Category Archives: Bible Studies

Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Relationships

Peer Pressure Temptation

We are wrong to think that peer pressure is something new. People emulate those they most admire. In turn, they want them to gain their approval. This is most noticeable in the adolescence and teenage years. Words wound; personal stories of the ‘fear of ridicule and rejection’ give credence to peer pressure scenarios. Adults can also be easily swayed.

Consider the case of Apostle Peter.

“ Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.  And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified (Galatians 2:11-16 NKJV).”  

I am free in Christ. His love reigns.

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Breaking the Bondage of Idolatry

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The bondage of idolatry is difficult to break.

“Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac (Joshua 24:1-3 NKJV).”

Abraham’s father, Terah, served false gods (with a little g).

Joshua did not mince his words.

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15 NKJV).”

Severing the chains of bondage to idolatry…

“And the people said to Joshua, ‘No, but we will serve the Lord!’

 So Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves, to serve Him.’

And they said, ‘We are witnesses!’

‘Now therefore,’ he said, ‘put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel (Joshua 24:21-23 NKJV).”

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Do Not Touch!

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Do not touch!

If the command paid financial dividends, parents would be wealthy.

I find no evidence of the heavenly Father voicing the command to Adam and Eve.

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’

And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’

Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings (Genesis 3:1-7 NKJV).”

Seeds of doubt quickly bore fruit; both Eve and Adam ate the forbidden fruit.

What did God say?

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die (Genesis 2:16-17 NKJV).”

Maybe, just maybe… Adam added the ‘Do not touch’ when instructing Eve.

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Bible Studies, Christmas, Devotionals, Salvation

Announcement & Affirmation

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“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them (Luke 2:8-20 KJV).”

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Christmas, Devotionals, Salvation, Women

Favoured & Faithful

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Mary was favoured.

“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

For with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:26-37 KJV).”

Mary was faithful.

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her (Luke 1:38 KJV).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Christmas, Devotionals, Salvation

Terrified to Testimony

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“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds (Luke 2:8-18 KJV).”

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Friends, Relationships, Salvation

Name Dropping

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Ever involved in name dropping?

Some believe it is not what you know but who you know.

Do you know the LORD God?

“It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar’ (which is En Gedi). And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said: ‘O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save (2 Chronicles 20:1-9 NKJV).”

Abraham knew the LORD. They were friends.

Knowing God, it is of utmost importance.  

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Relationships

Written in Stone

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Remember the popular ‘Que Sera, Sera’ (Whatever will be, will be) by Doris Day?

The classic is a favorite by one of my favorite female singers.

Que Sera, Sera…

Is that the attitude of a fatalist?

Is destiny set in stone?

A strained relationship between King Saul and David unfolds in a dramatic scene. 

The jealous and paranoid King was relentless in his attempts to kill David.

Given the perfect opportunity, to take the life of the mortal enemy, David declines. He would not be victor by vengeance.

Though in a crisis, David was not a fatalist; he was a man of deep faith.

Yet, some things are written in stone. King Saul, in a lucid moment, foretold the reign of David.

Que Sera, Sera.

“So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, ‘Is this your voice, my son David?’ And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. Then he said to David: ‘You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.  For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Therefore swear now to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.’

So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold (1 Samuel 24:16-22 NKJV).”

 

 

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, The Church

Abounding in Hope

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In a letter to the church in Rome, Apostle Paul shared words of challenge and encouragement.

“Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.  Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:

‘For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,
And sing to Your name.’

And again he says:

‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!’

And again:

‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!’

And again, Isaiah says:

‘There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.’

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:7-13 NKJV).”

Parting words…

Do they fall on deaf ears or sink into receptive hearts?

“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen (Romans 16:25-27 NKJV).”

 

 

 

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Spiritually Blind & Bewildered

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Can you see Me now?

I get the message.

Sometimes I am blind to God’s presence and purpose in my life.

LORD, open our eyes.

The self–righteous are blind and bewildered.

“All a man’s ways seem right to him,
but the LORD evaluates the motives (Proverbs 16:2 HCSB).”

What motivates you & me? Is it love for Him and His commandments?

“There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death (Proverbs 16:25 HCSB).”

Will we see Him as sovereign? Why continue blindly down the same dead-end street?

“Hear this,
you foolish and senseless people.
They have eyes, but they don’t see.
They have ears, but they don’t hear (Jeremiah 5:21 HSCB).”

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