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11th August 2012, 07:49 AM
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Reps: 19,469,272,342,315,880 (power: 19,469,272,342,316) | | | Awesome bible study, Tom! It is so hard for many of us to admit our faults in anything. It is always the other person's fault. I pray that we all take heed to what you shared with us, and begin to take responsibility for our actions and go forward. Taking responsibility does not mean that we should feel so guilty that we wallow in guilt and shame. We acknowledge our wrongdoing, ask for forgiveness, and move forward towards God, casting the weight of our cares upon Him for He is able to bear them. Amen!
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12th August 2012, 02:27 AM
|  | AKA: Tom - Saved By Grace
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| | Join Date: 21st March 2003 Location: Oklahoma, USA
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Originally Posted by SowNFaithReapNJoy  Awesome bible study, Tom! It is so hard for many of us to admit our faults in anything. It is always the other person's fault. I pray that we all take heed to what you shared with us, and begin to take responsibility for our actions and go forward. Taking responsibility does not mean that we should feel so guilty that we wallow in guilt and shame. We acknowledge our wrongdoing, ask for forgiveness, and move forward towards God, casting the weight of our cares upon Him for He is able to bear them. Amen!
Another Amen!
I'm happy that you enjoyed the Bible Minute. I do also, and I look forward to getting them regularly by email.
__________________ Love In Christ,
Tom
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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13th August 2012, 05:30 PM
| | AKA: Tom - Saved By Grace
64
| | Join Date: 21st March 2003 Location: Oklahoma, USA
Posts: 12,483
Blessings: 9,038,257 My Mood
Reps: 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (power: 9,223,372,036,854,800) | |  Stopping the Spiral
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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll
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Daily Bible Study
Date: Aug 9, 2012
Topic: Sin/Temptation
Stopping the Spiral
In aviation the situation is known by many names: death spiral, graveyard spiral, suicide spiral, vicious spiral. In all cases the affected airplane heads downward for a one-point landing--cockpit first. All types of airplanes can be caught in this phenomenon, and it is something that even seasoned pilots can experience. And as the names imply, the result is usually deadly.
The Bible also talks about a spiral--a spiritual spiral--that is equally deadly. Let's see what the Bible says about that spiral and how we can get out of it.
Receive
"But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (James 1:14-15, ESV).
"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:22, ESV).
With what do our temptations begin?
Yielding to this temptation results in what?
What is the ultimate outcome?
Reflect
Notice that in 2 Timothy 2:22 Paul gives the steps for dealing with this issue of temptation. First he says to "flee." Don't hang around places where you might be tempted. Then secondly, actively pursue those things which will build up your spiritual life. If our lives are filled with things which produce righteousness, faith, love and peace, there will be little room for temptation to get a foothold. And thirdly, make friends with godly people. If the wrong company can corrupt us (1 Corinthians 15:33), the right company can strengthen us to overcome temptation.
Respond
If you are caught in a deadly spiral of sin, determine how you can apply the steps above to pull out of this spiral. Are there places you need to avoid? Are there activities such as Bible study, regular attendance at church, daily devotions and consistent prayer time that you need to add to your schedule? In addition, are your friends helping or hindering your walk with the Lord. If they aren't helping, then it's time to look for some new friends.
Select one of these steps to work on this week.
__________________ Love In Christ,
Tom
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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13th August 2012, 05:31 PM
| | AKA: Tom - Saved By Grace
64
| | Join Date: 21st March 2003 Location: Oklahoma, USA
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Reps: 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (power: 9,223,372,036,854,800) | | Patterns of Temptation
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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll
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Daily Bible Study
Date: Aug 10, 2012
Topic: Sin/Temptation
Patterns of Temptation
Two Korean soldiers were joking and laughing as they walked along a path to join their unit. The war had been over for months, so there seemed to be no danger to worry about. One of the men suddenly spotted something shiny in the ditch beside the path. Stepping aside, he reached down to retrieve the object. There was a deafening explosion as a land mine went off and when the dust settled, the soldier lay dead and his companion had both legs blown off. A sign they had just walked by read, "Danger, Stay on Path."
God's Word puts up some danger signs to warn you about temptation as you walk on your daily spiritual journey.
Receive
James 1:12-15 (ESV)
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."
How does this happen? Let's look at some people who were tempted to do wrong and ended up in a tangle of sin and shame.
Read Genesis 3:1-10 and re-read verses 6 and 7.
What did Eve see?
What did she desire?
What did she do?
Why did Adam and Eve hide? (3:10)
What happened as a result of their sin? (see Genesis 3:22-24)
When Joshua led the people of Israel into the Promised Land, the first city they conquered was Jericho. God told the people that they were to keep none of the captured goods for themselves, but a man named Achan disobeyed and was later caught with the stolen things. Look up Achan's confession in Joshua 7:20-22.
What did Achan see?
What was his temptation about what he saw?
What did he do to satisfy his desires?
What happened because of his sin? (see Joshua 7:24-26)
Reflect
Do you see the pattern of temptation? They saw something...they desired it...they took it for themselves...they hid the results as well as they could from God and man, but they were caught and had to face the consequences.
The same thing happened to David in his adultery with Bathsheba. He saw her; he desired her; he took her. Then David tried every way he could think of to hide the sin, but he suffered tragic consequences for the rest of his life (see 2 Samuel 11 and 12).
Do you wonder what resources God has given us to ward off the temptations Satan brings our way? Here is some help. Look up the Bible answers to these questions:
What does Jesus say about how we should regularly pray against Satan's temptations? (Matthew 6:13 and Matthew 26:41).
If you are tempted, is there any way out before you fall into sin? (1Corinthians 10:13).
Respond
First Corinthians 10:13 says that temptation is a common experience for all people.
Someone once said of temptation, "You can't keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair!"
Take some time right now to consider whether there are some weak spots in your life--an old habit, a wrong pattern of activity or a desire for something that requires disobedience to God in order to get. If you identify a weakness, ask the Lord now to give you strength and to deliver you from the temptations of the evil one.
__________________ Love In Christ,
Tom
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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14th August 2012, 12:48 PM
| | AKA: Tom - Saved By Grace
64
| | Join Date: 21st March 2003 Location: Oklahoma, USA
Posts: 12,483
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Reps: 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (power: 9,223,372,036,854,800) | | A Critical Conversation
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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll
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Daily Bible Study
Date: Aug 13, 2012
Topic: Prayer
A Critical Conversation
Think of one of your closest relationships. Maybe it's with a spouse, a sibling or a best friend. Now, ask yourself, How often do I talk to that person? What do I talk about? More than likely, you'll find that you talk to him or her all the time and about everything! Our relationship with God should be like that as well. In fact, it should be our number one priority. He should be our closest friend, yet many times we talk to Him the least! Is prayer really just talking to God? Are there certain things I have to do and say? Sometimes we don't pray because we get confused about what prayer is really all about.
Receive
"Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it" (James 4:2, NLT).
"If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened" (Psalm 66:18 NLT).
"It's your sins that have cut you off from God.
Because of your sins, he has turned away
and will not listen anymore" (Isaiah 59:2, NLT).
"Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises" (James 5:13, NLT).
Consider these questions:
What is one of the reasons we don't get what we pray for?
What causes God not to hear our prayers?
When are we to pray?
Reflect
Prayer is our communication with God. It's our way to spend time with God and strengthen our relationship with Him. Prayer is about thanking Him for everything He's done for us; it's confessing our sins. Prayer is asking God for the things we want and need. Some people only go to God when they need something. Others only go to God when things are rough. What kind of friend would you be if you only talked to a person when you needed something from him or her?
Ask yourself:
How often do I spend time talking with God in prayer?
When do I pray? Is it just when I need something?
Am I making sure that there is no known sin in my life so my relationship with God can grow?
Respond
We are called to consistently pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We don't just have to pray before our meals or during our usual devotional times. We can pray any time of the day. Spend some time today giving your prayer life a serious check up. Think about when you normally pray and what you are praying for. If you need to, make a list. Write down all the things that you're thankful for, all the things you need to ask God for, etc.
If we learn to view prayer as our way of communicating with God and developing our relationship with Him, our attitude toward prayer will completely change--and, more importantly, our relationship with God will grow.
__________________ Love In Christ,
Tom
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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14th August 2012, 12:49 PM
| | AKA: Tom - Saved By Grace
64
| | Join Date: 21st March 2003 Location: Oklahoma, USA
Posts: 12,483
Blessings: 9,038,257 My Mood
Reps: 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (power: 9,223,372,036,854,800) | | How You Treat God
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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll
Distributed Freely by Back To The Bible
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Daily Bible Study
Date: Aug 14, 2012
Topic: Prayer, Sin/Temptation
How You Treat God
If I were to start treating my boss like a servant, you can bet I would experience some consequences pretty quickly. If I were to start treating my best friend like a common criminal, he wouldn't be my best friend for long.
It's obvious: the way I treat the people in my life will directly affect the way they treat me. Does the same rule apply to the relationship I have with God? Yes, it can. While God's faithfulness to us never changes, our attitudes and actions can cause His responses toward us to change considerably!
Receive
"'Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations that they commit here, that they should fill the land with violence and provoke me still further to anger.... Therefore I will act in wrath....And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them'" (Ezekiel 8:17-18, ESV).
"If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened" (Psalm 66:18 ESV).
While it's not an exhaustive list, look at Proverbs 6:16-19 and list the items mentioned that are an abomination to the Lord.
What does it mean to cherish iniquity in your heart"?
Reflect
It feels almost blasphemous to say that there are times when God doesn't hear my prayers, but there it is in the Bible. But along with the predicament (God not hearing my prayers), the Bible also points out the problem: my sin. Not just the sin that comes as a result of being chained to a corrupted body (See Romans 7:18.) but the sinful habits and lifestyles we hold on to even after accepting Christ.
This isn't God being petty and juvenile. This is God saying, "I take this relationship seriously, and I want you to demonstrate that you take it just as seriously."
Respond
Are you feeling like God isn't hearing your prayers? It could be a test--God is demonstrating whether you will be faithful even if you don't feel His presence or see His hand responding to your prayers. On the other hand, there could abominations (sin) in your life. Ask God to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him. Use the list in Proverbs 6:16-19 as a starting point to reveal any thing that might be hindering your prayers.
__________________ Love In Christ,
Tom
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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15th August 2012, 07:13 PM
| | AKA: Tom - Saved By Grace
64
| | Join Date: 21st March 2003 Location: Oklahoma, USA
Posts: 12,483
Blessings: 9,038,257 My Mood
Reps: 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (power: 9,223,372,036,854,800) | | How You Treat God - 2
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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll
Distributed Freely by Back To The Bible
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Daily Bible Study
Date: Aug 15, 2012
Topic: Prayer, Christian Living/Situational, God
How You Treat God - 2
Are you ever surprised by Scripture? Not just amazed but almost unable to believe a specific passage is actually in the Bible? Jeremiah felt the same astonishment when he heard God tell him that his prayers for the Israelites were just a waste of time.
Receive
"Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, and don't beg me to help them, for I will not listen to you" (Jeremiah 7:16, NLT)
Why would God tell Jeremiah that? Don't you think He wants His people to pray for each other? What is the difference in this situation? God explained it to Jeremiah. The difference was because of how the people had treated God. They had defiled God's house, lived wicked lives, refused to repent; and they had to bear the consequences.
"Don't you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the Lord, have spoken!" (Jeremiah 7:11 NLT)
Reflect
God is a God who expects to be treated like God. And any nation, any people who live like they don't need God should not be naive enough to believe that God will ignore their behavior and also help them whenever they ask.
Is God a God of grace, a God of mercy, a God of goodness and love? Most certainly! But He is also a just and holy and fair God. And we, especially His children, should treat God like the God He is. Or we might discover that one day our prayers will be left unanswered because God is not listening.
Respond
Does this seem right to you? Is God being mean and vindictive? Or is God refusing to bless sin and rebellion? Praying and asking for God's help does not begin when we voice our needs and troubles to Him. Our prayers and our behavior are inescapably related. Our prayers are nullified when we live lives of rebellion toward God.
Understand that, today, the way you live reflects what you truly think of God. Ask for His help, and commit to do your best to walk worthy of your God.
"Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God" (Ephesians 4:1 NLT).
"Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better" (Colossians 1:10 NLT).
"We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory" (1 Thessalonians 2:12 NLT).
__________________ Love In Christ,
Tom
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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17th August 2012, 01:32 AM
| | AKA: Tom - Saved By Grace
64
| | Join Date: 21st March 2003 Location: Oklahoma, USA
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Blessings: 9,038,257 My Mood
Reps: 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (power: 9,223,372,036,854,800) | | First Things First
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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll
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Daily Bible Study
Date: Aug 16, 2012
Topic: Prayer
First Things First
"First things first"--you've heard that before, haven't you? Your mom yelled, "Come to lunch! Wash your hands first!"
Your boss told you, "Don't ever take out the company car without checking the oil first."
Your spouse warned, "I just vacuumed the carpet. Take your shoes off before you come in."
You know your car won't start unless you turn the ignition key first, and you can't read your email without booting up the computer first; but did you know there is a "first thing first" in prayer too? Let's see what the Lord says.
Receive
You are probably aware that your relationship to God should be right if you expect Him to answer your prayers. Proverbs 15:29 (ESV) says:
"The LORD is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous."
But there's another condition to be met before your prayers can be effective--something that Jesus said you need to consider before you approach God. He said: "So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24, ESV).
"And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses" (Mark 11:25, ESV).
Jesus is saying that "first things first" applies when we go to the Lord in prayer. God looks at our prayers as offerings to Him (See Revelation 8:4.). If you go to the altar of prayer and your brother has something against you, your offering won't be acceptable to the Lord until you have restored your human relationships. If you go to prayer with an unforgiving spirit, God will be deaf until you have first forgiven the one who offended you.
Reflect
Look up these verses and answer the questions:
Psalm 145:18--What is God's condition for nearness to those who call on Him?
Proverbs 15:8--Whose prayer is acceptable to God?
Proverbs 28:9--Whose prayer is an abomination?
John 15:7--Who may ask what they wish, and it will be done?
Respond
You should be very careful about rushing into the presence of God. A little preparation time before you go to the Lord can help you be on better "praying ground." Yes, Christ has given us the right to appear confidently before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), but He has also warned us not to appear disobediently.
Set aside a few minutes in your devotional time to prepare to meet with the Lord. Ask Him to show you anything in your life that is hindering prayer. Try doing this for the next several days and see if it doesn't make a difference in the way you come before the Lord. Keep the first things first.
__________________ Love In Christ,
Tom
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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20th August 2012, 08:38 PM
| | AKA: Tom - Saved By Grace
64
| | Join Date: 21st March 2003 Location: Oklahoma, USA
Posts: 12,483
Blessings: 9,038,257 My Mood
Reps: 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (power: 9,223,372,036,854,800) | | How You Treat the Bible - 2
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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll
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Daily Bible Study
Date: Aug 20, 2012
Topic: Bible Study/Theories
How You Treat the Bible - 2
You come to this Bible Minute website to learn what God says about your life here on earth and in eternity. You come because you want to know more about God Himself and your relationship to Him. Perhaps you have come because you are searching for answers to needs you are experiencing in your life.
Bible illiteracy--ignorance of what the Bible says and what it has to do with life--is a disgrace around the world today. In America hundreds of thousands have Bibles, but they neglect them. These Bible Minutes are written to help you get to know God's Word better and apply its lessons to your life.
Reading God's Word with understanding begins with knowing some very basic facts about the Bible itself. Pick up your Bible and let's look at some of those things today.
Receive
First, look at two statements from Psalm 119. This is a wonderful psalm. It is the longest chapter in the Bible and nearly every verse says something about God's Word.
Psalm 119:89 (ESV)
"Forever, O LORD, your word
is firmly fixed in the heavens."
What does this verse tell you about God's Word?
Psalm 119:160 (ESV)
"The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous rules endures forever."
What insight into God's Word does this verse give you?
Reflect
With the kind of book described in Psalm 119 in your hands, you'll want to understand it as completely as possible. Your most important responsibility is to read it. As you read it, ask God to give you understanding and life-changing insights.
Many resources are available to help you better understand your Bible. Here are some suggestions. It will help you to consult a trusted pastor or Christian leader about which books are good, since there are also some bad ones out there.
A Bible dictionary. You may look up names, places and unfamiliar words. It will also give you brief outlines of each book of the Bible and biographical information on each person.
A concordance. Some Bibles have this included. A concordance is a list of Bible words with the verse references where they are found. Be sure your concordance is for the Bible version you use since Greek and Hebrew words are not always translated exactly the same way in every version.
A Bible commentary. Start with a one-or two-volume commentary. Commentaries cover each book of the Bible in order and shed some light on each section. There are also separate commentaries by trustworthy scholars that deal with individual Bible books.
If your budget is too tight to obtain these study helps, one of your best starter purchases would be a good study Bible. These Bibles contain many notes and helps that are found in commentaries or dictionaries. They usually contain a reasonably good concordance.
In our day, there are many Bible study resources on the Internet such as this one, but be careful! Cults and false teachers also use the Internet.
Respond
Today's Bible Minute study is a bit different because we want to help you dig deeper into God's Word and learn how to apply it to your life. We pray for you to be one of the "biblically literate.″
Dr. Woodrow Kroll says, "God only wrote one Book. And in that one Book, He reveals to us what's on His heart and what's on His mind. Now, if we don't care enough about God to read what He said to us, why would we think that God would be eager to answer our prayers?"
Now, take some time to investigate God's marvelous Book and look up the following verses in Psalm 119. Write down what each of the verses says God's Word will do for you.
Psalm 119:105
Psalm 119:9
Psalm 119:11
Psalm 119:42
Psalm 119:169
Psalm 119:16
__________________ Love In Christ,
Tom
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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25th August 2012, 04:59 PM
| | AKA: Tom - Saved By Grace
64
| | Join Date: 21st March 2003 Location: Oklahoma, USA
Posts: 12,483
Blessings: 9,038,257 My Mood
Reps: 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (power: 9,223,372,036,854,800) | | Hindrances to Prayer - 2
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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll
Distributed Freely by Back To The Bible
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Daily Bible Study
Date: Aug 22, 2012
Topic: Prayer
Hindrances to Prayer - 2
Oh my! Brake lights flashing up ahead; traffic's slowing down. What's the problem? Train? Accident? Construction? Flat tire? Whatever it is, it can hinder you from getting where you're going. Hindrances in our physical lives are no fun, neither are the hindrances that can interfere with our prayer lives.
Receive
If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear" (Psalm 66:18 NKJV).
Sin in our lives hinders us from getting through to God. But even Christians sin, don't they? True. Only when we get to heaven will we be completely free from sin and 100 percent delivered from sinning.
So, what is the Bible saying? Perhaps another translation would help us understand.
Psalm 66:18, "If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened" (NIV).
What does the Psalmist identify as a hindrance that interferes with our prayers?
Sin that we hold onto, sins that we refuse to let go, sins that become part of our lifestyle--these are hindrances that keep God from answering our prayers. Such things also interrupt our fellowship with God, keep us from spending time in His Word, dilute the joy in our lives, interfere with our worship and undermine our assurance and trust in God.
Are there any hindrances in your spiritual life?
Are there any situations or relationships that are not pleasing to God that you are holding onto?
Reflect
What will remove those hindrances? The apostle John gives us the steps in 1 John 1:8-9, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (NIV).
According to John, what is the first step?
What does God promise to do?
Deal with the sin. Acknowledge it; confess it; and turn away from it. Then, let it go; walk away from it; get rid of it; don't go there; get new friends; make a clean break with that sin.
Can you do that? Not on your own. How does Philippians 2:13 below encourage you?
"For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose" (Philippians 2:13, NIV).
What does this scripture teach you about God's help?
Who is working in you?
For what reason is God working in you?
Respond
Take time now to shore up your prayer life. Set aside those hindrances and spend time in prayer, enjoying intimate fellowship with the Lord, confident that God is listening to your prayers.
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I'll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!*
*"Sweet Hour of Prayer," William W. Walford and William B. Bradbury. Public Domain.
__________________ Love In Christ,
Tom
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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