Bible Minute

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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll

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Daily Bible Study

Date: Jan 7, 2010
Topic: Service/Servanthood


Sacrifice of Service

All of us, whether we're moms at home, pastors of congregations, missionaries on the field or business professionals, are called to serve God with our whole lives. That's the idea behind Romans 12:1. Paul tells us, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (NKJV).

We typically think of sacrificing our lives as giving up our lives--death. But God calls us to be living sacrifices. What does that mean?

What Does the Bible Say

Let's look a little closer at Romans 12:1.

"Living sacrifice." Being a living sacrifice means being obedient to God's will each and every day. It means sacrificing our want and desires, if necessary, to serve Him.

"By the mercies of God." One of the major themes in the Book of Romans is how God, through Jesus, has demonstrated His love and mercy by forgiving and atoning for our sins. Because of this, when we believe in Christ, God gives us eternal life instead of death. Now, being alive through God's mercy, we can live according to Christ's example.

God's mercy also enables us to: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God." We willing lead lives that keep our bodies pure before our God and our hands clean before our Maker.

* For the Christian, our sacrifice doesn't begin the day we die, it begins today--it ends the day we die.

The Bible goes on to tell us that presenting our bodies to God is "Your reasonable service." Some translations say, "spiritual act of worship," which is a valid translation as well. Paul says that our service is "reasonable." It's logical, the natural next step. It makes sense that a person saved by grace through faith would want to serve God with his or her life. (See Ephesians 2:8-10).

My Thoughts

What are some ways you can demonstrate a life of service in your home? At school? In church?

My Part

Start by looking for ways to serve in your home. Begin your morning by praying that you would be attentive to God's prompting and the opportunities that arise. As you encounter other people who are active in service, encourage them through a letter or card. Find creative ways your whole family can participate in serving the Lord together.


Good News! -- The Holy Bible is the WORD OF GOD! -- God The Father, God The Son, God The Holy Spirit - The Creator Of All Things! -- "GOD'S GRACE" and "OUR WORKS" -- Thanksgiving Proclamations ( 1623 to 1863 ) -- Thanksgiving Proclamations ( 1961 to 2001 ) -- JESUS CHRIST - VERY GOD - LORD - SAVIOUR - MESSIAH - KING

__________________
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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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll

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Daily Bible Study

Date: Jan 8, 2010
Topic: Service/Servanthood


Willing to Serve

Someone observed, "Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory capacity. " But God doesn't need any advisors--the all-knowing God is quite capable of making His own decisions with no input from any of us.

But it is true that God is looking for servants. Let's look at the kind of people who please God with their service.

What Does God Say?

And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD. And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats' hair or tanned rams' skins or goatskins brought them. Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD's contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats' hair. And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD (Exodus 35:21-29, ESV).

* What kind of an attitude does God want His servants to have?
* What was the purpose of the gifts/services rendered by these Israelites?
* What do you think motivated these people to serve the Lord by giving so generously?

My Thoughts

We serve the Lord in many ways, one of which is through the gifts that we give. When it comes time to write your check or put your offering in the offering plate, what kind of an attitude do you have? Compare this passage in Exodus35 to 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 in the New Testament. What similarities do you see?

My Part

In addition to giving material gifts, list at least two other ways you could serve the Lord this week. Share this with a friend and ask him or her to hold you accountable not only for the service itself but also for the attitude you show as you serve.


Good News! -- The Holy Bible is the WORD OF GOD! -- God The Father, God The Son, God The Holy Spirit - The Creator Of All Things! -- "GOD'S GRACE" and "OUR WORKS" -- Thanksgiving Proclamations ( 1623 to 1863 ) -- Thanksgiving Proclamations ( 1961 to 2001 ) -- JESUS CHRIST - VERY GOD - LORD - SAVIOUR - MESSIAH - KING

__________________
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.

*

__________________
'May The Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His sufferings'


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He gathereth the outcasts of Israel. The Lord hath chosen Zion,he hath desired it for His habitation.

Zechariah 9v16 The LORD their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.
17 How attractive and beautiful they will be!


The Necessity & Severity of Eternal Hell can never be understood by a mortal who has no comprehension of an Infinite God's view,as to the enormity of Sin

Be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

The amount of thoughts You think about me, are more numerous than the grains of sand from over a 1000 beaches, that You pick up yourself & let fall through Your fingers one by one Ps 139


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This train is bound for Glory this train

J. Hudson Taylor

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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll

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Daily Bible Study

Date: Jan 11, 2010
Topic: God/Jesus


What Kind of God?

What kind of God do you have? How do you see Him? In fact, take a moment right now and jot down five or six words that, to you, describe God.

Maybe you've come up with words like awesome or powerful, angry or judgmental, loving, compassionate, strict or expecting obedience. Actually, there's much more to God than we generally consider. But sometimes that's a problem.

What Does God Say

The problem starts when we have an incomplete view of God. Maybe we prefer to focus on His love and compassion and forget how much He hates sin or how willing He is to judge evil. Or we start treating God like He's one of us. We limit Him and decide what kind of God He'll be.

Guess what? That doesn't fly with God. First, because we're the creation, not the Creator:

"For thus says the LORD,
who created the heavens
(he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
(he established it;
he did not create it empty,
he formed it to be inhabited!):
'I am the LORD, and there is no other.'" (Isaiah 45:18, ESV).

When you create a painting or a cake or a piece of furniture, it owes its existence to you. You're the greater of the two. It's the same with God--He created us, and we owe our existence to Him. We're the work of His hands, not His equal as He reminds us in Isaiah 45:9-10:

"Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,
a pot among earthen pots!
Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?'
or 'Your work has no handles'?
Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?'
or to a woman, 'With what are you in labor?'" (ESV).

So much for putting God in a box and telling Him how to be God!

My Thoughts

Take a look at a few more things we need to know about God.

Psalm 100:3
Isaiah 40:28
2 Peter 3:9
1 John 4:7-20
Isaiah 45:21-22
Deuteronomy 9:7
Exodus 34:6
Psalm 145:8-20

* What did you see of God?
* What kind of response does He deserve from you?
* Does your view of God conflict with what He says about Himself in His Word?
* Have you looked at Him from only a few angles, the ones you're most comfortable with?
* What needs to change in your view of God?

My Part

Let me ask you again, what kind of God do you have? The only sure way to develop a better understanding of who God really is, is by exploring His complete Word, not just the parts you like best or what makes you feel good. It may mean coming to grips with a God who really doesn't put up with sin or learning to accept the mercy and grace that a just and holy God offers.

Whenever you read the Bible, pay attention to what God says about Himself. Jot your finding and the references in the back of your Bible or your journal. See how your view of God grows and develops more fully. You can begin with the passages we've looked at here, or try a survey through Psalms 90-100 and see what you find.

__________________
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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Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll

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Daily Bible Study

Date: Jan 12, 2010
Topic: Christian Living/Situational


Pay it Forward!

When someone is clearly responsible for committing a crime, that person stands before a judge and pleads "guilty." There isn't anything he or she can do after that, the perpetrator's fate is in the hands of the judge and the jury. You could say that individual is at the mercy of the court. As Christians, we mess up and sin. We can't go to God our Judge and make excuses for what we did. We confess our sin and accept whatever punishment He feels is acceptable. The good news is that God is able to show us mercy through Jesus Christ.

What Does God Say?

"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)" (Ephesians 2:4-5, NLT).

"He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve" (Psalm 103:10, NLT).

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NLT).

"People who conceal their sins will not prosper,
but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy" (Proverbs 28:13, NLT).

* How does God show us His mercy?
* What are we to do because of the mercy He's shown us?
* Who receives His mercy?

My Thoughts

God doesn't have to give us mercy. We know that we are sinners, and we are completely undeserving of that mercy. He chooses to give us His mercy because He loves us that much. When you think about it like that, it really makes you grateful that we serve Him, doesn't it? Sometimes it can be hard to accept God's mercy. We feel that our sins are too great, even for God. Just know that no sin or sinner is greater than God's mercy! Ask yourself these questions:

* Have I taken advantage of His mercy?
* Does my life reflect the thankfulness I have for the mercy God has given me?
* Am I accepting God's mercy or am I still stuck in past sins?

My Part

God doesn't want us to just accept His mercy but to pass it on to others. God will only give mercy to those who are merciful themselves. If God can be compassionate and merciful to us, why would we not show that same compassion and mercy to others?

Take some time today and thank God for His mercy. Then make sure you are sharing that mercy and compassion with others in your life.

__________________
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.

I like Woodrow Krull very much. His "back to the bible" radio programs are fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

__________________
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.- Our Lord and Savior.

Originally Posted by Hentenza

I like Woodrow Krull very much. His "back to the bible" radio programs are fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

You are most welcome. I think that God has been using Back to the Bible for His Glory many years, and I give thanks they are still faithful servants in these possible last days of the Age of Grace. I used to get transcripts of the radio program, and I agree that it's fantastic.

__________________
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.

___________________________________
Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll

Distributed Freely by Back To The Bible
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Daily Bible Study

Date: Jan 13, 2010
Topic: Forgiveness/Unforgiveness


Mercy

When the lady saw her portrait, she complained to the artist, "That picture doesn't do me justice."

He replied, "You don't want justice; you want mercy."

So it is when we realize how sinful we are. We don't want justice; we need God's mercy. When the psalmist talks about the wonderful blessings of a personal relationship with God, mercy is high on his list.

What Does God Say?

"Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle" (Psalm 103:1-5, NASB).

What is first on the psalmist's list? Forgiveness. Total and complete forgiveness for all his sins. Jesus made that possible. By His sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus opened the way for God to forgive our sins, and He rescued us from having to pay the awful penalty that was justly ours. That is mercy in the most profound way: God, extending His mercy to us, does not give us what we deserve.

My Thoughts

"The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:8-12 NKJV).

He removes our sin as far as the east is from the west. Why did the Bible not say as far as the north is from the south? Because at the North Pole and the South Pole, north and south meet. If you go south one step past the North Pole, you are now going south. But if you start going east, you can travel forever and never go west! How far then does God promise to remove our sins? That's mercy!

My Part

If there is anything in your life that you need to confess and ask God to forgive, why not do it now?

If there are sins in your life that you have already confessed but have been uncertain of God's forgiveness, then right now thank the Lord for complete and total forgiveness and trust in His mercy.

__________________
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.

___________________________________
Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll

Distributed Freely by Back To The Bible
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Daily Bible Study

Date: Jan 14, 2010
Topic: Holiness


To Be Holy

Who wants to be known as a "holy Joe?" Not many of us. Who wants to dress up in a white robe, carry a cross and march through the malls singing, "Onward, Christian Soldiers?" Again, no one I know aspires to such a life. Yet the Bible is quite clear that God is holy and that we are to be holy. "But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:15-16, NLT).So, what does that mean?

What Does God Say?

Let's first look at what "holy" doesn't mean:

The Old Testament says about Israel, "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God...the LORD your God has chosen you to be His own special treasure" (Deuteronomy 7:6, NLT).

Now, it is certain that if Israel was to be holy, it did not mean they were to be sinless. Their history is marked by disobedience and rebellion as the Chosen People. Furthermore since both Israel and the early Christians were "normal" and "ordinary," it also does not mean "super-spiritual" or "weird."

Now, let's look at what it does means to be holy. The key to understanding holiness is found in this verse.

"So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I, the LORD, am your God" (Leviticus 20:7, NLT).

Every time the word "holy" is used, it's designed to show separateness. So, to be holy means "to be set apart" for the unique distinction of having a close connection with God. It means "being unique, separate, distinct, marked out by God as belonging to Him."

My Thoughts

In the best sense of the word, holy means that, as a Christian, I have this distinct and unique relationship with God that separates me from the rest of the world as I model my life after Christ, the holiest person who ever lived.

* If you are going to be holy, what implications does that have for situations and relationships?
* What does it mean to be holy

at home,
at school,
at work?

Does your lifestyle, your words, your attitudes and actions reflect a distinct and unique relationship with God?

My Part

Now that you understand what it means to be holy and realize that God intends for you to live a holy life, perhaps it would be a good time to personally dedicate or rededicate your life to God.

Evaluate your life looking for any area where you are especially vulnerable and it might be difficult for you maintain holiness. Tell God about that concern and take time to ask Him for His help in living a life that is distinct and separate.

* Commit or recommit yourself to be holy even as He is holy.

__________________
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.

___________________________________
Bible Minute by Woodrow Kroll

Distributed Freely by Back To The Bible
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Daily Bible Study

Date: Jan 15, 2010
Topic: Holiness


Like Father, Like Son

It starts in the nursery at the hospital. As excited friends and relatives press their noses against the viewing window, someone is sure to say, "Oh, look, he has his father's ears" or "She has her mother's eyes." And that's to be expected--even at birth a child bears some resemblance to his or her parents. Oftentimes, as they grow older, the resemblance between parent and child becomes even more evident.

The same is true spiritually. As you mature in your Christian walk, the resemblance between you and your Heavenly Father should grow more evident. And no resemblance is more important than in the area of holiness. Let's see what God's Word says.

What Does God Say?

Leviticus 11:45 (NLT) says, "For I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy."

God says He is "holy." That means He is morally perfect and that He is set apart from people and sin. He is unique. There is no other like Him."

So, how can God say that you must be holy? How can you be holy? It must be possible, because He says you can. You are a human, and you can't become a god. But you can be separated from sin and separated to God.

God does something wonderful when you believe in Christ as your Savior. He accepts you as His child and credits Christ's holiness to you. You begin to look like your Heavenly Father and a process of growing more like Him begins.

Look at what the apostle Peter, in 1 Peter 1:14-16 (NLT) says: "So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, 'You must be holy because I am holy.'"

My Thoughts

God says you are to be holy. Look up these Bible passages and see some ways that this holiness should look in your life. Write down what you see.

John 17:17
1 Timothy 2:8
Colossians 3:12, 13
Romans 12:1
2 Peter 3:11-13
1 Peter 2:9,10

My Part

Hebrews 4:12-13 doesn't contain the word "holy," but it tells you how the Word of God works in your life to expose those things that need to be changed in order for you to become daily more like God--to grow in your resemblance to Him. Meditate on this passage and ask the Lord to reveal any flaws in your life that need to be corrected. Ask Him to mold you into a holy vessel, set apart for His service.

__________________
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.