**Read Matthew 7:1-6 and Romans 5:1-5
I Judging Others
- In Matthew 7:1-6, Jesus preached about us not having the right to judge our brothers and sisters especially if we are doing the same thing and sometimes worse. People tend to see minor flaws of others to cover up their own mistakes. At the same time, they try to help people to overcome those flaws. Jesus told us to look at the flaws that we have because we can't help anyone without helping ourselves first. A person who just got divorced can not give marriage counseling to a couple having problems. It just does not work! These people are hypocrites.
Remember the story in John 8:1-12 about the adulteress who was brought to Jesus by the pharisees and the scribes. They brought Jesus the woman to see what he will say because the laws of Moses calls for her stoning. Jesus said to them “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” After hearing this, no accuser threw a stone and left the adulteress. This is a great story of judgment. Remember that God is the only One who can judge us and we are all sinners.
- We can also see these from people with double standards who corrects your mistakes all the time but when the exact thing happened to them, it suddenly is ok. They can be your supervisors or co-workers who always get on you when you are late, but always take an extra 20-30 mins for lunch. They can be your parents, brother or sisters, who tells you not to do the exact thing that you see them doing. If you want to be a good role model to your little brother/sisters or children, do not do something that you don't want them to copy, especially in front of them. Telling them not to do what you're doing usually does not work especially if they look up to you and considered you their hero. If you're doing it, why can't they?
- People try to minimize their faults and try to exaggerate other's faults. We need to examine our own lives instead of criticizing others, for nobody is perfect and everyone has sinned. The traits that usually bothers us are the same traits that we dislike or have in ourselves. If you are ready to criticize others, check to see if you deserve the same criticism. Judge yourself first, then instead of finding fault on others, forgive and help them.
- In verse 6, Jesus mentioned not giving the holy to the dogs and casting pearls to pigs. Dogs and pigs were both unclean at those times and these are referred to people who kept rejecting God and his message. The word "Holy" is his gospel and pearls. Jesus is just preaching not to force the gospel on people who radically reject it outright. We all have the responsibility to share the gospel to everyone but after delivering the good news, it is the individuals choice if he will accept or reject the gospel. We can keep planting the seeds but if he/she outright rejects it, Jesus said that there's no more reason to share it with them again.
II. Bearing Trials with Peace and Joy
- In Romans 5:1-5, Paul talks about the peace we get from trusting and believing in God through our faith in Jesus Christ. It is living without the fear of judgment because of all the sins that we have committed. Each verse has its own message: verse 1 resulted in peace with God, verse 2: access to God and His grace; verse 3: glory in tribulation; verse 4: hope through our salvation; and finally, verse 5: love of God.
III. Proverbs for Today/3:11-12 (NKJV)
11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor detest His correction;
12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 28-29 and Psalms 11:1-7
Prayer: Father God, we pray to you today as members of your family. We lift to you our lives that you may use us in sharing the gospel to everyone. Heavenly Father, we ask you to show us the way and clean our hearts that we shall look in our own's faults and flaws. Father, help us not to judge people for we know that you are the only judge and help us to forgive those who have sinned against us for we know that if we forgive you too will forgive our sins. Father God, we thank you for the peace that you have given us, the grace that you have showered us, the hope that you have in store for us, and the everlasting love that you have given us. We pray all these, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
12 Jan 13: Treasures in Heaven and/ Abraham Believed God's Promise
**Read Matthew 6:19-34 and Romans 4:18-25
I. Treasures in Heaven
- Matthew 6:19-34; We live in a materialistic world and sometimes we value money and things more than our self, family, friends, Jesus, and God. We work a lot, sometimes 14-20 hour days so that we can provide for our family and buy the trends of the world. We take that extra shift or two, just to have enough money for that new IPhone 5 or that BMW. But Jesus informed us that all these material things are worthless in the eyes of God. We spend our whole life collecting and storing money, cars, houses, gadgets, but when we die, we leave it to others. Instead of wasting our time building our treasures here on earth, we should start investing in our treasures in heaven for these treasures are eternal. Matthew 6:33 reads; "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you". We need to seek God first then He will bless us. I remembered a story that my grandmother always tells us about a rich man and the pavement:
"There was a rich man who had all the gold, cars, nice houses, and everything else that money can buy. He spent all his life collecting all this treasure so he can bring all this when he dies and go to heaven. The day came and the rich man passed away. On his way to heaven, he was carrying sacks and sacks of gold and when he reached the gates of heaven, Peter saw him and asked what he has and why he is carrying all these.
The rich man told Peter that he wanted to bring all his gold in heaven so he can show God how successful and rich he was on earth and be impressed. Peter then asked him how God is supposed to be impress with him and his sacks of pavements. Peter then showed the rich man a glimpse of heaven with streets of gold.
All the gold or money that we work hard for are just streets (pavements) that we will walk on in heaven. They do not mean anything and would not give you favor with God. Our desire to be prosperous and live a good life far outweighs our commitment to God. Money by itself is not evil, but it is the LOVE OF MONEY that is truly evil. If we spend all our life trying to get rich, then what time do we have for God.
Materialism blinds us to God's truth. We can not serve two masters: God and money. Do you claim that God, and not money is your master? Here's a simple test. Are we too occupied with our jobs, trying to get rich so we can buy that new car, new Ipad , or other material things? Do we defend or justify excessive amounts of time thinking or worrying about money? Do we think about making more money or are consumed with running out of it? When we first wake up, do we think of all our money or the lack therof? Before we go to bed, do we think of all our bills or what to buy next? We need to start our day with a prayer, thanking God for another life, another day and the privilege of glorifying and honoring his Him. At the end of the day, we need to pray again to God, thanking Him for everything that He has blessed us.
- Finally, we are told not to worry about our daily necessities for God will provide for us. Jesus explained that if God provided for the birds which do not farm or work, don't you think God will provide for the same men who HE created in His own likeness. We have been driven by the trends of the world and have been motivated to live by the wrong source. We are suffering because we are not looking at all the necessities that God has already provided us. Because we are greedy and we always wanted more, be richer, and live a higher standard, we focus more on always buying the newest cars, electronics, newest trend, eating at a fancier restaurant, and all the other "wants" that we have. We need to stop living in this world and stop being driven by what other people wants us to be. We need to start living with the Lord and be driven by the Holy Spirit with how God wants us to live. We need to stop worrying of the future and live our life today for God has a plan and promise for us:
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" - Jeremiah 29:11.
II. Abraham Believed God's Promise
- In Romans 4:18-25, Paul shares the story of how God fulfilled His promise to Abraham (Genesis 15). God had chosen Abraham to be the father of all nations and He has promised him many many years to have child with his wife Sarah. And even though Abraham and Sarah were really old and past their childbearing years, Abraham never doubted the power that God has to fulfill his promise. That promise came along when Abraham was already 100 years old and his wife Sarah was about 90. Sarah bore a son and named him Isaac, whom God established the covenant with. This is a great story of God's faithfulness to those who trusted in Him. This also shows that "For God, nothing is impossible" (Luke 1:37). We all have prayers that have gone unanswered for a day, a week, a year, 5 years, 10 years, or even 50 years but we are told to be patient and trust in the Lord our God for He will grant our hearts desires in His timing if it it His will. God always has a plan for us and it might not be the plan that we want but God knows what is best for us. Another promise that God has given us is our eternal life through our faith in Jesus Christ and our repentance of our sins.
I. Treasures in Heaven
- Matthew 6:19-34; We live in a materialistic world and sometimes we value money and things more than our self, family, friends, Jesus, and God. We work a lot, sometimes 14-20 hour days so that we can provide for our family and buy the trends of the world. We take that extra shift or two, just to have enough money for that new IPhone 5 or that BMW. But Jesus informed us that all these material things are worthless in the eyes of God. We spend our whole life collecting and storing money, cars, houses, gadgets, but when we die, we leave it to others. Instead of wasting our time building our treasures here on earth, we should start investing in our treasures in heaven for these treasures are eternal. Matthew 6:33 reads; "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you". We need to seek God first then He will bless us. I remembered a story that my grandmother always tells us about a rich man and the pavement:
"There was a rich man who had all the gold, cars, nice houses, and everything else that money can buy. He spent all his life collecting all this treasure so he can bring all this when he dies and go to heaven. The day came and the rich man passed away. On his way to heaven, he was carrying sacks and sacks of gold and when he reached the gates of heaven, Peter saw him and asked what he has and why he is carrying all these.
The rich man told Peter that he wanted to bring all his gold in heaven so he can show God how successful and rich he was on earth and be impressed. Peter then asked him how God is supposed to be impress with him and his sacks of pavements. Peter then showed the rich man a glimpse of heaven with streets of gold.
All the gold or money that we work hard for are just streets (pavements) that we will walk on in heaven. They do not mean anything and would not give you favor with God. Our desire to be prosperous and live a good life far outweighs our commitment to God. Money by itself is not evil, but it is the LOVE OF MONEY that is truly evil. If we spend all our life trying to get rich, then what time do we have for God.
Materialism blinds us to God's truth. We can not serve two masters: God and money. Do you claim that God, and not money is your master? Here's a simple test. Are we too occupied with our jobs, trying to get rich so we can buy that new car, new Ipad , or other material things? Do we defend or justify excessive amounts of time thinking or worrying about money? Do we think about making more money or are consumed with running out of it? When we first wake up, do we think of all our money or the lack therof? Before we go to bed, do we think of all our bills or what to buy next? We need to start our day with a prayer, thanking God for another life, another day and the privilege of glorifying and honoring his Him. At the end of the day, we need to pray again to God, thanking Him for everything that He has blessed us.
- Finally, we are told not to worry about our daily necessities for God will provide for us. Jesus explained that if God provided for the birds which do not farm or work, don't you think God will provide for the same men who HE created in His own likeness. We have been driven by the trends of the world and have been motivated to live by the wrong source. We are suffering because we are not looking at all the necessities that God has already provided us. Because we are greedy and we always wanted more, be richer, and live a higher standard, we focus more on always buying the newest cars, electronics, newest trend, eating at a fancier restaurant, and all the other "wants" that we have. We need to stop living in this world and stop being driven by what other people wants us to be. We need to start living with the Lord and be driven by the Holy Spirit with how God wants us to live. We need to stop worrying of the future and live our life today for God has a plan and promise for us:
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" - Jeremiah 29:11.
II. Abraham Believed God's Promise
- In Romans 4:18-25, Paul shares the story of how God fulfilled His promise to Abraham (Genesis 15). God had chosen Abraham to be the father of all nations and He has promised him many many years to have child with his wife Sarah. And even though Abraham and Sarah were really old and past their childbearing years, Abraham never doubted the power that God has to fulfill his promise. That promise came along when Abraham was already 100 years old and his wife Sarah was about 90. Sarah bore a son and named him Isaac, whom God established the covenant with. This is a great story of God's faithfulness to those who trusted in Him. This also shows that "For God, nothing is impossible" (Luke 1:37). We all have prayers that have gone unanswered for a day, a week, a year, 5 years, 10 years, or even 50 years but we are told to be patient and trust in the Lord our God for He will grant our hearts desires in His timing if it it His will. God always has a plan for us and it might not be the plan that we want but God knows what is best for us. Another promise that God has given us is our eternal life through our faith in Jesus Christ and our repentance of our sins.
"11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life,[a] and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." - 1 John 5:11-16
III. Proverbs for Today/3:9-10 (NKJV)
9 Honor the LORD with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 26:17-35, Genesis 27, Psalms 10:16-18
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the privilege to study your Word. We thank you go reminding us that all the material things here on earth are worthless in your eyes. Help us build our treasures in heaven and help us get away from the love of money. Open our hearts and give us the strength to finally take that step to devote our lives to you and follow your ways. Father, we thank you for being faithful and for giving us the promise of eternal life. Forgive us and our sins and shower us with your blessings. In Jesus' name. Amen.
III. Proverbs for Today/3:9-10 (NKJV)
9 Honor the LORD with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 26:17-35, Genesis 27, Psalms 10:16-18
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the privilege to study your Word. We thank you go reminding us that all the material things here on earth are worthless in your eyes. Help us build our treasures in heaven and help us get away from the love of money. Open our hearts and give us the strength to finally take that step to devote our lives to you and follow your ways. Father, we thank you for being faithful and for giving us the promise of eternal life. Forgive us and our sins and shower us with your blessings. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Friday, January 11, 2013
11 Jan 13: Religious Hypocrisy and Jesus Teaches us How to Pray and/ Salvation, The Free Gift of God
**Read Matthew 6:1-18 and Romans 4:13-17
I. Religious Hypocrisy
- In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus taught us not to be hypocrites like the so called "holy or religious" (Pharisees and Scribes). In James 2:17, it says that "Faith without works is dead". At the same time, we learned from previous studies that "it is by grace of God that we are saved, not of our works...". We can be the nicest and most helpful people but if we do not have faith in God then we're just "nice and helpful people". On the other hand, we can be the most faithful and religious person, but if we don't bear fruit of our faith then we don't have faith at all. If we say that we are saved, accepted Jesus as our savior, repented from our sins, and decided to live a righteous way, we are then changed within. Our transformation starts from the inside and once we are born again, it will show in the outside that we are now true followers of Christ. Once we are believers and have established a relationship with our Father, the Holy Spirit will guide our hearts to do good things, not to gain favor from God, but to be the light of the world and show God's love through us and glorify His name. If we have true faith, then we do good works. But when we do good works, we don't have to tell the whole world what we did. God knows what we did and we don't have to broadcast it to everyone in Facebook, twitter, or other social networks to gain recognition or praise. Instead of glorifying our own name, we need to glorify God. Tell the whole world that it is God who gave them all their blessings. When we do good things, let us do it in secrecy with no though of getting a reward. Ask yourself, if nobody will know or if I would not get anything from this charity, would i still do it? If the answer is yes, then the change has started in your life. If your answer is no, we need to examine your motives and hearts. This goes the same way for any new things that happen in our life. When we have lots of money, or we bought a new car, house, or maybe an IPhone 5 or IPad, we don't have to post it in Facebook or Instagram. Because when we do, what do we really gain from doing this? What is our purpose for showing all these nice expensive things but to be proud of ourselves. Pride keeps us away from God. When we start getting successful, we start believing that we all did it by ourselves and that we do not need the help from God. Pride is having faith in ourselves. We need to have faith in God instead! When we receive blessings, we need to give grace to God, thank Him for everything that He has given us, glorify His name. From now on, instead of saying: "I am proud of you, or myself, or this and that", let us start saying, "I am blessed!". Instead of living with the world as self-centered, let us live with the Lord and be God-centered!
- In Matthew 6:5-15, Jesus taught us how to pray. Praying is an intimate time with God. Jesus told us to go to a secluded room, and devote our time and spirit to God. Second, praying is telling God what is in our hearts. Jesus instructed us not to not say repetitious and memorized prayers. God is an all-knowing God, and He already knows the desires of our heart even before we say it. Prayers such as the rosary, where "Hail Mary's" are repeated numerous times is a great example of this. Repeating words over and over again will not put your prayer at the top of the line. We, don't have to babble just like pagans and say the same thing over and over again just to be heard by God. At the same time, we should not pray to any human being, dead or alive for they are not God and don't have the power to heal us, forgive our sins, or give us salvation. Remember that it is said in 1 Timothy 2:5 that "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus". It is only through Jesus Christ and no one else. No where in the bible does it says to pray to Mary or saints, or your dead family members. We only pray to our Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
II. Salvation, The Free Gift of God
- In Romans 4:13-17, Paul explains that Abraham was blessed through his faith alone, before he ever heard about the rituals that would become so important to the Jewish people. We too are saved by faith alone. It is not by loving God and doing good that we are saved; neither is it by faith plus love or faith plus good works. Salvation is not a gift that we in any way coerce God into giving us, it is the free gift of his grace. We are saved only through faith in Christ, trusting him to forgive all our sins.
III. Proverbs for Today/3:7-8
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones.
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 24:52-67, Genesis 25, Genesis 26:1-16 and Psalms 10:1-15
Prayer: Father God, we thank you and we glorify your name for you are the giver of everything that we have here on earth. We thank you for all the blessing that you have provided for us. We continue to pray for more blessings and for all our heart's desires. May you grant our prayers and shower us with your grace. Forgive our sins and forgive those that have sinned against us. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
I. Religious Hypocrisy
- In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus taught us not to be hypocrites like the so called "holy or religious" (Pharisees and Scribes). In James 2:17, it says that "Faith without works is dead". At the same time, we learned from previous studies that "it is by grace of God that we are saved, not of our works...". We can be the nicest and most helpful people but if we do not have faith in God then we're just "nice and helpful people". On the other hand, we can be the most faithful and religious person, but if we don't bear fruit of our faith then we don't have faith at all. If we say that we are saved, accepted Jesus as our savior, repented from our sins, and decided to live a righteous way, we are then changed within. Our transformation starts from the inside and once we are born again, it will show in the outside that we are now true followers of Christ. Once we are believers and have established a relationship with our Father, the Holy Spirit will guide our hearts to do good things, not to gain favor from God, but to be the light of the world and show God's love through us and glorify His name. If we have true faith, then we do good works. But when we do good works, we don't have to tell the whole world what we did. God knows what we did and we don't have to broadcast it to everyone in Facebook, twitter, or other social networks to gain recognition or praise. Instead of glorifying our own name, we need to glorify God. Tell the whole world that it is God who gave them all their blessings. When we do good things, let us do it in secrecy with no though of getting a reward. Ask yourself, if nobody will know or if I would not get anything from this charity, would i still do it? If the answer is yes, then the change has started in your life. If your answer is no, we need to examine your motives and hearts. This goes the same way for any new things that happen in our life. When we have lots of money, or we bought a new car, house, or maybe an IPhone 5 or IPad, we don't have to post it in Facebook or Instagram. Because when we do, what do we really gain from doing this? What is our purpose for showing all these nice expensive things but to be proud of ourselves. Pride keeps us away from God. When we start getting successful, we start believing that we all did it by ourselves and that we do not need the help from God. Pride is having faith in ourselves. We need to have faith in God instead! When we receive blessings, we need to give grace to God, thank Him for everything that He has given us, glorify His name. From now on, instead of saying: "I am proud of you, or myself, or this and that", let us start saying, "I am blessed!". Instead of living with the world as self-centered, let us live with the Lord and be God-centered!
- In Matthew 6:5-15, Jesus taught us how to pray. Praying is an intimate time with God. Jesus told us to go to a secluded room, and devote our time and spirit to God. Second, praying is telling God what is in our hearts. Jesus instructed us not to not say repetitious and memorized prayers. God is an all-knowing God, and He already knows the desires of our heart even before we say it. Prayers such as the rosary, where "Hail Mary's" are repeated numerous times is a great example of this. Repeating words over and over again will not put your prayer at the top of the line. We, don't have to babble just like pagans and say the same thing over and over again just to be heard by God. At the same time, we should not pray to any human being, dead or alive for they are not God and don't have the power to heal us, forgive our sins, or give us salvation. Remember that it is said in 1 Timothy 2:5 that "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus". It is only through Jesus Christ and no one else. No where in the bible does it says to pray to Mary or saints, or your dead family members. We only pray to our Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
II. Salvation, The Free Gift of God
- In Romans 4:13-17, Paul explains that Abraham was blessed through his faith alone, before he ever heard about the rituals that would become so important to the Jewish people. We too are saved by faith alone. It is not by loving God and doing good that we are saved; neither is it by faith plus love or faith plus good works. Salvation is not a gift that we in any way coerce God into giving us, it is the free gift of his grace. We are saved only through faith in Christ, trusting him to forgive all our sins.
III. Proverbs for Today/3:7-8
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones.
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 24:52-67, Genesis 25, Genesis 26:1-16 and Psalms 10:1-15
Prayer: Father God, we thank you and we glorify your name for you are the giver of everything that we have here on earth. We thank you for all the blessing that you have provided for us. We continue to pray for more blessings and for all our heart's desires. May you grant our prayers and shower us with your grace. Forgive our sins and forgive those that have sinned against us. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
10 Jan 13: Jesus Fulfills the Law and/ Abraham Justified by Faith
**Read Matthew 5:17-48 and Romans 4:1-12
I. Sermon on the Mount - Jesus Fulfills the Law
- In Matthew 5:17-48, Jesus continued His teaching of the disciples. He has been talking about salvation not by works (following the law) but through faith. Because of this, the pharisees and the scribes have been accusing Jesus of teaching people not to follow the law. All he wanted to share is He fulfills the law and we can't inherit the kingdom of God just by following the Law. You should also have faith and a change in your heart and attitudes. Many of us can be a testimony that when we first accepted Jesus and followed his way, that it changed the way we act, how we socialized, and other things in our life drastically. We tried to avoid the change, but we can't hide from the works of the holy spirit. Our goodness must come from what God does in us, and not what we can do by ourselves. It must be God-centered, not self-centered. It must be to please God and not to please other people and the world. Finally, it must go beyond merely keeping the Law to a loving obedience of the principles behind the Law. We can all look like a saint but still not inherit the kingdom of God. God judges our hearts as well as our deeds, for it is in heart that God can see our true faith. People will know if you are a follower of Jesus, not because of what you say but of what you do and the good fruit that you bear.
- In verses 21-30, Jesus expanded the law. We commit sin not just by doing murder but by having anger in our heart without a cause or holding a grudge. Before we spend time with God, pray, and give our offering, we must first clear our hearts and get rid of all grudges or anger. Second, Jesus talked about adultery. He explained that without actual physical contact and just by looking and lusting on another woman, we have already committed adultery. He then added to pluck out that eye which sinned because it is better to go to heaven with one eye than to have both but be thrown into hell. Finally, Jesus taught His disciples that marriage is sacred and binding. He explained that the only reason that God will approve for a divorce is if is because of sexual immorality or adultery. In our world this days, there are many excuses from being divorce such as irreconcilable differences. This is one of the most common ground for divorce these days. People are getting married quickly without valuing the true meaning of marriage. This is the reason why there is now a saying "You are not American if you didn't have at least 1 divorce".
-In verses 33-37, Jesus told us not to swear falsely or "shall not bear false witness to your neighbor". This means no gossiping or talking bad about other people, specially if you're doing this to destroy his/her name and glorify your own. In verses 38-42, Jesus explains what true righteousness is, which is not bound by what the other do to you. Finally, in verses 43-48, Jesus preaches about love. It is not just loving your family and friends, but also loving your enemies; and not just that, but to do good against the people who hate you and pray for those who persecute you. Remember what we studied in Matthew 5:9,
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
II. Abraham Justified by Faith
- In Romans 4:1-12, Paul used Abraham, whom the Jews acknowledged as their forefather, as an example for righteousness. Abraham should not have been justified just by following the Law but because he had faith in God. His faith was so strong that he agreed to sacrifice his son, Isaac, whom he waited for 100 years before he was born. He knew that God has promised his descendants to multiply and prosper and God will not harm Isaac. This is a great sign of righteousness. If God called you to sacrifice one of your children, would you do it? We all know that this is what God did for us, He showed His love that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
III. Proverbs for Today/3:1-6 (NKJV)
Guidance for the Young
I. Sermon on the Mount - Jesus Fulfills the Law
- In Matthew 5:17-48, Jesus continued His teaching of the disciples. He has been talking about salvation not by works (following the law) but through faith. Because of this, the pharisees and the scribes have been accusing Jesus of teaching people not to follow the law. All he wanted to share is He fulfills the law and we can't inherit the kingdom of God just by following the Law. You should also have faith and a change in your heart and attitudes. Many of us can be a testimony that when we first accepted Jesus and followed his way, that it changed the way we act, how we socialized, and other things in our life drastically. We tried to avoid the change, but we can't hide from the works of the holy spirit. Our goodness must come from what God does in us, and not what we can do by ourselves. It must be God-centered, not self-centered. It must be to please God and not to please other people and the world. Finally, it must go beyond merely keeping the Law to a loving obedience of the principles behind the Law. We can all look like a saint but still not inherit the kingdom of God. God judges our hearts as well as our deeds, for it is in heart that God can see our true faith. People will know if you are a follower of Jesus, not because of what you say but of what you do and the good fruit that you bear.
- In verses 21-30, Jesus expanded the law. We commit sin not just by doing murder but by having anger in our heart without a cause or holding a grudge. Before we spend time with God, pray, and give our offering, we must first clear our hearts and get rid of all grudges or anger. Second, Jesus talked about adultery. He explained that without actual physical contact and just by looking and lusting on another woman, we have already committed adultery. He then added to pluck out that eye which sinned because it is better to go to heaven with one eye than to have both but be thrown into hell. Finally, Jesus taught His disciples that marriage is sacred and binding. He explained that the only reason that God will approve for a divorce is if is because of sexual immorality or adultery. In our world this days, there are many excuses from being divorce such as irreconcilable differences. This is one of the most common ground for divorce these days. People are getting married quickly without valuing the true meaning of marriage. This is the reason why there is now a saying "You are not American if you didn't have at least 1 divorce".
-In verses 33-37, Jesus told us not to swear falsely or "shall not bear false witness to your neighbor". This means no gossiping or talking bad about other people, specially if you're doing this to destroy his/her name and glorify your own. In verses 38-42, Jesus explains what true righteousness is, which is not bound by what the other do to you. Finally, in verses 43-48, Jesus preaches about love. It is not just loving your family and friends, but also loving your enemies; and not just that, but to do good against the people who hate you and pray for those who persecute you. Remember what we studied in Matthew 5:9,
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
II. Abraham Justified by Faith
- In Romans 4:1-12, Paul used Abraham, whom the Jews acknowledged as their forefather, as an example for righteousness. Abraham should not have been justified just by following the Law but because he had faith in God. His faith was so strong that he agreed to sacrifice his son, Isaac, whom he waited for 100 years before he was born. He knew that God has promised his descendants to multiply and prosper and God will not harm Isaac. This is a great sign of righteousness. If God called you to sacrifice one of your children, would you do it? We all know that this is what God did for us, He showed His love that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
- In verses 4-5, Paul explained that we do not work for our salvation. We can do great things, from feeding the hungry, helping the poor, and taking care of the ill but all this is nothing without trusting God's promise. A person that has committed a crime but changed and started having faith in God and repented will more likely have a place in the Kingdom rather than a rich person who gave some money to the poor but does not glorify God and instead boast of what he has accomplished and done here on earth. No other "religion" teaches God accepting unrighteous people in His kingdom just by trusting Him and asking for forgiveness. This is what sets Christianity apart from everything else.
- In verses 6-8, Paul then illustrated how even King David, who committed adultery and murder, was accepted by the Father because he believed and repented. And with Jesus dying in the cross for our sins, all God wants from us is to have a personal relationship with Him, be His friend, trust in Him, and ask for forgiveness for it was stated in 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".
- Sometimes we wonder, if we are saved through faith, do we have enough faith? Is my faith strong enough to save me? This is the wrong attitude. We need to remember that Jesus saves and His love is strong enough no matter how little our faith is. We did not earn salvation from actions or our powerful faith but it is a gift of God because He loves us.
III. Proverbs for Today/3:1-6 (NKJV)
Guidance for the Young
1 My son, do not forget my law,
But let your heart keep my commands;
2 For length of days and long life
And peace they will add to you.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct[a] your paths.
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 23, Genesis 24:1-51 and Psalms 9:13-20
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for being faithful. We thank you for the gift of salvation that you promised us. We ask for your guidance. Show us the way to your Kingdom. We know that it is not because of our actions but your grace that we are saved. Continue to bless us, heal us, and forgive our sins. In Jesus' name. Amen.
But let your heart keep my commands;
2 For length of days and long life
And peace they will add to you.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct[a] your paths.
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 23, Genesis 24:1-51 and Psalms 9:13-20
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for being faithful. We thank you for the gift of salvation that you promised us. We ask for your guidance. Show us the way to your Kingdom. We know that it is not because of our actions but your grace that we are saved. Continue to bless us, heal us, and forgive our sins. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
9 Jan 13: The Sermon on the Mount-The Beatitudes and/ Salvation through faith
**Read Matthew 5:1-16 and Romans 3:21-31
I. The Sermon on the Mount-The Beatitudes
This is the reason that Jesus loved the crowd. He didn't love the audience because He wanted to be famous but He knew that the majority of the people who were listening were separated from God because of their sins. He was compassion to them and always wanted to preach to them, heal them, teach them, and minister to them so they may know the truth and receive salvation. The Gospel is free regardless of your background and your past. It is for us and it does not matter if you were once a murderer, idolater, sex addict, thief, liar, etc. The Gospel is for everyone to receive so we can realize that there is still hope and a God that loves us and He will offer us salvation as long as we realize the sins that we have committed, ask for forgiveness, and follow His ways. Listening to Christian radio is really great because you learn something new everyday. We always talk about getting eternal life by following God but the pastor gave a better explanation. He said that "that it is not because we'll gain eternal life that is important because no matter what, everyone will receive eternal life. The important thing is where you'll be spending your eternal life".
I. The Sermon on the Mount-The Beatitudes
- In Matthew 5:1-16, Jesus was on a mountain in Capernaum when he was alone with His disciples. The disciples didn't really know what impact Jesus would have yet and what His message and plan was but all they know is they followed Him to learn and be "fishers of men". In this mount, Jesus gave a sermon to His followers about what our attitudes are supposed to be as believers. It was pretty much like a Bible study to teach his disciples some truth and guidelines for the Kingdom of God.
It is a message for us that God wants to bless us. God wants us to have joy and happiness but it's not the same happiness as what the world wants us to do. While the world tells us to be prideful and to stand up for ourselves, the Lord tells us to be humble and trust in God. Sometimes, we have that burden in our heart that keeps haunting us, telling us to repent and change our ways but then we tend to look at other people (believers or non-believers) and say "at least I'm not doing what he is doing; compare to her, I'm way better; or at least I still go to church and read my Bible". This is the wrong attitude. We should always seek for righteousness, be merciful, be pure in heart, and be a peacemaker for we will be blessed. In verse 11, we learned that we, as His followers, will definitely be persecuted but don't be disturbed because we will receive reward from heaven. If you openly say that you are a Christian or a born-again or protestant Christian, it is not if we get persecuted by when we get persecuted. We always see movies mocking Christians and we have our neighbors, friends, co-workers, and even our own family ridicule our ways. Jesus said in verse 12 that even the prophets were persecuted and laughed upon and that's ok. Instead, let's rejoice and be glad for we have a place in heaven.
Remember that Jesus did not come to our world to teach and preach to those who already know and obey God but to find those who does not know Him. Jesus did not come here to heal the healthy but those who are sick. As it is written in Mark 5:1-16- When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
It is a message for us that God wants to bless us. God wants us to have joy and happiness but it's not the same happiness as what the world wants us to do. While the world tells us to be prideful and to stand up for ourselves, the Lord tells us to be humble and trust in God. Sometimes, we have that burden in our heart that keeps haunting us, telling us to repent and change our ways but then we tend to look at other people (believers or non-believers) and say "at least I'm not doing what he is doing; compare to her, I'm way better; or at least I still go to church and read my Bible". This is the wrong attitude. We should always seek for righteousness, be merciful, be pure in heart, and be a peacemaker for we will be blessed. In verse 11, we learned that we, as His followers, will definitely be persecuted but don't be disturbed because we will receive reward from heaven. If you openly say that you are a Christian or a born-again or protestant Christian, it is not if we get persecuted by when we get persecuted. We always see movies mocking Christians and we have our neighbors, friends, co-workers, and even our own family ridicule our ways. Jesus said in verse 12 that even the prophets were persecuted and laughed upon and that's ok. Instead, let's rejoice and be glad for we have a place in heaven.
Remember that Jesus did not come to our world to teach and preach to those who already know and obey God but to find those who does not know Him. Jesus did not come here to heal the healthy but those who are sick. As it is written in Mark 5:1-16- When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
This is the reason that Jesus loved the crowd. He didn't love the audience because He wanted to be famous but He knew that the majority of the people who were listening were separated from God because of their sins. He was compassion to them and always wanted to preach to them, heal them, teach them, and minister to them so they may know the truth and receive salvation. The Gospel is free regardless of your background and your past. It is for us and it does not matter if you were once a murderer, idolater, sex addict, thief, liar, etc. The Gospel is for everyone to receive so we can realize that there is still hope and a God that loves us and He will offer us salvation as long as we realize the sins that we have committed, ask for forgiveness, and follow His ways. Listening to Christian radio is really great because you learn something new everyday. We always talk about getting eternal life by following God but the pastor gave a better explanation. He said that "that it is not because we'll gain eternal life that is important because no matter what, everyone will receive eternal life. The important thing is where you'll be spending your eternal life".
II. Salvation through faith
- Romans 3:21-31 is a validation that we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. God could have just destroyed us and thrown us in the fiery hell but He cared and loved us so much that he sent His only begotten son as a sacrifice. So we should not boast that we are holy, religious, and deserve to go to heaven. We, humans, do not deserve anything. It is only by God's grace that we can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. We can't say that because we are good citizens, or we follow the law, or we do all this charity work and help others that we are righteous. Observing the law does not make us righteous for the laws were made to show that we are not perfect. Our salvation only comes through our faith. We need to read the Bible, admit that we our sinners, trust in Jesus Christ as our savior, ask for forgiveness, change our ways, and follow His ways. We need to build a relationship with our father, worship Him, praise Him, honor Him, and love Him and He will bless you and shower you with His grace and give you His promise of salvation through faith.
- Romans 3:21-31 is a validation that we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. God could have just destroyed us and thrown us in the fiery hell but He cared and loved us so much that he sent His only begotten son as a sacrifice. So we should not boast that we are holy, religious, and deserve to go to heaven. We, humans, do not deserve anything. It is only by God's grace that we can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. We can't say that because we are good citizens, or we follow the law, or we do all this charity work and help others that we are righteous. Observing the law does not make us righteous for the laws were made to show that we are not perfect. Our salvation only comes through our faith. We need to read the Bible, admit that we our sinners, trust in Jesus Christ as our savior, ask for forgiveness, change our ways, and follow His ways. We need to build a relationship with our father, worship Him, praise Him, honor Him, and love Him and He will bless you and shower you with His grace and give you His promise of salvation through faith.
III. Proverbs for Today/2:16-22
16 To deliver you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words,
17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
And forgets the covenant of her God.
18 For her house leads down to death,
And her paths to the dead;
19 None who go to her return,
Nor do they regain the paths of life—
20 So you may walk in the way of goodness,
And keep to the paths of righteousness.
21 For the upright will dwell in the land,
And the blameless will remain in it;
22 But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 20-22 and Psalms 9:1-12
16 To deliver you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words,
17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
And forgets the covenant of her God.
18 For her house leads down to death,
And her paths to the dead;
19 None who go to her return,
Nor do they regain the paths of life—
20 So you may walk in the way of goodness,
And keep to the paths of righteousness.
21 For the upright will dwell in the land,
And the blameless will remain in it;
22 But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 20-22 and Psalms 9:1-12
Prayer: Heavenly Father we thank you that you sent your son to this world to spread the good news and help us, the unrighteous to be righteous again in your eyes. Father God, may you continue to use us so we can seek those that need our help, need your gospel, and need You in their life so they will start walking the way of the Lord and also inherit your kingdom. Father, once again, we ask for forgiveness from our sins, and we know that we would receive salvation not through our good works, but because of your grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We lay to you our heart's desires, Lord, that you may grant them and provide for us all our needs. We ask all this through your Holy Son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
8 Jan 13: Jesus Preaches of the Kingdom / No One is Righteous
**Read Matthew 4:12-25 and Romans 3:9-20
Father God, we thank you for this opportunity to study your Word. Bless this time and send your Holy Spirit to guide us during our study. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Father God, we thank you for this opportunity to study your Word. Bless this time and send your Holy Spirit to guide us during our study. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
I. Jesus Preaches to the Kingdom
- Matthew 4:12-25 started with Jesus finding out that his cousin, John the Baptist, was thrown to prison. Because of this, he decided to go to Galilee. This happened about a year after the "temptations" in the wilderness. We know in the book of John that in between, Jesus had turned water into wine, drove the money changers from the temple, talked to Nicodemus, and had done some ministry. Matthew decided to start again with Jesus' life here because John the Baptist's imprisonment became a turning point of Jesus' ministry. Jesus called his first four disciples. He didn't do it by taking applications or looking for the most religious people. Jesus plainly called four fishermen: the brothers Andrew and Simon (Peter), and the brothers James and John. He called on them and asked them to follow Him and become "fishers of men". And without any questions, they left everything (business and family) and followed Him. Discipleship is a simple commitment or response to follow Jesus. And discipleship always involve being "fishers of men". So what does that mean? "Fishers of men" spread the Gospel just like a fishnet, patiently waiting for men to receive the message, accept Jesus Christ as their savior, and build a relationship with God. Just like a fisherman catching a fish, there's nothing like catching someone's heart and lead them to God's family.
Pastor Ed from Calvary Chapel Aurora Colorado once said that "if we, as a church, fail to evangelize that it's only a matter of time before we fossilize before we become dry and stale, before our church is no longer an arm, or leg, or the mouthpiece, or the eyes of God on earth today but becomes just another social club."
We, as Christians and followers of Christ, have a duty, a Great Commission, to share the Word and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:16-20). We all have our own talents and God will use us with the talents and skills that He blessed us with. We don't have to be a pastor, a worship leader, or a Bible expert to show God's love. Follow the way of the Lord and you will turn into the "light of the world" where others can see through the changes that God has done in your life. Share our faith to others, send Bible verses, give encouragement , help others, provide hope, pray, and live the life that God wants us and we will shine and show God's love and grace.
II. No One is Righteous
- In Romans 3:9-20, Paul said that the Jews were not better than the Gentiles. The Jews might have the law but they still have committed sin and were unrighteous. Paul then used the verses in Ecclesiastes 7:20 and Psalm 14:1-3 which explains the nature of the sin. He talks about how they lie, curse, murder, and disrespect God. In verse 20, Paul stated that anyone would be guilty before God. He then explained that the law can not make people righteous and that is the reason why we need salvation.
Everyone in this world is not righteous. We are all sinners and if someone out there says that they are "holy" and they don't sin, then they just committed a sin. Nobody is perfect and as humans, we have our sinful nature. This is what makes the Gospel so important. The message that God is trying to share to us is that we are not good enough and we need to receive the Gospel and repent our sins. We will not get God's favor because we do good deeds, or we go to church every Sunday, or we read the Bible every day, or we give our tithes and offerings. "It is all by God's grace that we are saved through faith, and not of ourselves. It is a gift from God not by works, so that no one can boast"- (Ephesians 2:8-9).
III. Proverbs for Today/2:6-15
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
8 He guards the paths of justice,
And preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice in doing evil,
And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked,
And who are devious in their paths;
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 18:16-33, Genesis 19, and Psalms 8:1-9
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for calling us to follow you. It is not coincidence that we are reading your message to us. Help us to be ready and accept your calling. Use us in your ministry and let us be "fishers of men". Let us be the "light of the world". Let your love and grace shine through us. We know, God, that we are not worthy of your grace and we ask for cleansing. Forgive us for we are sinners. We thank you for all the blessings, or the protection, and everything else that you have given us. We ask that you continue to pour your blessings upon us. We love you and we honor you, In Jesus' Name. Amen.
- Matthew 4:12-25 started with Jesus finding out that his cousin, John the Baptist, was thrown to prison. Because of this, he decided to go to Galilee. This happened about a year after the "temptations" in the wilderness. We know in the book of John that in between, Jesus had turned water into wine, drove the money changers from the temple, talked to Nicodemus, and had done some ministry. Matthew decided to start again with Jesus' life here because John the Baptist's imprisonment became a turning point of Jesus' ministry. Jesus called his first four disciples. He didn't do it by taking applications or looking for the most religious people. Jesus plainly called four fishermen: the brothers Andrew and Simon (Peter), and the brothers James and John. He called on them and asked them to follow Him and become "fishers of men". And without any questions, they left everything (business and family) and followed Him. Discipleship is a simple commitment or response to follow Jesus. And discipleship always involve being "fishers of men". So what does that mean? "Fishers of men" spread the Gospel just like a fishnet, patiently waiting for men to receive the message, accept Jesus Christ as their savior, and build a relationship with God. Just like a fisherman catching a fish, there's nothing like catching someone's heart and lead them to God's family.
Pastor Ed from Calvary Chapel Aurora Colorado once said that "if we, as a church, fail to evangelize that it's only a matter of time before we fossilize before we become dry and stale, before our church is no longer an arm, or leg, or the mouthpiece, or the eyes of God on earth today but becomes just another social club."
We, as Christians and followers of Christ, have a duty, a Great Commission, to share the Word and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:16-20). We all have our own talents and God will use us with the talents and skills that He blessed us with. We don't have to be a pastor, a worship leader, or a Bible expert to show God's love. Follow the way of the Lord and you will turn into the "light of the world" where others can see through the changes that God has done in your life. Share our faith to others, send Bible verses, give encouragement , help others, provide hope, pray, and live the life that God wants us and we will shine and show God's love and grace.
II. No One is Righteous
- In Romans 3:9-20, Paul said that the Jews were not better than the Gentiles. The Jews might have the law but they still have committed sin and were unrighteous. Paul then used the verses in Ecclesiastes 7:20 and Psalm 14:1-3 which explains the nature of the sin. He talks about how they lie, curse, murder, and disrespect God. In verse 20, Paul stated that anyone would be guilty before God. He then explained that the law can not make people righteous and that is the reason why we need salvation.
Everyone in this world is not righteous. We are all sinners and if someone out there says that they are "holy" and they don't sin, then they just committed a sin. Nobody is perfect and as humans, we have our sinful nature. This is what makes the Gospel so important. The message that God is trying to share to us is that we are not good enough and we need to receive the Gospel and repent our sins. We will not get God's favor because we do good deeds, or we go to church every Sunday, or we read the Bible every day, or we give our tithes and offerings. "It is all by God's grace that we are saved through faith, and not of ourselves. It is a gift from God not by works, so that no one can boast"- (Ephesians 2:8-9).
III. Proverbs for Today/2:6-15
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
8 He guards the paths of justice,
And preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice in doing evil,
And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked,
And who are devious in their paths;
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 18:16-33, Genesis 19, and Psalms 8:1-9
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for calling us to follow you. It is not coincidence that we are reading your message to us. Help us to be ready and accept your calling. Use us in your ministry and let us be "fishers of men". Let us be the "light of the world". Let your love and grace shine through us. We know, God, that we are not worthy of your grace and we ask for cleansing. Forgive us for we are sinners. We thank you for all the blessings, or the protection, and everything else that you have given us. We ask that you continue to pour your blessings upon us. We love you and we honor you, In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Monday, January 7, 2013
7 Jan 13: The Temptation of Jesus and/ God's Faithfulness to the Jews
**Read Matthew 4:1-11 and Romans 3:1-8
Prayer: Father God, we dedicate this study to you Lord. Show us the true meaning of your message. Help us understand your promises. In Jesus Name Amen!
I. The Temptation of Jesus
- Matthew 4:1-11 tells the story of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. This happened after His baptism. Sometimes, hardships and struggles come to Christians when you are in your highest point of your spirituality. This is only a test by God and for your faith in Him.
The first temptation was for lust and hunger. Jesus have been fasting for forty days and forty nights and was hungry when the devil came and started tempting him. Sometimes, the devil uses our daily needs (hunger, thirst, fatigue security) at the time when we are weak to make us make foolish decisions that we will regret in the future. This also happened to Esau in Genesis 25: 19 – 34. Esau was so hungry after a whole day of hunting and wanted some of Jacob's cooking that he was tricked to trade his birthright for a bowl of red lentil stew soup. The devil wanted Jesus to turn the stones to bread but Jesus answered “Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”.
The second temptation was for pride. The devil asked Jesus to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. This was done so that Jesus can prove his worth that he is God and to "show-off" that he has the strength and the protection of God. At the same time, if Jesus did jump, he was testing God to send his angels, which meant that he was doubting God, and then not trusting God. This will then be a sin and this is what the devil wanted, for Jesus to commit sin. But as the scripture said, Jesus just answered “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.
The third temptation is about greed. The devil took Jesus in the high mountains and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. The devil then offered to give everything to Jesus if He worships him but Jesus resisted temptation and told the devil "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve."
The good news is that God gives us free will to follow Him and to do whatever we want. The bad news is that we make bad decisions which opens us up to temptations and then sin. 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us "to be sober, be vigilant; because the enemy walks like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." The enemy is out there, constantly tempting us and trying to get us to commit sin. It is natural for us, especially the believers, to struggle with temptation. Because we are for God and we help spread His word and promises of salvation, the enemy constantly targets us and persuade us to join him instead. And this happens when we give in to his tricks and commit sin. But after committing sin, does that satisfy your "thirst"? Only the living water provided by our savior, Jesus Christ, will satisfy our thirst and give us eternal life. Remember, when we face any temptation, God is faithful and trust in Him for:
"13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" - (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Be patient and trust in the Lord for God is always in control.
II. God's Faithfulness to the Jews
- Romans 3:1-8 once again talks about repentance. Paul said that we are condemned by our actions. He stated how Jews had an advantage for obtaining salvation because they already know God and possesses His laws. But nowadays, everyone has access to the laws and the gospel so we would not have an excuse. The laws were made not as a way for salvation, but to show the public what we are doing wrong. You could have followed all the laws of the Holy Bible but if you don't accept Jesus as your savior, repent your sins, and follow His way, then all your "good works" are just that. Not all "nice, holy, or religious" people go to heaven. It is all by God's grace. Remember if someone goes to heaven, he has God to thank for. If someone goes to hell, he has himself to blame for. You have the choice if you would live by faith in God or live by what the world wants you to live. All the things here in the world are temporary but what we have in his kingdom is eternal and everlasting.
III. Proverbs for Today/2:1-5
1 My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
And find the knowledge of God.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you again for the holy spirit who guides us during this devotional. We thank you for giving us free will to make our own decisions. Father, we ask for your guidance and wisdom that we don't succumb to our enemy's temptations . God, we know that sometimes we go hungry, thirsty, and tired but we know that if we trust in you that you will lead us to a way of escape. Lord, we also pray for ourselves and our hearts that you prevent us from saying, doing, and even thinking foolish things when we are in the time of distress. Let us be the light of the world, so others will see your love for us. We pray that you continue to bless us, prosper us, and shower us with your grace. We ask for forgiveness not just of our sins but our families', friends', and those who had sinned against us. We thank you and we love you. In Jesus' name. Amen.
**Bible verses for faith in terms of stress:
Prayer: Father God, we dedicate this study to you Lord. Show us the true meaning of your message. Help us understand your promises. In Jesus Name Amen!
I. The Temptation of Jesus
- Matthew 4:1-11 tells the story of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. This happened after His baptism. Sometimes, hardships and struggles come to Christians when you are in your highest point of your spirituality. This is only a test by God and for your faith in Him.
The first temptation was for lust and hunger. Jesus have been fasting for forty days and forty nights and was hungry when the devil came and started tempting him. Sometimes, the devil uses our daily needs (hunger, thirst, fatigue security) at the time when we are weak to make us make foolish decisions that we will regret in the future. This also happened to Esau in Genesis 25: 19 – 34. Esau was so hungry after a whole day of hunting and wanted some of Jacob's cooking that he was tricked to trade his birthright for a bowl of red lentil stew soup. The devil wanted Jesus to turn the stones to bread but Jesus answered “Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”.
The second temptation was for pride. The devil asked Jesus to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. This was done so that Jesus can prove his worth that he is God and to "show-off" that he has the strength and the protection of God. At the same time, if Jesus did jump, he was testing God to send his angels, which meant that he was doubting God, and then not trusting God. This will then be a sin and this is what the devil wanted, for Jesus to commit sin. But as the scripture said, Jesus just answered “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.
The third temptation is about greed. The devil took Jesus in the high mountains and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. The devil then offered to give everything to Jesus if He worships him but Jesus resisted temptation and told the devil "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve."
The good news is that God gives us free will to follow Him and to do whatever we want. The bad news is that we make bad decisions which opens us up to temptations and then sin. 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us "to be sober, be vigilant; because the enemy walks like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." The enemy is out there, constantly tempting us and trying to get us to commit sin. It is natural for us, especially the believers, to struggle with temptation. Because we are for God and we help spread His word and promises of salvation, the enemy constantly targets us and persuade us to join him instead. And this happens when we give in to his tricks and commit sin. But after committing sin, does that satisfy your "thirst"? Only the living water provided by our savior, Jesus Christ, will satisfy our thirst and give us eternal life. Remember, when we face any temptation, God is faithful and trust in Him for:
"13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" - (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Be patient and trust in the Lord for God is always in control.
II. God's Faithfulness to the Jews
- Romans 3:1-8 once again talks about repentance. Paul said that we are condemned by our actions. He stated how Jews had an advantage for obtaining salvation because they already know God and possesses His laws. But nowadays, everyone has access to the laws and the gospel so we would not have an excuse. The laws were made not as a way for salvation, but to show the public what we are doing wrong. You could have followed all the laws of the Holy Bible but if you don't accept Jesus as your savior, repent your sins, and follow His way, then all your "good works" are just that. Not all "nice, holy, or religious" people go to heaven. It is all by God's grace. Remember if someone goes to heaven, he has God to thank for. If someone goes to hell, he has himself to blame for. You have the choice if you would live by faith in God or live by what the world wants you to live. All the things here in the world are temporary but what we have in his kingdom is eternal and everlasting.
III. Proverbs for Today/2:1-5
1 My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
And find the knowledge of God.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you again for the holy spirit who guides us during this devotional. We thank you for giving us free will to make our own decisions. Father, we ask for your guidance and wisdom that we don't succumb to our enemy's temptations . God, we know that sometimes we go hungry, thirsty, and tired but we know that if we trust in you that you will lead us to a way of escape. Lord, we also pray for ourselves and our hearts that you prevent us from saying, doing, and even thinking foolish things when we are in the time of distress. Let us be the light of the world, so others will see your love for us. We pray that you continue to bless us, prosper us, and shower us with your grace. We ask for forgiveness not just of our sins but our families', friends', and those who had sinned against us. We thank you and we love you. In Jesus' name. Amen.
**Bible verses for faith in terms of stress:
1. My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. (Exodus 33:14)
2. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:8)
3. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)
4. The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. (Psalm 9:9-10)
5. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8)
6. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. (Psalm 27: 1, 3)
7. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7-8)
8. I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)
9. Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:10b)
10. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17)
11. Trust in the Lord and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him. (Psalm 37:3-5, 7a)
2. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:8)
3. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)
4. The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. (Psalm 9:9-10)
5. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8)
6. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. (Psalm 27: 1, 3)
7. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7-8)
8. I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)
9. Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:10b)
10. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17)
11. Trust in the Lord and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him. (Psalm 37:3-5, 7a)
Sunday, January 6, 2013
6 Jan 13: John Baptizes Jesus and/ Paul's Warning to the Jews
** Read Matthew 3:13-17 and Romans 2:17-29
I. John Baptizes Jesus
- Matthew 3:13-17 tells the story of the baptism of Jesus by John. When John saw Jesus coming towards him, In John 1:29, he said "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". This signifies that John acknowledges that Jesus is the messiah and the sacrifice by God. At first, John was hesitant do the baptism and probably misunderstood the Lord's plan. Even though Jesus Christ was sinless, he still asked to be baptized for purification and to fulfill the scripture. Jesus is the High priest of the church and the final step of Moses' preparation of the priests was to be washed by water (Leviticus 8:6). Jesus also sanctified himself in preparation of being the sacrifice for our sins. Additionally, this event symbolized the passing of the Old Covenant to the new. In verse 16, it says that Jesus came up immediately from the water. This means that Jesus was in the water and came up from immersion in water or a dip in the water. This is to symbolize a new body and a new life, someone that is born again. People sometimes ask what being "born again" means (John 3:3). It simply means being born again in the spirit. We were born in the flesh during our birth date but when you accept Jesus and honor God, we are born of the spirit into the family of God. When Jesus came out, the heaven opened up and the holy spirit came down to Jesus, like a dove, from God. And then God said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. This confirmed to John the Baptist and to others who are at the site of baptism that Jesus was the messiah, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Lamb of God.
II. Paul's Warning to the Jews
- Romans 2:17-29 are not verses used as an ethnic slur or to discriminate the Jews. This simply talks about Hypocrisy by the Jewish people and the salvation that they needed. Most Jews at that time thought that they were better than everyone and they already have a free ticket to the kingdom of God just because they were born in God's nation that they are not guilty of their sins. Paul in his message is trying to say that everyone is guilty before God, no matter who you are, and desperately need salvation through the faith in Jesus Christ, and not through rituals or laws (circumcision?). At the same time, he is showing the Gentiles (non-believers) that even the Jews, who live in higher standards and possesses the Laws of God, are sinners and need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, we as Christians, give our faith a bad name. We say that we are followers of Christ but we still sin, we gamble, get drunk, commit adultery, have idols in our homes, hold grudges on people and do not forgive, lie, steal, our proud of our accomplishments (and do not give glory to God). My advice to new and longtime believers is not to put your faith into people. Don't rely on your brothers and sisters in faith and even your pastors or teachers for they are only human and still have their sinful nature. If you keep "idolizing" them, you will only be disappointed because it is not "if" but "when" they commit sin. The Word of God is available, you can buy a Bible or use the internet to read the Gospel. We need to stop trusting only on our "leaders" to provide us the message. We need to read and study the Word to find the truth. By doing so, you will find for yourself that MOST of the traditions that the world do today is against what God wants from us. From idolatry, to repeating memorized prayers over and over just like the pagans (7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.- Matthew 6:7), and to pray to dead and alive people (Mary, saints, the pope), and self flagellation (done because people do not trust in Jesus and what he has done for us. Jesus died in the cross for our sins so we don't have to do all this). We should only put our trust in God and not in mortal men for God is the only One who can give us salvation and eternal life.
"Pride has kept many people from accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. Admitting sin and acknowledging that in our own strength we can do nothing to inherit eternal life is a constant stumbling block for prideful people. We are not to boast about ourselves; if we want to boast, then we are to proclaim the glories of God. What we say about ourselves means nothing in God’s work. It is what God says about us that makes the difference (2 Corinthians 10:13)".
- http://www.gotquestions.org/pride-Bible.html
III. Proverbs for Today/1:29-33
29 Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30 They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
And will be secure, without fear of evil.”
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 13:5-18, Genesis 14-15, and Psalms 6:1-10
Prayer: Father God, we thank you once again to have the opportunity to learn together as a member of your family. Father we thank you for sending your son for we need Him and his gospel for our salvation. We know that it is not through our works and not through traditions and laws that we will inherit your kingdom, but through faith, repentance, and through the holy spirit when we accept your Holy Son as our savior. Father, please open our hearts that we will start reading the bible so we can learn the right message. Please guide us so we wont be hypocrites and follow your way. Help us to learn that Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and that we don't have to say a memorized prayer twice, 3 times, or 10 times to be forgiven just as what the pagans do, and that we don't have to hurt ourselves by self flagellation or other ways because Jesus has done that for us and we now have a relationship with you through Him. We ask all this through you son, in Jesus' name. Amen.
I. John Baptizes Jesus
- Matthew 3:13-17 tells the story of the baptism of Jesus by John. When John saw Jesus coming towards him, In John 1:29, he said "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". This signifies that John acknowledges that Jesus is the messiah and the sacrifice by God. At first, John was hesitant do the baptism and probably misunderstood the Lord's plan. Even though Jesus Christ was sinless, he still asked to be baptized for purification and to fulfill the scripture. Jesus is the High priest of the church and the final step of Moses' preparation of the priests was to be washed by water (Leviticus 8:6). Jesus also sanctified himself in preparation of being the sacrifice for our sins. Additionally, this event symbolized the passing of the Old Covenant to the new. In verse 16, it says that Jesus came up immediately from the water. This means that Jesus was in the water and came up from immersion in water or a dip in the water. This is to symbolize a new body and a new life, someone that is born again. People sometimes ask what being "born again" means (John 3:3). It simply means being born again in the spirit. We were born in the flesh during our birth date but when you accept Jesus and honor God, we are born of the spirit into the family of God. When Jesus came out, the heaven opened up and the holy spirit came down to Jesus, like a dove, from God. And then God said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. This confirmed to John the Baptist and to others who are at the site of baptism that Jesus was the messiah, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Lamb of God.
II. Paul's Warning to the Jews
- Romans 2:17-29 are not verses used as an ethnic slur or to discriminate the Jews. This simply talks about Hypocrisy by the Jewish people and the salvation that they needed. Most Jews at that time thought that they were better than everyone and they already have a free ticket to the kingdom of God just because they were born in God's nation that they are not guilty of their sins. Paul in his message is trying to say that everyone is guilty before God, no matter who you are, and desperately need salvation through the faith in Jesus Christ, and not through rituals or laws (circumcision?). At the same time, he is showing the Gentiles (non-believers) that even the Jews, who live in higher standards and possesses the Laws of God, are sinners and need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, we as Christians, give our faith a bad name. We say that we are followers of Christ but we still sin, we gamble, get drunk, commit adultery, have idols in our homes, hold grudges on people and do not forgive, lie, steal, our proud of our accomplishments (and do not give glory to God). My advice to new and longtime believers is not to put your faith into people. Don't rely on your brothers and sisters in faith and even your pastors or teachers for they are only human and still have their sinful nature. If you keep "idolizing" them, you will only be disappointed because it is not "if" but "when" they commit sin. The Word of God is available, you can buy a Bible or use the internet to read the Gospel. We need to stop trusting only on our "leaders" to provide us the message. We need to read and study the Word to find the truth. By doing so, you will find for yourself that MOST of the traditions that the world do today is against what God wants from us. From idolatry, to repeating memorized prayers over and over just like the pagans (7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.- Matthew 6:7), and to pray to dead and alive people (Mary, saints, the pope), and self flagellation (done because people do not trust in Jesus and what he has done for us. Jesus died in the cross for our sins so we don't have to do all this). We should only put our trust in God and not in mortal men for God is the only One who can give us salvation and eternal life.
"Pride has kept many people from accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. Admitting sin and acknowledging that in our own strength we can do nothing to inherit eternal life is a constant stumbling block for prideful people. We are not to boast about ourselves; if we want to boast, then we are to proclaim the glories of God. What we say about ourselves means nothing in God’s work. It is what God says about us that makes the difference (2 Corinthians 10:13)".
- http://www.gotquestions.org/pride-Bible.html
III. Proverbs for Today/1:29-33
29 Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30 They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
And will be secure, without fear of evil.”
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 13:5-18, Genesis 14-15, and Psalms 6:1-10
Prayer: Father God, we thank you once again to have the opportunity to learn together as a member of your family. Father we thank you for sending your son for we need Him and his gospel for our salvation. We know that it is not through our works and not through traditions and laws that we will inherit your kingdom, but through faith, repentance, and through the holy spirit when we accept your Holy Son as our savior. Father, please open our hearts that we will start reading the bible so we can learn the right message. Please guide us so we wont be hypocrites and follow your way. Help us to learn that Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and that we don't have to say a memorized prayer twice, 3 times, or 10 times to be forgiven just as what the pagans do, and that we don't have to hurt ourselves by self flagellation or other ways because Jesus has done that for us and we now have a relationship with you through Him. We ask all this through you son, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
5 Jan 13: John the Baptist Preaches Repentance and/ God's Judgment on Sin
5 Jan 13: John the Baptist Preaches Repentance and/ God's Judgment on Sin
I. John the Baptist Preaches Repentance
- In Matthew 3:1-12, John the Baptist suddenly appeared in the scriptures. Before we start, let us examine who he is. John the Baptist is the son of Elizabeth and Zachariah, a priest. Elizabeth is a close relative of Mary which makes John a cousin of Jesus. His birth was also miraculous not because Elizabeth was a virgin, but because of her very old age. This was used by God as a sign to Mary because Elizabeth's pregnancy was impossible but 37 For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1-37).
John was given a mission by God: to prepare the way of the One who will follow and establish an eternal kingdom that would stand for ever, which of course is Jesus Christ (John 1:23). He had a message of repentance for the Kingdom of God is near. It is the repentance for lying, cheating, stealing, gossiping, revenge, abuse, pride, boasting, and sexual immorality. Repentance is not just to be sorry for the things that you have done and then continue in same old ways, but it is a total transformation, a U-turn. It is not just emotional outpouring of heart, but it is a sincere active commitment and change of mind. People who repented were baptized by him in the Jordan of River.
After reading this, we should ask ourselves what the true meaning of water baptism is. There are other religions that have babies baptized but to be baptized is to know and accept Jesus Christ as our savior. This is one of the human traditions that is not scriptural for it is written in the Holy Bible that there are steps that one must accomplish to be baptized:
1. Before baptism, one must hear, understand, and believe the Gospel
a. Mark 16:16- 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
b.Acts 2: 41- 41 Then those who gladly[a] received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
2. Before baptism, one must repent
a. Acts 2: 38- 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
3. Before baptism, one must confess Christ
a. Romans 10:9-10- 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
b. Acts 8:35-39 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”
II. God's Judgment on Sin
- Romans 2:1-16 talks about God's judgment on human will come in due time. Until then, it is not our place, as fellow human beings, to judge others in God's place. Many might think that these verses talk about God's blessing and that if the good things that you did in this world outweighs all the bad things, then you will go to heaven. Good works by itself won't get you to God's Kingdom:
8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast". (Ephesians 2:8-9).
5 "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit," (Titus 3:5).
Romans 2:1-16 actually talks about his judgment. God's judgment is about truth and is just and unbiased. Everyone is held accountable and you can't say that you didn't know or learned the "Word" for the gospel is out there. Just by having the internet, people have access to thousands of Bible sites. It is your choice if you read and accept the Bible and live the life that God has commanded us. Not knowing will not be an excuse to God specially to those who condemn people who sin yet he does the exact same thing, hypocrites. It is not enough that you read and know verse by verse of the Bible, go to church, and call yourself Christians, you NEED to act like a Christian. In Romans 2:7-8, it reads:
"To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger".
All we need is to repent our sin, honor God and his covenant, accept that Jesus is our savior, and be born again of the water and spirit (John 3:5-7). I'll end this study with a verse which is one of the first verses we had to memorize in our bible studies:
11 And this is the testimony that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. - 1 John 5:11-12
III. Proverbs for Today/1:24-28
24 Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “ Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 11-12, Genesis 13:1-4, and Psalm 5:1-12
Prayer: Father God, we want to thank you again for this opportunity to learn your word, your gospel, and your good news. We want to thank you for using this blog to reach people so we can fill their hearts with your word and may you open our hearts so that the holy spirit can live among us and guide as to live a Christian life. Father, we ask for your forgiveness for we are reminded in Romans 3:23 that we all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Father God, we thank you again and we ask you to shower us with your blessings and grace, in Jesus' name. Amen
I. John the Baptist Preaches Repentance
- In Matthew 3:1-12, John the Baptist suddenly appeared in the scriptures. Before we start, let us examine who he is. John the Baptist is the son of Elizabeth and Zachariah, a priest. Elizabeth is a close relative of Mary which makes John a cousin of Jesus. His birth was also miraculous not because Elizabeth was a virgin, but because of her very old age. This was used by God as a sign to Mary because Elizabeth's pregnancy was impossible but 37 For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1-37).
John was given a mission by God: to prepare the way of the One who will follow and establish an eternal kingdom that would stand for ever, which of course is Jesus Christ (John 1:23). He had a message of repentance for the Kingdom of God is near. It is the repentance for lying, cheating, stealing, gossiping, revenge, abuse, pride, boasting, and sexual immorality. Repentance is not just to be sorry for the things that you have done and then continue in same old ways, but it is a total transformation, a U-turn. It is not just emotional outpouring of heart, but it is a sincere active commitment and change of mind. People who repented were baptized by him in the Jordan of River.
After reading this, we should ask ourselves what the true meaning of water baptism is. There are other religions that have babies baptized but to be baptized is to know and accept Jesus Christ as our savior. This is one of the human traditions that is not scriptural for it is written in the Holy Bible that there are steps that one must accomplish to be baptized:
1. Before baptism, one must hear, understand, and believe the Gospel
a. Mark 16:16- 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
b.Acts 2: 41- 41 Then those who gladly[a] received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
2. Before baptism, one must repent
a. Acts 2: 38- 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
3. Before baptism, one must confess Christ
a. Romans 10:9-10- 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
b. Acts 8:35-39 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”
And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”[a] 38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
Instead of baptizing babies who do not know the Gospel and believe in Christ, we should dedicate their life to the Lord instead. The great thing about God is that he gives us our own free will. It is our personal choice if we want to repent, accept the Lord and follow His ways. We are not believers because of our families, friends, or anyone else. Let us study the word, believe in the savior, repent our sins, confess our faith to Christ, then be baptized in water and the Holy Spirit.
II. God's Judgment on Sin
- Romans 2:1-16 talks about God's judgment on human will come in due time. Until then, it is not our place, as fellow human beings, to judge others in God's place. Many might think that these verses talk about God's blessing and that if the good things that you did in this world outweighs all the bad things, then you will go to heaven. Good works by itself won't get you to God's Kingdom:
8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast". (Ephesians 2:8-9).
5 "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit," (Titus 3:5).
Romans 2:1-16 actually talks about his judgment. God's judgment is about truth and is just and unbiased. Everyone is held accountable and you can't say that you didn't know or learned the "Word" for the gospel is out there. Just by having the internet, people have access to thousands of Bible sites. It is your choice if you read and accept the Bible and live the life that God has commanded us. Not knowing will not be an excuse to God specially to those who condemn people who sin yet he does the exact same thing, hypocrites. It is not enough that you read and know verse by verse of the Bible, go to church, and call yourself Christians, you NEED to act like a Christian. In Romans 2:7-8, it reads:
"To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger".
All we need is to repent our sin, honor God and his covenant, accept that Jesus is our savior, and be born again of the water and spirit (John 3:5-7). I'll end this study with a verse which is one of the first verses we had to memorize in our bible studies:
11 And this is the testimony that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. - 1 John 5:11-12
III. Proverbs for Today/1:24-28
24 Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “ Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 11-12, Genesis 13:1-4, and Psalm 5:1-12
Prayer: Father God, we want to thank you again for this opportunity to learn your word, your gospel, and your good news. We want to thank you for using this blog to reach people so we can fill their hearts with your word and may you open our hearts so that the holy spirit can live among us and guide as to live a Christian life. Father, we ask for your forgiveness for we are reminded in Romans 3:23 that we all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Father God, we thank you again and we ask you to shower us with your blessings and grace, in Jesus' name. Amen
Friday, January 4, 2013
4 Jan 13: Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt and/ God's Wrath and Man's Depravity
4 Jan 13: Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt and/ God's Wrath and Man's Depravity
**Read Matthew 2:13-23 and Romans 1:18-32
I. Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt
-A. The Flight to Egypt: In Matthew 2:13-15, after the departure of the Magis, an angel appeared to Joseph and instructed him to go to Egypt to escape from King Herod's wrath. He was told to stay in Egypt until God tells him to because King Herod would be looking for the messiah to kill him. Egypt was around 60 miles from Bethlehem. It is outside of Herod's jurisdiction so the family is safe there. Egypt used to be a place for anguish, suffering for the Jewish people but now flourishes with many synagogues and temples. This will fulfill the prophecy in Hosea 11:1 which reads, "And out of Egypt I called My son". We can see how God can change nations, once a land of oppression and now is a refuge and safety for the messiah. A question that some might ask is how did Joseph, Mary, and Jesus survived the travel and many years in Egypt. As you remember, when the Magis came to see the messiah, they brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Don't you just love how God works mysteriously. He has a plan and a purpose for everything so we need to trust God in everything we do for it is written in Proverbs 3:5-6 to
5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
- B. Massacre of the Innocents: In Matthew 2:16-18, after the wise men did not return to report back Jesus' location, Herod became very angry and ordered his men to kill all children 2 years and under in Bethlehem and cities around it. He chose that age group after learning from the Magis when they first saw the star to calculate the birth and probably adding extra time to ensure that he had killed the King of the Jews. This fulfilled the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:15:
18 “ A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”
- C. The Home in Nazareth: Matthew 2:19-23, after Herod's death, an angel visited Joseph again, telling him to take Mary and Jesus and go to the land of Israel. But after receiving a warning from God that Herod's son, Archelaus reigns over Judea, Joseph took his family to Nazareth instead. This is where Jesus lived till he was 30 years old before he started His ministry.
King Herod was afraid that this newborn "King of the Jews" was going to take his throne. What he didn't know was Jesus didn't want to take King Herod's place but to show him the way for eternal life. This is the same thing about people in the present times. We are afraid to accept Jesus us our savior because we feel like we would not be able to do all the things that we used to do as a nonbeliever. We know that if we followed Christ, we would always have guilt in our hearts for all the sins that we commit. We need to know that Jesus is here to save us from our sins and to give us freedom from all these guilt, sufferings, and depression. Let's all pick up our cross and follow Him to eternity.
II. God's Wrath and Man's Depravity
- Romans 1:18-32, was used as an argument to back up what was said in Romans 1:17. Paul wanted to show that people were sinners and if they do not repent, they would experience the wrath of God. People need salvation through the gospel because none is worthy to God and they were unrighteous. They have dishonored God from superstitions to idolatry, which is widely practiced today (praying to statues of saints, Mary, a supposedly baby Jesus (Sto Nino), the black Nazarene-which came about when an image was burned in a ship from Spain which was then preserved and honored, and other idols). These are all traditions and clearly against the the second commandment of God (Exodus 20:3):
4“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
III. Proverbs for Today/1:20-23
20 Wisdom calls aloud outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
21 She cries out in the chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
22 “ How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
IV. Old Testament Readings
Genesis 8-10 and Psalm 4:1-8
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are the God Allmighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient. Thank you for guiding us for we know that you have a purpose for everything that is happening in our life. Father God, we praise you and honor you, and ask for forgiveness because we know that we are sinners and we are unworthy of your mercy, but because of your love for us, you have saved us and accepted us in your family. Continue to bless us, our families, and our friends, and guide us to live the life as Christ did, In Jesus' name. Amen
**Read Matthew 2:13-23 and Romans 1:18-32
I. Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt
-A. The Flight to Egypt: In Matthew 2:13-15, after the departure of the Magis, an angel appeared to Joseph and instructed him to go to Egypt to escape from King Herod's wrath. He was told to stay in Egypt until God tells him to because King Herod would be looking for the messiah to kill him. Egypt was around 60 miles from Bethlehem. It is outside of Herod's jurisdiction so the family is safe there. Egypt used to be a place for anguish, suffering for the Jewish people but now flourishes with many synagogues and temples. This will fulfill the prophecy in Hosea 11:1 which reads, "And out of Egypt I called My son". We can see how God can change nations, once a land of oppression and now is a refuge and safety for the messiah. A question that some might ask is how did Joseph, Mary, and Jesus survived the travel and many years in Egypt. As you remember, when the Magis came to see the messiah, they brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Don't you just love how God works mysteriously. He has a plan and a purpose for everything so we need to trust God in everything we do for it is written in Proverbs 3:5-6 to
5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
- B. Massacre of the Innocents: In Matthew 2:16-18, after the wise men did not return to report back Jesus' location, Herod became very angry and ordered his men to kill all children 2 years and under in Bethlehem and cities around it. He chose that age group after learning from the Magis when they first saw the star to calculate the birth and probably adding extra time to ensure that he had killed the King of the Jews. This fulfilled the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:15:
18 “ A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”
- C. The Home in Nazareth: Matthew 2:19-23, after Herod's death, an angel visited Joseph again, telling him to take Mary and Jesus and go to the land of Israel. But after receiving a warning from God that Herod's son, Archelaus reigns over Judea, Joseph took his family to Nazareth instead. This is where Jesus lived till he was 30 years old before he started His ministry.
King Herod was afraid that this newborn "King of the Jews" was going to take his throne. What he didn't know was Jesus didn't want to take King Herod's place but to show him the way for eternal life. This is the same thing about people in the present times. We are afraid to accept Jesus us our savior because we feel like we would not be able to do all the things that we used to do as a nonbeliever. We know that if we followed Christ, we would always have guilt in our hearts for all the sins that we commit. We need to know that Jesus is here to save us from our sins and to give us freedom from all these guilt, sufferings, and depression. Let's all pick up our cross and follow Him to eternity.
II. God's Wrath and Man's Depravity
- Romans 1:18-32, was used as an argument to back up what was said in Romans 1:17. Paul wanted to show that people were sinners and if they do not repent, they would experience the wrath of God. People need salvation through the gospel because none is worthy to God and they were unrighteous. They have dishonored God from superstitions to idolatry, which is widely practiced today (praying to statues of saints, Mary, a supposedly baby Jesus (Sto Nino), the black Nazarene-which came about when an image was burned in a ship from Spain which was then preserved and honored, and other idols). These are all traditions and clearly against the the second commandment of God (Exodus 20:3):
4“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
III. Proverbs for Today/1:20-23
20 Wisdom calls aloud outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
21 She cries out in the chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
22 “ How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
IV. Old Testament Readings
Genesis 8-10 and Psalm 4:1-8
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are the God Allmighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient. Thank you for guiding us for we know that you have a purpose for everything that is happening in our life. Father God, we praise you and honor you, and ask for forgiveness because we know that we are sinners and we are unworthy of your mercy, but because of your love for us, you have saved us and accepted us in your family. Continue to bless us, our families, and our friends, and guide us to live the life as Christ did, In Jesus' name. Amen
Thursday, January 3, 2013
3 Jan 13: The Visit of the Magi and Paul Declares the Power of the Gospel
3 Jan 13: The Visit of the Magi and Paul Declares the Power of the Gospel
**Read Matthew 2:1-12 and Romans 1:16-17
Prayer: Father God, bless us Lord and send your Holy Spirit upon us to guide us in our studies. Bless those who seek your word and open the hearts of others who are lost. In Jesus' name. Amen.
I. The Visit of the Magi
-Matthew 2:1-12 tells the story of the Magi's visit of Jesus Christ more known as the "three Kings". These "kings" were not really royalty but wise men who study the heavens and the stars. It is also not written in the scriptures that there were three of them but it is through tradition that was passed around that the Magi's were Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar. When they reached Judeah, they went to King Herod to ask for this "King of the Jews". They had followed the star all the way from the east to give praise and gifts to the messiah. King Herod was alarmed and troubled so he consulted with his religious leaders and scribes about the prophecy. He learned that it is written in Micah 5:2 that a ruler of Israel will come from Bethlehem. After learning this, he instructed the Magis to look for this "King" and report to him once they find him. In 2:9-11, the Magis found Jesus and presented him with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When we think of this event, we always see the "Nativity Scene" where the baby Jesus is lying on the manger beside Joseph and Mary with the "Three Kings" presenting him gifts. Contrary to popular belief, Jesus probably was 1-2 years old already when they saw him because of the time it takes to travel in those days. He was probably walking already and running around just like any other kid. After the visit, the Magis returned home by taking a different route because of the warning they received in their dream not to tell Herod because of his wicked plans. We can see the faith that the Magi's had in the "King". They traveled thousands of miles just by following a star without knowing where they'll be going and when they'll get there. When they found him, they responded with joy, worship, and gifts. Nowadays, it is God that is searching for us. We wait for God to give us proof of His existence and to present us with gifts for us to accept him. If we are wise just like the Magis, we would look for Him and put our trust in Him for if you seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, you will be blessed.
II. Paul Declares the Power of the Gospel
- In Romans 1:16-17 Paul continues his letter to Rome by telling them that he is not ashamed of the gospel or "good news" of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. This was said because the Jews did not accept Jesus as their messiah and they were ashamed of their confidence and were still waiting for the another messiah to come. Paul then wrote about God's power to forgive people and to deliver them from sin and death. He mentioned salvation to the Jew first because of them being God's people, Jesus came from them, they had God's law and his temple. And next, the gospel will be delivered to the Greek which meant to every one that were not Jews or simply the world. 1:17 reminded us that God is just and holy and the only method of deliverance from condemnation or sin, is by faith in the mercy of God, through Jesus Christ; and not by any works or good deeds of men (Ephesians 2:8-9). We just need to have faith in God and accept that Jesus Christ is our savior and he was born, he died, and was risen to save us from our sins.
III. Proverbs for Today/1;10-19
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
Do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let us lie in wait to shed blood;
Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,[a]
And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;
13 We shall find all kinds of precious possessions,
We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 Cast in your lot among us,
Let us all have one purse”—
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them,
Keep your foot from their path;
16 For their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely, in vain the net is spread
In the sight of any bird;
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood,
They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;
It takes away the life of its owners.
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 5-7 and Psalm 3:1-8
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for giving us hope and your love. We know that we don't deserve all the blessing but because you are a loving Father, you have fulfilled your promises to us. Father, we ask that you continue to bless us and give us the drive that we will seek your Word so we may have a relationship with you. Continue to provide for us, heal us, prosper us, and forgive our sins. We love you, we honor, you, and we worship you. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
**Read Matthew 2:1-12 and Romans 1:16-17
Prayer: Father God, bless us Lord and send your Holy Spirit upon us to guide us in our studies. Bless those who seek your word and open the hearts of others who are lost. In Jesus' name. Amen.
I. The Visit of the Magi
-Matthew 2:1-12 tells the story of the Magi's visit of Jesus Christ more known as the "three Kings". These "kings" were not really royalty but wise men who study the heavens and the stars. It is also not written in the scriptures that there were three of them but it is through tradition that was passed around that the Magi's were Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar. When they reached Judeah, they went to King Herod to ask for this "King of the Jews". They had followed the star all the way from the east to give praise and gifts to the messiah. King Herod was alarmed and troubled so he consulted with his religious leaders and scribes about the prophecy. He learned that it is written in Micah 5:2 that a ruler of Israel will come from Bethlehem. After learning this, he instructed the Magis to look for this "King" and report to him once they find him. In 2:9-11, the Magis found Jesus and presented him with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When we think of this event, we always see the "Nativity Scene" where the baby Jesus is lying on the manger beside Joseph and Mary with the "Three Kings" presenting him gifts. Contrary to popular belief, Jesus probably was 1-2 years old already when they saw him because of the time it takes to travel in those days. He was probably walking already and running around just like any other kid. After the visit, the Magis returned home by taking a different route because of the warning they received in their dream not to tell Herod because of his wicked plans. We can see the faith that the Magi's had in the "King". They traveled thousands of miles just by following a star without knowing where they'll be going and when they'll get there. When they found him, they responded with joy, worship, and gifts. Nowadays, it is God that is searching for us. We wait for God to give us proof of His existence and to present us with gifts for us to accept him. If we are wise just like the Magis, we would look for Him and put our trust in Him for if you seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, you will be blessed.
III. Proverbs for Today/1;10-19
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
Do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let us lie in wait to shed blood;
Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,[a]
And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;
13 We shall find all kinds of precious possessions,
We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 Cast in your lot among us,
Let us all have one purse”—
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them,
Keep your foot from their path;
16 For their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely, in vain the net is spread
In the sight of any bird;
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood,
They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;
It takes away the life of its owners.
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 5-7 and Psalm 3:1-8
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for giving us hope and your love. We know that we don't deserve all the blessing but because you are a loving Father, you have fulfilled your promises to us. Father, we ask that you continue to bless us and give us the drive that we will seek your Word so we may have a relationship with you. Continue to provide for us, heal us, prosper us, and forgive our sins. We love you, we honor, you, and we worship you. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
2 Jan 13: Christ Born of Mary and Paul's Desire to Visit Rome
(2 Jan 13) Christ Born of Mary and Paul's Desire to Visit Rome
**Read Matthew 1:18-25 and Romans 1:8-15
Prayer: Father God, we ask for your Holy Spirit to guide us with this Bible study. Give us guidance so we can discern the true meaning of your Word. in Jesus' Name. Amen.
I. Christ Born of Mary
- Matthew 1:18-25 tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Mary's immaculate conception of the Holy Spirit was a suprise for Joseph and he struggled to accept her. In early Israel, if you were found to be pregnant by someone other than your husband, you will be sentenced to death by stoning. Because of this, Joseph was scared and actually was thinking of divorcing Mary quietly and going far away. The law of Moses actually gave husbands the power of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1) but it is only if they find their wife "unclean" thus by committing adultery. But after considering this, an angel appeared in his dream to give him a message. The word angel literally means "messenger" of God. Dreams were also a common way of getting the message of God to the ancient prophets (Genesis 20:3; Genesis 30:1, Genesis 30:11, Genesis 30:24; Genesis 37:5; Genesis 41:1; 1 Kings 3:5; Daniel 7:1; Job 4:13-15) . In 1:20, the angel called Joseph, "son of David" to remind him that he was a descendant of David and to prepare him for the birth of the messiah. The angel continued by telling Joseph that "what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit". This is to encourage Joseph that Mary has not committed and wrongdoing but she is carrying the son of God (Isiah 7:14) who will deliver us from our sins.
II. Paul's Desire to Visit Rome
-Romans 1:8-15; God works in His own mysterious way. Paul had prayed to God to go to Rome. He wanted to share the Gospel to the non-Jews and his prayers were answered. What people might not know is how he got to Rome. He was persecuted, jailed, carried in a ship chained as a prisoner, shipwrecked, landed on an island then bit by a poisonous snake, and survived all with the protection of God to complete his mission and share the gospel. In 1:14, he mentioned that he is a debtor to both Greeks and Non-Greeks. This is just to say that he has an obligation to preach the gospel and minister to all to whom it was possible, to the wise or unwise (believers or non-believers), etc. This ended with Paul sharing that he is not ashamed of the gospel or the "good news" even after the Jews casting him out and and persecuting him because of his faith and Paul is ready to minister to to share the message of Salvation. Sometimes we as Christians are ashamed and we hide our Christianity. People make fun of us, ridicule us, and persecute us but it is said in the Holy Bible that if you are true Christians, you will be persecuted because of your faith (1 Peter 4:12-19). Jesus also mentioned this in John 15:18-20 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also".
But do not worry, because we are God's people and He promised that “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Jeremiah 20:11)
III. Proverbs for Today/1:7-9
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;
9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,
And chains about your neck.
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 3-4 and Psalm 2:1-12
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for sending your only begotten Son to us for eventhough we were sinners, you sacrficed your Son for our sins. We pray that you give us encouragement for we our in a world where being a Christian is frowned upon. Give us strength that we can overcome all the persecution that is thrown against us. Bless us Lord and forgive our sins. In Jesus' Name. Amen
**Read Matthew 1:18-25 and Romans 1:8-15
Prayer: Father God, we ask for your Holy Spirit to guide us with this Bible study. Give us guidance so we can discern the true meaning of your Word. in Jesus' Name. Amen.
I. Christ Born of Mary
- Matthew 1:18-25 tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Mary's immaculate conception of the Holy Spirit was a suprise for Joseph and he struggled to accept her. In early Israel, if you were found to be pregnant by someone other than your husband, you will be sentenced to death by stoning. Because of this, Joseph was scared and actually was thinking of divorcing Mary quietly and going far away. The law of Moses actually gave husbands the power of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1) but it is only if they find their wife "unclean" thus by committing adultery. But after considering this, an angel appeared in his dream to give him a message. The word angel literally means "messenger" of God. Dreams were also a common way of getting the message of God to the ancient prophets (Genesis 20:3; Genesis 30:1, Genesis 30:11, Genesis 30:24; Genesis 37:5; Genesis 41:1; 1 Kings 3:5; Daniel 7:1; Job 4:13-15) . In 1:20, the angel called Joseph, "son of David" to remind him that he was a descendant of David and to prepare him for the birth of the messiah. The angel continued by telling Joseph that "what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit". This is to encourage Joseph that Mary has not committed and wrongdoing but she is carrying the son of God (Isiah 7:14) who will deliver us from our sins.
II. Paul's Desire to Visit Rome
-Romans 1:8-15; God works in His own mysterious way. Paul had prayed to God to go to Rome. He wanted to share the Gospel to the non-Jews and his prayers were answered. What people might not know is how he got to Rome. He was persecuted, jailed, carried in a ship chained as a prisoner, shipwrecked, landed on an island then bit by a poisonous snake, and survived all with the protection of God to complete his mission and share the gospel. In 1:14, he mentioned that he is a debtor to both Greeks and Non-Greeks. This is just to say that he has an obligation to preach the gospel and minister to all to whom it was possible, to the wise or unwise (believers or non-believers), etc. This ended with Paul sharing that he is not ashamed of the gospel or the "good news" even after the Jews casting him out and and persecuting him because of his faith and Paul is ready to minister to to share the message of Salvation. Sometimes we as Christians are ashamed and we hide our Christianity. People make fun of us, ridicule us, and persecute us but it is said in the Holy Bible that if you are true Christians, you will be persecuted because of your faith (1 Peter 4:12-19). Jesus also mentioned this in John 15:18-20 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also".
But do not worry, because we are God's people and He promised that “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Jeremiah 20:11)
III. Proverbs for Today/1:7-9
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;
9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,
And chains about your neck.
IV. Old Testament Readings:
Genesis 3-4 and Psalm 2:1-12
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for sending your only begotten Son to us for eventhough we were sinners, you sacrficed your Son for our sins. We pray that you give us encouragement for we our in a world where being a Christian is frowned upon. Give us strength that we can overcome all the persecution that is thrown against us. Bless us Lord and forgive our sins. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
1 Jan 13: The Genealogy of Jesus and The Good News About Jesus Christ
(1 Jan 13) The Genealogy of Jesus and The Good News About Jesus Christ
Prayer: Father God, as we start this new year, we proclaim that we our a new creation in Christ, Jesus. May you bless us and continue to provide for us. Guide us through your Holy Spirit and provide us the way to be your follower. Forgive our sins and cleanse our souls. In Jesus Name, Amen.
**Read Matthew 1:1-17 and Romans 1:1-7
I. The Geneology of Jesus
- Matthew 1:1-17 lists the ancestors of Jesus naming 46 people who lived in a lifespan of 2000 years. From Abraham to King David, Josiah to Jacob, and Joseph to Jesus Christ. Many probably skipped this chapter because they think it is "useless" or "boring" but we have to see what is written here. Matthew wrote Jesus' descendants as a proof of Jesus' fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies below:
A. Jeremiah 23:5
(5“ Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD,
“ That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. )
- The messiah would be a descendant of King David
B. Genesis 49:10
(10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
- Jacob told his son, Judah, that his descendants would be rulers and that one of his descendants will be an ultimate ruler. This is a reference to Jesus Christ who is King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords.
II. The Good News About Jesus Christ
Romans 1:1-7 is the salutation of a letter from the apostle Paul to the Romans. In 1:1, Paul talks about him being a bondservant, apostle, and separated to the gospel of God. He did this to show his devotion and commitment to Jesus Christ and God. Paul also mentioned himself as an "apostle" to clarify his position written in Galatians 1:1 (1 "Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),"). Apostles are chosen by God and was given a gift to share the gospel, minister; and together formed the foundation of the church with Christ himself as the chief cornerstone (Eph 2:20). 1:2-6 speaks of the promise of God to send his son Jesus Christ who will die for our sins and rise again and will give all nations grace and salvation. Finally, 1:7 shows who this letter is for (God's people of Rome and all the saints-all Christians were called Saints in the New Testament) and his prayer for grace for them from God and Jesus Christ. The grace signifies all blessings and gifts that Jesus has purchased by dying on the cross.
III. Proverbs for Today/1:1-6
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
To perceive the words of understanding,
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, judgment, and equity;
4 To give prudence to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion—
5 A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 1-2 and Psalm 1:1-6
Prayer: Father God, you are truly The Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth. We thank you for this new year, this new day, and new life. We honor you, praise you, and worship you. We pray for blessings and forgiveness of our sins. Open our eyes, ears, and hearts so we can see, hear, and feel your promises and love. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Amen.
**Read Matthew 1:1-17 and Romans 1:1-7
I. The Geneology of Jesus
- Matthew 1:1-17 lists the ancestors of Jesus naming 46 people who lived in a lifespan of 2000 years. From Abraham to King David, Josiah to Jacob, and Joseph to Jesus Christ. Many probably skipped this chapter because they think it is "useless" or "boring" but we have to see what is written here. Matthew wrote Jesus' descendants as a proof of Jesus' fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies below:
A. Jeremiah 23:5
(5“ Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD,
“ That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. )
- The messiah would be a descendant of King David
B. Genesis 49:10
(10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
- Jacob told his son, Judah, that his descendants would be rulers and that one of his descendants will be an ultimate ruler. This is a reference to Jesus Christ who is King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords.
II. The Good News About Jesus Christ
Romans 1:1-7 is the salutation of a letter from the apostle Paul to the Romans. In 1:1, Paul talks about him being a bondservant, apostle, and separated to the gospel of God. He did this to show his devotion and commitment to Jesus Christ and God. Paul also mentioned himself as an "apostle" to clarify his position written in Galatians 1:1 (1 "Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),"). Apostles are chosen by God and was given a gift to share the gospel, minister; and together formed the foundation of the church with Christ himself as the chief cornerstone (Eph 2:20). 1:2-6 speaks of the promise of God to send his son Jesus Christ who will die for our sins and rise again and will give all nations grace and salvation. Finally, 1:7 shows who this letter is for (God's people of Rome and all the saints-all Christians were called Saints in the New Testament) and his prayer for grace for them from God and Jesus Christ. The grace signifies all blessings and gifts that Jesus has purchased by dying on the cross.
III. Proverbs for Today/1:1-6
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
To perceive the words of understanding,
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, judgment, and equity;
4 To give prudence to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion—
5 A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Genesis 1-2 and Psalm 1:1-6
Prayer: Father God, you are truly The Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth. We thank you for this new year, this new day, and new life. We honor you, praise you, and worship you. We pray for blessings and forgiveness of our sins. Open our eyes, ears, and hearts so we can see, hear, and feel your promises and love. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Amen.
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