Free Bible Study: Dealing With Emotional Baggage

Q Can you remember a time where someone close to you really upset you? How did feel?

Q Can you remember a time where someone not close to you really upset you? Do you remember it vividly?

Q Which happens more often? Why?

Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"  ²² Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.^{[a]    23} "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents^[b] was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.   ²⁶ "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' ²⁷ The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.    ²⁸ "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.^[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.  ²⁹ "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'  ³⁰ "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.    ³² "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' ³⁴ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.    ³⁵ "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

Q What was the problem with the unmerciful servant?.. Hard time letting go, holding a grudge.

Q How did that hurt him? …anger, resentment.. Biggest thing was he had a hard time appreciating or remembering that God forgave of him.

Q Have you ever felt this way and justified for being angry?

Q To what lengths did his un-forgiveness take him? Hatred, retaliation, eventually prison..Some of us can in-prison ourselves because we are unforgiving.

Make a Commitment to God (Read this out Loud)

"Jesus, today in front of you and these witnesses, I come to rid myself of this past, to drop the heavy load of baggage, to free myself of past hurts. Today I burn up the bad things of the past, "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." (Philippians 3:12) Moreover, I apologize for taking it out on others, and hurting others. By the cross, you show me that is not the way to behave. Today, I burn that way of life and take on a new way of life, your way of life. Tomorrow I will still have my hurts, but starting today I chose to not hurt others. Some things that hurt me were unacceptable behavior; However, today I chose to not behave unacceptably From now on I take responsibility for my actions and chose not to blame those who hurt me or behave poorly. The chain of events stops here. It stops today. I need forgiveness. I need you help, God. I do not need others to treat me perfectly or even very well. I only need the cross. May it start with me and spread to others."

Free Bible Study; Overcoming Habitual Sin

Opening question

1.) What are some bad habits that you have overcame since you were younger.

2.) Is there something in your life, that you do, that you wish you could change? And it frustrates you?

Let's look at a man that had some serious challenges to overcome!

Luke 8:26

They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,^[b] which is across the lake from Galilee. 27When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" 29For Jesus had commanded the evil^[c] spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into a solitary places.

Imagine the situation here and the depression of being this demon possessed man. Being in and out of reality and not having any hope or control of ever living a normal life. The worst of worst situations. To the demon possessed man he had zero control over his sin.

• Have you ever felt that you had no control over your sin or weaknesses? (Just ask for the group to raise hands if they agree, unless someone really wants to share)

The bible says that this man was driven to Solitary places.

• How does sin drive us to solitary places?

1. Guilt
2. fear of not being accepted
3. hurt others

 30Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" .

• Jesus pinpoints what the sin is. What are some examples of sin we do not want to call sin.

1. Want it my way - pride
2. Strong/Personal opinions – criticalness, stubbornness
3. Looking, but not touch – Lust
4. Frustrated – anger
5. Free spirit – undisciplined
6. Sex because we love each other - Immorality
7. I am experienced - pride
8. I know better – pride.
9. I cant trust anymore – resentment.
10. I don't get along with.. – bitterness
11. Being open about how I feel about her or him -Gossiping

 "Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss

• Why did Jesus expose who he really was?

To get to the root of the problem. If we never get the root of the matter the sin will always surface and take over.

 32A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. 33When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.  34When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid Amen!

• What do people try other than God to fix things in their lives.

1. Drugs
2. Pursue other things to pacify the pain or hurt..sports, relationships. ( Explain what do Pacifiers do? Prolong and make it harder to change or quit.)
3. Alcohol
4. Internet abuse or TV abuse

36Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

 38The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39"Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

The only way we can get true healing is

1. Be open with your heart
2. Call the sin out as it really is. (Don't make excuses)
3. Seek help through God's word and others
4. Get to the root of problem.. Do not be surface
5. Leave no room for Pacifiers.. they only prolong the sin and make it harder and harder to change.
6. Be free and allow God to make incredible changes in your life.

Closing Thought:

What specific sins are you going to go after in your life?

What Is Jesus Worth To You Part Two

Opening Question: What is Jesus Worth to you? Has it change over time good or bad? Why?

To a christian in Asia, the middle east or central Africa Jesus is worth their lives, homes, land, property and families! To meet as a body or simply profess Christianity in many parts of the world is to put your life and the lives of your family in great danger. These christian travel hours even days to meet in secret and worship in secret and yet they are filled with joy and they continue to share the gospel of Christ to family, neighbors and co workers despite the threats and dangers of doing so! These Christians faithfully sacrifice all that they have for Christ.

Typically in America Jesus is worth a weekly tithe, Church attendance once maybe twice a week, a daily prayer, a huge church building and possibly more.

What a contrast from a day in the life of a christian in Asia versus a typical day in the life of a Christian in America.

• Why the difference?
• Is it just because we have freedom and they don't?
• Shouldn't our commitment and level of sacrifice be the same?
• Where we not all called to the same calling?
  

In many ways we have settled in our Christianity for just living good lives and being good Christians.

Let's take a look at a few people that wanted to follow Jesus and lets see what he called them to do.

Luke 9:57-62

The Cost of Following Jesus

 57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

 58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

 59 He said to another man, "Follow me."

   But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

 61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family."

 62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

Starting with the first man:

• What do you think Jesus is asking of this man and us?
• Do you feel that this is unnecessary or too demanding of Jesus? Why?
• What does Jesus mean when he says the son of man has no place to lay his head?
• Our security should not come from worldly possessions.
• Even the very roof over our heads should not come between us and a relationship with Jesus.

The second man:

• What do you think Jesus is asking of this man and us?

• Do you feel that this is unnecessary or too demanding of Jesus? Why?

A lot of times we want to clear up something or attend to different things in our lives first. We want to know what we are going to run into or face, so we want to prepare our selves first before we give our heart and time to God.

• What does Jesus want us to do in those situations?

The third man:

• What do you think Jesus is asking of this man and us?

• Do you feel that this is unnecessary or too demanding of Jesus? Why?

Jesus is basicly saying that no one who has not yet shut the door, sealed the hatch, latched the bolt and thrown away the key is fit to serve God!

Jesus wants 100% devotion!

• What changes do you see in your heart that you need to make?
• Are there any areas of your life that you need to re-commit to Jesus?

Matthew 11:28-30

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

What Is Jesus Worth To You?

Opening Question: WHAT IS JESUS WORTH TO YOU?

To a christian in Asia, the middle east or central Africa Jesus is worth their lives, homes, land, property and families! To meet as a body or simply profess Christianity in many parts of the world is to put your life and the lives of your family in great danger. These christian travel hours even days to meet in secret and worship in secret and yet they are filled with joy and they continue to share the gospel of Christ to family, neighbors and co workers despite the threats and dangers of doing so! These Christians faithfully sacrifice all that they have for Christ.

Typically in America Jesus is worth a weekly tithe, Church attendance once maybe twice a week, a daily prayer, a huge church building and possibly more.

• Why the contrast from our counterparts around the world and their level of sacrifice and commitment versus ours?

• Is not our calling the same?

Luke 9:57-62

The Cost of Following Jesus

 57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

 58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

 59 He said to another man, "Follow me."

   But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

 61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family."

 62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

• When you think of the title (The Cost of Following Jesus) what comes to mind when you think of the word cost?

Vs. 57-58 We find a man willing to follow Jesus, who is coming to Jesus to follow him and Jesus lays a challegne before him and details the cost of following him.

• What do you think Jesus is asking of this man and us?
• Do you feel that this is unnecessary or too demanding of Jesus? Why?

Vs. 59-60 Here we find another example of what Jesus expects from his followers.

• What do you think Jesus is asking of this man and us?
• Do you feel that this is unnecessary or too demanding of Jesus? Why?
• Isn't our responsibility to honor the dead a good enough excuse to delay our calling?

Jesus wants 100% devotion to him and him alone. There is nothing that should come between our relationship with God and doing what God wants us to do with our lives.

Vs. 61-62 Again Jesus challenges the very things that come most dear to us! Jesus even wants to be priority over our family.

• What do you think Jesus is asking of this man and us?
• Do you feel that this is unnecessary or too demanding of Jesus? Why?

No one who has NOT YET shut the door, sealed the hatch, latched the bolt and thrown away the KEY is fit to serve God! God demands complete sacrifice and devotion to him. We must serve him and serve him alone! The amazing thing about making Jesus lord of your life is that, when you do, it produces blessings in our lives. It produces strong families and calls us to take care of our responsibilities. Give your heart to Jesus and the rest will take care of it's self!

The Bible, Church and the Koran

Common question regarding the Bible, Church and the Koran:

1. How do we know who is right and which doctrine is from the one true God? Christians believe that the bible is "God Inspired". Meaning that God spoke to the prophets, and apostles and directed them on what to write.
   
2. Who's to say that the Muslims are wrong because they believed that their God inspired Mohammad to write the Koran? What if it's the same God? Is it? How do you know which "Bible" is correct?
3. When people study the bible they all have different opinions and interpretations on what they are reading. Who decides which one is right if they all follow the word of God but just understand it differently?
4. Is it that important which church I attend since they are all reading from the same bible?
   

Let me just start by addressing the most obvious, Jesus is the son of God, our Savior;  the Koran is not from God because they do not acknowledge/view Him as the Son, the Savior, the Muslims' view of Jesus is that he was a mere prophet, they also condone bigotry against any one who does not believe the same; therefore it does not align with ANYTHING in the Bible... As a Christian I vowed to make Jesus Lord, not Mohammad. There are numerous scriptures in the Bible about Jesus being the son of God, so I wont even attempt to quote them... and it does take faith to believe that the Bible is telling the truth regarding this matter. But if I am a Christian/Disciple/Follower of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, than I should have this fundamental faith.

Regarding interpretation of the Bible, the Bible is not up for interpretation... 2Pet 1:20-21, 2 Tim 3:16-17, etc. While there are things that the Bible leaves up to us/our heart/conscience/does it benefit one spiritually?, 1 Cor 10:23 "Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial"; there are, however, solid scriptures, that if read in context, are very specific about salvation.

Regarding going to church/where, it only gives us examples of what the church should look like, all the scriptures we have shared with you regarding this matter, perhaps also take some time to review?... does it matter? Absolutely, to me that is... why? because if I want what is beneficial  for my spiritual walk with God, I choose to be part of a group that has deep convictions about salvation matters that are not up for interpretation, where brothers and sisters are living out Acts 2 (example of first century church), where people know me on a personal basis and can help me with my personal struggles or just know where I am so that they can pray for me/me for them, where there is a divine order being encouraged and lived out (God, husband, children, the lost), etc.  John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." So, than I look at scriptures about love, 1 John 4 which talks about this love and how important it is, 1Cor 13: 4-8 which specifies what love according to God looks like. So, where am I gonna go to church? Does it matter? Yes :) ... if I want to grow spiritually and be where the truth is being taught.

Renewing Our Minds

Opening question: How much influence does the world have on you?

Finish the following sentences:

1. Like a good neighbor....
2. AT&T More bars in....
3. Wendy's, Where's the....
4. Matress Frim where it's easy....
5. Your in good hands with....

We've looked at some pretty crafty marketing tricks that persuade our thinking on a daily basis, but more seriously in what other ways does the world try to change our thinking?

• Sexuality
• Impurity
• Honesty
• Integrity

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

• What does it mean to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice?
• Deny self, not our will anymore but God's will, we live our lives to please God rather than our flesh...etc
• Why does Paul say "I urge you"?
• We have a choice and need to make a decision to allow God's word to compel us.
• Our motivation should be God's grace.
• What is the pattern of this world?
• Our sinful nature, destroyed lives, guilt, broken homes...etc
• How do we break this pattern?
• We have to renew our minds with Gods word!
• If we choose live by the worlds pattern what is the outcome?
• In what ways have you lived by the pattern of this world and regretted or suffered for it?
• If we choose to renew our minds/change our thinking and align our lives with Gods word, what is the outcome?
• Gods will; GOOD, PERFECT and PLEASING

Closing Question: Are you willing to renew your mind and align your life with Gods word rather than conform to the worlds pattern and thinking?

Tips On Leading A Successful Bible Study Group

 Small Group Bible Study Tips for leading a bible study in your home or office:

1)      Pray before the bible study starts ( typically ask someone else to pray)

2)      Remember you as the leader are not to be the focus of the lessons.

a.       If possible do the least amount of the sharing, be more of a director, since you want others to share openly. TRY TO TALK less, this is a Bible Discussion TIME  and NOT necessarily a bible teaching time.

b.      Be upbeat yet relaxed.

c.       Always try to have an opening question or an ice breaker activity. It can be funny or thought provoking. Typically it should have to do with the topic of your lesson. If not make sure it is at least spiritual. Nothing long or confusing OR inappropriate.

d.      Pray often before the bible study. Start Sunday and pray with your spouse allot and share your thoughts with her on what you want to share. Our wives are incredible allies for us brothers when going into any type of sharing or lesson. To have another person who is on the same page as you with regards to your lesson is awesome. So stay close to your wife prior to any lesson or bible study. (You should actually stay spiritually close to her ALL the TIMES.)

 

3)      IF Possible Share your bible lessons with your assistants prior to the day of the bible study. The more on the same page with you the better.

4)      Remember JESUS , JESUS, JESUS.. JESUS is the focus so highlight what JESUS says or does, with wisdom, but as often as you can during your lesson.

5)      Have a handle on the time, so feel free if you have to stop those that may be lengthy in their sharing and just kindly but firmly mention that you have to move on. Always do this with grace and at the same time THANK them (sincerely) for their sharing.

6)      Never panic if things seem that they may get out of hand in the discussions or with visitors that may ask an off the wall question. Just gently direct it back to the lesson and express that the discussion can be taken up afterwards.

7)      Pray for EACH PERSON in your group as God will bless your love for them and your unity with them.

8)      Remember it is God's word so don't try to soften its meaning or over emphasize it either. That is not our job.

9)      KEEP IT SHORT 35mins or less

10)   Above all else HAVE FUN!

Human Limitations Designed By God

I just wanted to share with you what I feel God has brought to me this morning.

2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an EXTERNAL glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes NOT on what is SEEN, but on what is UNSEEN. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Our troubles should not diminish our faith or disillusion us.We should realize that there is a purpose in our day to day problems and suffering!

[VERY IMPORTANT].

Problems and human limitations have several key benefits that have been designed by God to help us rely on him and not trust in our own strength. These benefits are:

1. They remind us that Christ suffered for us and therefore he can sympathize with our struggles!
2. They keep us from getting prideful!
3. They cause us to look beyond this brief life!
4. THEY PROVE OUR FAITH TO OTHERS AND THAT IS WHAT BRINGS OTHERS TO CHRIST.
5. THEY GIVE GOD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE HIS POWER!

 [REMEMBER THE GOD TOLD PAUL THAT HIS POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN HIS WEAKNESS...2 Corinthians 12:9].

A TALE OF TWO KINGS

Opening Questions:

1. When things are going well in your life how often do you read and pray?
2. Do you trust God and seek his will in the little decisions in your life?
3. When times of trouble come, how often do you read and pray?
   

A TALE OF TWO KINGS...

2 Chronicles 12:1-8

Vs. 1-2
We see here that God chose to bless King Rehoboam eminencely. His kingdom became established he grew in strength and stature and all Israel prospered as a result. Despite Gods blessings Rehoboam and Israel abandoned God and forsake him. They were unfaithful to the Lord and turned away from his commands and decrees.

When things are going well in your life and it is obvious that God is blessing you, do you rely on God more? For most people the temptation is to abandon God. We stop reading and praying. We starting rely on our own strength again and we forget that it was God who has allowed the "good times" in our lives and the blessings that come with it!

Just like Rehoboam, far too often we forsake God and turn out backs on him. Its not until we are forced to our knees again through some tragedy of unfortunate circumstance that we truly start to seek God again. Why is that? When life is going well and and we perceive to have little trouble, Satan is busy working, trying to take our eyes off Jesus and our faith. Satan knows that if he is successful in pulling our hearts away from God if only for a moment, then he knows he can stunt our growth spiritually and in some cases permanently.

Vs. 2-5
Sin always has a consequence and we have to see the serious implications our sinful nature can have in our lives. For Rehoboam this meant his kingdom was now in jeopardy, Gods rath was against him and he was going to be subject to the king of Egypt for the rest of his life. For us the further and further we slip away from having an intaminent relationship with God, we allow our selves to become subject to the world and its desires. We no longer become subject to God our father and soon find ourselves subject to another king...our sinful nature.

Our challenge as disciples is to never allow our zeal and fervor for the Lord to waiver. We have to dive into Gods word continuously in good times and in bad times. We have to fall to our knees daily in pray to God and rely on him for strength and wisdom.

Vs. 6-7
Praise God for his grace and mercy in our lives. When we repent and chose to humble our selves before him he always shows mercy on us but think of what would have happened in Israel if Rehoboam would have stayed faithful to God? How much more would God have blessed them? Staying humble in our walk with God and in life in general is the key to staying close to God. Regardless of our life circumstances whether good or bad we have to fight spiritually to stay close to God and not allow Satan to gain a foot hold in our lives spiritual.

Vs. 8
God spared Rehoboams life, however, he did allow Rehoboam to become subject to the King of Egypt for a time. Why did God allow this? So that Israel could learn the difference between following God and following the world. John 10:10 says that..."A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." God wants us to have a fulfilling life, free from regret and the damages of living a life in subject to our sinful nature. Make Jesus Lord of your life and become subject to him alone!


2 Chronicles 14:2-15

V.s. 2-6
Here we see another King, King Asa who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord by following all that God had commanded . He did not allow Israel become unfaithful by turning towards other Gods. He routed out all the idol worship and pagan sacrifices in Judah and he commanded his people to seek the Lord God and to obey all his laws and commands. As a result God gave King Asa and all of Judah rest!

Things are going good in Asa's life. His kingdom is established, there is peace in the land and his nation is prospering. So what does Asa do? Does he lay back and take life easy?

Vs. 7
We see that Asa continued to worship the Lord and follow his commands. In his time or peace he fortified the cities of Judah. Why? God never promises us that there will never be trouble. In fact God promises us that trouble will come. King Asa was preparing his people for the impending trouble. Like wise spiritualy we need to all ways seek God and fortify our selves spiritually. Ephesians 6:13 says..."Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that WHEN the day of evil comes; you may be able to stand your ground..." It does not say if the day of evil comes but rather WHEN the day of evil comes!

Like King Asa we have to prepare our hearts and minds for action in trouble and out of trouble so that our faith and trust in God can be unswerving!

Vs. 8-15
When the day of evil comes Asa was prepared spiritually and never wavered in his faith towards God. Asa never abandoned God the way King Rehoboam had and King Asa trusted and relied on God for deliverance. When we stay faithful to God in the good times, we prepare our selves for the tough times in our lives. We are able to see God and his deliverance and there is no question in our minds that he will provide, protect and comfort us in all situations. As Jeremiah 29:11-13 says "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

See God with all your heart in season and out of season, in good times or bad. Stay humble before the Lord and let him fight your battles. Reply on God and trust in his deliverance for your life! Be subject to the Lord your God and serve him alone and truly you will have life and have it to the full! Amen!

Does Passion Equal Spirituality?

I had a close friend this week ask me to pray for him because he was feeling unmotivated spiritually and with out drive in his life in general. He was having a hard time feeling "fired up" for God and was struggling with feeling like there was something he was missing in his relationship with God. See our discussion below...

Passion is good but at times it can be tempting to base our spirituality (closeness to God...etc) on our emotions of the day or if we feel passionate or not. When we equate passion with spirituality it becomes a work and something we try to do in our flesh rather than relying on God and allowing his grace to be sufficient for us.

I'm an all or nothing kind of guy. If I can't do something well and be the best at it, my temptation is to quit and give up. I had a hard time early on as a christian finding balance. I would often go into these downward spirals where I just felt blah and unmotivated to do anything or into these mountain top experiences where I felt empowered to do everything. If things were good and I had zeal I felt close to God and really spiritual. When I was struggling with even wanting to read or pray I felt really far away from God and guilty.

One thing that really helped me was understanding 2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

If you were on fire for "GOD" 24/7 and just a flat out spiritual supper star, why would you even need God? God has given you this thorn in your flesh (as Paul would call it) to help you rely on him. You don't need fire to jump start your relationship with God. Sometimes we just need to "Be still and know that I am God!" like Psalms 46:10 talks about.

God is with you today just as much as he was at the day you were baptized and he will continue to be right by your side regardless of whether you feel fired up or not. Your weakness right now is going to be Gods power if you allow his grace to be enough for you. Also remember that loving God is a decision that we have to make everyday and should never be based on our emotions.

Those are my thoughts and I hope it encourages you at some level. I love you bro and I am really thankful that God has allowed me to be apart of your life...I think your awesome!

Bible verses and Spiritual Thoughts on Fasting

Biblical examples on fasting in the bible. Through these scriptures we see that God is please when we fast with the right heart and repulsed when fasting only becomes a ritual or tradition.

Esther 4:3
In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

Isaiah 58:3
'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.

Isaiah 58:4
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.

Isaiah 58:6
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Daniel 9:3
So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

Joel 2:12
[ Rend Your Heart ] "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."

Matthew 6:15-18

¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. ¹⁶ "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Acts 13:2
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Acts 14:23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

Thoughts on Fasting, Lent and having the right heart or motive:

Jerry:
If the heart is right and only God would know. Then I'm all for the fasting and sacrifice. The problem with lent is it just becomes a tradition kind of like people that only go to church on Easter Sunday. I don't know health wise though if I could go three days with out eating or drinking. But that is definitely a convicting challenge to read about our brothers and sisters of long ago fasting that way.

The celebration of Lent has always had a negative connotation in my mind because of all the hypocrisy I've seen in the people celebrating Lent. In New Orleans Fat Tuesday was the day of sin right before Ash Wednesday and everyone would get drunk and then stumble into church the next morning to get ashes rubbed on their foreheads and then start the whole lent fast until Easter. Because of that I've just never wanted anything to do with it.

Ed:

That's powerful! 

 

So like we spoke of yesterday, the same human condition that caused the Hebrews to embrace the law and forget about God's love in saving them from the Egyptians is also the condition that would cause someone to take an act of love towards God (fasting) and turn it into a tradition.  Not that tradition in and of itself is bad, but if the meaning is lost or the tradition itself becomes more important than the God it is supposed to honor, then it becomes profane.  Is this not correct?

 

OK.  So from what I am just now beginning to understand is that the heart of God is his love for mankind, not a bunch of do's and don'ts.  He loved the Hebrews enough to save them from slavery, give them a law that would help them focus on God in everything they did, and distinguish them from other peoples on the earth.  Also, God sacrificed himself as the ultimate display of love (Hebrews 7:26-27) so that people would fall in love with him, help others to fall in love with him, and hang out with him forever. 

 

So acts like fasting, church attendance, church involvement, and even pious living can blind me if not done with a heart of love for God because of his love for me.  I suppose that anything religious can blind me, take my focus away from God, or distort my understanding of God's heart, his love for me.  That danger probably hovers over the church like a dark cloud.

 

Jeff:
I believe in fasting and praying in Christ name only. That is key. Many religions fast and pray. But the main focus has to be Jesus. And this article is very encouraging. So as I go through out the day this reminds me to surrender unconditionally not just when I feel like it but even when I don't want to. That is the whole point of fasting (surrender). Christ surrendered all. So should we surrender all.

Karen:
Good and Bad will be with us until the end of time. Hypocrisy and Righteousness, also.  We are all humans, born in sin, trying to navigate through life one day at a time.  My decision to fast is personal and not based upon how others celebrate Lent or any other biblical principal.   This sacrifice is for my walk, while I'm praying for myself, my family and others.  The Lent season is tradition but how successful someone is with their fasting/sacrifice is personal.  Going without food for 12 hours is definitely a sacrifice, not a tradition.  Much like tithing, it is a sacrifice we make because we are commanded to.  Giving 10% up is hard.  Finding somewhere else to reallocate those funds are easy. This decision is not predicated (or shouldn't be) upon how the church spends the money.  If you don't agree with the fiscal responsibility of the church, you change churches, not stop tithing. The same is true with fasting.

Getting The Most Out of Your Bible Reading

Studying the bible may seem like a daunting task and many people are intimidated by the bible and its many books. When you read the bible take your time, there is no rush and it is always better to do an endepth study versus just reading multiple chapters of the bible at a time.

When you read the bible take one chapter at a time and/or maybe just a few bible versus at a time and ask your self the following questions:

1. Why did God have this particular chapter or passage written?
2. What is God's heart on this issue?
3. Does this apply to my heart and life today?
4. What decisions or changes do I need to make in my life as a result of what I am reading?

The Bible is no ordinary book. It is the inspired word of God and as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states, it is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. If you allow God's word to penetrate your heart it can be useful in giving you all of the following:

1. Direction in your life
2. Correction
3. A Godly perspective
4. Inspiration
   
5. Encouragement
6. Warnings to help you avoid trouble in your life
   
7. Historical facts and information

Above all when you study the bible remember that God is speaking to you and wants you to have a relationship with him. Just like with any human relationship there has to be communication in order for the relationship to thrive. Likewise, when we pray we are speaking to God and when we read the bible God is speaking to us! Fall in love with God and read your bible to see what he has to say to you!

The Full Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-20

My thoughts:

I need to be strong in God's mighty power and not trust or rely on my own strength!

Even though I need to put on the full armor of God it is still God's power and strength that saves me and not just a spiritual check list.

The belt of truth...a belt is made to hold a wardrobe together and like wise the rest of the armor is held together by the belt of truth.

Faith is my shield and without faith I have no protection from the my spiritual enemies!

The breast plate of righteousness protects the heart.

In order to be fully protected I need to put on the full armor of God and not just pick and chose which pieces I will accept.

VS. 13 - The day of evil IS coming...it is never a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN! The questions is whether or not I will be spiritually prepared for that day.

VS. 18 - Even when I think I am fully equipped in Gods armor I still need to pray and rely on God for strength!

The Word of God is my Sword and in a battle the sword is used for offense and defense. I need to use Gods word to defend the attacks of the evil one as well as fight back!

GIVE YOURSELF FIRST TO THE LORD

GIVE YOURSELVES FIRST TO THE LORD

INTRODUCTION:

1. Today we want to have somewhat of an in-depth study on the subject of giving financially to God's work.

2. Our Special Missions Contribution opportunity is coming up soon, and this seems a very good time to study a very important subject.

3. Frankly, the subject may be a sensitive one for a number of us.

0. Our sensitivity may be due to what we have observed on TV about money raisers (televangelists); it may be due to a lack of biblical understanding of the subject; or it may be due to something amiss in our heart that needs changing. (As is often stated, our heart strings and purse strings seem very connected!)

4. While giving may be a sensitive subject to some of us, when we see what God's Word has to say about it, we can rest assured that it is not a sensitive subject to God!

5. More is said about giving than about a whole host of other important topics, and while this lesson cannot be an exhaustive study, we will attempt to cover some of the key concepts in the Bible about giving financially to God and his Cause.

BODY:

1. Tithing in the Old Testament

A. Tithing (giving a tenth of one's income) was a very important part of the Mosiac system in the OT -- dating from about 1500 BC.

1. Leviticus 27:30-32.

2. Note the reason for the tithe in Numbers 18:20-21 — to support the priesthood (and we have a similar need to support ministry staff today).

3. A careful study of tithing under the Law of Moses will show that the basic tithe was the base amount of their giving, but that additional specified offerings raised their giving level beyond that figure.

B. The practice of tithing was much older than Moses Law, being apparently a part of God's plan from the beginning.

1. In Genesis 14:17-20, we see that the father of the faithful, Abraham, paid tithes from the spoils of battle.

2. In Genesis 28:20-22, we find the Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes, vowing to pay tithes of everything that he received from the hand of God.

C. Therefore, although we are not under the Mosaic system, we can see that tithing has long been a part of God's plan.

1. It was a subject that God took very seriously — read Malachi 3:8-12 carefully.

2. One way to look at how the concept could have application even in our day is to reason that since the New Covenant under which we live is a far superior covenant (as the whole book of Hebrews argues), then we certainly would not want to give less than any good Jew in the OT.

3. However, while giving one-tenth of our income might be a good starting place, it may not be the right ending place, for the Bible has much more to say about the subject.

II. Giving To Meet Needs In the Book of Acts

A. Look at Acts 2:44-47 and Acts 4:32-35.

1. Note the context of these two passages: thousands of disciples were baptized from every nation on earth, and needed to stay in Jerusalem in order to be grounded in their new faith before returning to their own lands to spread the good news.

1. Our needs today are similar in this respect: supporting ministry staff to take care of present needs in our congregation, and in the future, spreading out to plant churches in other parts of Texas and surrounding states.

2. The support and training of ministry staff is always going to be a very important reason for our giving (though certainly not the only one).

B. However, meeting needs must go far beyond the training of staff.

1. It is focused on meeting evangelistic needs is a number of ways.

2. Our giving to an annual Special Missions Contribution allows us to meet similar needs in parts of the world where disciples simply do not have the financial abilities to meet their own needs of church building and church planting.

3. It is also aimed at meeting the physical and emotional needs of those of our own number, and additionally at meeting these same needs of the poor and less fortunate than ourselves outside the church.

4. I am very thankful for HOPE Worldwide and local HOPE projects — to which I personally give significant amounts yearly.

C. Giving to meet various sorts of needs is common in the New Testament, and therefore is a very valid consideration — but the NT has yet more to say about our giving — and what we consider next is probably the most important part to God.

III. Giving As a Demonstration of Spirituality

1. 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 provide some of the best in-depth teaching about the connection between giving and spirituality to be found in the whole Bible.

2. Giving money is an extension of first giving ourselves to God (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).

1. Note also that the people gave themselves to the leaders (verse 5) — this requires both an appreciation for, and trust of, our leaders.

2. Biblically, leaders of the church determined the exact distribution of the contributions.

1. Read Acts 4:34-37: "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. ³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. ³⁴ There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵ and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. ³⁶ Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Bamabas (which means Son of Encouragement), ³⁷ sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet."

0. Also in Acts 11:29-30 we read: "The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. [30] This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul."

3. Paul's reassurance about how the funds would be administered is the same assurance that we offer you as leaders: "We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. [21] For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men" (2 Corinthians 8:20-21).

0. In addition to our Leadership Core Group, the Board of Directors is charged with helping us stay financially solvent and legally righteous.

3. Giving is an act of grace on our part, and therefore giving is called a grace (2 . Corinthians 8:6-7). Giving and spirituality are inseparably linked.

4. Our giving tests the sincerity of our love and shows our imitation of Christ (2 Corinthians 8:8-9).

5. Our willingness and desire to give is more important than the amount we actually give (2 Corinthians 8:10-12), although both are important as the next point shows.

0. Equality in giving means that as a family, we each do our part to the best of our ability (2 Corinthians 8:13-15). In a physical family, if grown children do not each do their part in caring for aged parents, the other members of the family will know instinctively that the situation is not fair and not family.

3. Our giving determines the amount and types of blessings that God is able to give us (2 Corinthians 9:6-15).

1. Giving sparingly limits God's blessings in your life, and giving generously increases his blessings in your life (verse 6). (Recall the Malachi 3:8-12 passage that we looked at earlier on this point.)

2. Giving is a spiritual decision, and giving must be done cheerfully (verse 7).

3. Giving generously enables God to bless us both financially and spiritually (verses 8-11). Therefore, failing to give righteously carries risks for us and our families spiritually, which is a sobering thought that should get our attention!

4. Our giving results in more and more people, inside and outside the church, giving overflowing praise to God (verses 9-15).

IV. The Ultimate Goal of Giving Is Stewardship and Sacrifice

A. Stewardship is our safeguard again materialism and greed (Luke 14:25-33).

1. In verse 33, the NASV translates it "all of your possessions."

2. It shows us the concept of everything belonging to God, with us being only managers of what God has given us.

3. The "sharecropper" concept is exactly what the NT teaches us about the way that we view and use money.

1. The sharecropper lives on another's land and farms it, taking for himself only what is required to live and sustain his life.

2. Obviously, such an arrangement would never allow for materialism and possessiveness.

3. It is vital to understand that our view of use and money is not just a nice ideal to shoot for — the text does say "cannot be my disciple."

4. This approach makes some important lessons very obvious:

a. Giving a tenth may or may not approach what a disciple ought to be doing. (1) Giving $20 of a weekly income of $200 would likely be quite a sacrifice and might well represent the concept of stewardship.

(2) Giving $200 of a weekly income of $2,000 would not necessarily constitute a sacrifice or even good stewardship, and could indicate that we have already fallen prey to a materialistic lifestyle.

b. Our lifestyles should be legitimate and reasonable, rather than giving out of our abundance and then spending the rest on our luxuries.

1. Many of us have some soul-searching to do, and some radical changing in both our attitudes and our lifestyles may be God's call to us right now.

2. One word of warning at this point: deal with yourself, and fight the temptation to be the judge of everyone else — envy and jealousy can strike quickly and seriously in this area if we become judges of one another!

B. Just how do we determine what sacrificial giving really is? Jesus gave us some very

special accounts to help us with this definition.

1. Mark 12:41-44 — the poor little widow — this one is full of lessons for us.

1. One such lesson is that Jesus took the time to watch what people were giving — and rest assured that he still does that — in your case and mine

2. Another lesson is that the widow gave her money to God and was commended for doing so, yet from a human perspective, the money was going into a corrupt Jewish system. Giving is always to God — in our minds and His.

3. In defining sacrificial giving, it is obvious that Jesus looks more at what we have left after we give (thus the sacrifice) than at the amount we actually give.

2. Luke 18:18-30 — the Rich Young Ruler — also full of lessons for us.

1. What was this man's problem? As a good Jew, he no doubt gave at least a tithe of his money.

2. But, he drew a line in his life and said "this much and no more."

3. Where have you drawn the line in your giving?

4. What are you not willing to examine about your giving and not willing to do?

5. Wherever you draw lines in your life, be assured that God will sooner or later come along and demand that you erase them. It really is a matter of His Lordship in our lives.

6. I expect he is making some of those demands today on this vital subject of financial giving to His work!

CONCLUSION:

1. Review — giving that pleases God begins with consideration of the tithe principle, progresses to meeting needs of several types, is a demonstration of our spirituality, and finally, must conform to Jesus' teaching about discipleship.

2. We have the opportunity to grow in the grace of giving, to accomplish more than ever before, and to become increasingly sacrificial and thus more like Jesus.

3. May God help all of us to be disciples in the fullest sense of the word, especially as it relates to our giving.

0. Let's give in a way that allows the church to be strengthened, the world to be evangelized, the poor to be helped, us to grow spiritually and our God to be glorified!

Tithing and Church Contribution

A Tithe means a tenth and tithing means to give a tenth of all your possessions. From earlier on in the bible God required his people to tithe. See Leviticus 27:30-33

Numbers 18:20-24

Just like today tithing and church contributions were use to support the work of the Lord. In the old testament the Levites and priest received a portion of the offering.

Question: How strongly does God feel about our giving?

Malachi 3:6-12

God views our lack of giving as us robbing him. He takes it very personal.

Some churches try to use Malachi 3 to teach a Wealth and Wellness Gospel about giving to God in order to  receive riches and blessings. If righteousness was a guarantee for riches and wealth, then what happened to Jesus? Jesus the Son of God and only man to ever walk the earth and live a sinless life was homeless. He never had a house of his own. He never desired worldly possessions.

Question: Are there parallels between the old testament scriptures on tithing and the new testament scriptures on tithing?


Acts 4:32-35

The first church had a Godly standard on giving and supporting the work of the Lord through the ministry of the church.

Giving was also a way to help the poor and meet the needs of the first century church.


2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Giving and tithing was never a physical issue and it has always been a spiritual one about the heart with God.

Question: Do you see giving and tithing to God as a privilege or a duty?

It is Interesting that in 2 Corinthians Paul compares giving on the same level with faith, love and biblical knowledge.

God uses giving as a way to test our hearts spiritually.


2 Corinthians 9:6-11

What does it mean when God says he will enlarge our hearts for righteousness?

We have to see that our money and our hearts are directly connected and closely tied together. Where your money is there your heart will be also is a very true statement. We need to examine our hearts and our finances.


Luke 14:33

To have the heart of God regarding giving we should view all of our possessions as belonging to God and we need to see that he has allowed us to simply manage them. The stress and financial pressures come when your possessions start possessing you.

When we truly believe that our possessions are not our own and that they belong to God then there is no stress and no financial pressure. We are free to allow God to do with us and our money in anyway that he sees fit. We become surrendered to God with our finances.


Mark 12:41-43

As we see in Mark, Jesus made it a point to sit and watch the money that was being collected. The widow gave her money to what at the time was a corrupt Jewish system and Jesus commended her for her heart to give. Our gift to God through tithing should always be viewed like this.


Luke 18:18-25; 19:1-9

Question: What was the difference between the heart of the rich young ruler and that of Zacchaeus?

The Rich young ruler allowed his possessions to keep him from having a relationship with God. Zaccheaus on the other hand allowed his possessions to bring him close to God through repentance.

Anytime we draw a line in our hearts on what we will and will not devote to God (not just with money) HE will call us out on it. There can only be one Lord in our lives and through giving we insure that money and worldly possessions are not.

We are GODs Masterpiece

What does it take to make a masterpiece? Hard work, time, dedication, commitment and passion? Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God's masterpiece! Everything that has happened in our lives good and bad has in some way been the work of God creating that masterpiece in us!

Amos 2:4-5; 6:1-8

God has spent generations trying to woo Israel into loving him and having a relationship with him. Through his prophets God begged an pleaded with the people of Israel to repent!  Israel continually rebelled and turned to other gods.

In most case spiritually we are no different than Israel. Our call is to repent and draw close to GOD or we too will fall into the hands of sin.

God warns Israel against complacency. God challenged Israel on their security and how they relied on their own strength, materialism and abilities.

What would GOD challenge you on? What am I allowing to come between me and GOD? What am I allowing to keep me from becoming the masterpiece that God intended for my life?

Ephesians 2:10

we are Gods craftsmanship. He wants to make us into his image. We are to be his masterpiece! Will you repent and let God make you into the masterpiece he originally created!

God uses different tools to create his master piece! Scriptures, other people, hardships...etc. He only asks that we trust in what he is doing and that we allow him to work in our lives! God will not fores us into a relationship with him, however, he wants to produce in your life the masterpiece that comes with a surrendered life in Jesus.