Quiet Times Search

• All Scripture is inspired by God, God-breathed
  
• Should be applied to our lives so that we can be ready for every spiritual challenge
  • Word used to learn what God says by teaching
  • Word used to correct things we are not doing
  • Word used to warn us by rebuking us
  • Word used to put things into practice through training
• Why should we go through this type of learning? Be thoroughly equipped for all good works

• The word of God is relevant and can expose and convict us of sin in our lives - not collecting dust somewhere
• It exposes us for what or who we are - Not everything in the Bible feels good at the time
  
• Sharper than any double edged sword - It can cut us, but its purpose is to cut out the bad, so that we can be healed - just like a surgeon’s scalpel.

• We need to watch how we live and what we teach - both essential to salvation
  
• Illustration: Which wing of an airplane is most important? So it is with what you teach and how you live out those beliefs.
  
• What is the result of careful attention to our life and doctrine?

• Every person is either in the darkness or the light. This study will show us that outside of Jesus we are all in the darkness.

• What is the consequence of sin? Sin hurts others, hurts ourselves, but ultimately sin hurts and separates us from God.
• God is light. As long as the wall of sin remains, we are in the darkness.
• In order to have a relationship with God, the barrier of sin must come down.

• We will come back to other ideas in this text later, but focus on v23. Who has sinned?
• Use illustrations to show that some are better than others, but all sin and fall short.
  
• Examples: Swimming to Hawaii, graph showing piles of sin.
  
• Who is more lost? There is no “good person” who is without sin.

• Sin is not simply wrong actions, but a problem of the heart.
  
• Who is responsible for our sin? Despite genetics, parenting, peer pressure and socio-economic conditions, we are responsible for our own sin, which comes from our own hearts and makes us unclean.
  
• What is the consequence of being unclean before God?
  
• Discuss the sins Jesus talks about here.

• What condition are we all in? We are dead in sins and transgressions.
  
• How much can a dead man do to improve his own condition? What then is the only way we can be saved?
  
• What do you learn about God in his passage? His love? His mercy? His grace?
  
• What is the condition of receiving what God has done on our behalf?
  
• We are saved by grace through faith. Faith is obedient trust in God (James 2:14-18).
  
• Here we trust what God has done in Jesus as the grounds of our salvation and commit our lives fully to him. While we can never do enough good works to save ourselves, what are we saved for?
  
• Saving faith is “worked out” in ways that bring glory to God and attest to a Christ-centered life.
  

• Having shown that Gentiles (non-Jews) are sinners in Romans 1 and Jews are no better off Romans 2, Paul summarizes his argument here.
  
• Is it possible for anyone to be “good enough” to be saved?
• Illustration: a plane goes down half way between Hawaii and California. Everyone must swim for the coast. Can some swim much further than others? But what eventually happens to them all? So with us, no one’s own efforts are enough. All fall short. So how are we saved?
  
• God justifies those who “have faith in Jesus” (v26).
  
• Saving faith is not in ourselves but “in his blood”—that is, in the death of Jesus on our behalf (v25).
  

• When we humbly consider our own sinfulness, it becomes obvious that we are saved because of God’s mercy, not because of righteous things we have done.
  
• Those who have trusted God for salvation, however, will devote themselves to doing his will.
  
• God’s grace is AMAZING! He generously accepts us as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf.
• To enter into this saving relationship with God, we must be washed of our sins and renewed by the Holy Spirit.
  
• We will look more at the conditions of accepting God’s grace in the coming studies.

Ephesians 4:20-24.

• Repentance is turning from an old life to a new one.
  • Negatively, what must be “taken off”?
  • Positively, what is the new attitude to be embraced?
• What is “put on” in place of the “old self”?
• Repentance orients us toward God and the true life and purpose we were created for: to become like him in righteousness and holiness.
• What do you need to “take off” and “put on”?

2 Corinthians 7:8-11.

• What is the difference between “worldly sorrow” and “godly sorrow?”
• What kinds of attitudes characterize godly sorrow?
• Have you previously confused worldly sorrow with true repentance?
• We must consider the destructive consequences of our sin and what our sin cost God, because only godly sorrow leads to repentance and salvation.
• Repentance is above all a matter of heart.

Luke 15:11-32 or Luke 19:1-10

• Examples of heartfelt repentance.
• What kind of fruit did their repentance produce?
• How did they feel after repenting? How did God feel?
• What will repentance look like for you?

Sinner’s Prayer? 1 Peter 3:21

• Some claim that a person needs only to pray a “sinner’s prayer” or “ask Jesus into his/her heart” in order to be saved.
• This is the predominant view in the evangelical Christian world. However, this is not the message that was preached in the Book of Acts.
• Everyone was called to repentance, faith and baptism, and as Peter wrote here, “baptism now saves us” by the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

Acts 22:7-16

• After encountering Jesus, repenting, praying, fasting (Acts 9:9-11), being healed, and being called by God,
  Paul remains in sin.
• What was left for him to do?
• Why the urgency - what is so pressing about the need for baptism?
• What remains for you to do or think about before you are ready to be united with Christ in baptism?

1. Psalms 51:17 - Brokenness
2. 1 Kings 8:37-40 - Admission of sin
3. Psalms 51:10 - Pray for a new heart
4. Psalms 112:1,7-8 - Fear God, delight in His commands
5. Proverbs 5:10-14, 10:8 - Love correction and accept commands

1. We must understand who we are praying to: God, the Creator, All-powerful and Sovereign, and our Father.
2. Prayer is essential for spiritual growth.
3. Prayer is the key to deepening our relationship with God.
4. Prayer unleashes the power of God. - James 5:16
5. Prayer is not natural, it must be learned - Luke 11:1-4

1. Mark 1:35 - Jesus, although very busy, found time to pray in a place and time free from distraction.
2. Luke 6:12 - Jesus spends all night praying to God.
3. Hebrews 5:7 - Jesus prays with loud cries and tears.

• v12 - Everyone that want to live a Godly life will have to go through persecution
• Question: What do you think that means - being persecuted for living a Godly life?
• v14-15 - Apostle Paul instructs Timothy to continue to believe to believe in the scriptures because it is able to make you wise in the choices of life
• v4:4 - Bible says that people will start to listen to and follow man (ideas and myths) rather than God
• If we read the Bible daily then we will know God's will for our lives. If we don't we will start to follow what people say, think, and feel.
• Question: How can reading the Bible daily change your life? What happens if you don't read daily?
• Question: Why do you think God wants you to read his word daily? So you can know him!

• Jesus is talking to the Jewish people and tells them that is they don't hold to his teachings, then they are not really his disciples
• Just because someone acts religious or know a lot about the Bible does not mean they are following Jesus
• Question: What does Jesus say it takes to be his disciple? Then you'll know what? Then what?
• When you read someone's journal you get to know that person more and more each day - same goes for reading God's word
• Question: How often do you read the Bible?
• Challenge: Read the Bible daily and make one decision each day.

• Question: What do you think the heart of what Jesus is saying in these scriptures?
• Question: Biblically speaking, because someone goes to church  does that make them a Christian? Are they a Christian because they are a good person? What if they know a lot about the Bible, does that make them a Christian?
• That means you are saying that the majority of people in the world are lost. How does that make you feel?
• Make God feel said but God has a plan for them - 1 Timothy 2:1-6

• v22 - The miracles Jesus did proves he was God's son
• v23 - He died on the cross for your sin
• v24 - God raised him from the dead
  

• Confess with your mouth (acknowledging God and everyone around you that you nor anything else will be the Lord of your life,expect Jesus)
• It is not the confession that justifies you, it is your heart that God is looking at.

• Dreaming of all thing we want to do this spring summer with friends and family
• When i get off of work, taking Juniper to the park, great atmosphere
  • She choose the park by the slide color
  • Change up - chalk
• When we go shopping, weakness for summer type items

• He does not look at the cost
• He looks at end result and who benefits
  

• Dream what God will do with the amount I give today
• Dream God can do with my time

Scriptures about Messianic Prophecy

• Isaiah 52:13-53:12 - His form was so marred he no longer looked human
• Genesis 22:1-18 - Abraham did not withheld his son, your only son
• Psalms 16:8-10 - He will you let your Holy One see decay
• Psalms 2:7  - Messiah will be God's Son
• Genesis 12:3 - All peoples on earth will be blessed through you
• Deuteronomy 18:15 - The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you
• Micah 5:2 - From Judah will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel
• Isaiah 7:14 - The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel
• Isaiah 9:1-2 - Future: people walking in darkness have seen a great light
• Isaiah 9:6 - a son has been given to us: Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

• Servile fear - latin meaning slave
• Filial fear - meaning son

• Clap your hands and cries for joy - vs1
• Shouts of joy and sounding of trumpets - vs5
• Sing praises - v6-7

• Recognition of God's awesomeness - v2
• Confidence in Him being King of all - v2,7,8,9

1. Do I experience the fear of God as it has been described so far?
2. Does my fear of God tend to slavish - trying to please a taskmaster that can not be pleased?
3. Is my fear of God so shallow that I tend to be overly familiar with and fail to show the reverential awe that is due him?

• Three desires were expressed by Jesus in this of prayer.

1. He wanted to have disciples join in his struggles.
2. He wanted to forgo the bitter cup.
3. He wanted to obey the will of God.

• His strongest desire is to obey God, overcame the other desires of his life.

• John 4:34 - His food was to do the will of him who sent him
• John 5:19 - whatever the Father does the Son also does

• Mark 10:21 - Go, sell everything you have and come follow me
• Luke 13:34 - How often I have longed to gather your children together
• Luke 19:41 - As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.

• John 9:4 - As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me
• John 4:34 - For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God,
• Luke 19:10 - For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
• Mark 1:38-39 - I can preach there also. That is why I have come

• Undeserved forgiveness
• Acceptance even without perfect performance
• Real love (an “in-spite-of” love)

• Jesus receives the punishment for your sins instead of you - 2 Corinthians 5:21
• After baptism, Jesus blood continues to cover over our sin - 1 John 1:7

Summary

God formed a man and gave him the garden in Eden, except for the tree of knowledge. Adam was alone so God made a woman as his partner.

Observations

Genesis 2:7 - from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life
From nothing, God created us. He even takes our language that is a collection of organized means and breathed [2 Timothy 3:16] it into living and active Holy scripture [Hebrews 4:12].

Genesis 2:15 - put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Man's purpose in the garden was to work it and keep it up. God gives us work to do in step with what he desires. Work is good for glorify God, helping others, and helping us in our character. In [Acts 17:26], we learn that God determines the times and places we will live. It wasn't a random chance that Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden even with God's fore knowledge of Adam's sin.

Genesis 2:16 - You are free
The first words recorded spoken to man was "You are free". This is important because without freedom, love can not be fully expressed. God created man for Him to love and to be loved by man. What are we doing with the life and freedom God has given us? Does he feel the love?

Genesis 2:17 - you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
The sinful nature within us desires the opposite of what God wants. When it hears about something we can not do, that is the exact thing it desires to do.

Genesis 2:19 - whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name
With our freedom, we are given responsibilities. Instead of just telling us what the names of the animals and plants we, God gave Adam the task and freedom to do so. We need to remember all the things God intrusts us with and give it our all.

Personal Application

Many times I look for ways on how to automate work (it is part of the work I do as part of my career) but sometimes lose sight that work is what I am suppose to be doing. When automating tasks, I need to make sure I am using my additional time to do even more useful things that God has called me to do.

Summary

Japheth's line lived in the coastlands; Ham's included Nimrod and the Canaanites; Shem's lived in the East. These formed the nations.

Observations

Genesis 10:4 - peoples spread out ... each with its own language
These family was not only in not on the same page, in the same state. They each had a completely different language. Their words were likely not written down so changed easily because there was no reference point. Having different languages is not a bad thing but it illustrates when we do not have a reference point in our lives, our standards, direction, and our feelings of the day change we do things. Like God's written word, if we do not keep refering to it, we will live as if we are standing on shifting sand [[Matthew 7:26].

Genesis 10:6 - sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan
From Ham's children, came the Jews and others like the Philistines [Genesis 10:14]. I am not sure if this separation came from the times these kids were growing up but does show how much we need unity in our family. Though in verse 6, they had different languages. Unity is very important in a family and godly unity only comes from God. We can be united in mind and heart from our relationship with God. It is never to early introduce God to your family - especially children.

Personal Application

I am convicted on how fast families can be divided by Satan. How things can change and a heart is no longer are responsive in a relationship. I need to start ASAP.  I am going to make sure my children know God, his word and what it means to have an amazing relationship with Him.

Summary

They began building a great tower for themselves, but the Lord confused their language. Shem's line included Abram who married Sarai.

Observations

Genesis 11:4 - so that we may make a name for ourselves
We all have a built-in desire to reach God and the heavens. It is all about the manner in which we do it. The people here wanted it for selfish reasons and not as misguided attempt to have a relationship with God. They wanted to make a name for themselves to show other what they could do. Why do we go to church and come to a Bible study group? Is it for show or is it because we want to know God?

Genesis 11:6 - then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them
For good purposes or bad, when we come together we can do amazing things. If the united people at time could start to create a large tower to the heavens without God, what can we do as a united people with God?!?

Personal Application

I need to check my motivations on why I do things - especially the "good" things. Is it to further my relationship with God or for selfish gain or to please someone else?

Summary

The Lord promised Abram an heir and many descendants. Abram believed. He was told that they would be enslaved but would then return.

Observations

Genesis 15:6 - Abram believed the LORD ... credited it to him as righteousness
Even though Abram had no kids for a long period of time, he believed the Lord would provide. He had this prayer for a long time - many, many days he prayed. But nothing. He he came face to face with God, He told him a son was coming and his descendants would be as many as stars in the sky. Abram chose to believe and his faith was credited to him as righteousness. How long do we pray before giving up?

Genesis 15:14 - I will punish the nation they serve as slaves
At the beginning of the chapter, God said he was Abram's shield [Genesis 15:1]. Here he expands on his promise - in the future, he will punish the Egyptians for making his people to become slaves. God will protect us. The judgement of our enemies might not come on our timetable, but it will come. We need to patient and be still, the Lord will fight for you [Exodus 14:14]

Personal Application

Sometimes I believe that perseverance is my strength but as I look at my prayers for the desires of my heart, I give up way easily. "But it has not happened in 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years" - I say. Abram waited until he was 100 years for his son to be born.

Summary

Three visitors came and said that Sarah would have a son next year. Sodom was very evil; Abraham pleaded with the LORD for the city.

Observations

Genesis 18:14 - Is anything too hard for the LORD?
This is a good question to ask ourselves in times where we doubt God in anyway. Sarai doubted that she would become pregnant because of how old she was. Mary may have been thinking of this scripture when the angel came to her saying she would become pregnant as a virgin - her reaction was much more faithful. Bog came do much more than we can ask or imagine [Ephesians 3:20].

Genesis 18:32 - For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it
God wants all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth [1 Timothy 2:4]. It is the reason God will waiting out all the evil and sin that is in the world. He is looking and searching out those who will changing their ways and love him back. Who around us is looking for God?

Personal Application

I doubt God way too much (once is too much )and I do probably everyday - I am doing it right now. God is god, he can do anything. Yes, even that. I have got to stop making God smaller in my mind. Every time that I think I have an understanding how big and strong he is - God is beyond that. He greater than I can imagine.

1. After all that John the Baptist knew about Jesus, why do you think he began having doubts?
2. What did John do to deal with his doubts?
3. What should you do when doubts enter your mind?

1. What were the Christians in Corinth doubting? They had believed at first, but later some began to doubt.
2. What are some teachings you have doubted after believing?

1. Where do you think doubts come from?
2. How did Jesus help them to find faith?

1. What do you learn from this widow's example?
2. Think of at least 3 reasons she could have given to be "stingy".

1. Have you decided to give generously to God?
2. Are you giving that amount regularly?
3. What does God promise to those who give freely?
4. How does your giving benefit others, God, and yourself?

• Look at how God has overcome my shortcomings to help me grow.
• Build trust in God today by sharing a victory with a friend.

• Pray about everything before you do it: pray about decisions, hopes and plans. God will bless it.
• Get advice about the plans you are making.
• Relax and enjoy your relationship with God, enjoy reaching out to people, enjoy your purpose.
  
• Don't try to prove anything to anyone, except that you love being a Christian.

• Admit my sin and weaknesses
• Ask for help from God and others
• Commit myself to serving God, no matter my shortcomings

1. Persevere through challenges, correction, and struggles.
2. Allow failures to expose your character so that you can become all God wants you to be.
3. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus, not on yourself and how you feel.

Summary

God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. As Abraham obeyed, an angel stopped him. The LORD provided a ram instead and blessed Abraham.

Observations

Genesis 22:2 - Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering
God calls us to sacrifice to a high degree. We need to trust in God when we are called to sacrifice. Abram was called to the give up one of the most important persons in his life. At what point do we stop sacrificing? When we feel we are about to leave our comfort zone? When the price is too high?

Genesis 22:5 - and then we will come back to you
He did not know how or in what way but Abram had faith God would not forget about His promise to Abram. Would his son come back to life? Would God give him a new son? What whatever was to happen, Abram believed he would not be coming back alone when he said "we will come back".

Genesis 22:12 - I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son
God present us with tests in our life to see where our heart is at. These test also tell us where our own heart is at if we pay attention. There was no cost Abram was not willing to pay to seek out the Lord which show he had the right perceptive of God's power.  Our sacrifice level shows our love for God.

Personal Application

I know for me I give until it starts to physically hurt, brings up bad memories, or I don't see the need to. It does not depend on me; I need to sacrifice in relation to the need. As I grow close to go God I will see God's heart in this.

Knowing God through our own study of the Bible is essential
I want to know Christ and the power of the resurrection - Philippians 3:10

We can get to know Christ through the living word of God - John 1:1
When we are truly in love with God, our prayers are fresh and exciting

God wants us to know him and be close to him
For that reason, he gave us the Counselor, the Holy Spirit - John 14:16, Romans 8:9-16
Fulfilling Jesus 's promise about not leaving us - John 14:18

The Spirit is there to help us do what we want to do
The Spirit is always working to help us have the mind of Christ - 1 Corinthians 2:16
The Spirit is grieved when we sin - Ephesians 4:30
The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God's children - Romans 8:15-16
The Spirit helps us in our weakness, intercedes for us - Romans 8:26

We are to pray in the Holy Spirit - Jude 20
And to pray in the spirit in all occasions - Ephesians 6:18

Our prayers are spiritual when they are deeply rooted in scripture
Prayer and Word of God are inseparable
Prayer is like fire and fuel is God's word

Bible Study Disciplines

Mark up your Bible in to different themes:

Example subjects:

• Blue = God's qualities
• Yellow = Love
• Green = Sin and righteousness
• Pink = prayer and faith
• Purple = Joy
• Orange = evangelism and discipling
• Megenta = the spiritual world

Might circle references to God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit

Read the whole Bible every year

Foucused study on indivdual books and passages are good but it also important to have the broad picture of God's revelation ingrained in our hearts

Read the Bible everyday

Jesus lived on every word that came from the mouth of God - Matthew 4:4
The law required the kings of Israel to recopy and read out loud all the days of their lives - Deuteronomy 17:18-20
Bereans examined the scriptures every day - Acts 17:10-12

Memorize key verses

Memorizing scripture helps us to talk to God using quoted scripture (God's language) and keeps us pursuing righteousness
I have hideen tyour word in my heart so I might not sin against you - Psalms 119:11
Proverbs 22 advises to have the Proverbs ready on our lips

Consecration, which means to clean something up and then dedicate it to God.

Cleansing your life and home from any stumbling blocks or evil influences and then presenting yourself and your family into God’s hands.

If there are influences in your home that dishonor God or are pulling you or your family members away from God, you should seriously consider removing them.

King Hezekiah rose to the throne after the death of Ahaz,
He threw out man-made idols and reestablished the worship of God as the centerpiece of his leadership - 2 Chronicles 29:5-6

• Where sin has crept into your life - repent
• Where bitterness has taken root in your heart - forgive
• Where lies have been woven into the script - seek truth
• Where traditions have taken precedence - start fresh
• Where problems have tried to steal and malign - pray
• Where hindrances are piling up - consecrate and dedicate your family to God

There is nothing greater, more fulfilling, or more important than living with this goal in mind.

When Moses died, God turned to Joshua and told him it was now his job to lead

He promised him four spiritual resources to help him

• He gave him God-ordained AUTHORITY to “cross this Jordan - Joshua 1:3
• He gave him God’s WORD to meditate upon “day and night” - Joshua 1:8
• He gave him God’s PRESENCE as a reliable companion, guide, and shield - Joshua 1:9
• He gave him God’s PEOPLE to support and encourage - Joshua 1:16-18

Again and again Joshua heard: “Be strong and courageous!”
God knew that a leader tends to become overwhelmed, afraid, and passive.
Leaders are not leaders because they’re smarter, more talented, or more organized
Leaders take courage by repeatedly step up and use their influence to move others in the right direction.

Leadership is about courage - the courage to trust God, to do the right thing, to stand alone, and to maintain forward momentum

The greater responsibility to raise your children is yours.
When you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up - Deuteronomy 6:7
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord - Ephesians 6:4

When the dad leads, kids are up to twenty times more likely to stay in church long-term than when moms are the spiritual leaders at home
When the father gets immediately involved, leading with purpose, dealing with problems, his own personal walk with God

Trusting Him makes you wise. Relying on Him keeps you strong. Following Him shows you how to lead.

Seeking God in a very deliberate, devoted manner will impact everything else in your world.
Focus on your relationship with God, you will find it more natural to want your wife and children to be enjoying the same thing

Jesus uses the Word of God to wash us and bloom us into a holy Bride - John 15:3
Leading your family with God’s Word is a key to helping them work through issues, love one another, and grow spiritually.

Devotions together

• Even if it seems awkward or different at first
• Can be as simple as:
  • Ggetting together in the same room and talking about how everyone is doing
  • Reading a chapter out loud from the Bible
  • Followed by a simple prayer asking God to help you apply what you heard

If you and your wife had two children and trained them to faithfully live for Christ, and both of them raised two more children to faithfully live for Christ as well, then those same ten generations could produce 1,024 faithful believers.
When you speak into your children’s ears, you are speaking into the ears of your great-great-grandchildren as well.

Teach the Word “diligently” to your children “when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” - Deuteronomy 6:7

Instruct “to fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments” - Deuteronomy 6:2

Love, truth, and respectful fear go hand in hand.
To fear Him is to be soberly aware of His awesome authority over us.

Fearing the Lord transforms our thinking.

Summary

Abraham's servant went to Nahor to find a wife for Isaac.

Observations

Genesis 24:1 - The Lord blessed him every way
God blessed Abraham, as he promised [Genesis 12:2], more than he could have asked or imagined [Ephesians 3:20] because of his belief that He would be faithful in his promises. In the investment world, it is about making a return on managed risk. Sometimes in Wall Street you can yield a good return with analysis. Other times, no matter what, you can lose large amounts of captial.  But with God, you can bank on his promises through faithfulness. There is no guessing and changing out mind, we just need to be faithful.

Genesis 24:4 - Go instead to my homeland
His son was nearing 40 years old and Abraham was old himself. He was looked to pass the torch on the next generation. Abraham again was faced with the challege of age-related life changes [Genesis 21:2]. The easy way to find Isaac a spouse would be to just look around the local area. The rational here might be "well, they do not follow God now but we can convert them later". This idea rarely works out and can cause much harm spiritually. Abraham chose again to be faithfully and to take the path less traveled. That path for his servant was 450 miles away to Nahor.

Genesis 24:8 - But under no circumstances are you to take my son there
Abraham nor his son were going to leave Cannon. There must have been some faithful prayer involved to find a way out of this situation [1 Corinthians 10:13]. How was Abraham going to find a wife for his son in a different land without standing in the way of God's promise? For both of them to go would have been an express of their lack of faith in God's promise. Also, if Isaac went a alone, he may have not returned. If Abrham went a alone, Isaac may have found a wife among the Canaanites while he was gone. The solution was a highly improbable plan (without God) for Abraham was to send his servant to find his wife. This way would be at a high cost to old man Abraham because of amount of work extra work he would need to do to cover while the servant was gone.

Application

I am convicted by the way Abraham chose to approach challenging situations. He did not chose the easy way or the first way that sounded right. He chose to be faithful and had a conviction to allow God's promises to fulfilled in his life. I did not mediate and pray through the challenges set before very often. Many times I just say or do the first things that comes to my mind. Those are often thoughts of the easy way or only way to go about things. I need to think about the bigger picture when making  decisions.

Prayer

Praying for heart of disernment and faithfulness in life's challenging situations.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, The God whom we serve is able to save us - Daniel 3:16-17

Compromise can help you move ahead or it can lead to utter disaster

At time, they freely altered some things to please their Babylonians masters

But an order to compromise their commitment to God, they adamantly refused

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not need to discuss anything, there was no decision to be made

After the king saw how the three young men were saved, he sang a different tune - Daniel 3:28

Any choice to distance you from God, there is no compromise, the only answer is "NO".

ISAIAH

It's over, I am doomed - Isaiah 6:4-5

Isaiah looked into the mirror of God's perfection and saw his own inadequacy starting back at him

He knew he wasn't fit to serve God, much less stand in his presence

God sent an angel and tocuhed his lips with coal and pronounced his guilt removed and sins forgiven - Isaiah 6:6-7

Isaiah changed and boldly called out, "Here I am. Send me" - Isaiah 6:8

Phinehas has turned my anger away from the Isrealites by being as zealous among them as I was - Numbers 25:10

Phinehas had seen the immorality going on around him and could not stand idly by and allow his people tp defile themselves

Neither could he allow God judgement to continue without trying to bring it to an end

His last straw momenet was when he witnessed his Hebrew brother shamelessly taking a Midianite into his tent

Phinehas' zeal kicked in and passionately executed the man

From then on, he showed his willingness to take a stand and the people of Israel were spared and decendants received God's blessings - Numbers 25:12-13

When you are enthusiastic about your relationship with God, you are bound to affect the people around you 

It's the voice of a god, not of a man - Acts 12:22

It is easy to recoginze a man who does not realize his own smallness

He is one of with an air of self-sufficiency and self-satisfaction

Herod was known for his terrible treatment of his subjects and his uncontrolled egotism (a quality that cost him everything)

When a delegation of men from Tyre and Sidon, they stroked Herod's ego and he accepted their adulation

That day, Herod usurped the worship that God reserved for himself; Herod's life ended that day

My final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty - Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

There is in hte heart of every man a God-shaped void

Solomon had it all, but he eventually concluded that those things were not enough - which amounted to exactly nothing

His life was empty

Solomon asked God for wisdom and became the wisest man who ever lived

Despite God's warnings, Solomon drifted from the Lord and turned to other gods

Without God, life amounts to nothing but birth, lots of hard work, and death

When you make Jesus Christ central to everything, even everyday events have meaning and significance

He healed my eyes and yet you don't know where he comes from? - John 9:30

The Jewish reglious leaders constantly opposed his and couldn't see past their own legalism and tradition long enough to see the miracle

The blind man and others understood who Jesus was because he witnessed the miracles with open minds and hearts

Jesus demonstarted God's power, the man did as Jesus said, and receive the gift of sight:

1. Spit in the dirt
2. Wiped mud in his eyes
3. Told him to wash

The Jewish leaders took issue to Jesus "working" on the Sabbath

Ex-blind man: If this man were not from God, he couldn't have done it - John 9:33

When we receive spiritual insight that changes our lives, we need to tell others what God has done - we were blind but now we see!

Jesus returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them - Luke 2:51

It is easy to ignroe the yield signs God puts up for us

We enjoy God's blessing and protection when we heed the warning signs

As the Son of God, Jesus knew his identity

He understood that to grow into a perfect man of God, he needed to honor his earthly mother and father

Everything Jesus did, said, and thought sprang from the fact that he had yielded his own will to his Father - John 5:30

Jesus built his life on a solid foundation of submission

What foundation have you build your life on?

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west - Psalm 103:12

Men who follow Jesus Christ wholeheartedly often see more clearly how they have been forgiven

David had plenty in his life for which he needed forgiveness

He knew when he failed God, God's love would never fail him

David did not choose his words randomly

If get in a plane and head east and unlimited fuel you never stop heading east - endless love

Gideon made a sacred ephod from the gold and put it in Ophrah; it became a trap for Gideon and his family - Judges 8:27

Sometimes our best-intended actions have negative consequences

Gideon had just led Israel in a rousing victory over Midian and they elected him ruler

He said thanks, but no thanks - he knew not to take an office that had not appointed him to

Gideon asked everyone to gather up the gold colleced from the Midianite enemies so that he could make an ephod to server as a memorial to God's goodness for defeat the Midianites

Instead of remembering God, the Israelites began to worship it instead

Gideon provided leadership during the time of war but failed to offer it at a time when the people needed spiritual guidance

When you set out to do something you see as important, seek God and his approval before moving forward

Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance? - Job 42:3

You really find out what he or she is made of when you're not at your best

After suffering through the loss of his property, wealth, health, and family, Job came to better understand God - Job 1:8

God had called Job a man of complete integrity - Job 1:8

When he suffered, he began to question God, complaining to God and accusing God of treating him unjustly

When God revealed himself, Job had to retrack the foolish things he said.

I take back everything I said and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance - Job 42:6

Job began to understand his smallest: I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes - Job 42:5

I thanks and praise you, God, for you have given me wisdom - Daniel 2:23

Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream and wanted to know what it meant

When his advisors couldn't help, he had them all executed

Daniel asked the king if he could take a crack at interpreting the royal dream

The pressure was on - Daniel needed answers and soon

Daniel asked his friend to pray for divine revelation  and he received a vision that clearly explained the kig's dream

God gave Daniel exactly what he needed to save his life and his friends lives

When Daniel was squeezed, out came his faith in God who does his best work under pressure

Jesus returned to Galilee filled with the Holy Spirit - Luke 4:14

Any man who has accomplished something for the Lord owes his sucess to the empowerment of the Holy Spirit

Jesus left us an example on how to depend on the Spirit for power, guidance, and encouragement

Every wise word he spoke and every miraculous deed he performed grew out of the Spirt's prompting

Jesus didn't began his public ministry until "the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove - Luke 3:22

If Jesus, as the perfect Son of God, needed the empowerment of God's Spirit, how much more do you need his power today?

Common taunt of Scribes and Pharises that Jesus was a friend of sinners

He was friendly to the lowest and the best of society, a trait which created great scandal

These three statements about Jesus spoke a lot about how Jesus' heart toward others:

• He saved himself; he cannot save himself - Mark 15:13
• He went about doing good
• Friend of sinners

They tried to use his friendiness against him

Example: Tax collectors - ones who gathered taxes by any means nessary including by extortion or other dishonest measures

• Considered traitors to their country
• Objects of hatred and scron
• Their money was considered tained and not accepted in the synagogue
• Their oath was worthless
• Could not be a witness in a court of law
• Pelted with sneers by passers by
• Looked as wild beasts

Jesus made friends with them despite these truths

It was one thing to talk down to a bad man and give good advise, it is another to eat with them

Jesus cross the chasm over which no man was willing to do in that day and lost his reputation for the sake of being brotherly/friendly

Made himself nothing because he was determined on being firendly to all - Philippians 2:17

Everyone is part of the human race, children of God, despite what they have done

God gives us a purpose, otherwise we are just heading to dust only no matter what we do

It is easier to believe all beliefs are correct -  7 blind men and the elephant parable = 7 blind touch a elephant and feel like they have some something different, like tail, tusk, etc

Common objections to a single true of God:

• Don't want to offend anyone
• No red pill moment, please
• Don't judge me, bro
• The existence of evil and no intervening God
• Only science can lead us with "facts"

 
Approaches to God can be broken down into:

• Theist - (God made all; God made the painting) Christian
• Pantheist - (God is all - God is the painting) God is everything - Hinduism, New Age, some forms of Buddhism
• Atheist - (No god at all - Painting always existed) No god, humanism
• Agnostic - Not sure

All make truth claims, many stated truths are mutually exclusive, for example:

• Theist vs Atheist - Did the universe have a beginning or has it always existed?
• Christian vs Muslim - Jesus rose from the dead or did he never die?

Order of logic we will proceed

1. Truth about reality is knowable
2. The opposite of true is false
3. It is true that God exist 
   • Beginning of the universe 
   • Design of the universe 
   • Design of life
   •  Moral law
4. If God exists then miracles are possible
5. Miracles can used to confirm the word of God
6. The NT is historically reliable
   •     A. Early testimony
   •     B. Eye witness testimony
   •     C. Authentic testimony
   • Eye witnesses who were not decived
7. The NT says Jesus claimed to be God
8. Jesus' God was miraculously claimed
   • Fulfilment of the OT prophecies
   •  Sinless life and miracles performed
   • Prediction/Coming true of His resurrection
9. Jesus is God
10. Being God, whatever Jesus teaches is true
11. Jesus taught the Bible is the Word of God
12. Whatever is contrary to the Bible is false

All the above need to justified by evidence
Will start with the point with ultimate skepticism
Will ultimately get to to the reasoning: If something is contradicting Bible, then it is false

We should live our lives based on truth - Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

The examined faith is not worth believing