last) |
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God's Will |
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Why Are You Here? |
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Do These Things |
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Are You a Doer? |
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What is God's Opinion? |
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Obedience to God's Will |
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Beware of Traditions of Men |
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You're NOT THAT GREAT! |
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Sing with Understanding |
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Are We Doomed? |
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Let God Choose |
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Is That All There Is? |
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Lukewarm is Bad |
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God is Doing New Things |
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Are You Doing Your Job? |
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Spiritual Discernment |
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What Are Your Priorities? |
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What Does It Profit? |
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Are You Offering Strange Fire? |
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Confusion and Division Aren't From God |
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Are Your Words Profitable? |
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Ministering to God |
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Speaking and Doing God's Will |
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Oneness |
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Whose Counsel Will You Take? |
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Who is in Charge? |
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Preventing Division |
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What Does God Require? |
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Pleasing God |
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A Call to Holiness |
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Spiritual Leap |
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Humility Leads to Holiness |
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O, the Depth! |
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Secret Sins |
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A God of Details |
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We Can't Pick and Choose |
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Pre-Conceived Ideas |
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Walk in the Fear of the Lord |
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God's Will, a Special Devotional |
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One thing He has been doing is He has been pointing out how many different denominations there are. Each denomination has a list of beliefs about God that make them different from other denominations. Even in the New Testament there are examples of people believing different things and causing division. Anyway, there are so many things about God that people have opinions about that there is a great deal of division and strife in the Body of Christ. There are an awful lot of people that make supposedly factual statements about what God will and won't do yet they have no proof of what they are saying. What they are stating as fact about God is actually their own opinions. They are taking what they have heard about God and what they have read in their Bibles and trying to make sense of it in their human minds. We can't make sense of God and of His ways in our minds. Our minds aren't big enough! I began to wonder if I was out of order in having a Bible study. After all, my brain is as much human as the next brain! I began backtracking and examining my motives and my motivation. What I found was that God gave me the gift of teaching. Then, He gave me the desire to find out what He wants to teach through me. Often He teaches me something and then instructs me to share it. There might be things in these study archives that have some of my opinions in them. I hope not. Yet, I am human and make mistakes. It is up to you to examine everything by comparing it to the scriptures and by praying about it. I used to warn my little Sunday school students not to believe everything I said. I didn't want them to get comfortable in only learning about God by listening to some person teaching them. They, too, needed to go to the source... to God and His Word! God does give the gift of teaching so people can teach about Him. Yet, he places that gift into an imperfect human body. Going back to differences in opinions about what God will and won't do... let's try to eliminate the divisions. It is up to each of us to examine the difference and compare it to the Word and to pray about it. If we still don't have a clear answer then we need to say, "I don't know." Another thing to do is to examine it and see if it is important enough of a point to argue over. If God wants us to understand something in a certain way, isn't He capable of making sure we understand? |
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"Of these things
put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not
about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers." |
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COMMENTS: Have
you ever taken a stand about a Biblical doctrine and debated people about
it, or pushed your belief onto someone? I imagine we all have. As we read further into chapter 2 we read in verses 16-18, "But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some." They really thought they understood the truth about resurrection. Perhaps they had been taught by someone else, or perhaps they had added their own opinions to partial facts. Whatever it may have been, they erred and they actually damaged the faith of other people! Sometimes it seems very important to us to convert someone else to our own way of thinking. Sometimes it gets way out of proportion and someone might feel compelled to force their opinions onto everyone else that will listen. I have encountered that type of situation. I know of a man who was trying to convince everyone that he could that the King James version of the Bible was blasphemous. He figured that since it was generally harder to understand than other versions then it must be from satan! He went around putting his opinions into guest books at web pages. When he put his opinions into my guestbook I prayed about how to respond. My reply to him was, "Are you sure this is the mission that God would have you on, or are you making yourself so busy in eradicating the KJV that you haven't found out where God wants you working for Him?" We have to find out what is important to God. We have to find out which words we are to be speaking and what things are profitable to others. I'm sure that when you get to heaven you don't want to hear something along the lines of, "What made you think that I wanted you to say those things? What were you thinking? Do you realize that you drove that person farther from Me when you said those things?" The most important thing is to find out what God thinks about every single thing before you go around spreading information. After all, our opinions are as valuable as a speck of lint. It is what God thinks that is of maximum importance! |
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"As they
ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me
Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." |
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COMMENTS: The key
portion of this scripture is "as they ministered to the Lord." In the Old
Testament we see many examples of priests ministering to the Lord. (Lev
7:35, 2Chron 13:10, Ezek 40:46) The definition of the Old testament word
minister is to attend, as a menial or worshipper; serve; or wait on. Think about it. They ministered to God. They were giving God what He wanted. As we discussed in the last Bible study, we are a royal priesthood. Get it? WE ARE PRIESTS and priests minister to God and to the things of God! God desires that we find out what He wants. We know a great deal about what He wants by reading the Bible. Among other things, the Bible shows us how He wants us to treat other people. The Bible is not the only source of finding out what God wants. God is the main source. He is the minute by minute source of guidance in all areas. One area where we, as Christians, are lacking is in our churches. For the most part church services are designed around a man-made schedule. Most church services follow a set pattern of activities. Also, the main theme of services seems to be people-oriented. Let's examine worship songs. How many worship songs are about God and His attributes rather than songs sung directly to Him, praising Him and His attributes? How many songs are asking God to do something for us? One way to test a song is to see how many times the song has the words "I," "me," and "my" in it. God inhabits the praises of His people. How many times has He waited for praise from us? How many times has He listened to songs like, "It's time to praise the Lord" and wondered why we were singing ABOUT praising Him rather than actually praising Him? The songs are for Him, not for us. We can enjoy songs for us all week long. When we get together as a group let's lift our voices in one accord and minister to God! The times I've seen God descend on a service it is when we were focused on Him and not on ourselves. God knows what He wants us to do when we come together. How many churches allow Him to take control? If God tells you to stand up does the worship leader tell you to sit down? If you are face to face with the Lord and telling Him how wonderful He is does the usher interrupt and ask you to move so he can seat some late arrivers? There are a lot of well-meaning church leaders that run the services. There are a lot of people in the congregations that believe that they are doing what God wants because the church leaders tell them that they are. What does God say about it? What is He telling the church as a whole? What is He telling you as an individual? When you walk into church do you feel God's presence? Does it get stronger and stronger every minute you are there? Are the services always different, depending on where God leads? Does He hold you transfixed when the "time is up?" No? It's time to ask, "Why?" |
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"Believest thou
not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak
unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he
doeth the works." |
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COMMENTS: Jesus
made it clear that He only spoke what God told Him to speak. John 12:49
says, "For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he
gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak." John
5:19 says, "Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father
do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." That's what we need to be doing. The Lord pulled me up short the other day when I was getting ready to tell someone to pray about something. I was surprised because I know that we should pray about everything. However, the Lord pointed out to me that by telling someone to pray I may cause them to believe that God will answer the prayer the way they want it answered. We can't always have the pat answer of, "Pray about it" for people who aren't walking with the Lord. We need to get all our words from God. We can't speak in confidence just because we know what we are saying is the best thing. It could be a "right" word spoken in the "wrong" timing. We must never get locked into any pattern. We must be continuously seeking what God wants at every moment. A situation that looks identical to another may be very very different in God's eyes. Our eyes are limited in what they see. Examine everything. Don't say something just because it seems right. Don't do something just because it seems right. It might be very very wrong. We must be in constant communication with God. It is His Words that will make a difference, not ours. |
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"Neither pray I
for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their
word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast
sent me." |
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COMMENTS: Jesus
was praying this about us. We are the ones that know Him through the
testimony of the disciples. Let me ask you this, were Jesus' prayers
powerful? Did Jesus know the heart of God better than anyone? If Jesus asked
that we be one in them do you think God will do everything on His end to
make it happen? Yes, yes, and yes! God desires for all Christians to be one in Him. Why aren't we? Why are we divided up into denominations? Why are denominations divided up among themselves? Why don't different churches within the same denomination make a point of fellowshipping together on a regular basis? What are the differences between denominations? This one believes this and that while another has its own beliefs. Within denominations you can hear people saying, "I believe this or I believe that." "My opinion is this or my opinion is that." BELIEFS! OPINIONS! Hold everything!! Do our beliefs and opinions change God in the slightest? Are our beliefs and opinions God's beliefs and opinions? Who is in charge of all of this division? Who benefits from dividing Christians up and keeping them apart? Is God wanting us to stand firmly on the truth and separate ourselves from others who have different opinions on what the truth is? NO! satan is the one who wants it! Jesus prayed that we could be one. He wanted us to be one with each other and one with Him and one with God. Since we know Jesus did everything in God's will we know that God will provide a way for us to be one. Let's begin a revolution. Let's make sure we don't accept the division, opinions, and beliefs that are man-made. Let's start asking the questions, "Is that what God desires? Is that what God thinks? Is that what God told you?" Don't accept those things just because your parents did. Don't accept them just because you admire the pastor. Don't don't don't! Run EVERYTHING past God. He is the one that desires unity. He is the one with the answers. Are you with me? It won't be easy. Most people wish to remain in their "comfort zone" of knowledge about God. They don't like it when someone "rocks the boat." They don't like hard questions. Let what Jesus said in verses 14-18 describe you, "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world." |
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"Woe to the
rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and
that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to
sin." |
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COMMENTS: Oh
dear, oh dear. Woe to those that take counsel from anyone other than God!
How many leaders, teachers, pastors do you hear teaching things that they
learned from someone other than God? We are to prepare ourselves for the job of teaching by being full of the Word that is in the Bible. We also must be in constant communication with God. He is the one who must give us the wisdom and understanding about what we have read. We must be very very careful not to believe something just because it sounds good and because others also believe it. How many teachers ( I am lumping all who teach into that term... pastors, ministers, Sunday school teachers, and all others) are actually called by God and how many are teachers because of the wrong reasons? By wrong reason I mean because there was a position open that needed to be filled, or because their parents did it, or anything that wasn't God calling them to do it. There are way too many teachers that are teaching untruths as truth. The sheep, those that listen to the teachers, are lapping it up and probably passing it on. Yes, every individual is responsible for what they believe and what they do. However, those that cause others to stumble have to answer for that as well. We must be very careful that we allow God to teach us. We have to allow Him to reveal the things within us that are not of Him. We must break out of the comfort zone. We must let go of all that sounds and appears to be good that is manufactured by humans. We must begin asking God, "Is that all there is? What do You want? What do You want me to do and say?" One reason that people are so easily fooled is because they don't read their Bibles. They have nothing to use as a ruler with which to measure what they hear. We must must must be in the Word. We must absorb it and let it work within us. Whenever we run across something that is difficult to understand we must allow God to explain it to us. Now don't get me wrong. God did give us pastors and teachers and such. However, we must be able to discern for ourselves whether what they teach us is the truth or not. We are not supposed to be like babies and allow someone else to spoon feed us all the time. God is the ultimate authority on everything! |
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"And he is the
head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the
dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." |
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COMMENTS: Jesus
is the head of the body (of Christ). The Body of Christ is the church. Our
head is Jesus. The head rules. The head has the brain. The brain tells all
the rest of the body what to do. The head rules! I've seen an awful lot of churches (in the traditional sense.... a group of people brought together under a pastor) where the pastor places himself in the position of "head." There is only one head to a body. All the rest of the body is under the head and there isn't one part that is more important than any other. The head is Jesus. There isn't any one part of the body under the head that is in charge of all the rest. I've heard pastors say that they are in charge of all visions, scheduling, outreaches, teachers, and all else that "his" church does. I've heard of churches that are referred to using the pastor's name (Brother Johnny's church, Bob's church, etc.) "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: and those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (1Cor 12:12-27) In the world we feel more comfortable having one person in charge, a person we can see. Plus, in the world, we feel more comfortable having "membership" in a church and only allowing the official members to vote on things and have a say in the running of the church. After all, if you allow everyone to run things they would be a mess. Hold on a second. Let's rethink this. Let me give an example. I overheard some conversations about a business meeting where a church name change was to be decided. I heard where some people just wouldn't be happy with a new name and others saying they were voting for the new name. So, if the name was important, what name does God want? I've been to lots of business meetings where everyone had an opinion. Sometimes there was shouting and arguing. I've even heard of police being called to stop fistfights at church business meetings. Why? WHY? What good are our opinions if they aren't God's opinion? Every church needs to go back to the basics and continuously ask the question, "What does God want?" |
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"And whether one
member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured,
all the members rejoice with it." |
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COMMENTS: What
does it take for this to actually happen? It takes love and compassion. In
order to fulfill this completely it takes the fulfillment of the second
greatest commandment, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
(Matt 22:39) How can we do that? Each person has their own thoughts and opinions. I often think that even if I was cloned I would end up arguing with myself. In order to not create strife and division due to differing opinions it is necessary to, "in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." (Phil 2:3) We have to actually place the other person's wants and needs ahead of our own. We have to decrease. God has reminded me over and over when I begin to react to things that people say or do that hurt or offend me that it isn't about me. Got that? It ISN'T about me! I am not to consider others based on my own feelings or opinions. I am not to allow myself to become hurt or offended. I am to love unconditionally with the love that God pours through me. God being able to work through us is the bottom line. We must stay out of the way. We must be open to His will regarding our words and our deeds and even our thoughts. satan is going to try to use us to split up the Body of Christ. That's a fact. He's going to try to get us to argue with or fight with others in the Body. Think of how ludicrous it actually is for churches to be destroyed because of differing opinions. Paul tells us in 1Cor 2:16, "But we have the mind of Christ." Read what chapter three says. Let's not be babes in need of milk. Let's not be guilty of placing our own mind in a higher place of importance than Christ's. Whenever a decision on behalf of the Body needs to be made let's ask God what He wants to do. |
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