OK... We talked about reading the Bible yesterday.
We discussed how to read and understand the Bible...
1) Context - Know who wrote, when, and why. What is larger context and the immediate context.
2) Observation - Write down what you see. Look for key words and themes. Become a detective.
3) Interpretation - What is the passage saying to the original hearers? What is the message? Do not look for what the passage means to you. That is wrong. You need to first know what it means.
4) Application - What is the principal for living that is found in this passage? How can you apply this passage? Where can you apply this passage.
Ready to get started? OK! Here is a link to a site that you can print and use the fancy check boxes. Reading Plan. Choose a plan and get started. Don't forget you can pick up a journal at the information booth and it also has plans and methods to help you begin to read the Bible.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Saturday, November 08, 2008
TXT - Day Five Bible Reading
Necessity of Scripture
Some who like the idea of a god or “higher power” resist the message of Bible. They claim that it is outdated, narrow-minded, and not applicable to today. But many of these folks are quick to profess allegiance in God. They claim a deep relationship with him and try to live lives that align with his holy character. The Bible, they feel, may be helpful in some circumstances, but it is certainly not necessary to know God deeply.
In our third post we explored the role of the Holy Spirit in understanding the Scripture, and we discovered that the selfish lives we led before (and while) following Christ have made it difficult for us to understand the Bible. Scripture sometimes simply does not make sense to us unless God helps us understand.
Today we are going to explore a similar idea, but this time we are talking about more that the Bible. We are talking about God himself. Can we really know God without using the message he sent us? Read Romans 10:11-17 and answer the following questions:
1. What does Paul say must happen first before we can believe in Christ?
2. In light of what we have learned about ourselves in these posts, why do you think Paul says this?
3. What does Paul say must be preached for salvation?
4. The Scriptures are absolutely necessary for salvation because they give us both Jesus’ words and the accounts of those that followed him during his earthly ministry. How would you respond to someone that claimed they don’t need to Bible to know God? In other words, why is it important to take God the way he presents himself instead of the way our minds want him to be?
Some who like the idea of a god or “higher power” resist the message of Bible. They claim that it is outdated, narrow-minded, and not applicable to today. But many of these folks are quick to profess allegiance in God. They claim a deep relationship with him and try to live lives that align with his holy character. The Bible, they feel, may be helpful in some circumstances, but it is certainly not necessary to know God deeply.
In our third post we explored the role of the Holy Spirit in understanding the Scripture, and we discovered that the selfish lives we led before (and while) following Christ have made it difficult for us to understand the Bible. Scripture sometimes simply does not make sense to us unless God helps us understand.
Today we are going to explore a similar idea, but this time we are talking about more that the Bible. We are talking about God himself. Can we really know God without using the message he sent us? Read Romans 10:11-17 and answer the following questions:
1. What does Paul say must happen first before we can believe in Christ?
2. In light of what we have learned about ourselves in these posts, why do you think Paul says this?
3. What does Paul say must be preached for salvation?
4. The Scriptures are absolutely necessary for salvation because they give us both Jesus’ words and the accounts of those that followed him during his earthly ministry. How would you respond to someone that claimed they don’t need to Bible to know God? In other words, why is it important to take God the way he presents himself instead of the way our minds want him to be?
Friday, November 07, 2008
TXT - Day Four Bible Reading
Use of OT in NT
When people struggle with the Scriptures, the often have difficulty with some of the more sensational passages from the Old Testament. If they believe in Jesus and his resurrection, the New Testament is easier to swallow – at least until it is applied! But the Old Testament has accounts of the raining fire, giant fish, parting waters, floods and talking donkeys. Did this stuff really happen? In other words, are the accounts true?
One factor that confirms the Old Testament accounts is how they are handled in the New Testament. Read the following parings of Scripture, and take note of how the Jesus and the New Testament Apostles view the Old Testament:
Jonah 1:1-2:10 & Matthew 12:40-41
Genesis 19:1-29 & Luke 17:29
Exodus 14:15-31 & 1 Corinthians 10:1-2
Genesis 6:9-8:19 & 2 Peter 2:4-5
Numbers 22:22-35 & 2 Peter 2:15-16
1. How do you think Jesus and the New Testament Apostles viewed the Old Testament?
2. How does your answer to question 1 impact your view of the Old Testament?
3. What danger would there be in choosing to believe some parts of the Bible but not other parts?
When people struggle with the Scriptures, the often have difficulty with some of the more sensational passages from the Old Testament. If they believe in Jesus and his resurrection, the New Testament is easier to swallow – at least until it is applied! But the Old Testament has accounts of the raining fire, giant fish, parting waters, floods and talking donkeys. Did this stuff really happen? In other words, are the accounts true?
One factor that confirms the Old Testament accounts is how they are handled in the New Testament. Read the following parings of Scripture, and take note of how the Jesus and the New Testament Apostles view the Old Testament:
Jonah 1:1-2:10 & Matthew 12:40-41
Genesis 19:1-29 & Luke 17:29
Exodus 14:15-31 & 1 Corinthians 10:1-2
Genesis 6:9-8:19 & 2 Peter 2:4-5
Numbers 22:22-35 & 2 Peter 2:15-16
1. How do you think Jesus and the New Testament Apostles viewed the Old Testament?
2. How does your answer to question 1 impact your view of the Old Testament?
3. What danger would there be in choosing to believe some parts of the Bible but not other parts?
Thursday, November 06, 2008
TXT - Day Three Bible Reading
Day Three. Super Thanks to Ryan Allred... Awesome post.
Role of the Spirit
Many people have picked up the Bible with the best intentions, only to set it down in frustration a few pages later. If the Scriptures are God’s words of truth to us, why can they be so hard to understand?
Our message this Sunday will address some of the practical aspects to this, but at the end of the day we need God to help us understand what he is saying to us. We have wandered so far from him that his words can sometime seem like a foreign language. Fortunately God has not left us alone, but has promised that every believer would have in them exactly what they need to understand his Scripture.
Ephesians 1:13-14 states that when we believed in Christ we received the Holy Spirit. That means each one of us that follows Christ as Lord and Savior also has God’s indwelling Spirit. This Holy Spirit has many roles in our lives, and one is to help us understand the mind and words of God. To understand how this works a little better, answer the following questions on 1 Corinthians 2:6-13:
1. What “mystery” do you think Paul is referring to? (Hint: a mystery is a part of God’s plan that he has previously not revealed)
2. Paul quotes a couple of passages from Isaiah in verse 9 regarding our ability to imagine the things of God. How should these verses help us to approach things God says or allows that don’t seem to make sense?
3. The “spirit of this world” so influences us that it creates our default mode of thinking and acting. It’s what “makes sense” to everyone. Do you think this spirit will always understand the Bible the way God wants it understood?
4. How does knowing you have God’s Spirit in you affect your attitude toward the Bible?
5. Do you really believe that you now have the “mind of Christ?” If it does not seem like you do, remember that some aspects of our faith are promised and certain, but our growth and obedience temper how much we experience them. What could you do to better experience guidance from the Spirit that lives inside of you?
Role of the Spirit
Many people have picked up the Bible with the best intentions, only to set it down in frustration a few pages later. If the Scriptures are God’s words of truth to us, why can they be so hard to understand?
Our message this Sunday will address some of the practical aspects to this, but at the end of the day we need God to help us understand what he is saying to us. We have wandered so far from him that his words can sometime seem like a foreign language. Fortunately God has not left us alone, but has promised that every believer would have in them exactly what they need to understand his Scripture.
Ephesians 1:13-14 states that when we believed in Christ we received the Holy Spirit. That means each one of us that follows Christ as Lord and Savior also has God’s indwelling Spirit. This Holy Spirit has many roles in our lives, and one is to help us understand the mind and words of God. To understand how this works a little better, answer the following questions on 1 Corinthians 2:6-13:
1. What “mystery” do you think Paul is referring to? (Hint: a mystery is a part of God’s plan that he has previously not revealed)
2. Paul quotes a couple of passages from Isaiah in verse 9 regarding our ability to imagine the things of God. How should these verses help us to approach things God says or allows that don’t seem to make sense?
3. The “spirit of this world” so influences us that it creates our default mode of thinking and acting. It’s what “makes sense” to everyone. Do you think this spirit will always understand the Bible the way God wants it understood?
4. How does knowing you have God’s Spirit in you affect your attitude toward the Bible?
5. Do you really believe that you now have the “mind of Christ?” If it does not seem like you do, remember that some aspects of our faith are promised and certain, but our growth and obedience temper how much we experience them. What could you do to better experience guidance from the Spirit that lives inside of you?
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
TXT - Day Two Bible Reading
Sorry about not posting this yesterday. Here is Day 2 Reading.
Monday we learned that our Scriptures are inspired or literally “God-breathed.” God has worked to ensure that the words we have in the Bible are exactly the way he wants them to be. They are in every sense his words.
Because the Scriptures as God’s words, they are also true because God is true. God cannot tell a lie, and therefore his words…the Scriptures…are always true. This means that when the Bible speaks on a subject, it’s principles and commands are always best. They are true and what should be – even if they don’t always point to the easiest or most comfortable way. They are best for us.
In 1 Peter 2:1-5, Peter calls us to desire the “unadulterated spiritual milk.” This literally could be translated, “the pure milk of the word.” This passage is calling us to walk away from who we used to be and long for what God wants us to be. To help explore how this plays out in our lives, answer the following questions on 1 Peter 2:1-5:
1. Why does Peter call us to pursue spiritual milk?
2. It what ways have you “tasted that the Lord is good?” Make a list, and use this as motivation to continue pursuing him in the Scriptures.
3. If you are honest with yourself, what is competing with the Scripture for attention in your life? How can you ensure that you don’t choose it over spiritual growth?
4. What do you think it means that Christians are being “built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood?” The basic job of a priest is to connect people with God. What people has God put in your life this week that need connecting with him? How are you going to help them take steps in that direction?
Monday we learned that our Scriptures are inspired or literally “God-breathed.” God has worked to ensure that the words we have in the Bible are exactly the way he wants them to be. They are in every sense his words.
Because the Scriptures as God’s words, they are also true because God is true. God cannot tell a lie, and therefore his words…the Scriptures…are always true. This means that when the Bible speaks on a subject, it’s principles and commands are always best. They are true and what should be – even if they don’t always point to the easiest or most comfortable way. They are best for us.
In 1 Peter 2:1-5, Peter calls us to desire the “unadulterated spiritual milk.” This literally could be translated, “the pure milk of the word.” This passage is calling us to walk away from who we used to be and long for what God wants us to be. To help explore how this plays out in our lives, answer the following questions on 1 Peter 2:1-5:
1. Why does Peter call us to pursue spiritual milk?
2. It what ways have you “tasted that the Lord is good?” Make a list, and use this as motivation to continue pursuing him in the Scriptures.
3. If you are honest with yourself, what is competing with the Scripture for attention in your life? How can you ensure that you don’t choose it over spiritual growth?
4. What do you think it means that Christians are being “built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood?” The basic job of a priest is to connect people with God. What people has God put in your life this week that need connecting with him? How are you going to help them take steps in that direction?
Monday, November 03, 2008
TXT - Day One Bible Reading
OK we started a new series yesterday called TXT. We are exploring the Bible. Asking questions like... Is the Bible Reliable? How Do I read it? Is it important? What is the major theme of the Bible? Yesterday we looked at some behind the scenes in making the Bible.
I had a bunch of people yesterday asking for some more info on some of the things we discussed. There is one great place you can go for a ton of information that is similar to what we talked about yesterday... Starting Point. Hope that will help.
The following is Day One of our study of passages about the Bible. Special thanks to Ryan Allred our small group pastor put this together.
I had a bunch of people yesterday asking for some more info on some of the things we discussed. There is one great place you can go for a ton of information that is similar to what we talked about yesterday... Starting Point. Hope that will help.
The following is Day One of our study of passages about the Bible. Special thanks to Ryan Allred our small group pastor put this together.
Inspiration
How do we find out what God is like? We can look out our window or inside the human body to see that something greater than us is out there, but we would struggle to know much more than that. What is this something like? Is he loving, mean, just, self-centered? Does he have our best interest in mind? Do we owe him anything, or visa-versa? We would still be searching for the answers to these questions if God has not worked to reveal himself to us. God’s actions and words have told us everything we need to know about him, and these are the things that the Scriptures speak of.
God so much wanted us to know about himself that he “breathed” the Scriptures into existence. God guaranteed that his words and actions were recorded for us the way he wants them recorded. And these words of Scripture were not given to us just to fulfill our curiosity about God, but rather they have some important purposes. To discover some of these purposes and their importance in our lives, answer the following questions in 2 Timothy 3:10-16.
In 2 Timothy an imprisoned Paul is giving vital instructions to his younger companion and friend Timothy.
1. Why does Paul encourage Timothy to “continue” in what he has learned from the Scriptures? How do similar dangers continue today?
2. Verse 15 literally says that the Scriptures are able to give “wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Understanding wisdom as applied knowledge, how would time spent in the Scriptures help grow your faith in Christ? What kind of additional knowledge do you think you need? How are you going to go about getting it? What do you already know that you have not yet applied? How are you going to apply it?
3. Paul says that our training in righteousness has a purpose. What is this purpose?
4. Many of us struggle with long-term motivation to spend time in the Scriptures. How does our purpose in being trained for righteousness provide the motivation we need?
Obama, McCain, or Jesus?
I know you guys have been waiting with great anticipation for who I will be voting for on Tuesday Nov. 4th. Drum Roll please.....
I get asked all the time why I do not talk more about politics on Sunday morning. Why I don't publicly endorse candidates. That is a great question. I will answer it simply... I am voting for Jesus. I know corny... but it is true. My job is not to sell people who or who not to vote for. My job is talk about the power of Christ in our lives. I am to teach what Jesus says and encourage people to apply those principles to their lives. Some of you... like me will take that information and use it to decide who to vote for. I have voted in every presidential election since I was 18 years old. I have voted in most primaries. I have been a huge political buff in the past and love to discuss politics with people. The bottom line is that I believe we should vote... but when the church turns political... YUCK!
Let me just break it down for you... Some pastors have used their churches as a political theatre. Wasted incredible energy preaching the gospel of politics and placed their hope in some person running for political office. Who at their best still pales in comparison to the only person who can make a true difference in our personal lives, our community life, and our nations life. Heck... He can change the world... and has! Rather than the waste the precious time I have communicating on a public stage about the NEXT great hope for our country... I think I will talk about Jesus! Because that is who I am voting for...
I get asked all the time why I do not talk more about politics on Sunday morning. Why I don't publicly endorse candidates. That is a great question. I will answer it simply... I am voting for Jesus. I know corny... but it is true. My job is not to sell people who or who not to vote for. My job is talk about the power of Christ in our lives. I am to teach what Jesus says and encourage people to apply those principles to their lives. Some of you... like me will take that information and use it to decide who to vote for. I have voted in every presidential election since I was 18 years old. I have voted in most primaries. I have been a huge political buff in the past and love to discuss politics with people. The bottom line is that I believe we should vote... but when the church turns political... YUCK!
Let me just break it down for you... Some pastors have used their churches as a political theatre. Wasted incredible energy preaching the gospel of politics and placed their hope in some person running for political office. Who at their best still pales in comparison to the only person who can make a true difference in our personal lives, our community life, and our nations life. Heck... He can change the world... and has! Rather than the waste the precious time I have communicating on a public stage about the NEXT great hope for our country... I think I will talk about Jesus! Because that is who I am voting for...
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