BibleTrekToday.com

Year: 2010

  • Live by the Spirit!

    Scripture reading for December 1st: Galatians 1-6

    Have you ever had a battle with your flesh?  Was your will power enough to win the victory?  Could the Law help you overcome your desire to escape the battle?  Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians to help them overcome some religious false teachers who wanted to mix the law with grace.   They felt that all bases must be covered to make God happy.  Paul had a simple solution.

    “You were called to be free.  But don’t use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”  So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Galatians 5:13-16)

    Paul encouraged the Galatians to live in freedom by living by the Spirit.  The Spirit indwelling us brings the life of God into our inner man.  We are not under the law, which can only reveal sin and stir up our flesh to break it.  As we live by the Spirit, we live a life of love, serving God and others.  We put off the acts of the sinful nature that used to plague us and ultimately would keep us from the kingdom of heaven.  (Galatians 5:18-21)

    We allow the Spirit to develop fruit in our lives. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-24)  The Spirit is in harmony with God the Father and Jesus Christ and produces no conflict or division with man or God.  When we live by the Spirit, the sinful nature doesn’t have a place in our life.

    Living by the spirit brings a harvest of eternal life!  God cannot be mocked, what we sow we certainly will reap.  (Galatians 6:7-10)  Doing good and seeking unity and restoration will produce a good reward.  We don’t work for the reward, but are assured of a harvest if we don’t grow weary.  This requires faith and patient endurance.  Living by the Spirit is the positive antidote to trying to keep the law to earn our freedom.  One leads to eternal life, the other to condemnation!

  • Healthy Self Examination!

    Scripture reading for November 30th: 2nd Corinthians 10-13

    The apostle Paul had heard reports concerning the Corinthians and knew their culture well after living and ministering there for over two years.  He was planning on coming back to deal with some of their ongoing problems and besetting sins and wrote them to prepare them for the visit.  His words contained a gentle warning that he would have to act to deal with these problems.

    “For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.  I fear that there may be quarreling,  jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.  I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.”

    The main problem was sins common to most church families.  These sins caused division and disorder in the church and grieved those in church leadership.  Quarreling and jealousy caused many people to have an attitude against others.  Slander and gossip spread like gangrene and brought decay to the members of the church.  Disunity and factions developed that further eroded the church’s ability to function as a strong witness for Christ.

    The only way out of sin is repentance!  The only way to truly repent is to first examine yourself.  “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless of course, you fail the test?” Are you living by faith in Jesus Christ?  Is Christ dwelling in you daily and are you allowing His life to flow through you?  If not, repent of the flesh and begin walking by the Spirit!  Paul’s prayer for these Corinthians was for their perfection!  (2nd Corinthians 13:9-11)  He told them to aim for perfection!  Without a goal of holiness, they would not make progress and the apostle would have to rebuke them!

    “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2nd Corinthians 13:14)  With the Holy Trinity dwelling with you, you will not fail the test!

  • Come Out and Be Separate!

    Scripture reading for November 29th: 2nd Corinthians 6-9

    “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.  For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?  What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?  What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?  For we are the temple of the living God.  As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”  “Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.  Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you.” (2nd Corinthians 6:14-17)

    This passage has been used for a variety of  applications over the years.  It is used to tell those getting married not to join themselves to an unbeliever.  All of these questions are designed to help a person think through their relationship and make sure that they are marrying a believer who is spiritually compatible with them.  That is a good and proper use of this passage and may be a proper interpretation.

    Another application that I have heard of is using this to tell Christians not to have anything to do with non-Christians. The idea is taught that non-believers are full of the devil and may contaminate believers who go near them.  God won’t bless us if we get too close to unbelievers and we will live a miserable life.  The problem with this argument is that it is not exactly what this passage is talking about.  Being yoked with someone has to do with making a covenant or business agreement.  It does not mean having just casual contact with someone.  How can we reach unbelievers if we separate ourselves from them completely?  Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would be kept safe in the world, not that we would be taken out of the world.  Jesus sent us into the world as the Father sent Him into the world, to reach lost people.

    We must not love the world or become entangled in close relationships with unbelievers.  There will be inevitable conflict between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light.  They will not mix!  We must be wise and heed the advice of Scripture rather than trying to defy it.  God is your loving Father and His will is best!

  • Ever-increasing Glory!

    Scripture reading for November 28th: 2nd Corinthians 1-5

    Dear Friends,

    Due to a few days errors in writing, we must read on four Sunday’s to catch up!  I pray that you will rest as you read and be refreshed!  God’s Word is Spirit and Life and has transforming power for our soul, mind, and body!  As we gather with God’s people to worship and hear the Word preached and taught, God meets with us and transformation comes through revelation of His glory and grace!

    “But when anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is Spirit.” (2nd Corinthians 3:16-18)

    In this second letter to the Corinthians, Paul was writing to them about the Jews who were under the law.   Moses received the law from God by spending 40 days in His presence twice!  Each time, his face glowed because of being in God’s presence and Moses had to wear a veil to keep the Israelites from gazing at him while the glory was fading away.  Even today, as Moses is read this same veil remains because it can be taken away only by faith in Jesus Christ.   (2nd Corinthians 3:14-15)

    But when anyone, Jew or Gentile, turns to the Lord there is freedom to behold the glory of the Lord through the Holy Spirit.  We see in Jesus Christ the glory of God the Father’s  love and mercy.  We now can understand God’s love and plan to bring us into His family and His glory.  As we behold Him in the Spirit, we are transformed into His likeness.  His Holy Spirit brings to our inner man the ever-increasing glory of revelation of the holiness of our King in His glory!

    We have this treasure of the Holy Spirit in our bodies, which are weak and decaying, given over to death.  The Holy Spirit produces God’s life in us, showing the world that this new glory and power is not from us but from God!  (2nd Corinthians 4:6-7)  The god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers and hidden this light of revelation from them so that they are still in the veil of darkness. (2nd Corinthians 4:4)  Praise the Lord for Light!

    In His Glory, Pastor John

  • The Historic Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

    Scripture reading for November 27th: 1st Corinthians 15-16

    One of the key arguments against the Christian faith is skepticism about the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This skepticism has been around since the beginning when the soldiers assigned to guarding the tomb were paid to lie about what happened to Jesus’ body.  (Matthew 28:11-15)  They were instructed to say that some of the disciples came and stole the body while they were asleep.  This report went around the community of Jesus’ day, but another account came from those who actually saw Jesus alive and touched Him!

    “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve,  After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.  Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also, as one abnormally born.” (1st Corinthians 15:3-8)

    Paul received the gospel message that he so beautifully summarized here in this short passage.  Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised from the dead!  This is all according to the Scriptures in fulfillment of God’s predetermined plan.  This message was to be preached and those who believed in Christ Jesus would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and eternal life.  Those who rejected this message would be eternally condemned.

    The key truth to verify who Jesus is revolves around the resurrection.  If there is no resurrection from the dead, Christ is not raised either and our faith is in vain.  We are without hope because we are dead in our sins.  But thanks be to God, Jesus did rise from the dead!  This is an historical fact that can be researched and proven by the many witnesses who saw Jesus alive, heard Him speak to them, and even touched Him and felt His wounds.  Our faith is not in vain!  “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1st Corinthians 15:20-22)  You can use this passage to defend the resurrection as an historic fact!  We are alive!

  • Keep Love Central!

    Scripture reading for November 26th: 1st Corinthians 11-14

    The Corinthian church was eager to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Coming out of paganism and idolatry, many were used to the supernatural on the side of evil but were ignorant of the Holy Spirit.  Paul wrote this portion of his letter to give them instructions for the orderly use of the Spirit’s gifts.

    “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” (1st Corinthians 12:4-6)  After telling them that the Holy Spirit alone can enable them to say, “Jesus is Lord”, Paul began to instruct them.  The gifts are different for each person, but God is the same God who works them in men who are under Christ’s lordship.

    “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1st Corinthians 12:7)  God’s purpose in the gifts is to build up His body, the church.  Gifts are not meant to divide or cause confusion.  The Holy Spirit is the one who gives the gifts to each person to use at the appropriate time for God’s purposes!  All the gifts are important and no person is to be despised because of their gifts.   God wants unity in the body as He has placed them there for that purpose.  (1st Corinthians 12:21-26)

    “But eagerly desire the greater gifts.”

    “And now I will show you a more excellent way.  If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophesy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1st Corinthians 12:31-13:2)  Paul encouraged the Corinthians, and us as well, to eagerly desire the better gifts.  God wants us to use the gifts He gives under the direction of the Holy Spirit.  But the more excellent way is to let love be flowing in your life as a basic attitude, not to be proud of your gifts.  The gifts without love are harsh and profit no one.   In fact, they can even degrade you and make the gifts unprofitable.  Keep love central!

  • Strategy for Soul Winning!

    Scripture reading for November 25th: 1st Corinthians 7-10

    Paul was called by God to be an apostle and given the task of reaching the Gentiles.  Paul viewed the task of being an apostle, sent to the Gentiles, very seriously.  He did not want to take any support from those he was sent to so they would have no excuse for not listening.  He knew he had a right to have his needs supplied by those who received the message but was moved to offer it free of charge.  He felt compelled to preach as delivering a trust given him by God.  God would meet his needs.   (1st Corinthians 9:15-18)

    Paul’s mission strategy was graciously formed in him by the Holy Spirit, some of it against his early Jewish training!  Paul was free in Christ and taught this freedom, but viewed himself as a slave with the job of serving all men the truth of Jesus Christ.  This required some ingenuity and subversive thinking.  When ministering to Jews, Paul drew off his Jewish heritage and spoke in a manner that they could relate to.  (1st Corinthians 9:19-20)  When ministering to Gentiles, he tried to speak the language of the Gentiles and relate to them without using Jewish law and religious terms that might be hard for them to comprehend.  His whole purpose was to win them to Christ and see them saved!

    “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.  I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1st Corinthians 9:22-23)  Paul’s missionary heart chose to follow the Holy Spirit in being the proper witness to whomever God sent him to.  This would require laying aside the religious prejudice of his Jewish roots in order to reach the Gentiles.  He must also be prepared for criticism and even persecution from his own brothers who were still in religious bondage.

    Paul viewed his mission to reach lost souls as competition in an Olympic race.  The runners ran to win a floral crown that would not last, but he was running for a crown that would last forever!  Souls saved would be in God’s presence for eternity.  This required strict discipline of the body and spirit to follow Christ!  Let’s all run this race to win!

  • But You Were Washed!

    Scripture reading for November 24th: 1st Corinthians 1-6

    We all have a past sin history!  We still have memories and our enemy the Devil likes to bring up our past and rub our noses in it.  Many people have a difficult time believing that God can forgive some of the flagrant sins that we have been involved in.  The statement that God forgives our sins and remembers them no more is hard to accept.  We feel like we must pay for some of these sins.  Paul deals with these issues in his letter to the Corinthians and they can help us today to be free from condemnation!

    “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived:  Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And that is what some of your were.  But you were washed, your were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1st Corinthians 6:9-11)

    All sinners have a sentence of death upon them.  They are outside the kingdom of God. Many involved in sexual sins and idolatry claim to be Christians in line for heaven.  They are deceived!  This is a shocking statement that most people involved in these sins ignore.  The worst state of a person is deception because that person actually thinks that they are in the kingdom of God when they are not.  Active involvement with this list of sins is a dangerous place to be if you claim to be a Christian or are an unbeliever.

    The good news is that although many have been involved in these common sins of the flesh, there is a way for  them to be free from the sins and be included in the kingdom of God.  They can be washed of these sins by the blood of Jesus Christ.  They can be made clean and set apart by the Holy Spirit living in them and making them a new creation.  They can be justified before God because of faith in Jesus Christ.  A person who is truly saved will seek to please God by living a holy life, free from these obvious sins.  Remember today that you are washed and your sin is remembered no more!

  • Wake Up from Your Slumber!

    Scripture reading for November 23rd: Romans 12-16

    “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8)   Now the Bible doesn’t promote being in debt by owing money to other people.  In fact, the borrower is slave to the lender and God’s people should not be in slavery.  But there is a debt that we must continually be making payments on.  This is the debt of love we owe to our fellowman because of Christ’s love lavished on us.

    Paul goes on to describe this love in terms keeping the ten commandments.  When we commit adultery, it is a lack of love for our friends and neighbors.  Murder is certainly a lack of love, as is stealing from a neighbor.  Coveting is selfish and not loving.  These commandments are all summed up in one rule:  “”Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no harm to its neighbor.  Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:9b-10)

    Paul encouraged the Romans to live a life of real love for each other because of the coming of Jesus Christ!  “And do this, understand the present time.  The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now that when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11-13)  The Romans were involved in some deeds of darkness that lacked the love of God.  They needed to put off drunkenness and sexual immorality as well as dissension and jealousy.  The night was a time of evil and debauchery, but the day was coming!

    God’s people must be clothed with light!  “Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” This is a word for the day we live in.  Many are sleeping and involved in the deeds of darkness.  They seem to disbelieve that Jesus could arrive at any time and only those who are watching and ready will go to be with Him.  Many are going to be caught asleep and unprepared!  It is easy to forget the debt that we owe to others to love them by living a sold out Christian life!  “So then, each of us will give an account to God.” (Romans 14:12)

  • To Him Be Glory Forever!

    Scripture reading for November 22nd: Romans 9-11

    Paul, the author of Romans, was a devout Jew before his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.   His Jewish roots were never forgotten and Paul had a heart for his own brothers’ salvation.  His understanding of God’s plans for Israel is an amazing revelation from the Holy Spirit.  As Gentile Christians, it is helpful for us to carefully study Paul’s teaching in Romans 9-11.

    “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” (Romans 10:1)  Paul passionately wanted to see his brothers saved.  He knew how they sought to keep the law and establish their own righteousness, because he himself had done just that.  Paul knew that the Jews were a stubborn and disobedient people who were hardened because they had rejected Christ.  They should have been the first to understand that righteousness would come by faith.

    Paul preached the message of faith in Christ to his own people.  He told them that they must confess with their mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead and they would be saved.  (Romans 10:9-10)  The way of faith was the same for Jews as for Gentiles.  Faith would come by choosing to hear and believe the message of Christ.  God desired all to be saved, but those who rejected the message would be lost.

    Paul also warned the Gentiles not to become proud but to consider the kindness of God towards them and the possibility of God’s sternness coming upon them if they fell away from faith.  (Romans 11:17-23)  “I do not want you ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited:  Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, . .” (Romans 11:25-26a)

    Paul closes this discussion with worship!  “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out.  Who has known the mind of the Lord?  Or who has been His counselor?  Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?  For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.  To Him be the glory forever!  Amen” (Romans 11:33-36)  God works everything out for His Glory in ways man cannot fully understand!