Sunday, July 29, 2012

Four Kinds Of Soil

      I am sitting here realizing that I am instructing people by way of this blog on the subject of  Bible Study. I must realize, if I am to believe what Jesus said, that not everyone who is reading this is able to receive the teaching.
      That is the reason Jesus spoke in parables according to what He said as recorded in Matthew 13:13.
      Jesus taught in a strange way. You would think that if a person wanted to pass along truth he would talk plainly.
      Yet this parable in Matthew 13:3-9 , the sower, Jesus points out why. Remember now, He is speaking in parable to cause the people to think.
       The sower, explained in Matthew 13: 28-23, is anyone who handles the word of God. The seed is the word. The first soil is beside the road and the birds come and eat it up. Jesus states the birds are the evil one, whom I take to be Satan.
       The second soil is a rocky place. The seed does go down , this soil has the word of God, which has some effect. But not enough to settle in and grow. It dies having nothing to  grasp on to. This soil must still be someone who has not set up a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
          So we move on to the third soil. Many reading this blog in fact all reading this blog are a form of soil. That is why I am sharing. I am trying to scatter seed. So the third soil sees to be people who have heard the word and in this case read this blog and decided that if they had enough money they could deal with any worries. They don't need what they call a crutch. They have heard that God can meet their needs. But they have the wealth. they feel they don't need this God. They can do it themselves.
     Needless to say this is not good soil.
     Now on to the fourth type of person who reads these blogs. The ones who are reading and saying, that sounds like the truth. I want to produce for God. I know worries and trouble and hardship will come. They come to all people who are living on this earth. But I also know a God who can meet my needs no matter how bad and intense the circumstances.
  So this person starts to produce fruit. The soil is good. this soil has a relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
    And that is one way to do a Bible Study.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Christ our example

 Today, in fact this morning at Acts :A Church That Studies- we discussed Christ our example as seen in the incarnation. Scripture used was John 1:14. Christ came in flesh. He being God became flesh like us so he could be our example. You should be able to find a podcast there and other information about the church. Even if you can't be there you can weekly tune in for the podcasts.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Impressions

  Let me take a side road here and talk about impressions one can have of the person carrying the messsage of God's love for mankind.
    Some people can be humble and and aware that they are allowed to be God's spokeman. They will tend to stick to the Bible text and not try to play to the people's itching ear.
   There are others that feel God's word needs for them to,  how shall I say it, stoop over to loading the message they carry with personal references that you, the listener tend to walk away feeling good but not having God speak tro a need you have. Leaving these people you feel like you have heard something of substance but really all you got was a empty message that has been covered with icing. Sweet and as long as you are not looking for an injunction on what to do with what ytou have heard, you walk away satisfied. and feeling fed.
      I probably am not making sense.  If not please comment and set me strraight.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

God Speaks and Man Responds

  We need to be doing our own Bible study. Those of us who have a relatiuonship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ (I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me, Is what Jessu said.) need to stay in contact with Him. Since God is spirit and those who are going to worship Him must approach Him in that realm, just how do you expect to do it?
   God has spoken. He is not silent. He communicates. He, I believe, communicates in he Bible. In fact, ever since Adam and Eve He has been communicating. He has selected special people to overshadow and by the Holy Spirit communicate and have them record what He wants said.
    No, this is not dictation. If it was, then, the individual style of each book of the Bible would be uniform. They are not. Each book has the style of the person God overshadowed. David is David. Salomon is Solomon. Moses is Moses. And so on.

    So we take our Bible and we pray to God that we will have understanding.
   We have a notebook and pen with us. We want to record what we discover there.
  1.   What is the passage about?
  2.   To whom is the passage addressed?
  3.   Is there an example for me to follow?
  4.   Is there a sin for me to avoid?
  5.   How do I apply what I am reading?
    That is what I mean. You don't have to be a scholar. No one but you is going to see this.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Bible Study

   Let us get back to basics. I have told you time and again that the source of truth and trustworthiness is the Bible.

   Since that is so we need to study it more. I admit I approach the Bible with a big bias. God has spoken and He has caused what He has spoken to be written down. All accounts of historical places, names, and events are assumed to be accurate and true.
    So when we hear it being preached from the pulpit we are hearing God's word being spoken. True, it is being heard by us in the voice of a man but the words he is reading are God's word.
    It is then our job to read it for ourselves and not just by ourselves. We need small groups. We need to discuss what God has said. We must realize that  the words are as important as the thoughts. We can have confidence in its message.
   I do not recommend a paraphrase.  A paraphrase acts as a commentary not a direct word. I recommend the New American Standard or the New King James. Be careful using the New International version. It is good, but in places it leans toward nonliteral in word choice. I will discuss translations later so I will not, in this posting, venture there.
   What translation do you use? Maybe that is soemthing I can post about if there is interest.