Bible Studies and Devotionals for Men

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 23:41:00 +0000

Sometimes I mistakenly think it takes a great demonstration of faith to get God’s attention. But of course, I don’t count the way God counts, and what I may see as small or insignificant can be quite important in His sight. You are probably already familiar with the story of the woman who merely touched the hem of Jesus’ cloak and was immediately healed. This story is a simple one, but it has a number of important lessons for us.

Luke 8:43

"She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped."

Things to Think About:

In the middle of a large crowd pressing around Jesus, a woman who had suffered for twelve years with a bleeding condition quietly reached out to touch the edge of His cloak, believing it would heal her—and it did instantly.
Though she tried to remain unnoticed, Jesus stopped, called her forward, and lovingly affirmed her.
I think about the many “invisible” people who have no social standing, lack confidence, and are suffering in ways that we can’t (or won’t) see.
- She wasn’t demanding, loud, or aggressive. She had tried everything else and had exhausted her resources in the process. She thought that if only she could touch any part of anything that had to do with Jesus, it could make her better.
- I am so struck by her humility (just the edge of His robe is good enough for me), coupled with her faith (just the edge of His robe is good enough for me).
Like many people, she was out of the spotlight, unheard, and unseen.
- Jesus sensed that someone had benefited from His power and wanted to see who it was.
- “Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.”
  - This poor lady! She thought she was going to be in trouble!
  - Instead, Jesus gently said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Are you hiding in the shadows, afraid to approach Jesus with what ails you?
- Hebrews 4:16 – "Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Do you think your faith is too small to move the Hand of God?
- Matthew 17:20-21 – "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Do you hesitate to be seen in public with your faith?
- Matthew 10:32-33 – "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven."
- Faith is personal, but not meant to be private.
What other lessons do you draw from this dear lady?

Two Kinds of Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 22:27:00 +0000

The entire Book of James is full of practical, plain-speaking guidance for living. In chapter 3, there is a rich vein of insight that contrasts two kinds of wisdom – worldly and godly. One is polluted and one is pure. Let’s look at each and take an honest inventory of our own brand of wisdom.

James 3:17 - But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Things to think about:

Pollution

· James 3:14 - But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

o Two distinguishing characteristics – focus on others (bitter envy) and focus on self (selfish ambition)

§ Envy = I want what you have because I’m comparing myself to you

· James 4:1-2 - What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.

§ Selfish ambition is different than ambition. God wants us to dream big dreams for Him, not to feed our greeds

· James 4:3 - When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

· Matthe 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

o God doesn’t seem to be anywhere in view!

· James 3:15-16 - Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Purity

· James 3:17 - But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

o If we look at the bookends here, Purity and Sincerity, these are motivations that come from a heart aligned with God’s

o The others, Peace-loving, Considerate, Submissive, Merciful, Good Fruit, Impartiality, are how these motivations come to life in practical ways to the benefit of others

§ These are the opposite of envy and greed!

o I suppose we daily (hourly?!) go through varying degrees of wisdom

· The payoff to those pursuing God's wisdom?

o v.18 - Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

God is in the Saving Business

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 22:58:00 +0000

One of my favorite verses is found in 2 Peter 3:9 (see below. It emphasizes how much God cares about ALL people, not just those who look, think, act, or believe like I do. As I dug a little deeper into this, I found a treasure trove of verses that resoundingly make the point – GOD IS IN THE SAVING BUSINESS

2 Peter 3:9(b) - He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Things to think about:

· Let’s lay out the evidence first and then we will look at our response to how we should behave in light of God’s love for all of mankind.

o 1 Timothy 2:3-4 - This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

o 2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

o Ezekiel 18:23 - Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

o John 3:16-17 - For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

o 1 Timothy 1:15 - Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

§ No matter who, no matter what

· Our response to so great a love?

o Pray, Model, Minister, Share

§ Pray - Romans 10:1 - Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.

§ Model – Matthew 13:16 - In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

§ Minister – James 2:14-17 - What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

§ Share – 1 Peter 3:15 - Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

· How would you make the case that God is in the saving business?

o What can you do today to help God achieve His objective of none perishing but all come to repentance?

Just in Time God

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 23:07:00 +0000

God is a JIT kind of God. What is JIT? Just in time. He’s never early and He’s never late, but He delivers the right solution at just the right time. The problem for His children can be in the waiting.

2 Peter 3:8-9(a) - But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.

Things to think about:

· Drives you crazy, doesn’t it?!

o “God, if you could fix this RIGHT NOW, with a wave of Your mighty hand, what are you waiting for???”

· The Bible is full of examples of God being just in time:

o Parting of the Red Sea

o Appearance of a ram in the thicket for Abraham and Isaac

o The daily provision of manna

o Appearance of an angel to shut the mouth of the lion for Daniel

o Victory for Jehoshaphat against overwhelming armies

o God miraculously providing a continuous supply of flour and oil for the widow of Zarephath

· Sometimes He appears to actually be late (but He’s not)

o All that befell Job

o Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace

o Lazarus being revived after he died

o Jesus being resurrected after His crucifixion

· Why do you think this is His modus operandi?

o 1 Peter 4:12-13 - Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.

§ I believe the key phrase here is “His glory”.

· Of course, a study like this wouldn’t be complete with Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for the good for those that love God and are called according to His purpose

o It doesn’t say “all things ARE good” but that God can use whatever we are going through for our benefit and His divine purposes

o How does today’s study give you hope and encouragement while you are waiting?

Onesiphorus

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 23:04:00 +0000

In the first chapter of 2 Timothy, while Paul is stuck in a Roman prison, we learn of a man named Onesiphorus who was a true friend to the apostle when no one else was.

Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for a time of adversity

Things to think about:

· The context here is Paul is in a Roman jail and everyone has abandoned him.

o 2 Tim. 1:15 - You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

· Onesiphorus means “Profit bearing” or “bringing a benefit”

o All friendships should be mutually beneficial. Onesiphorous definitely made Paul’s situation better.

· 2 Tim. 1:16 - May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me …

o “He often refreshed me” – going through a challenging season of life can be exhausting

o “often” - For Onesiphorus, being there for his friend was a lifestyle

o “refreshed” conjures up thoughts of comfort and hope

· 2 Tim. 1:16 (continued) – “and was not ashamed of my chains.”

o Sometimes being someone’s friend means being there even when it’s not cool to be their friend.

o Proverbs 19:4 - Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

· 2 Tim. 1:17 – On the contrary, he searched hard for me until he found me

o Friends are intentional

o Friends are persistent

· Onesiphorus’s character is reinforced when Paul says in verse 18, “You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.”

o This wasn’t anything new, Onesiphorus had a servant’s heart

· Proverbs 18:24 - One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

o In John 15:15, Jesus says to you and me, “I no longer call you servants, …but I have called you friends.’

o To one another and to our Lord let’s be:

§ Profitable

§ Intentional

§ Persistent

§ Consistent

§ Unashamed

Stop Listening and Start Talking

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 23:43:00 +0000

The tapes we play in our heads are often filled with negative thoughts and feelings. We feel bad about a situation or relationship, and that fuels lots of unhelpful thoughts.

“I’m sad.”

“Why?”
“Because this circumstance isn’t what I want and it’s probably just going to get worse.”

“How do you know?”

“It’s just how I feel.”

Psalm 42:5 - Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.

Things to think about:

· Our passage here highlights the importance of self-talk. We all do it all of the time. The problem is we tend to listen more than we talk.

o Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a pastor from the first half of the 20^th century, gave a sermon on Christian depression and his main takeaway was we need to tell ourselves what to feel based on truth, not based on fear. (shout out to Tim Keller for citing him and this sermon)

· We see the psalmist acknowledging his feelings (why are you so downcast my soul? Why so disturbed within me?)

o We should never feel guilty about feeling sad or unhappy. God gave us our emotions and we are made in His image

o I’ll admit I’m not the touchiest-feeliest person you know.

o One of the benefits of being quiet is to “feel the feels” as my kids say. Staying busy can simply be a coping mechanism for not allowing yourself to be in touch with your feelings.

§ The irony is it is an exhausting tightrope to try and stay on and a leading cause of burnout and other unhealthy consequences (anger, self-medication, bad habits, etc.)

§ Also, we have an adversary, the father of lies, who is trying to keep us beat down and losing our faith in God.

· While it is healthy to understand why we might be sad or unhappy, it’s not OK to stay stuck in that rut and not make progress.

· The antidote is how we talk to ourselves and the key ingredient to that is Truth (yes, with a capital T)

o 1 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

o We see the psalmist speak truth to himself – “Put your hope in God”

§ We need to see past the disaster and on to the Master

· God is capable, caring, present, gracious, and omniscient

· The psalmist ends with a statement of faith – “I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God”

o More than even the psalmist, we already know how the story ends – God wins!

· When you have those tapes playing in your head on an endless loop, stop listening and start talking!

The Abundance of God

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 22:34:00 +0000

I’ve been reflecting recently on the abundance of God. I have a tendency to look at what is lacking (or at least I perceive it to be so) and quickly fall into a scarcity mindset. But it’s really hard to read the Bible and not be awed by how many times, and in how many ways, we are reminded of God’s riches. Let’s look at a few of them (and let me know what I may have forgotten).

Exodus 34:6-7 - 'The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,

Things to think about:

· Mercy

o Ephesians 2:4-5: "But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved"

o Lamentations 3:22-23: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness"

o Psalm 25:10: "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth toward those who honor His covenant and decrees"

· Grace

o Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast"

o 2 Corinthians 12:9: "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me"

o Romans 3:24: "And are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

· Peace

o John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid"

o Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"

o Isaiah 26:3: "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you"

· Goodness

o Psalm 23:6: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever"

o Psalm 31:19: "Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!"

o Psalm 34:8: "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!"

· Forgiveness

o 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"

o Colossians 3:13: "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive"

o Matthew 6:14-15: "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses"

· Blessing

o Ephesians 1:3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places"

o Numbers 6:24-26: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace"

o Psalm 67:7: "God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear Him!"

What other qualities can you think of or passages that I may have missed?

How does focusing on God’s abundant qualities change how you look at your circumstances?

Start with Who

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 22:45:00 +0000

Maybe you are familiar with the book by Simon Sinek titled Start with Why. In it he explores the power of purpose-driven leadership, emphasizing that successful individuals and organizations inspire action by clearly communicating their "why" – their core beliefs and purpose – before discussing the "how" and "what" of their actions. Let’s take that basic structure and add one critical element to it.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 - We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Things to think about:

· What we do, how we do it and why we do it are all key elements of this passage

· One “what” we find here is our work.

o James 2:18 - But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

o Why do we do our Christian work? – because of our faith

· Related to our work is our labor

o What’s the difference between work and labor you might wonder.

§ I’d offer that work is the final product, labor is the effort it took to produce it.

o And that labor is prompted by love

§ Love is the ultimate WHY

· John 3:16 - For God so loved the world

· 1 Cor. 13:1-3 - If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

· Another “what” is “your endurance”

o It is not enough to to start well, we must finish the race before us. And what allows us to keep going?

§ The Why is it is inspired by hope

§ The word inspire is interesting – its root is related to breathing. Hope is the very breath we need to persevere.

o However, hope that is not rooted in someone or something is merely wishing.

§ our faith is beyond having a Why, it is because we have a Who - our Lord Jesus Christ!

· So what do we take away from today’s lesson?

o We have hope because Jesus loved us so much that He died on the cross and rose from the dead and is alive at the right hand of God constantly interceding for us

o That love prompts us to “work out our salvation” by loving God and loving others

o And our labor will produce a good crop that reflects back on God and brings Him glory and honor – amen!

Are You Listening?

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 22:14:00 +0000

When I think about times when I have gotten sideways in a relationship, a common thread has often my need to be right. That need leads to stubbornness, heightened emotions, and harsh words. After many failures in this area, a key learning that was shared with me can be summed up in the phrase “the relationship is more important that being right.” I am eternally grateful that someone shared that insight with me (and that I actually listened to them!) as it has made a world of difference.

Proverbs 13:10 – Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice

Things to think about:

· Pride – when being right is more important than the relationship

· James 4:1-2 – “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.”

· Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

· Proverbs 15:22a – “Plans fail for lack of counsel…”

· The opposite of Pride is Humility

o Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less – CS Lewis

· 1 Peter 5:5-6 – “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

· A key attribute of humility is a willingness to listen

o Prov. 16:20 – “Whoever heeds instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord”

o Proverbs 15:22b – “…but with many advisors plans succeed”

· James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

· Proverbs 13:20 – “Walk with the wise and become wise…”

Do you need a God-sized Q-tip to get some of the pride out of your ears so you can better hear His wisdom???

A Quiet Life

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 23:05:00 +0000

Simplicity is a greatly underappreciated quality these days. If you don’t have a million followers and a reality TV show, does your life really matter??? As usual, the Apostle Paul would beg to differ with what the world promotes. In our verse below, he is advocating for a simple life that yields big results.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 - make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Things to think about:

· “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life” – that sounds almost paradoxical, doesn’t it? How ambitious can a quiet life be anyway?

o What does he mean by a quiet life?

§ “You should mind your own business” – that doesn’t sound very compatible with social media, gossiping, and meddling!

· Why is it important to mind your own business?

· How has it gone sideways for you when you haven’t?

§ “…and work with your hands” – if you are staying busy with your work, you shouldn’t have that much time or energy to poking your nose into other people’s business

· All work has dignity, not just certain kinds. The older I get the more admiration and respect I have for folks who know how to make, fix, and improve things!

· What are the benefits of leading a quiet life?

o You have a powerful witness to an unbelieving world – “your daily life may win the respect of outsiders”

§ Proverbs 22:29 – “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.”

§ And of course, we all know Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters”

§ Who do you know that is a skilled workman? What is it about their work you admire?

§ When we are busy about our work, we don’t have time to be gossiping about what everyone else is up to.

o “So that you will not be dependent on anybody” – I know most of you well enough to know you have worked very hard in your careers to provide for your families

§ Not everyone sees it as their duty to look after their needs through their work and they expect someone else to carry their load.

· Why do you think God doesn’t endorse this mentality when someone is capable but unwilling?

§ The Church is responsible for looking after those who need assistance. When those who could be supporting themselves don’t and look to the Church or state for a handout, they are sapping resources from those truly in need.

· Let’s aspire to lead quiet lives, ones that the outside world can respect and find attractive. As the saying goes, you may be the only Bible some people read!

A Father's Love

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 27 May 2024 23:27:00 +0000

This passage from Psalm 103 is incredibly comforting. It is bookended by two statements of God’s love for His children, and packed in the middle with a tender understanding of how frail we humans really are.

Psalm 103:17 - But from everlasting to everlasting

the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him

Things to think about:

· Psalm 103:13 - As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;

o 14 for he knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.

o 15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field;

o 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

o 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children—

o 18 with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.

· This psalm does such a beautiful job of illustrating God’s gentleness for those who do their best to follow Him

o As fathers we can relate to how much we love our children just because they are our children.

§ Even when we mess up, He has compassion. Why? It’s in His nature as a father

· Even in the most challenging parent/child relationships, we never stop loving our kids. How much more our Heavenly Father?

· How do you find comfort in this?

o But also because He knows well that it’s in our nature to stumble and fall.

§ We are formed from mere dust. Our Creator knows we are not made of the best stuff…yet. But when we are with Him in Heaven we will have a new body designed to last.

§ How does it make you feel knowing that God always keeps in mind our inherent weakness?

o This life is so short in the scheme of eternity. We flourish for a season and then poof – we’re gone from this Earth! While what we do here does matter for eternity, it’s also just a very small season in the context of eternity.

§ All of our successes and failures are real but they are also quite temporary

§ How does it make you feel knowing that in the relative scheme of things our time here is so brief?

· Yet God’s love is anything but temporary

o But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him

§ He will never leave you or forsake you

§ And for all of you grandparents, His righteousness is with our children’s children (Amen!)

· But please note, these promises aren’t for everyone.

o Three times the psalmist reminds us that we are active participants in this relationship

§ For those who fear Him (vv. 13, 17) and those who keep His covenant and obey His precepts (v 18)

§ He doesn’t expect perfection, but He does want our genuine commitment

Gentleness, compassion, understanding, faithfulness – these are some of the qualities we see in God’s nature and attitude towards you and me today.

· How does focusing on these truths encourage and comfort you?

The Gardener

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 13 May 2024 22:36:00 +0000

The passage from John 15 will be familiar to most where Jesus uses the word picture of Himself as the vine, the father as the gardener, and His followers as branches. Let’s explore how the gardener trims and nurtures the vine.

John 15:1 – I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener

Things to think about:

· John 15:2 - “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

o Did you notice that no branch is untouched by the Gardener’s hand?

§ Everyone is accountable to God

o What is pruned on the fruitful branches may not be sinful in and of itself, just not the best

§ Little branches that take away from the larger branch are called suckers. They deprive the branch of all the nutrients they can use to be their healthiest.

· Busyness, hobbies, idleness, fear

o Of course, what needs to be pruned may be detrimental to the health of the branch like pride, bad habits, indulgences

· I suspect some branches are going to be surprised they were lopped off

o Matthew 7:21-23 - “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

· What is the point of the vine and its branches?

o That they bear fruit.

§ John 15:5 - If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.

o What fruit are they to bear?

§ To love one another.

§ John 15:10-12 - If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

§ How can you recognize His fruit?

· Selflessness, humility, grace

· John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

· What is the point of this garden?

o John 15:8 – This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit showing yourselves to be My disciples.

o God wants us to bear MUCH fruit – and all for HIS glory

§ Ask God what needs to be pruned so you can bear as much fruit as possible

Double Jeopardy

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 22:41:00 +0000

Did you know that the name Satan draws from the Hebrew word for “accuser” or “prosecutor”? One of his best weapons against you and me is to try and prosecute us for crimes that we have already been acquitted of. Can you imagine going through an excruciating legal battle, found innocent, and then allowing yourself to be put in jail? That’s ridiculous! But isn’t that what we do sometimes when we listen to an accusing voice telling us “A good Christian wouldn’t do that”, or “You’ve messed up too badly, God can’t use somebody like you”?

Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Things to think about:

· Double jeopardy is a legal principle that prohibits a person from being prosecuted or punished multiple times for the same criminal offense.

o In Satan’s dark domain, that’s the law of the land!

· Ephesians 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

o This prosecutor is no slouch!

o Revelation12:10b – (speaking about Satan) “…who accuses them day and night before our God.”

· Zechariah 3:1 - Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

o He has been at this game for a long time

o Zechariah 3:2 - The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

· 1 John 4:1 - Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

o The antidote to false accusations is the Truth

o 1 John 4:4 - You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

· 2 Thessalonians 3:3 - But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

· Revelation 12:10 - Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

o Romans 8:34 - Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

When that malevolent voice is whispering in your ear that you’re not good enough, you’ve gone too far this time, God can’t use you, what’s the point of even trying, and the ocean of other lies he has, remember

· Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Help Me with My Unbelief

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 23:36:00 +0000

What is it you are asking God for? Healing? Financial relief? A broken relationship? In Mark 9, we read about the father of a boy possessed by an evil spirit. The father was hoping Jesus could heal his son. He said to him in verse 23, “…if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Jesus’s reply stopped me in my tracks when I recently read this story, He repeated the man’s statement back to him “if you can”? You can almost hear the incredulity in His voice. Here is the Son of God and the man isn’t sure He can take care of his need.

Mark 9:23b-24 – Everything is possible for the one who believes. Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Things to think about:

· “Help me overcome by unbelief” – what an interesting statement. He says he believes but also asks for help with his unbelief.

o It’s like saying I have some gas in the tank but not a full tank.

· I find that I’m not so different as this desperate father. I definitely believe but I know I need help to believe to the full measure.

o Maybe you feel this way sometimes too?

· If we can equate belief with faith, let’s look at Hebrews 11:1

o “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”

§ Sure and certain – this isn’t wishing, this is calling on the Holy One of Heaven

o You already know some of the examples cited in Hebrews 11, the Hall of Faith chapter.

§ Heb. 11:7 –^“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.”

§ Heb. 11:8 – “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going”

· In James 2:18 – “…Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”

o Our deeds are our faith in action. We have to walk the talk even when it’s scary and into the unknown.

· Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

· Are you struggling to believe, really believe, that God will answer your prayer?

o Ask for help with your unbelief

o Believe earnestly (i.e., sincerely)

o Commit to the path of what God is calling you into (walk in faith)

Give to Get

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 23:09:00 +0000

Give to Get – that seems to sum up so many aspects of how the Kingdom operates. Rather than hoard to amass, we are told on multiple occasions in multiple ways, that the secret to getting more from God is to give away exactly what it is you want more of.

Proverbs 11:25 – A generous man will prosper; He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed

Things to think about:

· Galatians 6:7 - Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

· Matthew 5:7 – Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy

· John 12:25 - The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

· Matthew 6:14 - If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

Why is it this way?

· It acknowledges that God is the Source of all the things we need and that He has a limitless supply of what we need

o Philippians 4:19 - And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

· We can only give what we have been given

o Deut. 8:18 - But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

· Others need to be enriched by what God has bestowed on us

o Proverbs 11:25 - A generous man will prosper; He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed

· As we learn to turn our eyes from what we want to what He wants and what others need, we find that our capacity to give increases.

o Proverbs 11:24 - One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

· Where have you seen these principles play out in your life?

· Is God calling you to loosen your grip on something?

Peace

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 22:34:00 +0000

Is your spirit disturbed within you? Are you at war with yourself? Are you in conflict with others? Do your circumstances keep you on edge? Do you find you are impatient? Are you engaging in unhealthy habits? Are you unable to find peace? I think some or all of these hard questions can be true of us at times. God knows this and doesn’t find fault rather He provides the solution. Let’s look at what Scripture has to say about Peace, how to find it, and what to with it.

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Things to think about:

God is Peace

·       Isaiah 9:6-7 - And He will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end.

God Gives Peace

· John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

· Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

· Phil. 4:16 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

God Calls us to Live in Peace

· Matthew 5:9 - Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

· Romans 12:18 - If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

· What aspect of today’s study hits home the most for you?

· Where are you struggling to find peace in your life?

· What can you do differently today to receive God’s peace?

· What can you do differently today to share God’s peace?

Look Up

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 21:44:00 +0000

Daniel 4:34 - "At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever."

Things to think about:

If you have time, read Daniel 4 in its entirety. It provides all of the context that leads up to Nebuchadnezzar's comment above.

Nebuchadnezzar (hereafter referred to as "the king" because I can't keep typing his whole name :-)) had a dream that he didn't understand. Daniel had already correctly interpreted one dream and so the king went to him again for wisdom.
Daniel warned him to turn from his sin and wickedness so that perhaps he could avoid the ruin that his dream foretold (verse 27)
12 months later the king was full of pride and boasting of his wealth and power (vv 29-30)
while the words were still on his lips, the prophecy of his dream was fulfilled. He was separated from all people and lived like an animal for seven "times" (years?) (vv 31-33)

Finally the king raised his eyes toward Heaven and his sanity was restored. He praised and honored God (v 34)
God provided the king with a very clear warning from a trustworthy source. He even gave him 12 months to get it together.

Why is our tendency to ignore the truth about ourselves?
Are you getting warnings currently about things you need to change?

I'm glad I'm not rich and famous. I am sure my nature would have me being boastful and conceited.

do you ever waver on Who is the source of your well-being? Isn't it easy to believe it is the work of our own hands?

Daniel's warning was to "Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed." (verse 27)

sins of commission and omission. As we have seen on many occasions, God's heart is with the poor and oppressed.

When the king finally raised his eyes to Heaven his sanity was restored.

Is your life driving you crazy?
How can putting God first restore your sanity?

"Hey God, Do You Know What You're Doing?"

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 23:50:00 +0000

When things aren’t turning out the way we wished they would, or are taking too long, or in some ways aren’t meeting our expectations, we can sometimes wonder if God really knows what He’s doing. Wars, diseases, misfortunes, crime, injustice, and any other number of things can push us in the direction of questioning God’s thinking, motivations, or ability. We have the story of Lazarus in the Book of John where Lazarus dies and several people are essentially telling Jesus He blew it.

John 11:32 – “…Lord, if You had been here,

my brother wouldn’t have died.”

Things to think about:

· Even if we won’t say it out loud, haven’t we all silently wondered, “Lord, what are You doing (or not doing)???”

· In John 11, Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha (and a good friend of Jesus’) falls sick and dies while Jesus is in another town. The sisters sent word to Him that Lazarus was sick and beckoned Him to come see about him.

o But Jesus said that his “sickness isn’t unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of Man may be glorified through it.” He then stayed two more days before going to Bethany where Lazarus and his family lived.

o By the time He got there, Lazarus had been dead for four days.

· Now comes the second guessing!

o John 11:20 – Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now, I know that whatever You ask of God, He will give it to You.”

o John 11:32 – Then, when Mary came where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have dies.”

o John 11:37 (the Jews) said, “could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

o When things aren’t going the way WE want, rather than question our wisdom, we question God’s

· Job 30:20-21 – Job speaking says, “I cry to you, and you don’t answer; I stand up, but you just look at me. You are cruel to me and attack me with the strength of your hand.”

· Is it possible, just maybe, that something is going on that is beyond our limited reasoning abilities???

o Elihu, a young man in the story of Job, confronts Job and his three friends

o Job 33:12 - “But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal. Why do you complain to Him that he responds to no one’s words?”

o And again, Elihu says to Job in verses 29-30 – “God does all these things to a person - twice, even three times – to turn them back from The Pit, that the light of life may shine on them.”

· And when we don’t understand, this is the beginning of faith. God is at work, doing something more awesome and important than our feeble minds can comprehend. And He always does it out of love and for our own good.

o Isaiah 55:8-9 - “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

o Psalm 36:7 - How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Pain is Never Pointless

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 23:06:00 +0000

Trials are part of life. Whether it's work, health, relationships, finances, or something else, we all have unresolved problems. The answer to thriving through them is knowing that there is a purpose in them that you can seize. While there are many aspects we could explore here (sharing in Jesus’ suffering, empathy, learning a needed lesson, discipline, natural consequences of poor judgement, etc.), let’s look at how we grow stronger and more hopeful as a result of trials.

Romans 5:3-5 - we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Things to think about:

· The only way to learn patience is to be around people and situations that drive you crazy

o Similarly, character development is only forged in the fires of trouble

· Scar tissue is tougher than untouched skin. Callouses are harder than unworked hands.

o A weak man is easily bruised and injured.

· Unlike Bible stories where we already know the end, when we are in the midst of a difficult situation, we don’t know if it is going to end today, tomorrow, next year, or never.

o But what we do know is that it’s not for nothing

o Romans 8:28

· Perseverance is a quality anyone can develop. It is simply saying, “Today, I won’t quit.” And then saying it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day…

· You may have heard it said that “Character is the sum total of your habits.”

o We judge a man not by what he says but by what he does consistently over time.

· Why does Character lead to Hope?

o Because we see that God always provides what we need if we don’t give up

o And when we can recall times past when He has delivered us, it gives us a real reason to believe (Hope) that He will do it again

· Hope is the greatest gift you can give yourself and others. As you develop it in yourself, you can share it with others.

o A lack of hope is the greatest poverty one can experience. We can endure almost anything, but without hope, we are totally and utterly lost.

o Proverbs 13:12 - Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

· Let's do more than grit our teeth, let's grip our faith.

To Be Known

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 23:05:00 +0000

Sometimes I worry that if you really knew me, you wouldn’t think that much of me (maybe you already know me and this describes you!) In our passage, Jesus says that He knows you. Let’s unpack what it means to be known and why it matters so much.

John 10:14 – I am the Good Shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know me.

Things to think about:

· Words matter – a lot. In the Greek, there are two words for the verb “to know”

o Oida – to be familiar with

o Ginosko – to be intimately familiar with

§ This is the word Jesus used here and is the same word He uses when describing how He and the Father know one another

· In our case, He knows the good, the bad, and the ugly

o The woman at the well – John 4

· You are probably familiar with the three words used for our one English word, love

o Eros (physical), phileo (fraternal), agape (unconditional)

o He ginoskos you and He agapes you

§ When I first wrote this, it read He agapes you “anyway”

§ But I got thinking, that’s wrong. He made you and loves how He made you.

· We tend to focus on our flaws, weaknesses, and mistakes

o We have an enemy who encourages this kind of thinking

o Jesus focuses on our good points, our purpose, how He wants to be with us for eternity

o We’re not in the Scratch and Dent section

§ We’re behind the glass where He has His most precious masterpieces

· How does reflecting on how well Jesus knows you, affect how you feel His love for you?

· The flipside of all of this is that He says we know Him

o When you really get to know someone, you spend time with them

o You see how they respond in various situations

o You listen to the words they say

· What can you do this week to get to know Jesus a little bit better?

Bread Crumbs

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 23:49:00 +0000

I’m always amazed at how God never misses a detail. Whether it’s knowing every star by name, the number of hairs on your head, or chasing down the one lost sheep, it seems nothing is too trivial for His attention. Another place we see this is when Jesus fed the 5,000 in John 6. Once everyone had their fill, He told His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” Why bother with the crumbs? Why not just let the birds scavenge the leftovers? We don’t have a definitive answer, but today’s study seeks to uncover some possible reasons.

John 6:12 - “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”

Things to think about:

· We all know how He took 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish to feed 5,000 men (and scholars estimate the number could have actually been closer to three times that many counting women and children).

· So why bother with the leftovers? Couldn’t He just whip up another miracle as the need arose?

· Everything God gives us is precious and not to be wasted

o This principle goes way beyond the way God meets our material needs. Think about things like:

§ His grace, mercy, patience, forgiveness

§ How can we be better stewards of these gifts?

· God’s nature is to be extravagant and to have our cups brimming to overflowing

o Just because there’s a lot doesn’t mean we ignore the rest of the blessing once our personal needs are met

· There were twelve basketfuls picked up, one for each disciple

o The servant’s needs are always met

o If you’ve ever been on a mission trip, how were your needs met while you were serving others?

· There are a lot of people in the world that are left behind, overlooked, and forgotten

o Who are the “crumbs” in your sphere of influence?

o How do you think God would have us act towards them?

o How do we make sure that “none are wasted”?

o Small acts of kindness fill up baskets of changed lives

The Power of Questions

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 23:39:00 +0000

When words are printed in red in the Bible, I tend to pay more attention. After all, if Jesus said it, there’s something to be learned! As I have been reading those red-letter words in the Gospel of John, I noticed that Jesus often uses questions. Let’s look at three questions He asked and see what we can learn from His model.

John 1:38 – What do you want?

John 5:6 – Do you want to get well?

John 18:4 – Who is it you want?

Things to think about:

· I guess the first thing to say about Jesus’s questions is He wasn’t actually seeking information. As the omniscient Son of God, He already knew the answers. The questions were more for the benefit of who He was asking.

o Why are questions effective tools to drive a deeper discussion?

· The first question in John 1:38, What do you want?, was posed to His first disciples. They were following Him after John the Baptist pointed at Him and said Jesus was the Lamb of God.

o They were curious about where He was staying and wanted to spend some time with Him

o Everyone comes to Jesus with their own motivations. Are you merely curious or are you after something deeper?

· The second question, Do you want to get well? was asked of the invalid who was always missing out on the chance to get in the healing waters near the temple.

o The man was disabled for 38 years and Jesus wants to know if he wants to get well???

§ Mankind has a disease much worse than this poor man, a terminal illness called Sin. God will not force Himself on us but rather asks if we want to be healed. Only those who say Yes can pick up their mats and walk into eternal life

· The third question, Who is it you want?, is the most important one.

o It is the essence of Christianity because Christianity is about Who

o This happened when He was being arrested and Judas identified Him as the man they were in search of

o They replied, Jesus of Nazareth” to which He responded, “I am He.” They fell to the ground and again He asked, “Who is it you want?”

· The question for everyone ever born is the same one, “Who is it you want?”

o Do you want yourself and to have your way?

o Do you want others and their affection and approval?

o Or do you want the living Son of God Who came to take away your sin so you can be with Him for eternity?

Psalm 34

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 23:02:00 +0000

I’ve been camping out in Psalm 34 for about 4 weeks now. If this was the only Scripture available, it would nourish me for a long time! Let’s look at some of the highlights that have been speaking to me (and I hope you too!).

Psalm 34:6 – this poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles

Things to think about:

Praise

· Ps. 34:1, 3 – I will bless the Lord at all time; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Oh magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together

Deliverance

· Ps. 34:4, 6 - I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles

· Ps. 34:19-20 – Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one is broken.

His Goodness

· Ps. 34:8-10 - Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him. Oh fear the Lord you saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

How to Live

· Ps. 34:12-14 – Who is the man that desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.

His Attention

· Ps. 34:15, 17 - The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears open to their cry. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

His Judgement

· Ps.34:16, 21-22 – The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

Wrong Side of the Road

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 22:43:00 +0000

All I have ever known is driving on the right-hand side of the road. All of my habits and reflexive behaviors assume what I have accumulated over the past 40 years of driving. That is until we started going to the Bahamas where, due to their history as a British colony, they drive on the left side of the road (or as some people say, the “wrong side”). When I come back home, it gets really confusing because what used to be completely natural is now something I have to think about. The guaranteed sign I’m confused is to turn on the windshield wipers instead of the turn signal – very embarrassing!

Deut. 4:9 - Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live.

Things to think about:

· It’s amazing that something that we think is so permanently etched in our minds can be rewritten in a fairly short period of time.

o It’s also really scary because I realize how moldable I can be by my environment.

o Scarier still is that even when I want to do the right thing, I can easily get mixed up with catastrophic consequences.

· Slow slides can lead to bad rides!

o What are some areas that can get us confused on the rules of the road in God’s kingdom?

o Cultural influences

§ 1 Kings 11:2 - They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.

o The company we keep

§ 1 Corinthians 15:33-34 - Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning;

o A weak conscience

§ 2 Timothy 4:3 - For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

o Inappropriate relationships

§ Proverbs 7:25 - Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.

o Bad doctrine

§ Hebrews 13:9 - Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.

o Complacency

§ Deut. 4:9 - Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live.

· Romans 12:2 - Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

o Your drivers license isn’t from this world

§ But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ

Eyes to See

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Goodwin) — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 22:51:00 +0000

This is one of my all-time favorite videos. Before you read too much further, please take a minute to watch it. (if it looks like you need to buy something, you don’t.) It does a phenomenal job of reining in my impatience, judging attitude, and general self-centeredness.

Matthew 9:35 - When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Things to think about:

· As recently as three days ago, I was on a plane when the guy in front of me leaned his seat all the way back and I could barely use my laptop. I thought of all kinds of clever (and mean) things to say to him.

o And then I remembered this video. I have no idea what hurts, fears, shame, guilt, etc. this guy might be going through, but I’ll guarantee you one thing, he is going through something.

§ How do I know? He’s BREATHING

§ Nobody gets a pass on the challenges life throws at us.

Do you tend to show mercy or malice as an initial response?

· In Matthew, we read that Jesus takes a different tack than me

o He had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless

§ The Message says it like this, ‘’when he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd.’’

o His heart broke when I was still lost, and I didn’t even know His name

§ He sees us as lost sheep in need of a shepherd

§ How does that word picture encourage you to be more sympathetic?

How does His sacrifice on your behalf motivate you to be more generous in your attitude towards other people?

· Can you think of a time when your attitude about someone changed when you knew more of their story?

o What can we do to learn more about what others are going through?

· If you would like some of the special glasses in the video, they’re actually available!

o Matthew 9:36 - Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.”