CC Bible-Study

[GreenMunchkin]

I don't know if this will be a popular thread, but I wanted us to have a place where we can study the word of God. I'm not sure what form it should take, or how it'll work, but I know if we did do it, I'd spend an awful lot of time in this thread so I thought maybe you would, too.

Am gonna get the ball rolling a little, if that's ok, with stuff I've been thinking about. But I'd really really like for this to be a group thing, so please add your own questions, revelations, thoughts, studies...

[bible]Matthew 16:24-26[/bible]

Is there anything you cling to that's reaped consequences? If so, what?

[bible]Matthew 6:25-26[/bible]

What in your life would change if you took that promise to heart? Conversely, if you have done, are you consciously aware of God providing for your needs?

Am sorry if this isn't the sort of thing y'all want to discuss while here... it just suddenly felt really important to put some of the direct focus back on Him

 

[Criada]

What a great idea!
Got to go out now - but will join in later!

 

[GreenMunchkin]

[BIBLE]Matthew 7:21-29[/BIBLE]

Is there any way to ensure we aren't one of the many who will be turned away?

This is something I've always been scared about.

 

[Tangeloper]

[BIBLE]Matthew 7:21-29[/BIBLE]

Is there any way to ensure we aren't one of the many who will be turned away?

This is something I've always been scared about.

Honestly... I don't think any that truly seek the Lord, and strive to do all we can to follow His Word would be turned away. I think those who are turned away would be those who willfully deny Him, and willfully disobey His Commandments to us. God knows what is in our hearts, and desires that no-one is turned away, therefore if we delight in Him, and keep Him daily in our thoughts and ways I don't think we have to worry. I do understand though...

I used to worry about that a LOT because I didn't feel worthy of His promise, or His love. Now, I refuse to let doubts set in -- when my mind turns to doubts I repeat -- I will not doubt, I will not doubt, and then I pray!

 

[Tangeloper]

[bible]Matthew 6:25-26[/bible]

What in your life would change if you took that promise to heart? Conversely, if you have done, are you consciously aware of God providing for your needs?

This is one thing I struggle with all the time. I am a natural worrier! I will say though that everytime in my life that I have worried over truly dire financial problems things have always worked out and my family and I have never gone without our needs. We don't have a lot, but what we have we are truly grateful for.

I will share something that helped to renew my faith and is directly related to this verse:

My husband hurt his back earlier this year, and we were petrified because we didn't have barely any savings -- even with short-term disability we had no idea how we would make it. The amazing thing is that as soon as we found out he would be off for a WHILE... I got the check in the mail from my grandmother's inheritance... It wasn't a lot mind you, but it was exactly enough to bring us through the next 5 months!!! PRAISE THE LORD!

If He had not called my grandmother home when He did last year, and if He had not helped my uncle to overcome his grief and file the paperwork exactly when he did (it took him a few months to tackle it), then we would've been in a very bad situation with bills, etc... BUT, God was working behind the scenes as He always does, and our needs were met! PRAISE THE LORD!

I will try to remember this next time I worry about these things. It's still hard though to trust in Him and not worry. I think the Lord knows that though, and knows that I try my hardest!!!

 

[JimfromOhio]

I have learned this is why Jesus talks about discipleship.

Remember the story about the rich ruler? Jesus looked after the rich young ruler as he walked away, but Jesus did not follow him or attempt to coerce him. Jesus wants people make their own moral choices; and Christ knew this and permitted rich ruler to go his own chosen way. Jesus is saying that He cannot do our repenting for us. He died for our sins, now it is up to us to pick up the cross.

One thing I have learned regarding cost of discipleship when I was dealing with my own temptations and failings. Discipleship requires following Jesus on His terms. A person who looks back is not fit to be His disciple (Luke 9:62). Looking back is a struggle for me that I need to work on NOT looking back. Remember a story about Sodom and Gomorrah? The angels warned Lot and his family not to look back when they run from the cities or they will die (see Genesis 19). Lot's wife died when she looked back. Looking back means you are still holding on to sin or sins that you will miss. Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ is by looking into the the future with God's love and blessings.

A.W. Tozer said, "It is disciples of Christ we are to make (Matthew 28:19) not disciples of ourselves, our churches or our denominations. Granted that in discipling we can hardly avoid transmitting our own truth perspectives. Yet we ourselves must keep in mind, and those we disciple, that truth is greater than our understanding of it."

 

[Greenthumb]

*subscribes*

 

[Criada]

[BIBLE]Matthew 7:21-29[/BIBLE]

Is there any way to ensure we aren't one of the many who will be turned away?

This is something I've always been scared about.

It's about relationship, I think. Cos, there are many "Christians" who don't really have that - it's easy to make a profession of faith, maybe go to church on Sunday, but basically carry on living for yourself, and not really get to know God at all. And then it's easy to fall away, cos you don't have that day-to-day communication.

I've been there - and really, He could have said "I never knew you" - despite saying all the right things...

But - if you really know Him, and love Him, I don't think it's possible to not 'make it'. Cos even tho we do get things wrong, and hurt Him, we come back. And you can't say "I never knew you" to someone you talk to every day...


Not sure that's theologically sound, but it's what has helped me...

 

[Criada]

This one has always confused me. I asked about it elsewhere - but twas very theological, and I didn't understand most of the answers!

Colossians 1:24
[ Paul's Labor for the Church ] Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

What does Paul mean here? Cos it sounds as tho he is implying that what Jesus did wasn't enough...But that totally conflicts with everything else he wrote, so he can't be saying that...

Anyone understand this?

 

[JimfromOhio]

This one has always confused me. I asked about it elsewhere - but twas very theological, and I didn't understand most of the answers!



What does Paul mean here? Cos it sounds as tho he is implying that what Jesus did wasn't enough...But that totally conflicts with everything else he wrote, so he can't be saying that...

Anyone understand this?

In many of Paul's letters, He constantly referred to being a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Paul saw himself not as a prisoner of the Romans or of any man. He saw himself as a prisoner of Christ. Paul also saw his imprisonment as suffering for Christians sake. In Philippians 1:29 Paul says, "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him but also to suffer for His sake." He is basically saying that it's not only his responsibility to suffer for Christ's sake, it's ours, too.

All Christians to suffer for His sake, to suffer because of Him. Paul's perspective of this suffering was to rejoice.

I have learned that suffering helped me understand more about Christ. God's purpose in redemption was not to make people’s lives happy, healthy and free of trouble; His purpose was to rescue them from sin then conform them from the inside out to the image of His Son by the power of His Spirit. We should always keep filling the Holy Spirit so that we are able to act and react any given situations. "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9).

Reading Hebrews helped me understood that I am to be aware of obstacles and hindrances I would meet during my life, to throw me off balance that hinders doing the Will of God that could entangle my life easily if I do not submit myself to God's power of grace. God's grace is more than sufficient in my life that I am to fix my eyes on Jesus who is my author and perfecter of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). Faith and Grace together is to "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14, NIV).

One thing we may be sure of, however: For the believer all pain has meaning; all adversity is profitable. There is no question that adversity is difficult. It usually takes us by surprise and seems to strike where we are most vulnerable. To us it often appears completely senseless and irrational, but to God none of it is either senseless or irrational. He has a purpose in every pain He brings or allows in our lives. We can be sure that in some way He intends it for our profit and His glory. Jerry Bridges

I am not a theologian or a scholar, but I am very aware of the fact that pain is necessary to all of us. In my own life, I think I can honestly say that out of the deepest pain has come the strongest conviction of the presence of God and the love of God. Elisabeth Elliot

This is God's universal purpose for all Christian suffering: more contentment in God and less satisfaction in the world. John Piper

"God's purpose in increasing our trials is to sensitize us to people we never would have been able to relate to otherwise." Joni Eareckson Tada

"God deliberately chooses weak, suffering and unlikely candidates to get His work done, so that in the end, the glory goes to God and not to the person." Joni Eareckson Tada

Anyway.. that's my own thoughts on this verse. I am not sure if this will help.

Jim

 

[JoeWill]

[bible]Matthew 7:21-29[/bible]

Is there any way to ensure we aren't one of the many who will be turned away?

This is something I've always been scared about.

My first reaction is to compare the passage with John 6:29:

"The work of God is to believe in the one he has sent."

 

[Greenthumb]

[bible]Matthew 7:21-29[/bible]

Is there any way to ensure we aren't one of the many who will be turned away?

This is something I've always been scared about.

Been thinking about this and looking at it in a really literal way...reading the first verse:

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Maybe what it boils down to is are you doing the will of the Father? Hmm...having asked that...what IS the will of the Father?

 

[Greenthumb]

This one has always confused me. I asked about it elsewhere - but twas very theological, and I didn't understand most of the answers!



What does Paul mean here? Cos it sounds as tho he is implying that what Jesus did wasn't enough...But that totally conflicts with everything else he wrote, so he can't be saying that...

Anyone understand this?

I do not think that Paul is saying that Christ's afflictions are/were lacking, but that He, Paul, is or was lacking in truly identifying with those afflictions. Which I think is why he says he has learned to rejoice in them. Dunno...I could be totally wrong here, but that is what I get from that.

 

[simmeringabsolute]

*subscribes*

This is the kind of post the website-formerly-known-as-CF needs...

 

[3girls2dogs]

Subscribing....do not have access to my Bible right now, will comment later on this when I can focus my thoughts more.

 

[LivingLifeHisWay]

I do intend on participating in this *awesome* thread but right now my 3 year old is climbing on me. :: So I am subscribing and returning when I am climber free. ::

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Been thinking about this and looking at it in a really literal way...reading the first verse:
Maybe what it boils down to is are you doing the will of the Father? Hmm...having asked that...what IS the will of the Father?

The other thing is, God *wants* us to be saved, so I can't see there being a load of catches... know what I mean?

Iamredeemed wrote that amazing post about its being both faith and works that save us, because works is the evidence of faith. Once cannot exist without the other. And the faith is in Christ:

[BIBLE]John 14:1-7[/BIBLE]

God has prepared a home for us in Heaven, because He wants so much for us to be with Him for eternity. Jesus has given us our free pass, so we need to have faith in Him, and only Him. If we know by faith that what Jesus has done for us redeems us, we know Him, because what He did for us is who He is; it's why He came.

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Say, would anyone mind if I merge this and the "Hidden Meaning" thread? They're sort of one and the same

 

[LivingLifeHisWay]

Say, would anyone mind if I merge this and the "Hidden Meaning" thread? They're sort of one and the same

I think that would work.

 

[Jim47]

[bible]Matthew 7:21-29[/bible]

Is there any way to ensure we aren't one of the many who will be turned away?

This is something I've always been scared about.

Indeed there is, trust only in Jesus as your Savior and that He paid the price in whole for all your sins.

If we were able to submit enough good works to merit our salvation there would have been no need for a Savior. But God demands perfection and complete redemption, something we could never fulfill.

Ro 4:4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
Ro 4:7 "Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Ro 4:8 Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

God knew from all eterninty that man would sin and He also knew that because of His holiness and righteousness that only He could provide the perfect sacrifice for sins. The whole OT posints to Jesus, in all His cermonial laws God points to perfection and He tells man that these man made sacrifices are just pinting to the perfect sacrifice that He would provide. Our Savior