Christ Teachings

Each of us need both devotion and study time if we are to grow as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many people make the simple mistake of confusing and merging these two different activities. Let’s look at the purpose of each, and then I will give you my recommended strategy to maximize their value to you.

The purpose of devotional time is to re-connect your heart with God through the Holy Spirit.

The purpose of study is to conform your mind to the right things of God. Our minds take on a likeness to what we study – that’s how we are made.

So personal devotions and study have different purposes, and are best approached in different ways. What they have in common is use of the Bible.

Personal Devotions

Go to any Christian bookstore and you can find half a zillion devotional books. If you find one you like, by all means buy it and use it. I grow concerned, however, when I see believers who are dependent on these books as crutches. I am convinced that if more were needed than the Bible and the Holy Spirit, it would have been provided at Pentecost.

Here is my personal pattern of devotional practice, which I recommend to everyone. It’s rooted in the Bible. It’s simple, and works for all ages and stages of spiritual maturity. It has depth. You can do the same thing your whole life.

I pick up my Bible and turn to where I left off yesterday. I prayerfully invite the Holy Spirit to connect my heart to God, thanking Him for another day to learn and serve. Then I begin to read verses, slowly. I read until a verse hits me with a truth about God or my condition or what I need to do. I find that my heart is sparked again! I mark my place, and then spend a few minutes praying. My heart is reconnected with God through the Holy Spirit.

Some days I only need to read three verses. Other days I read several chapters. But I do not quit reading until I am confident that my heart is connected to God. I may repeat this process later in the day if I find my heart has grown cool towards God.

That’s it. That’s all that you need to do. Do not make your personal devotions more complex — or less satisfying — than this.

Transition

Now that you have re-connected your heart with the Lord, you’re almost ready to study. The next step is to shift your mindset.

Because devotion and study are different acts of learning, create a genuine break between them. I usually do both devotion and study in the early morning. So I actually get up out of my chair after my devotion time is complete, walk out of the room, and then re-enter the room and sit down again for study. It may sound goofy, but I need to do this in order to “reset” my mind and heart for study.

Study

Remember that the purpose of study is to conform your mind to the right things of God. The primary object of our study must be the Bible. We must discipline ourselves to study it and understand it.

The Bible is not just a collection of moralistic stories and guidelines about dos and don’ts. It is the story of God’s interaction with mankind, and in it we find commands and principles that help us live wisely. So we are aiming for much more than a low-level Sunday School familiarity of the Bible stories.

Developing this level of understanding – the capability to think with a biblical worldview – requires strategies for studying the breadth of Scripture, so you understand the whole counsel of God in His Word. Too few people read large amounts of Scripture on a regular basis. And it takes only a little more commitment — you can read through the entire New Testament in less than a month if you read ten chapters a day.

You also need strategies to mine the depths of a particular passage or book. Let me give you six suggestions that don’t require anything except your Bible. (1) Read it out loud. (2) Read it repeatedly. (3) Look up the cross-references. (4) Turn it into prayer. (5) Read it backwards, one sentence at a time (you’ll notice different things). (6) Talk about your insights with another person.

Encouragement

Use the Bible for both your personal devotions and for study. Recognize that you need to reconnect your heart to God each day, and that study is needed to conform your mind to the right things of God.

By: Glenn Brooke

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I doubt that anyone will disagree with me when I state that our society today in America is biblically illiterate. Specifically, I would define “biblically illiterate” as the following:

* Unfamiliar with the structure of the Bible. Most people could not explain why the Bible is split between Old and New Testaments. They cannot name the books of the Bible. That the books are grouped into certain categories is unknown to them. And, sadly, many people cannot even locate a verse of Scripture.

* Unfamiliar with the content of the Bible. Noah and Moses and Jesus are favorite stories, but are known only in the terms and generalities of childhood tales. The Psalms are at best pleasant poetry. The sermons of Jesus draw a blank. The Pauline and General Epistles are much too difficult to read and really aren’t practical. The books of the Prophets are totally useless.

* Unfamiliar with the purpose of the Bible. The Bible is certainly not science, and even its history is suspect. At most it’s a moral code, but even then, the vast majority of people haven’t read it to know what moral code it contains – they quote the Golden Rule and think that’s all Jesus ever said.

* Unfamiliar with the theology of the Bible. Words such as sin, salvation, sanctification, grace, justification, and redemption are archaisms completely out-of-touch with modern-day America. The concept that there are doctrines of God, man, Christ, and the Trinity is unheard of.

* Unfamiliar with the truth of the Bible. In a world of moral relativism and moral decay, the statement that there is absolute truth, revealed by the one True God, would be considered ridiculous, narrow-minded, and old-fashioned.

It is one thing, however, to state that our society is biblically illiterate. That is almost to be expected; after all, that is the “world” that we are in, but not of.

What would you say, though, if I were to assert that the Church in America is also biblically illiterate? And by “the Church” I mean the true Church: the children of God, saved and redeemed by the blood; not everyone who happens to inhabit a pew on a given Sunday morning.

Look back on our definition of “biblically illiterate.” Unfamiliar with the structure of the Bible. Can most Christians talk knowledgeably about the reason for the Old and New Testaments? Find their way quickly around to locate a given text? Talk about the various types of books found in the Testaments?

Unfamiliar with the content of the Bible. More is known about content, undoubtedly, than in society at large, but ask yourself: How many Christians can quote or locate verses that they need without hesitation? Or paraphrase passages or verses of Scripture – even well known ones such as the Beatitudes or I Corinthians 13? If asked what would define the Christian walk, could they provide a clear answer? Are people comfortable defending their faith? Proving a point from Scripture? Leading someone to Christ with nothing more than a Bible in hand?

Unfamiliar with the purpose of the Bible. The Church does fairly well here, recognizing and affirming that the purpose of the Bible is to tell the story of man’s sin and God’s plan of salvation and how to live a holy life, but still – do we really live it? Do our lives show the world the importance of the Sacred Writ?

Unfamiliar with the theology of the Bible. We do all right with short words like sin and grace, but longer terms such as sanctification and justification still get glazed looks from many Christians. Certainly, the words seem to be detached from everyday life. We are content to admit that doctrine is important, but we relegate it to pastors and seminary students.

Unfamiliar with the truth of the Bible.  As Christians, we affirm that the Bible is the true and absolute standard of living, the only plan of salvation, and the answer to every question voiced by humankind. But if we don’t know what it says, if we don’t understand the doctrines, and if we can’t tell people about it – then can we really say that that is what we believe?

In any battle, it is important to understand what we are fighting against. Christian education in all its forms – Sunday school, Bible studies, discipleship relationships, sermons, books, radio, etc. – is struggling against biblical illiteracy: in the church as well as in the world. Let’s take the time to study our opponent so we can advance God’s kingdom and win this war!

© 2008 Paula Marolewski

You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links and copyright information. This article is not to be sold or included with anything that is sold.

Luke 3:21-4:1-13.
Jesus had become by this time, a mature man, well-prepared physically and spiritually. It is time for the beginning of His public ministry. First he goes to John to be baptized by him. The three other Gospels give more detail of this event. Luke only includes what God did and said after the baptism itself. He is concerned about what God revealed about Jesus at the beginning of his public appearance.

3:21. Those of the Jewish people who had turned to God are not numbered, but a great many had by this time come to John. It was then that Jesus went and was baptized by John. By His submitting to this rite, the Sinless One took the sin of mankind upon Himself. He offers Himself as the Substitute, to be identified with and represent the sinful race of man. This was the outward and public sign that He accepted His work of redemption which began here and which was not to be completed until His suffering and death.

Jesus was praying in communion with God, when the heaven opened – a brief window to the majesty and glory of the father and Jesus. Jesus and also John (read John 1:32) saw the Holy Spirit descending from heaven in the form of a dove – a symbol of purity, innocence, beauty, and peace. This means Jesus was henceforth completely equipped to fulfill the role of Messiah and Redeemer – openly shown in public as a further sign of His designation as the Christ of God. His eternal Son-ship is further confirmed by a voice from heaven saying, “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Verse 22. “in Thee I am well pleased” – in reference to everything Jesus had done up to this time – all within God’s will. Now He was especially in God’s will by submitting to baptism – officially and publicly taking on the work of redemption, ultimately leading to the Cross. In Christ Jesus, heaven has been opened to us, and the way prepared. We have been redeemed and become God’s children by that Redemption.

Verses 23-38 – The Genealogical Table of Jesus. Having shown the background of Jesus and beginning of His public ministry, Luke chose to place the genealogical table here.

Verse 23. He mentions the age of Jesus (the only one to do so) as about 30 years old. Genealogical tables had been compiled and updated for many centuries. Public registers were kept, and many families also did.

Luke obtained a copy of the genealogical table of Mary’s father Heli. Since it was not customary to insert the name of a woman in such a list he added (as was supposed) the son of Joseph – in Luke 1 & 2 he has recorded that Jesus was solely the son of Mary. In Matthew we find the family tree of Joseph who was legally Jesus’ father (though only stepfather, actually). This table is quite different from Luke’s. Yet, it clearly establishes Davidic descent legally.

As Luke had been writing for Romans and Greeks, Jesus’ Davidic descent was not essential. Luke wanted to show Jesus’ actual human descent through David, Abraham, to Adam the son of God. That Mary was a descendant of David was never disputed during the early centuries.

Verses 24-38. By going all the way back to Adam, Luke shows Jesus’ ancestry not only from the Jewish line to Abraham, but before the existence of that line. He shows the family tree of all mankind which began with Adam – the son of God in that he was created by God as a mature man. Jesus becomes the second Adam – born of woman but conceived by the Holy Spirit. Many books have been written that go into the details of these lists identifying as many of the unfamiliar names and their places on the lists.

By: T.O.D. Johnston

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The above lesson was excerpted from the author’s online Holy Bible Commentaries. He enjoys spending his time at his art studio on 118 Sauls St., Lake City, South Carolina.

Your Bible study can be very profitable by just reading and meditating on the Bible all by itself. In fact, such meditation is essential to spiritual growth. But to learn more, having the right tools is important.

Obtaining a study Bible is the place to begin. But as your Bible studies increase, you may want to invest in some more specialized books. Some to explore:

Bible Handbook. Provides a great deal of information about each book of the Bible, life in Bible times, history of the English Bible, etc.
Bible Dictionary. Brief articles on each significant subject, word, and person in the Old and New Testaments. You’ll often find helpful summaries of Bible teaching.
Bible Concordance. While study Bibles provide an abridged concordance, you can find an unabridged concordance that helps you find every occurrence of a particular word in the Bible. The best-known of these is Strong’s Concordance (based on the KJV) which identifies each Greek and Hebrew word, and gives it a brief definition and a number. Now concordances are available for the NIV and NASB containing Strong’s numbering system.
Bible Commentary. Bible commentaries provide an overview and running explanation of each book of the Bible. A good place to start might be with a fairly recent one-volume commentary on the whole Bible. There are also a number of inexpensive commentary series available that cover each book in the Bible, if you want to study a particular book in greater depth.
Word Study tools include an interlinear New Testament that shows the Greek text on one line and a literal English translation below it. A Greek-English Lexicon provides clear, precise definitions for each Greek word in the New Testament. Some of these are keyed to Strong’s numbers so they can be used by students who haven’t learned to read Greek letters. Similar resources are available for Hebrew as well.
Topical Bible. A topical Bible will give a great many scripture references listed by topic. Great if you’re doing a topical or thematic Bible study.
Bible Atlas. An atlas contains more than detailed maps. It also describes the geography and places of the Bible, usually with fascinating illustrations and archeological details.

These days many Bible study resources are available online at no cost, such as Crosswalk Bible Study Tools (bible.crosswalk.com). You can also purchase excellent Bible study software for your computer. If you need advice on Bible study books, ask your pastor or the manager of a Christian bookstore.

If you were to ask a carpenter to build a house with hand tools he could probably do it. But with power tools the job will go more quickly so that the carpenter will have time to spend on the details. Bible study books are tools that help cut the time you need spend on Bible learning, so you can get to the really important matters of your study — seeking after God himself.

By: Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson has pioneered Bible study on the Internet since 1996 with his JesusWalk

I doubt that anyone will disagree with me when I state that our society today in America is biblically illiterate. Specifically, I would define “biblically illiterate” as the following:

* Unfamiliar with the structure of the Bible. Most people could not explain why the Bible is split between Old and New Testaments. They cannot name the books of the Bible. That the books are grouped into certain categories is unknown to them. And, sadly, many people cannot even locate a verse of Scripture.

* Unfamiliar with the content of the Bible. Noah and Moses and Jesus are favorite stories, but are known only in the terms and generalities of childhood tales. The Psalms are at best pleasant poetry. The sermons of Jesus draw a blank. The Pauline and General Epistles are much too difficult to read and really aren’t practical. The books of the Prophets are totally useless.

* Unfamiliar with the purpose of the Bible. The Bible is certainly not science, and even its history is suspect. At most it’s a moral code, but even then, the vast majority of people haven’t read it to know what moral code it contains – they quote the Golden Rule and think that’s all Jesus ever said.

* Unfamiliar with the theology of the Bible. Words such as sin, salvation, sanctification, grace, justification, and redemption are archaisms completely out-of-touch with modern-day America. The concept that there are doctrines of God, man, Christ, and the Trinity is unheard of.

* Unfamiliar with the truth of the Bible. In a world of moral relativism and moral decay, the statement that there is absolute truth, revealed by the one True God, would be considered ridiculous, narrow-minded, and old-fashioned.

It is one thing, however, to state that our society is biblically illiterate. That is almost to be expected; after all, that is the “world” that we are in, but not of.

What would you say, though, if I were to assert that the Church in America is also biblically illiterate? And by “the Church” I mean the true Church: the children of God, saved and redeemed by the blood; not everyone who happens to inhabit a pew on a given Sunday morning.

Look back on our definition of “biblically illiterate.” Unfamiliar with the structure of the Bible. Can most Christians talk knowledgeably about the reason for the Old and New Testaments? Find their way quickly around to locate a given text? Talk about the various types of books found in the Testaments?

Unfamiliar with the content of the Bible. More is known about content, undoubtedly, than in society at large, but ask yourself: How many Christians can quote or locate verses that they need without hesitation? Or paraphrase passages or verses of Scripture – even well known ones such as the Beatitudes or I Corinthians 13? If asked what would define the Christian walk, could they provide a clear answer? Are people comfortable defending their faith? Proving a point from Scripture? Leading someone to Christ with nothing more than a Bible in hand?

Unfamiliar with the purpose of the Bible. The Church does fairly well here, recognizing and affirming that the purpose of the Bible is to tell the story of man’s sin and God’s plan of salvation and how to live a holy life, but still – do we really live it? Do our lives show the world the importance of the Sacred Writ?

Unfamiliar with the theology of the Bible. We do all right with short words like sin and grace, but longer terms such as sanctification and justification still get glazed looks from many Christians. Certainly, the words seem to be detached from everyday life. We are content to admit that doctrine is important, but we relegate it to pastors and seminary students.

Unfamiliar with the truth of the Bible. As Christians, we affirm that the Bible is the true and absolute standard of living, the only plan of salvation, and the answer to every question voiced by humankind. But if we don’t know what it says, if we don’t understand the doctrines, and if we can’t tell people about it – then can we really say that that is what we believe?

In any battle, it is important to understand what we are fighting against. Christian education in all its forms – Sunday school, Bible studies, discipleship relationships, sermons, books, radio, etc. – is struggling against biblical illiteracy: in the church as well as in the world. Let’s take the time to study our opponent so we can advance God’s kingdom and win this war!

When I taught a class on how to lead Bible studies and teach in a group, the biggest push-back I received was when I promoted writing out – in full – your lesson for the week. People objected that writing out a lesson would squelch the Spirit of God and would make the lesson mechanical.

After having led adult Sunday School classes and small group Bible studies for over fifteen years, I disagree. Instead, I have found that thorough preparation – including writing out as completely as possible everything you want to say – brings only benefits to the group or class you are leading. And that holds true regardless of whether the class is more lecture-oriented or more discussion-oriented. Here are three areas that benefit significantly from taking the time to write out your lesson:

1. Content

Writing helps you focus your lesson and achieve your goals. It requires you to define your main point and decide how to explain it, support it, illustrate it, and apply it.
   

Writing out your lesson ensures that you have enough content to fill the allotted time. You won’t have to suffer the embarrassment of being done with your material and still have 15 minutes of dead time to fill, nor will you find that the bell has rung and you have 15 minutes of material still to cover.

Teaching is about expounding on points, not just stating points. It’s one thing to say “God calls us to forgive others.” It’s another to talk about the reasons we resist forgiving others, the process of forgiveness, and the benefits of forgiveness. When you write out your lesson, you can carefully develop all aspects of your main focus.

Since you know the points you want to cover when you write out your lesson, you can also prepare effective handouts and note-taking sheets to help the participants engage with the material and remember it.

2. Presentation

By writing out your lesson, you can learn how to pace yourself. You will see in black-and-white where you are spending most of your time, and what points need to be strengthened.

You will not find yourself groping for words, forgetting your points or sub-points, or faltering to make transitions between sections.

If you find that some portion of your lesson has taken longer than you planned and you are running short on time, a written lesson will help you evaluate faster what to eliminate and still achieve your goals for the session since you can literally scan the remainder of your content in a few seconds.

3. Discussion

Written lessons help you determine where to intersperse discussion to keep people involved and engaged.

By writing your lessons out, you are also able to guide discussion more effectively. Instead of asking “What do you think? Does anyone have any input?” – which can open the door to absolutely anything – you can ask targeted, well-crafted questions that lead the discussion in order to support the focus and goal of your class.

When you develop a written lesson, you are more likely to realize ahead of time where people might have questions – and prepare for them.

A written lesson will also help you recognize and derail tangents as soon as they happen – whether it’s you who are tempted to go off on a rabbit trail, or whether someone else is veering off during a discussion time.

When you consider the benefits, the time and effort it takes to write out a lesson becomes an investment that you can’t afford to be without. Rather than squelching the Spirit of God, God is able to move more powerfully in the hearts, minds, and lives of others because of your thorough preparation. And rather than make the lesson mechanical, your preparation sets you free to be at ease during the class – to lead and teach with confidence.  

© 2008 Paula Marolewski

You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links and copyright information. This article is not to be sold or included with anything that is sold.

Bible Highlighters… Here we are going to mark out these fine bible marking pencils and see which one stacks up above the other. First the Staedtler set. If you have ever tried highlighting on your bible with your standard bible highlighter than it becomes obvious that you need a bible dry highlighter! Here Staedtler gives you exactly that. Coming in with 4 dry highlighters in yellow, green, pink, and blue it also comes with a pencil sharpener so that you stay on top of your bible marking game. One of the best things to happen with a bible dry highlighter is that you can continue to use your other underlining tools because this will not bleed them out or over them so it will flow real nicely for you.

One drawback listed at this review site was it made the pages very pastel looking as well as the yellow was very hard to see after the initial highlighting was done. As with most bible dry highlighters the bleed through is like nothing. But with your heavy colors such as the pink on this one you could faintly see it through to the other page. The ease of use much like most marking pencils is a lot easier than the standard highlighters yet with this set you are left with having to sharpen the pencils (which again it comes with a sharpener), it also tends to snag the bible a bit causing wrinkles at times. Overall the best thing is that you can have your notes in color because they write about as good as they highlight!

The Pentel 8-Color Bible Marking Pencil is something to behold. This bible highlighter comes with 8 colors to beat the 4 color pencils you get with the other one. But who cares more pencils to keep track of and if you are anything like me I lose pens and pencils faster than you can say “it is written” so here is the good thing about this one. Yes that’s right one; it is one pencil with 8 colors of lead that you do not ever have to sharpen and stays at a pretty good consistency as far as highlighting and writing is concerned. The tones of these colors really nice in contrast to the writing on the page even if you have a red letter bible.

What is the biggest problem with bible highlighters, bible marking pens, and bible marking pencils? The bleed through right and this one just as the others in the bible dry highlighter category is slim to none. Although the red is the most visible on the others side of the page this review site here states that it does not cause any confusion as to what page the mark was made on which is great news for us bible students! The overall ease of use is similar to that of the Staedtler set still bites at the page a bit to leave some wrinkles but overall the one stop shop use of this bible marking pen has got to hands done beat it out.

If you are serious in how you want your bible to look and how you want your study to flow it’s in my best opinion that you should pick up the Pentel 8-Color Bible Marking Pencil Today! Stay tuned for the next review and happy study. If you are looking for a more indepth look at bible study as well please check out this great How to Study the Bible Blog.

WHY THE BIBLE, PRAYER & GOD’S WAY MIGHT NOT BE WORKING FOR YOU 

Many point to religious hypocrisy, evangelism’s greed, life’s unfairness, controlling rules, failed “Christian” lives, and/or unfulfilled prayers to prove that God’s Way (Bible Study, Prayer, Living a Spiritual Life & Optimistic Thinking) does not work. This article will examine the reason why God’s Way might not “work” for you and me.

If a person wants to personally benefit from God’s Way (Bible Study, Prayer, Daily Spirituality & Optimistic Thinking) they must:

1) Refuse to rely on others to “do it for them”: Many of us are guilty of this. We are comfortable with relying on preachers and others to “teach us about the Father (God)”. This is, was and will always be a major MISTAKE. WE must individually, personally, and regularly engage in each aspect of God’s Way (God’s Will). NO EXCUSES. We always find or make time to do the things we enjoy. Thus we must regularly and personally study the Bible, Pray to God (keeping a journal to see how God (through life) responds to your prayers), develop a more “God-centered” way of dealing with life, and minimizing life’s negativities with Optimism.

The Main Opposing Views to personally and regulary doing things God’s Way are -”I’m just too busy”, “I have family and other obligations”, “I’m not the study type”, “Life’s negativities are much stronger than God’s Spirituality”, “Isn’t God’s Spirit suppose to ‘make us whole (in God)’”, and other opposing views (excuses).

We humans are very unique creatures. We have no trouble making the time to do whatever we desire. In fact, when we are “fulfilled” our energy level almost seems unending. An employee seeking raises and promotions will give his/her employer unquestionable attention. Some people “party all night” and still are able to “show up” for work the very next day.

So we can do what we want to do. What we want to do is the “true” us. What we want to do is where our heart is. Anyone attempting to serve God without “full heart” will find God’s response to be unsatisfactory.

Bible Study, Prayer, Cultivating Spirituality & Optimistic thinking will initially not be easy. In fact, it will seem “crazy” in this world of “never ending drama”. As we “walk with God” through the spiritual growth stages, we will become one with God the Spirit (John 4:24). This is how the Holy Spirit (God) makes us “one” or “whole”. This “Onenss (Wholeness)” with God is Biblically called, “the New Personality”.

2) Minimize Life’s Negativities While Enchancing Spiritual Optimism-This is a tough one. Life’s negativities exist everywhere. “Holy” places also contain negative people, places, and/or things. We must be Pro Active in our walk with God. The Bible’s Jesus spoke about “cutting off” or “plucking out” anyone or anything that would “tempt us away” from God’s Way. A priority rule in your Spiritual Growth (Walk With God) is to minimize, remove, and/or eliminate anyone or thing offering oppositing to God’s Will for you (Bible Study, Prayer, Spirituality, Increasing Optimism). It’s not enough to attend religious gatherings, or do “good” things. God’s Presence in your life means that you are changed. This “new” you cause others to change the way others respond to you.

Doing things God’s Way requires Strength. You will only be successful if you regulary grow in every aspect of God’s Way.

3) Accept That God’s Way Opposes This World’s Way-This world deceives many God seekers. Bible reading and study is minimized. Supporting religious leaders and “good works” is enhanced. People become “programmed” or “hypnotized”. They see that the world and/or their life is distant from the Bible, but they respond “that’s just the way it is”. This is the main reason why when an opposing leader-type figure appears he/she receives so much public attention. The people know something is wrong, but continue to wait on a leading body which deceives them. When a brave (or “foolish”) person steps up to criticize the “machine (present leading class)”, the people know in their hearts that this “truth teller” should be supported.

The Bible tells us that this world is dark and rejected the Light (the Son of God). God’s Way is not about advancing in this world. God’s Way is about turning one’s attention to the Bible’s God. Our decisions and actions will then reflect more on His Will which will minimize many of the problems made by personal decisions.

4) Turn Over Personal Shortcomings To God-Sin and God have one thing in common on planet Earth. They both are “everywhere”. In some cases, traveling to the corner store can be a life threatening situation. We should be very honest with God about our feelings and our short comings. It is He personally Who will correct us and/or heal us. There are times when the world’s authorities should be contacted. In the more general sense God’s Presence in your life will be enough to sustain you.

Many people have found fulfillment without doing it “God’s Way”. The Bible’s Jesus was Wholly Spiritual but lacked much in the physical world. In fact, he was a convicted criminal and executed. We can debate endlessly.

The purpose of this article was to point to a main reason why those who know of God might feel that “God is not working (God is Dead)” in their lives.

This article can be freely edited and/or utilized as long as credit is given to its Author.

If you’ve been in church for any length of time, you’ve probably had the opportunity to join a small group Bible study. Maybe you’ve already taken advantage of this wonderful opportunity, but if you haven’t, there are some benefits you may not know about that you’ll experience as the result of being part of a one of these intimate groups. If you have been part of one of these special “events” you’ll probably find yourself relating well to the following three benefits you can experience when you’re part of a small group Bible study.

Fellowship with Other Believers

One of the best things about being part of a small group Bible study is having the opportunity to meet on a regular basis with an intimate group of other believers. While attending church and church wide events is a great way to follow God’s urging that we have “fellowship one with another,” sometimes, there are so many people in church, that you may never feel like you’re making a real connection with anyone.

A small group Bible study is just what it says it is; a small group of people meeting together to study God’s Word. You automatically have something in common with everyone in the group even if you’ve never really had a chance to talk to them before or you didn’t think you had much in common with them. You’re all there with one goal; to learn more about the God you love and serve and learn what His Word says about how you should live. Who knows, you may even make a new friend or two by the time the study is over.

A Closer Walk with the Lord

Another benefit of becoming part of a small group Bible study is that your walk with the Lord will be strengthened. As you meet with your group each week and as you do your “homework” you’ll begin to sense God’s presence in your life more and more. There’s nothing the Father likes more than to spend time with His children and the more time you spend with Him, the closer you’ll become and the more likely you are to be obedient to Him.

In some ways, our relationship with the Father is like the relationships we have with people here on Earth. It has to be nurtured and paid attention to, it has to have a “two way street” of communication consistently flowing back and forth between both parties in the relationship, and both parties need to know that the other party is just as much invested in the relationship as they are. Joining a small group Bible study is a great way to fulfill all of these requirements for a healthy relationship with God and will only strengthen the relationship you already have with Him.

More Applicable Biblical Knowledge

Have you ever known someone who can quote scripture off the top of their head like they’re reading it straight from the Bible? I’ve always admired people who can do this because they seem to have exactly the right scripture at any given moment and don’t have to thumb through the pages of their Bible only to say, “Well, I don’t know exactly where it is but it says something like…” The only way to be able to know what scripture says and where it says it is to study the Word and commit it to your heart and mind.

And, by joining a small group Bible study, you’re making yourself accountable for doing your homework which is going to involve, if it’s a good study, opening the Word and really learning what God has to say about what He wants for your life. As you do the homework each week and return to discuss what you’ve learned, you’ll not only take with you what you’ve learned on your own, you’ll get to hear other believers’ insights and revelations about what they learned as God spoke to them through the lesson.

What It All Means

God wants to meet with us every day, but sometimes we just simply don’t find the time to do our quiet time every day because we’ve got so much going on. When we come together with other believers who have the same daily struggles and the same desire to grow their spiritual lives and have a closer relationship with God, it inspires all of everyone in the group to find the time to study the Word. There’s almost no better way to combine fellowship with other believers and growing in God than to join a small group Bible study.

And now I’d like to invite you to visit: http://www.crownsofmanycolors.com to see an example of an online Bible study called “Crowns of Many Colors” written by Jessica Martinez. Jessica is a Christian author and marketing copywriter with a passion for teaching people just how much God loves them by offering easy to understand, light, conversation style Bible studies that allow her readers to learn biblical truths and apply them to their every day lives in the 21st century. Jessica also started, and administers, the “God’s Chosen Princess” fan page on Facebook.

Have you ever sat down with your Bible open, ready to read God’s Word and learn what He wants you to learn, only to find that you don’t know where you should start reading? Or, maybe you know where to start reading, but as you read through the scriptures, you don’t really understand what’s going on?

Don’t be discouraged. The Bible isn’t an easy read by any means. If it were, more people would have read it by now. It’s filled with so many complicated words, extremely long passages about people’s lineage, and underlying meanings that can make learning its Truth seem so overwhelming.

That’s where Bible studies come in. Bible studies are written to help people more clearly understand and learn from the Bible. The authors of most Bible studies spend countless hours wading through scriptures and studying related biblical material so they can teach people what’s in the Bible and what it all means, in a more easy-to-understand format.

Bible studies are great because they allow people to get an in depth look at specific parts of the Bible while helping them understand the meaning of scriptures they might not have otherwise understood. A typical Bible study usually consists of a workbook of some kind and maybe even a CD or DVD to encourage active participation. They ask the reader to read some sort of engaging text about a certain part of the Bible and then have them answer some reflective questions about what they learned. Sometimes these questions are sprinkled throughout each chapter of the Bible study and sometimes there’s a series of them at the end of each chapter or section.

Usually, Bible studies are written about a particular part of the Bible. There are studies about the life of Jesus, about the women of the Bible, about the prophets, and many, many other biblical categories. Completing one of these Bible studies allows you to hone in on certain parts of the Bible and learn about them more intimately so you can understand and even tell others.

Most Bible studies are designed to last for a certain length time such as four weeks, eight weeks, or even three months or a year. How long Bible studies last depends on the topic they cover and how detailed the author wants to get with the information they’ve included. The great thing about this, is that no matter what type of Bible studies you prefer, you can find some that suit your reading style and the level to which you want to delve into a biblical subject.

As Christians, we have the job of going into all the world and preaching the gospel. In other words, we are to share God’s love and His willingness to forgive with those who have yet to accept these gifts from Him. The proof that these gifts exist and that people need only ask for them lies all throughout the pages of the Bible. By participating in Bible studies, you allow yourself to become more familiar with God’s Word so you can ultimately go out and share it with others.

And now I’d like to invite you to visit: http://www.crownsofmanycolors.com to see an example of an online Bible study called “Crowns of Many Colors” written by Jessica Martinez. Jessica is a Christian author and marketing copywriter with a passion for teaching people just how much God loves them by offering easy to understand, light, conversation style Bible studies that allow her readers to learn biblical truths and apply them to their every day lives in the 21st century. Jessica also started, and administers, the “God’s Chosen Princess” fan page on Facebook.

Why include discussion in a Bible study, small group, or Sunday School class? Why not just lecture, or watch a great preacher or teacher on DVD, then call it quits for the day?

Discussion is an essential part of every Bible study or teaching time for six important reasons:

1. Discussion keeps people attentive. It’s easy for listening to become a passive activity. If a class is composed of pure lecture (including DVDs or videos), people can tune out at any time. Discussion encourages people to listen actively because they don’t know when you might ask a question and request their input on the topic at hand.

2. Discussion lets people actively participate. People want to be involved. Discussion opens the floor to let people share their wisdom, talk about themselves and their experiences, and help others.

3. Discussion helps people make principles their own. By talking about a topic, discussion helps people make the movement from hearing facts (head knowledge), to understanding truth (heart knowledge).

4. Discussion brings additional insights. Teachers are not magically gifted with all knowledge. The participants in the group or class will often be able to add examples, insights, and encouragement that the teacher simply doesn’t possess. By giving people a chance to speak, leaders allow God to get across everything he might want to say.

5. Discussion keeps balance in the group. Sometimes people are tempted to put a teacher or leader on a pedestal as “the keeper of all knowledge.” Discussion helps level the playing field: by inviting discussion, leaders affirm that they are also students of the Word, and that each person can learn from everyone else.

6. Discussion fosters relationships among members. When people talk and share, they build bridges between one another. Especially in a small group setting, discussion is critical for developing true relationships with one another.

© 2008 Paula Marolewski

You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links and copyright information. This article is not to be sold or included with anything that is sold.

Paula J. Marolewski provides challenging and interactive adult Bible studies for individuals, Bible studies, small groups, and adult Sunday School classes at Sink Your Roots (www.SinkYourRoots.com). Studies include such topics as Debunking the Myths about Knowing God’s Will. The site also offers free weekly Seedlings – “Little thoughts that grow big results.”

Luke 4:14-44.

Luke 4:14-32 – Jesus Driven from Nazareth.
In telling about the public ministry, Luke chooses what to include and what to omit. He does not include those events recounted in Mark 6-8, and some details mentioned by John.

Several of the details suggest that this is not Jesus’ first public appearance after the temptation, but that much had already taken place.

Luke is writing to a non-Jewish audience and therefore depicts those events that clearly show Jesus as Savior of all who believe in Him. Here Jesus preaches about Redemption coming to those outside of Israel.

Verses 14,15. A general description of Jesus’ actions during that period in Galilee caused a great sensation. He was highly popular with the people.

Verses 16,17. After an unstated period of time in Galilee, Jesus came to His old hometown of Nazareth. The people had heard of His growing fame and were curious to see and hear Him.

As was His custom from His youth, Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus stood up as a sign that He wished to speak. It was a custom to allow visiting rabbis such an opportunity; the head of the synagogue had the book of Isaiah given to Jesus, a portion of which was next to be read.

Verses 18,19. He read Isaiah 61:1,2 and a phrase from Isaiah 58:6.

Verse 20. He rolled up the book (parchment scroll) and sat down on the customary platform to deliver His message. Rabbis usually proceeded with explanations and instruction rather than orations. All eyes of His old acquaintances were fastened expectantly on Him.

Verse 21. Luke gives a brief account of the main theme. Jesus declares that the prophecy He had read had been fulfilled in His own person – that He was the One anointed by God to proclaim glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim deliverance to captives of sin, to give sight to the blind, to lift up the downcast, to proclaim “the acceptable year of the Lord” – the time of the Messiah through Whom God will give salvation to His people.

Verse 22. The authority and conviction of His words had an immediate favorable effect. The turning point came when they remembered that this was only a son of Joseph, an ordinary carpenter, so familiar to them. What had begun with amazement became skepticism & indifference, like “Who does he think he is?”

Verse 23. Jesus immediately noticed the change of attitude and said they would likely quote him the proverb – “Physician, heal thyself,” that they now doubt all that they have heard about Him, and His own claims to greatness. They had to have proof.

Verses 24-27. To further prove that prophets of God had been similarly treated – He recounts the cases with Elija and Elisha – who not being accepted by their own people were consequently sent by God to people outside of Israel (pagans).

Jesus refuses their demand for signs and wonders to prove His claims. They missed the whole point of the Salvation He was offering.

Verse 28. These examples enrage the people in the synagogue.

Verse 29. Nazareth is situated in the hollow between three peaks of a mountain. The Jews drove Jesus to one of them – with the purpose of pushing Him over.

Verses 30,31. How Jesus actually did this, we are not told, but since it was not yet His time to lay down His life – He walked through them and went again to Capernaum to continue His ministry.

Verse 32. His words are welcome and the hearers were surprised at the power and authority of His teaching. The scribes and rabbis usually spoke from the traditions, written by former scribes and rabbis – many detailed explanations and opinions.

Jesus uniquely spoke Absolute Truth based on His divinity as the Son of God. Part of Jesus’ unique preaching was His description of the utter misery of the human race, their complete spiritual blindness. This darkness of sin He had come to cure – to bring the light – the quote from Isaiah clearly shows this. He has come to bring deliverance to the poor, blind captives crushed by sin – through Himself.

By: T.O.D. Johnston

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The author taught from the Gospel of Luke at Paran Baptist Church on Highway 341 / Johnsonville Hwy in Lake City, South Carolina. Read more from the above lesson at T.O.D.’s Online Bible Commentaries.

How to get the most out of Sunday School and Bible Study, as used here, is a reference to how to learn those things that will be helpful to you at such a deep level that you actually live by them. The following are tips to help you get the most out of Sunday School and Bible Study:

1. Study the lesson beforehand. Asking what does the passage say, mean, and mean to me with the aid of commentaries, a concordance, and a good study Bible, in a modern translation, will be of great assistance. Before the study, ask God for understanding. After the study period, ask God to help you live by what you have studied.

2. Bring a notebook and pen to class. To get the most out of the class, take notes of those things that are helpful to you and to those you are striving to minister to. There is nothing wrong with using one notebook for both your personal study of the lesson and the notes that you take in class.

Don’t worry about writing full sentences and spelling, while in class. Just jot down some bullets of especially what you should do, in light of the teaching material. And as I said earlier, make notes that you can pass on to others.

3. Ask questions. As you study at home and pay attention in class, ask questions about those things that you have serious questions about. The most important questions are concerned with how to live by the material.

Don’t get distracted with Bible trivia (e.g., how many men were in Pharaoh’s Army, how many angels are named in the Bible, etc.). Don’t ask questions that you already know the answer to or to simply bring attention to yourself. If the teacher doesn’t know the answer, give him or her a break, and let it go. Find someone else, after class, who might be able to help.

4. Seek the best class that can you find. Sometimes we start off in a class because of our relationship with the teacher or the students. However, the greatest motive for being in a class is that you are learning. No matter how much you like the teacher or students, if you are not learning then you are not getting the most out of the class.

5. Review your notes. To get the most out of the class, make a schedule that works for you, and review your notes. You may review them one week after the lesson, one month after the lesson, three months after the lesson, and then one year. You may want to sift through your notes and highlight those that are so important that you want to revisit them more frequently. Develop something that works for you. The more you review, the more likely you are to live by the lessons.

6. Strive to live by what you have learned. James 1:22 teaches against just being a hearer of God’s word. The goal is to be a doer of God’s word. By intentionally seeking what God wants you to do and reviewing what God wants you to do, you increase the likelihood of living by the lesson.

In summary, to get the most out of Sunday School and Bible Study, study at home, keep good notes, ask questions, review your notes, and strive to live by what you have learned.

These tips will help you get so much more out of Sunday School and Bible Study than just showing up (smile). Make sure you visit the full article on the importance of Sunday School attendance and the one on personal Bible study.

Dr. Robert E. Baines, Jr. uses his doctorate of ministry degree and twenty years of pastoral experience to provide quality and helpful Christian living information to 1,000′s of visitors a month.

Make sure you secure your free copy of his ebooklet, “How to Encourage Yourself: 21 Practical Tips,” and sign up for his newsletter that features great articles, helpful devotionals, and Bible based teaching notes at http://www.RobertBaines.com.

Studying the Bible for yourself is not that hard. All you need is a Bible and a Dictionary. It’s that simple. Oh, and you need to know where to start. I recommend starting with the book of Genesis and reading up through the book of Exodus chapter twenty. After this things get a little complicated and is best left for latter reading.

Next Start Reading the New-Testament

Just simply read along looking up the words you don’t understand or would like to know more about. This is all there is to it. You are reading the Bible for yourself. No one is telling you what to think. You are in control. There is no Bible teacher or preacher hounding you putting their own slant on the Bible. You are reading the “pure” word. This is the best way to read the Bible_on your own.

The Bible is a Prophetic Book

Did you know that the Bible is a prophetic book? What does that mean? It means what is written in the Bible did not come from the mind of man, but from God. Men wrote as the spirit gave them utterance, as the spirit inspired them to speak, then they wrote it down much like dictating a letter, but what they said did not come from their mind, but from the spirit of God. That is how we got the Bible. Isn’t that great! It is so simple and so true.

Conclusion

So, you can study the Bible for yourself. You don’t need anyone telling you what it means. You can figure it out for yourself using your dictionary and mind that God Himself gave to you. Happy Reading!

Peter K. Martell
http://earthsalvation.com/
Reading the Bible for yourself is not that hard. All you need is a Bible and a dictionary. To learn more about how easy it really is to read and understand the Bible for yourself read my website http://earthsalvation.com Happy Reading!

Sincerly: Peter K. Martell

When examining kids’ church curriculum, I’ve found that there seems to be a consistent list of objectives. I’ve narrowed it down to three primary objectives:

• Salvation– The goal is to help children understand their need for salvation
• God’s Word– The objective is to teach kids that God’s Word is the absolute truth
• Behavior– The idea is to teach children how they should act according to the Bible stories they learn.

These objectives are very important for children to grasp, but I have to ask myself as I study what the main theme is. Is there some way to teach children the importance of these objectives in a specific way, without teaching the Bible’s stories in a random, separated way? Many churches run bus ministries to bring kids from unbelieving families in to hear God’s Word taught. For many of them, it may be the only time they hear the Truth, so it must be taught clearly. From the beginning they (this includes “churched” kids, too) must be taught about God, so they can get to know who He is. As they learn about Him, the helplessness of people’s sin can be added, then the work of Jesus Christ as Substitute for sin’s penalty, and from that they can make a decision of personal trust in Him.

As I look into kids’ church curriculum, I check to see if the focus is properly on God. As we get to know Him– His character, how He connects with people, etc– we know that we can trust Him, and we desire to do the things that please Him out of love and gratitude. Our desire as we teach kids is that they would really get to know God and respond to Him as the Bible says– trust, obedience, service.

In my opinion, one of the best approaches to teaching kids, whether they’re growing up in church or not, is to teach them chronologically through the Bible. Beginning in Genesis and traveling through the big events to the life of Christ will help them see and understand God’s plan for people. This plan can be traced through the stories and hold all of them together with one theme. Here is what we hope for them to see:

• God is the Creator and is the center of everything that exists. Without Him nothing would be. He is a just God, but is loving and merciful.

• Sin came into the world because of one bad angel who sinned in heaven, so God kicked him out. God is holy and can’t let anything bad in His heaven.

• This fallen angel and his followers hated God, so turned to destroying God’s special creation– people. The bad angel (Satan) convinced people that God didn’t really know what was best.

• Since the first people decided that they knew better than God what was best for them, we now have sin and death in the world. Bad things happen because people turned their backs on God.

• Sin has been passed down to all people, so no one can be with God because He is perfect and can’t stand sin in His presence. All sin must be separated from God forever.

• God didn’t want for people to die and be separated from Him forever like the bad angels would be, so He gave His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment of sin from people onto Himself so they could live with God in heaven.

• Trusting in Jesus’ work to take our punishment is the only way any person can be saved. Being good isn’t enough because the Bible says that only through the shedding of blood can there can be forgiveness, and Jesus is the One who gave His blood for us.

• When we understand what our holy God has done for people (His creation who turned their backs on Him) so they could be brought back to Him, we will want to obey and serve Him.

Even if you choose not to use the chronological approach in teaching, I’d like to encourage you to find curriculum that keeps God at the center. Through every story His holy, just, loving character should be paramount, and from that we learn what man’s response ought to be. We don’t want the Bible’s stories to turn into lists of “do” and “don’t do” or children will get bogged down with keeping everything and will often give up altogether as they get older. The other thing that might develop is a good works based salvation. People must be taught that they are loved by an incredible God, and can show their love for Him by doing those things that please Him. Kids love to please those they love.

Please consider this as you look for and teach kid’s church curriculum!

Aleena Denison has a heart for seeing the message of the Bible presented in a clear way,and is dedicated to sharing Jesus with the lost and helping believers see their responsibilities in evangelism, discipleship, and Bible study. For more information and free downloads, see http://www.goodseed.com

In a nutshell, our new book <i>The Pearl</i> weaves the full gospel story of the present Kingdom of Jesus Christ into the first three chapters of Genesis, bringing out the simple beauty of the creation account along the way. Even the crisis of choice inherent in God’s glorious creation is powerfully portrayed–the interplay of free will between the angels, God, and mankind providing the means.

Yes, my new book <h1>The Pearl: The Captivating Story of the Wondrous Love of God</h1> is now available. And in this one small book I guarantee you will come to know the full depth of the gospel message in its earliest form, even before the foundation of the world!

The book is the first in the Paul’s Primers series. As a Primer, it remains consistent throughout to its nature as a short and informative piece of writing while, at the same time, bringing great depth to the subject matter at hand.

In essence, the book takes the reader on a fascinating journey through time. Along the way, the intrinsic beauty and purity of that Pearl spoken of by our Lord Jesus Christ reveals itself (“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all, as much as he had, and bought it.” Matthew 13:45-46). As it sparkles and shines, you will come to know its precious value more deeply than ever before, more deeply than you ever even imagined possible. The final destination for the reader? A powerful relationship with Jesus Christ!

In the book you will discover:

    * The plan of God in the time before time
    * The implementation of that plan
    * The simple beauty of the Genesis creation account
    * The Kingdom of Light and The Earthly Dimension
    * The angelic order and calling
    * The true order of formation in the creation
    * The lawful change of the Sabbath day
    * The interplay of free will between the angels, God, and mankind
    * The crisis of choice in the glorious creation
    * The state of the soul in the Old vs. the New Testament
    * The glorious work of the Lamb
    * The defeat of Satan
    * The visitation of the saints held captive in Hell
    * The glorious victory of the Lion of the tribe of Juda
    * The impact of a triumphant worldview and heavenview
    * How to explain the glory of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in simple humility
    * with a gentle kindness that accommodates the needs of others
    * with a heartfelt sense of godly fear for the state of the unsaved

And much more!

Upon opening The Pearl you will find yourself immediately uplifted, then naturally swept along from chapter to chapter. As we approach these timeless topics that link our souls with God and eternity, you will see that we do so by focusing on the interplay of free will between the three main characters of eternal Christendom–the created angels, the un-created Jesus Christ, and created mankind–all through a study of the initial hours and days of the creation account as found in the first three chapters of Genesis.

It has been said that Book One presents, for the reader in search of fine pearls, that one pearl of great price, the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its earliest and most fundamental form–as it existed in the time before time, even before the foundation of the world!

We trust <i>you</i> will enjoy <i>your</i> journey toward this Pearl of such great value–and may God bless your time so spent.

Visit us for more information on the book; and for more information on our Christian Podcasts through which you will effortlessly walk with us through the books of the New Testament, enhancing and strengthening within yourself the Power of Christ-like faith.

May God Bless your pursuit of His Word.

Tags : Bible Study, Christian Podcasts, Early Church Fathers, The Pearl, Religion, Christianity

Paul Rakowicz, the Pastor of the Church of Christ’s Glory, has been a student of the Bible for more than twenty-five years. Through his Daily Scripture Reading Bible Study Podcasts, Books, Newsletter, and other Ministry Services, he seeks to help today’s Christians rediscover their biblical heritage, which he believes can be found only in the teachings of Christ Himself, the Apostles, and the ministries of the Early Church Fathers. Visit us at www.cjrpress.com.