Baptism

Before I perform a baptism, I always bring the "baptizees" together to explain to them what they can expect when they come into the water.
The best part of our short visit together is when I ask them two questions:

1. What has brought you to this point in your life?
2. What does being baptized today mean to you?

God is doing powerful things in the lives of His people. Hearing these people talk about the ways God is moving in their lives and drawing them closer to Him is inspiring, to say the least.

Their stories are God's stories.

God loves a generous giver

How's your vocabulary?

Here's a unique way to give. This site will test your vocabulary and teach you new words. As you go through each question, it tracks your progress and takes you to higher or lower levels of English vocabulary depending on how well you know the words.
For each correct answer you give, the site donates 20 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program.
Instead of your children playing Webkins, SpongeBob or Dora games online, how about helping them increase their vocabulary and help some needy people in the process!

Check out freerice.com

Ps. See if you can beat me. At the 700 grain donation mark, my level was 38 and my best level was 40.

Click To Give?

One click, no cost giving.
Giving that costs you nothing.

Is this for real?

I don’t know if giving away someone else’s money makes you generous but giving priority to those in need is certainly a virtue.

There are a few websites out there that use your “clicks” to donate money to charity. It costs you nothing because the donation comes from the sponsor of the website.

Cool huh?

20 Tips / Tip 20

Tip 20: Summarize Key Points.

Many people will find it instructive if you can recap some of the more important points from the discussion. The end of the session is a natural time to do this, but it's also helpful to do it at the beginning of a group meeting. (Recapping what the group has learned so far) Summarizing is particularly helpful after discussing an especially important or complicated point. Brief, spoken summaries from the leader enhance learning and retention, so take notes during the discussion and bless the group by emphasizing the essential take-aways.

20 Tips / Tip 19

Tip 19: Use a Board or Easel, if Appropriate.

Tracking on a board, the relevant points that people make is a great way of affirming, echoing, and clarifying what's being said. It will also help you to "connect the dots" more easily. Beyond that, many people will retain more of what's said if they've both heard it and seen it in writing.

20 Tips / Tip 18

Tip 18: Stay With Fruitful Conversation, Even If It's Taking Too Much Time.

For group leaders who are especially time-conscious, it's natural to march through a set of questions and make sure everything gets covered in the time allotted. The best group leaders remain mindful, though, that the real goal of the meeting is transformation, not completion.
Sometimes, a question will stimulate lots of discussion. It will go deep; it will touch a chord; it will create excitement; it will surface pains or misunderstandings that need to be addressed; it will plant the seeds of lasting change for people. Avoid cutting off God's work in these situations. Don't be a slave to a script, insisting on covering all the questions in your time together. Some questions may require twenty minutes, others three minutes. So be flexible and learn to discern when to deviate from your original plan.

20 Tips / Tip 17

Tip 17: Allow Silence After You Ask a Question.

Eventually, it'll happen. You'll ask a question and no one will say anything. Avoid the temptation to fill that void with your own voice. Give people time to think. Let them muster the courage to answer a tough question. Give them a moment to hear from God, if that's the prompting they're seeking.
Get comfortable with silence after posing a question. Often, your patience will be rewarded with some of the richest and most poignant answers of the week.

20 Tips / Tip 16

Tip 16: Frame Questions Using "Why" and "How."

Usually, when you ask a question that begins with "why" or "how," people tend to answer with more thoughtful, more extensive responses than if you ask a question that begins with "who," "where," or "when."
Think about it. Questions that begin with these latter words can lend themselves to one or two word answers, right? But try answering a "why" or "how" question with one word. Not likely. If your goal is to get people talking, think about reframing the questions you ask.
Another great question is "Why do you say that?" or "How did you come to that conclusion?" These are great questions to use that will get your group members to think through their responses and the reasons for the beliefs they hold.

20 Tips / Tip 15

Tip 15: Ask for People's Opinions.

"How about someone who hasn't spoken yet?" "Anyone else want to comment on this issue?" "Does anyone have a different perspective on this?"
These and similar questions are non-threatening ways of inviting people into the conversation. Write out some phrases with which you're comfortable and use them at strategic points in your group meetings to draw in quiet group members. Sometimes just this little nudge can be a turning point for people.

20 Tips / Tip 14

Tip 14: Cut Off Dominators.

Let's face it, they're out there. Many groups are blessed with that spirited person who contributes a little too much. And that can diminish the experience for everyone else. Usually, if the leader doesn't take control of this situation, no one will.
One solution is to talk to the person away from the group. It doesn't take much. Start by affirming the positive and then candidly make your request. "Fred, you really have a lot of good stuff to contribute in this study, but I want to make sure that others have an adequate opportunity to share, too. Would you be willing to scale back - at least a little - the number of times you contribute?"
A second way to balance contribution is to simply cut in when the dominator takes a breath, echo what he or she has said to that point (so they know they've been heard), and invite someone to respond to that.
As a last resort, you might say to the group something like: "I don't want you to feel like you're in school, but in the interest of managing this discussion, it would help me if you all would raise your hand when you want to comment." Then regulate the dominator's contributions in a way that's more helpful to the group.

Don't get your chainsaw out unless it's a last, last resort!!

20 Tips / Tip 13

Tip 13: Connect the Dots.

Another way to enhance the flow of discussion is to connect some people's comments to other people's comments. "So Sherry, you think that the verse calls us to action but Dan, two minutes ago, you said you didn't understand it that way. Can somebody else help us out here?" This is good facilitation because it clarifies where you are with the discussion and where you want it to go.

20 Tips / Tip 12

Tip 12: Echo What's Been Said.

This is such an essential facilitation technique! From time to time, you'll find it helpful to restate what somebody has just said - to "echo" it for the group. Echoing not only lets the speaker know that he or she has been understood, it also serves to clarify that person's point for everyone else. Beyond that, echoing makes it more likely that the rest of the group will respond to that person's comment, rather than just following with an unrelated comment.
So, echo comments where appropriate, and then, since you have the floor at that moment, invite commentary on what's just been said. The flow of discussion will improve dramatically.

20 Tips / Tip 11

Tip 11: Listen for Segues to the Next Question.

It's good to know where you want to go next with a discussion. Sometimes you simply have to announce the transition (i.e., "let's turn a corner now and look at the next question"), but the meeting flows more smoothly if you capitalize on natural transition points. Expert facilitators listen closely for comments that connect to where they want to go next and quickly use those comments to move the discussion forward.

20 Tips / Tip 10

Tip 10: Be Sure That Scripture Is Your Filter.

One would think we wouldn't have to say such a thing, but it seems that sometimes, our filters for right and wrong get clouded, even in Christian circles. Some people use their experience as an arbiter of right and wrong. Some are pragmatists, basing the right thing to do on "whatever works."
There are a lot of worldviews infecting Christian thinking these days, so when group members suggest solutions to problems, don't shy away from asking whether their suggestion aligns with Scripture.
If, as group leaders, we persistently come back to the Bible as God's standards, our group members will too.

20 Tips / Tip 9

Tip 9: Stay on Point

This is the downfall of many small groups. One off-point comment gives way to the next, and before you know it, a discussion about the deity of Christ turns into a debate over which basketball player is the greatest ever. (duh, everyone knows it's Kobe! There is no player in the history of the game that can take over the way he does. And who would you want taking the last shot for your team when the game is on the line? He is the best player on the best team. He is constantly evolving his game and continually makes his team better. Just add him to any team and it immediately becomes a contender. All other teams create their entire game-plan with him in mind, knowing that if you can stop him you have at least a faint chance of winning. But I digress...)

Ever been there? My guess is that you know exactly what I'm talking about.
This is a leadership problem more than it's a participant problem. To avoid it, keep the group focused on the question at hand and follow up tangential comments by bringing the group back to the actual question. Everyone benefits when a leader steers the conversation, and everyone suffers when he or she does not.

20 Tips / Tip 8

Tip 8: Use Good Listening Skills

There's an old adage that says: "Being listened to is so close to being loved, that most people can't tell the difference." You may have experienced the feeling first-hand. Do what you can to make sure everyone in your group feels it as well.

Concentrate on what each person is saying, rather than thinking about your own response. Rephrase their point when appropriate, so they'll know they've been heard. Use non-verbal cues as well that show you're listening. Cues like occasionally nodding, positioning your body to squarely face the speaker, leaning toward the speaker slightly, and so on. You'll be amazed at how such little things can make a person feel "listened to" -- and loved!

20 Tips / Tip 7

Tip 7: Create a Safe Environment for Sharing

In almost any small group, there will be people who are intimidated or shy about participating. There are some things you can do, though, to make it feel safe for them to engage. For starters, be transparent. Share your own struggles. Admit your own challenges with the issues being discussed. Confess your own imperfections and others will feel freer to share their own.

20 Tips

Tip 6: Model the Way

If you want people to listen to one another, then listen to them. If you want them to be transparent and candid, then you go first. If you want them to dig deeper into God's Word, then model that yourself. If you want them to be accountable to one another, then be sure they know of your accountability relationship. Lead by example, not just by words.

20 Tips

Tip 5: Be Prepared

The familiar real estate axiom is that the three most important things in a property are location, location and location. In community leadership--and in teaching generally--one could piggyback on this axiom and say the three most important things are preparation, preparation and preparation. There’s simply no substitute for it (as some of us have seen from witnessing an unprepared group leader or teacher.)
Facilitating a community group means you will need to give some thought to how you’ll begin the group meeting, what concepts you’ll cover, approximately how much time you’ll be devoting to each of them, some proposed answers for each topic, and a way to bring the meeting to a close. In your planning, though, don’t worry about becoming an expert on the subject matter. Great facilitation can easily happen even though you might lack expertise. But it’s unlikely to happen without some planning and preparation.

20 Tips

Tip 4: Encourage Accountability.

Accountability matters. CEO's answer to boards. Elders oversee pastoral performance. Accrediting bodies hold schools to high standards. Governments guard against excessive power of their branches by maintaining checks-and-balance systems.
Accountability matters in community as well. We're more likely to experience permanent change when we have an accountability partner who will support us, ask us whether we're keeping up with our commitments, and check on our progress. So, early on, encourage people toward accountability and be accountable.

20 Tips/Tip 3

Tip 3: Operate in Joy.
The disposition of the leader powerfully drives the disposition of the whole group. When you adopt a joyful and celebratory disposition throughout the study, others will follow. When you smile, when you're upbeat, when you're genuinely excited to be leading, when you celebrate successes, it will infect the group. And that will significantly improve the experience for everyone involved.

As you know, though, joy doesn't just happen. It's not something you can engineer on demand, nor is it something you can fake for very long. Rather, real joy starts with seeing clearly the opportunity with which God has blessed you. You have been commissioned to help Him make people's lives better through leading this study. Your work with this group is, in fact, a sacred ministry. This sort of perspective leads to gratitude for the opportunity, and out of gratitude flows joy, both in your preparation and in your leadership of the discussion.

20 Tips/Tip 2

Tip 2: Operate in God's Strength.
Tip 1 said that successful Bible Study leadership happens when you make the study about God. Here's the flip side: successful leadership happens when you lead the study through God. The best leader is one who's first a follower. Ask God to empower you to lead beyond your abilities, and return to this prayer often. Additionally, make prayer the bedrock of your group time together as well, at the very least opening and closing each session by collectively talking to God.

Small Group Bible Study Tips

I found these small group leadership tips and wanted to share them.
They come from pages 74-82 of the Freedom From Busyness Leader's Guide by Michael Zigarelli.

Tip 1: It's Not About You.
Leading a small group study is not about you. It's about God. The more you can remain in the mindset of magnifying God and minimizing yourself, the more others will learn from the study. Take a cue from John the Baptist: "He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30)

For some small group leaders, this humble posture is quite natural. For others, the ego has a funny way of creeping into everything they do. If you find yourself saying and doing things out of concern for what others will think of you as the leader, that's a red flag.
Instead, try not to worry about your reputation and people pleasing. Your job as a small group leader is simply to co-labor with God to draw people closer to Him.

So, to boil it down to a sentence: To lead a small group with excellence, be the "guide on the side," not the "sage on the stage." This is God's group. Keep Him at center stage.

Bible Study for 1John 4:7-18

1John 4:7-18

Get Started:
1. What is your favorite love song of all time? Romantic movie?

Go Deeper:
2. In 1John 4:7, it says that if you love people you know God. What does this mean for Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, etc who love people? Can only Christians truly love people?

• Scroll down on the blog to find some thoughts on this question.

3. Verses 9 and 10 explain how God showed His love. Why are these verses critical in understanding everything else John is saying about love?

• This represents John’s model. It’s the thing that he points to as he continues his discussion about how we should love.

4. In John 3:16 and 1John 4:11, we see the phrase, “so loved.” What is it about love that John is communicating in these two passages by using that phrase? Do you think he is referring to quantity or quality?

• Scroll down on the blog for thoughts on this question.

5. In 1John 4:10, John uses the phrase, “atoning sacrifice for our sins” for the second time in his letter. (the first time in 2:2) What does it mean for a sacrifice to be atoning and why John is mentioning it.

• Scroll down to the "Scapegoat" post.
  

6. Read 1John 4:13. In this verse, it says that we have been given of His Spirit. Why is it important to know that God has given you of His Spirit? What Bible passages describe the importance of the Spirit in connection with what John is saying about how we know we live in Him and He in us?

• We have access to God by His Spirit. Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
• The Spirit is God’s seal of ownership and His guarantee of what is to come. 2Corinthians 1:21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
• This deposit is given when you believe. Ephesians 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
• You can know and show evidence of the Spirit in your life. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

7. In verse 17, John refers to having confidence on the day of judgment. How confident would you be if you knew the day of judgment was tomorrow? Do you have any evidence for your confidence? Should you have?

• If you take a look back at question 6, you will see that this question and that one have some strong connections.
• Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
• Ephesians 3:12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

8. In 1John 4:18 he says that perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. In what ways have you seen the perfect love of Christ drive out fear in your life?

Making The Connection:
10. Do you need Christ’s perfect love to drive out a fear that you have? Pray about that in community.

11. How can you help someone overcome a fear by showing him/her Christ’s love? Pray about that in community.

Quote Of The Week:
The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else.
--Oswald Chambers

God so loved

In John 3:16 and 1John 4:11, we see the phrase, “so loved.” What is it about love that John is communicating in these two passages by using that phrase? Do you think he is referring to quantity or quality?

I think my daughter has much love. In other words, she has a large quantity of love and she's very cute in the way she shows it. Because of her love, she sometimes gives me gifts that come from her toy box. I enjoy getting gifts from her toy box. (sometimes she will wrap them in writing paper) Regardless of the type of gift, I know that her love is true, and that there is a lot of it. She gets an “A” for quantity.

While she has much love, I would have to say that there is a certain quality of her love that has room to grow. It is seen in this: shortly after she gives me the gift from her toy box, she wants it back so she can play with it. When I ask her if the toy is really mine, she says yes. However, she still wants it back and expects me to give it to her. Since she is my daughter, I give her an “A” for quality also. But only because the quality seems appropriate for her age (6 years).

It seems that there is a relationship between quality and quantity in the category of love. Large quantities of love can be expressed in shallow or deep ways. What determines whether it is shallow or deep is the quality.

When John 3:16 tells me that God “so” loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, I see quality. In this case, the word, “so” could better be understood as saying, “thusly,” “like so,” or "in this way."
In other words, God loved the world and showed it like so: He gave His one and only Son. Likewise, 1John 4:11 says, since God “so” loved us. Notice once again, in verses 9 and 10 we are told that God “showed” the quality of His love by doing something in particular. He sent His Son to die for us. Once again, quality seems to be the focus. The word, “so” used here is ootos in Greek. This word is an adverb and describes degree. The Strong’s Concordance translates the word, “in this way.”

I’m not saying that quantity is unimportant. I am just saying that I think the focus in these two passages is not on quantity. It is on love’s manifestation; its cost; its quality.

John seems to be saying; “If God’s love looks like the offering of His one and only Son unto death on a cross for our sakes, what should our love look like?”

Do you have to know God to show true love?

In 1John 4:7, it says that if you love people you know God. What does this mean for Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, etc. who love people? Can only Christians truly love people?

In one sense, it seems like this question doesn't really apply because this letter appears to be meant for a group of Christians.

But, let’s say it did…..
There are many ways that any person can know God.

You can know God through His creation. Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.

You can know God through morality. Romans 2:14 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.

Here’s the problem. Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

You don’t have to be a Christian to love people. But, you do need the sacrifice of Christ on your behalf to gain the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, the more important question is; how can Christ’s sacrifice apply to me?

Thoughts on Forgiveness

Here are some thoughts that may be helpful as you think about what forgiveness is and isn't.

What Forgiveness is not
Forgiveness isn’t saying, “What you did to me is Okay” What the person did may be dead wrong.
Forgiveness is not forgetting that it ever happened. .
Forgiveness isn’t denying that it hurt.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt anymore. It doesn’t mean that you no longer feel any emotions when you think about it.

Forgiveness is not pretending
“I can’t pretend it didn’t happen.”
God doesn’t call us to pretend, or retreat from reality. Forgiveness isn’t forgetting reality, it’s facing reality. Forgiveness is not closing our eyes to the past. But it is opening our heart to the future..

Forgiveness is not Foolishness
If you steal from me, I can forgive you, but I don’t have to loan you money again. It’s doesn’t mean you have to go back to being best friends. It doesn’t necessarily mean you ever have to spend time with them again. It doesn’t mean things are going to be like they were before.

What forgiveness is
What is forgiveness?
Forgiveness means that when someone sins against you, you put the punishment for that sin into God’s hands. It’s giving up your right to be repaid for the wrong committed against you. You let go of their debt and give it to God. It's like saying, "God, if you want to collect on it, or punish them, that’s your business. But I’m not going to demand punishment. I’m not going to demand they pay me back."
Forgiveness means that you no longer reserve the right to hold your hurt against them in God’s sight. Forgiveness is the opposite of prosecution. Forgiveness is deciding not to prosecute the case in God’s court of law

The Bible uses the analogy of debt.
In the Lord’s prayer, it says, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Forgiving someone who sins against you is like forgiving the debt of someone who owes you money. You’re not saying that they didn’t take the money, you’re not saying that you don’t have a right to collect the money, you’re not saying that you don’t have the right ask them to pay you back. You simply choose to not exercise that right. You sign the note over to God. You release your claim to God and let Him decide whether or not He wants to collect.

Hope these thoughts help.

Therefore - Bible Study Tip

Therefore, to more fully understand a statement that begins with the word therefore, you have to take an additional step.








This is a good case-in-point. You're probably wondering what this blog post is all about. Scroll down to find out.

Therefore - Bible Study Tip

Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?

Good question huh?

Assuming you have never read this passage from Matthew 21, what do you think the answer might be?
Obviously, you’ll never know what answer Jesus is looking for without some additional information. And the information you will want is whatever information explains “therefore.” Since this sentence starts with the word, “therefore” it is apparent that the answer to the question is somehow connected to something that is referred to by the word, “therefore.”

In other words:

The word, “therefore” appears 159 times in the New Testament.
What does therefore mean? Another way of saying therefore, would be by saying “because of this,” “in response to this,” or “consequently.”
That seems to prompt a question, doesn’t it?
“Because of what?” “As a consequence to what?”
Whenever you see the word, “therefore,” keep in mind that it is referring to something previously stated in the passage you are reading. This word connects at least two sections (sometimes more) of Scripture together in a type of cause/effect relationship.
Therefore, to more fully understand a statement that begins with the word therefore, you have to take an additional step. You must have an understanding of what preceded it. Stop where you are, back up and read the passages that come before. This will provide more context and will help you to better understand and apply what the Scripture is teaching.

Bible Study / Luke 12

Get Started:
1. Do you plan on retiring some day? What do you plan to do when you retire?

Go Deeper:
2. In a previous Bible study, we studied the Lord’s Prayer. What difference in attitude do you notice between the prayer for “our daily bread” and the man’s attitude in Luke 12:19?

• I suppose you no longer need to pray for daily bread if you have “plenty of good things laid up for many years.”

3. In Luke 12:15, Jesus uses the phrases “watch out!” and “be on your guard.” Is greed something that attacks you from without or within? How can you be on your guard against the sin of greed?

4. Jesus refers to “all kinds” of greed in this passage. Is there more than one kind of greed?

• Greed is not reserved for money only. A person can be greedy for material possessions, talents, abilities, compliments, looks, power, food, knowledge, etc.

5. The man’s life was demanded from him in verse 20. Who demanded it? Why is the man called a fool by God?

6. Read Luke 16:11-13 and Luke 12:21. Is it possible to do both store up for yourself and be rich toward God?

7. Read Luke 12:20 and Ecclesiastes 2:18-19. What is the common concern that is in view in these two passages? Read Luke 12:21. What is the remedy for the concern?

• There seems to be a question in both passages about who gets the wealth that was stored up and how will that person use it? Let’s not forget that the passing on of this wealth comes rather suddenly and unexpectedly.
• It appears that the remedy is to be “rich toward God.” While we don’t know for sure who ends up with what we have stored up for ourselves and how it will be used, we do know for sure that God is always faithful and that He is no fool!

8. What does it mean to be rich toward God? What practical steps would you suggest to someone who wants to take being rich toward God seriously?

• The worldly view of riches has to do with how much a person can accumulate for himself. What God gives a person is stored up for personal use.
• God’s view of riches has to do with how much a person gives away. What God gives a person is given back to Him for His purposes.

Put it into practice:
1) Are you particularly vulnerable to a certain kind of greed? Pray about this.
2) Do you have the desire to be rich toward God but are unsure where or how to begin? Pray about this.


Quote Of The Week:
I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.
In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditures excludes them.
--C.S. Lewis

Bible Study / Luke 11:1-13

When It Feels Like You Don’t Have A Prayer

Get Started:
1. Do you know of a time when you were the answer to a prayer? Tell your group about it.

Go Deep:
3. Read Luke 11:1-13. In Luke 11:2, Jesus tells His disciples to “say.” Do you think He is giving the disciples an exact prayer to recite? Why or why not?

4. In Luke 11:4, the prayer is to not be led into temptation. Does God lead people into temptation? Read James 1:13.

• James 1:13 says that God doesn’t tempt anyone. But it doesn’t say anything about God leading someone into temptation.
• Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted. The Holy Spirit was not the tempter. It was the devil. See Matthew 3:1.

5. In Luke 11:4, what is the relationship between praying for forgiveness and praying to not be lead into temptation? Are they connected?

• I think you need to pray both things in verse 4 – both forgive me for messing up and help me stay out of temptation. One without the other is incomplete. If you prayed the first part, and really wanted to stop sinning, wouldn’t it make sense to pray the second part? And if you prayed more for staying clear of temptation, is it possible you might have fewer times when you need to come and ask for forgiveness?

6. Verse 4 makes an interesting connection between asking for forgiveness and granting forgiveness to others; we can’t be praying and asking God to forgive our sins, if we aren’t willing to forgive those who sin against us. Is there someone you need to forgive?

7. Read Luke 11:5-8. What is the main point of this passage? Why did the friend give as much as was needed? What does this passage teach you about your prayer life?

8. Read Luke 11:9-10. What does everyone who asks receive?

• Keep reading!

9. Read 1Corinthians 14:15. When you pray, do you find yourself thinking carefully through your prayer or simply letting it come out? Which do you prefer when you pray and why?

10. What Bible passages give advice on how to pray. What advice do you find yourself using when you pray?

• Philippians 4:6
• Colossians 4:2
• 1Thessalonians 5:16-18
• 1Timothy 2:1, 2:8
• Jude 1:20
• James 5:13-16
• 1Peter 3:7, 4:7
• Luke 5:16, 6:28, 18:1
• Proverbs 28:9
• Daniel 9:3
• Romans 12:12

11. Read some of Paul’s prayers and describe what you learn about prayer from him. What did he pray about most frequently? Most fervently? Does there seem to be a common theme in his prayers?
(Romans 10:1, 11:33-36, 15:5-6, 15:13, 15:30-33, 16:25-27, 1Corinthians 16:23-34, 2Corinthians 13:7-9, 13:14, Galatians 1:3-5, 6:18, Ephesians 1:15-19, 3:14-21, 1Thessalonians 1:2-3, 3:10-13, 2Thessalonians 1:11-12, 3:16, Philippians 1:3-11, Colossians 1:9-14, Philemon 1:4-6.)


Make It Practical:
1) We probably all think we could pray more. If this is the way you feel, what will you do about it?


Quote Of The Week
When life knocks you to your knees—well, that’s the best position in which to pray, isn’t it?
--Ethel Barrymore

Bible Study Tip

Any time a passage can be found in more than one Gospel, take the time to read them all. The different Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John often share the same events with different perspectives.
In the same way that eyewitness accounts of the same event, when combined, can give a better overall picture of that event, the Gospel writers also help to provide a more complete picture when you read each account. Reading the passage from each Gospel can serve to illuminate details and meaning and can help in revealing the intended purpose the Gospel writer had in mind as he penned the account.

Found

In our walk with Christ, there are events that seem to leave a mark on our lives. There are turning points, memories, and experiences that stand out in our minds as being special, even supernatural.

One of those turning points for me was my baptism. In November of 2000, I was baptized in Ned Webster’s swimming pool. I remember thinking, “This is it, God. I’m really doing it. I’m counting on you.” I really felt “exposed.” I’m not sure if “exposed” was the best word to describe the feeling, but it was the best word I could come up with; until I heard this song.

A video of all of us who were baptized, was taken that day and later shown in the Sunday services. The audio track that was added to the video was a song by Delirious? called, “Find Me In The River.” That song gave me a better way to describe the feeling. I was “on my knees with my soul laid bare.”

Have you ever felt that way?

Find Me In The River

Find me in the river
Find me on my knees
I've walked against the water
Now I'm waiting if you please

We've longed to see the roses
But never felt the thorns
And bought our pretty crowns
But never paid the price

Find me in the river
Find me there
Find me on my knees with my soul laid bare
Even though you're gone and I'm cracked and dry
Find me in the river, I'm waiting here

Find me in the river
Find me on my knees
I've walked against the water
Now I'm waiting if you please

We didn't count on suffering
We didn't count on pain
But if the blessing's in the valley
Then in the river I will wait

Written by Martin Smith ©1995 Curious? Music UK

Can Faith Heal?

Faith pleases God, right?
Yes and no.
While it’s true that faith pleases God, it’s not true that all faith pleases God.
Faith cannot stand alone, but must be attached to something to be manifested. In other words, faith must have an object. There must be someone or something to have complete trust and confidence in for faith to exist. The object of our faith is Jesus Christ.
Money, possessions and one’s own righteousness are obvious examples of the objects of some people’s faith that would not please God.
In Luke 8:43-48, I think we see an example of the kind of faith that does please God; the kind of faith that recognizes God’s power even when all else fails, faith that sees through circumstances and feels the possibilities, faith that reaches out after hope is gone.
In this case, that kind of faith prompted a response from God.
But we should never confuse an act of God prompted by faith with a faith-caused miracle. Faith can't heal anyone. God may choose to heal someone because of that person’s faith, but the faith didn’t do the healing. God did. Faith doesn’t have power. God does.

In verse 46, Jesus said that He knew power had come out from Him. Was that the woman’s faith He felt? Was it the power of her faith?

Faith isn't a force; it is an attitude of trust which allows you to depend on someone that can do for you what you cannot do for yourself. Faith allows you to go to the source of the power. Faith isn't the power. What Jesus felt was the power of God, flowing through Him and out of Him, healing the woman.
So what does Jesus mean when He says, “your faith has healed you?”
Here’s my opinion: I think He means that the faith of the woman prompted God to act on her behalf. God chose to heal her because of the faith He saw.

Bible Study / Luke 6

Get Started:

1. What did love feel like when you were a teenager? Is it different now?

Go Deeper:

2. Read Luke 6:1-5. In Luke 6:5, Jesus calls Himself Lord of the Sabbath. What do you think He meant by that?

• In the parallel passage in Matthew 12:1-14, He says that someone greater than the temple is here (referring to Himself)
• Jesus speaks about a passage in 1Samuel 21:1-6 when the priest in the temple gives David and his companions the bread that was meant only for priests. If the priest could give David the bread of the Presence, certainly the Christ could give His companions wheat on a Sabbath day.

3. In Luke 6:11, it says they discussed what they might do to Jesus. What, specifically, were they discussing? Was Jesus aware of their discussion? If so, what did He do about it?

• In the parallel passage from Matthew, it says they discussed how to kill Jesus. (Mt. 12:14)
• Matthew 12:15 says, “aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place”

4. In Luke 6:13, Jesus calls His disciples to Him and chooses 12 of them. He then calls them apostles. What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle?

• All apostles are disciples but not all disciples are apostles.
• From Strong’s Concordance, the Greek for disciple is - 3101. mathetes math-ay-tes' from 3129; a learner, i.e. pupil:--disciple.
• From Strong’s Concordance, the Greek for apostle is - 652. apostolos ap-os'-tol-os from 649; a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ("apostle") (with miraculous powers):--apostle, messenger, he that is sent.

5. In Luke 6:27, who is Jesus speaking to? Read John 10:27 and 14:15. Should the love described in the following verses of Luke 6 be expected of non-believers? Why or why not?

6. In Luke 6:29, do you think Jesus is teaching against self-defense? Why or why not?

7. Read Luke 6:30. Does Jesus really want us to give to “everyone” and “anyone” anything they might ask?

8. In Luke 6:32-34, Jesus contrasts the type of love He is speaking about to the type of love found among “sinners.” Why is the love of a believer supposed to be different than that found in the world?

• The love of a believer is supposed to look like the love of God. Read Luke 6:35-36

9. Verse 35 talks about doing good and lending without expecting anything in return. Does that mean we should never lend money unless we’re planning to “write it off”?


Put it into practice:

1) Verse 36 gives promise of reward to those who obey Jesus’ command. It reminds us that God is kind to people whether or not they return the favor. Who is someone you need to show this type of kindness toward?


Quote Of The Week:
We all have some dying to do. Jesus showed us how it should be done.
--Stephen Neill

Bible Study / Luke 5

Luke 5

Get Started:

1. What’s your favorite fish to eat? To catch? Do you like lake, stream or ocean fishing?

Go Deeper:

2. In verse 5, Peter explains to Jesus why His suggestion wont work but then agrees to do it anyway. Have you ever been prompted by God’s Word to do something that didn’t make sense at the time? Share the event with your group.

3. Read about Peter’s reaction to the success of their fishing trip in verse 8. Why does Peter want Jesus to “go away”? What emotions do you think are being experienced by Peter? Is Peter afraid? If so, of what?

• Exodus 33:18-20 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."

4. Compare Peter’s reaction in verse 8 to Isaiah 6:5. How is Isaiah’s reaction similar or dissimilar to Peter’s? Continue reading the verses that follow. What do you see happening in these verses that alleviates the tension we are reading about? What are the resulting responses?

5. In verse 10, Jesus tells Peter that he will now “catch men.” What does Jesus mean by this? What can be learned about "catching men" from what Peter just experienced?

6. As you read verses 8 and 10, why do you think Jesus chooses to use a “sinful man” in the endeavor of “catching men?”

7. “I’m a pretty good person” is a statement you will hear often when discussing with someone his/her need for a savior and how God has provided for that need. Do you think it’s important for a person to arrive at the conclusion that Peter did in verse 8? Why or why not?

Put it into practice:

1) Have you gone “fishing” lately? Pray to be used by God to “catch men.” Pray also for God to be preparing the people you come into contact with to hear the good news.

Quote Of The Week
Unless we change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed.
--Chinese Proverb

Luke 3 Bible Study

Luke 3

Get Started:

1. What do the following songs all have in common? Error Of Our Ways, Just My Imagination, Can I Get A Witness, My Girl.

• All these songs are done by the Temptations.

Go Deeper:

2. Read Luke 3:21-22. Why was Jesus baptized? Is baptism commanded for Christians, or is it more of a suggestion or good idea? What Bible passages help answer these questions?

• Matthew 3:13-15
• Acts 2:38-39
• Matthew 28:19-20

3. What Bible passages describe the symbolism of baptism?

• Colossians 2:11-12
• Romans 6:3-4

4. After Jesus was baptized, He was led into the desert, “full of the Holy Spirit.” Who led Him into the desert? What does James 1:13 teach about temptation? Based on these two passages, what do you think it means in the Lord’s Prayer when it says, “lead us not into temptation?”

• Notice that the Spirit led Jesus in the desert but it is the devil that did the tempting.
• God does not tempt us but I think He does test us. These tests are not meant to tell God something about us that He doesn’t know, but to tell us something about God that we may not know.
• Based on these two passages, what do you think it means in the Lord’s Prayer when it says, “lead us not into temptation?” If I put it another way, I might say; “God, please don’t lead me into a time of testing, for I fear I may fail.”

5. Read Luke 4:6. Is what the devil says in that verse true? What Bible passages provide insight into this question?

• 1John 5:19
• John 12:31
• Ephesians 2:1-2

6. In Luke 4:12 it says not to put the Lord your God to the test. What is the difference between trusting and testing God?

7. When do you think the “opportune time” of verse 13 was?

• Matthew 16:23
• John 14:30
• Luke 22:3

8. Over and over, Jesus quotes the Bible in response to the temptations of the devil. In Luke 4:10, the devil quotes the Bible to Jesus. What Bible verse is being quoted by the devil? Is his quote accurate? Is his use of this verse acceptable? Why or why not?

• Scroll down to the next post for thoughts on this question.

9. If you know that you are particularly “at risk” for certain temptations, what kind of plan or strategy do you have in place to overcome them? Share some “overcoming” insights with your group.


Making The Connection:

1) If there’s ever a good time to be tempted by the devil, it’s when you are “full of the Holy Spirit.” Pray in community for a fresh filling of the Spirit.

Quote Of The Week
I have more trouble with D. L. Moody than any other man I know.
--D. L. Moody

Luke 4

Many theological, and even practical misunderstandings about the Bible and living the Christian life are the result of the misuse of Scripture. Often, this misuse is completely unintentional. One of the most common misuses of Scripture is using a passage or verse out of context.

A very good way to make sure you are not using Scripture out of context is this simple rule: Never Read A Bible Verse. In other words, never just read one verse without reading the verses that precede and follow it. The surrounding verses and paragraphs will help you understand the context. Knowing the contextual setting for a verse will help you understand the meaning more clearly and allow you to make a more Biblical interpretation. With the right interpretation, you are now ready to apply this truth to your life.

In Luke 4:10, the devil is quoting Psalm 91:11-12. If he would have read just one more verse, he would have been talking about his own destruction! As you can see, the intentional misuse of God's Word is one of the devil's favorite tools. He's been using it for quite some time. (See Genesis 3)

Bible Study - Book of Luke

Luke Study
Luke 3

Get Started:

1. Who was Luke? Was he one of the disciples? An apostle?


Go Deeper:

2. Read Luke 1:1-5 and 2:1-2 and 3:1-2. What is the significance of Luke's listing of these political and religious figures?

• Luke is often called a historian. Here, he seems to be fixing for the reader a precise date and chronology for the beginning of John’s ministry.
• I think this should tell us something about the care and accuracy that, for Luke, seem to be a priority in writing this Gospel.

3. Verse 4 quotes a prophecy from the Old Testament. In what way did John the Baptist “Prepare the way” for the Messiah? Does repentance prepare the way for salvation?

4. Verse 3 says that John preached a “baptism of repentance.” In what ways is that similar/different from Christian baptism in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?

5. Scripture teaches that anyone who believes in Christ needs to be baptized. If someone was baptized by John the Baptist, and then subsequently believed in Jesus, would he/she need to be baptized again? Why or why not? How does Acts 19 1-7, inform your answer?

6. Read Luke 3:7. What is John referring to with the term “the coming wrath?” Also read Luke 3:17. Are these two statements referring to the same thing?

7. In Luke 3:8, John talks about something to do and something not to do. In this verse, how do these two statements relate to one another? How does a person “produce fruit in keeping with repentance?” What point is John trying to make?

• Romans 2:28 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.
• How does a person “produce fruit in keeping with repentance?” In verses 10-14, the people were asking the same question. John gave them some examples.

8. After reading Luke 3:7-17, what is your opinion of John’s evangelism technique? How is his technique different than yours? What would you have included/not included?

9. How does what is written in verses 3-6 connect with the central thrust of John’s message? Do you think John gave a complete Gospel presentation? Why or why not?


Thinking About The Implication:

1) In verses 10-14 the people were asking John, “What should we do?” In what way do you think John would answer that question for you if you could ask today? Pray about that.


Quote Of The Day
A salty pagan, full of the juices of life, is a hundred times dearer to God, and also far more attractive to men, than a scribe who knows his Bible….in whom none of this results in repentance, action, and above all, death of the self. A terrible curse hangs over the know-it-all who does nothing.
--Helmut Thielicke