[Starting Line Lessons]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Feb 4, 2008
Topic: Obedience/Discipleship, Bible Characters


Starting Line Lessons

A key to running a successful race is getting a good start. You want to come off
the blocks quickly, keep your balance, focus your energy in the right direction
and move forward. But a good start is only part of the race. Peter, one of
Jesus' disciples, had a great race--a few stumbles along the way but on the
whole a good race. What can we learn, however, from his start?

What Does God Say?

In Matthew 4:18-20, Jesus called Peter. "While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he
saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a
net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, 'Follow me, and
I will make you fishers of men.' Immediately they left their nets and followed
him" (ESV).

John 1:35-42 tells us that Andrew had first followed John the Baptist, but when
Jesus came along, he made the switch and introduced Peter to Jesus. So, this
moment along the shore probably wasn't their first meeting. But meeting Jesus
and being called to follow Him are two different things. Jesus wasn't interested
in making new friends; He wanted to make disciples, working with people who
would change the world in His name.

That's what He called Peter to do: "Follow Me. Be one of mine; put your faith
and your future in Me and you'll fish for others for My kingdom."

And Peter's start? Right off the blocks, he drops everything and takes off after
Jesus. He leaves his livelihood, his family and his home. The only promise Jesus
made was that He'd teach him to fish for people. Not much to go on, is it? But
Peter did it anyway. He turned his back on the past and moved forward with
Jesus.

This is faith in action; belief that has an impact. Andrew had told him earlier
that Jesus was the Messiah (John 1:40-42), but it was enough for Peter to act.
We often say we believe, but then our actions don't reinforce it. We struggle to
do what Peter did--to drop our own lives in order to live the one Jesus has for
us.

My Thoughts

So, what can we learn from Peter's good start? Here are three lessons to
consider:

Lesson #1--When Jesus calls you to follow, He doesn't negotiate or make
suggestions. You respond either by accepting Him or rejecting Him. Look at these
people and describe their responses: Genesis 12:1-5; 1 Samuel 3:1-11; Mark
2:13-17; Luke 19:1-10.

Lesson #2--There's no half-measure in following Jesus, no holding onto your past
life. Yes, there are a few times when Peter went fishing again, but it's clearly
no longer the focus of his life.

    * Have you been trying to hold onto your own life AND follow Jesus?
    * What do you need to let go of?

Lesson #3--A good start doesn't keep you from stumbling...but recovery is
possible. Peter made some big blunders including denying Jesus. But Jesus also
restored him. Read John 21:15-19 to see what Jesus said to get Peter back in the
race. Anything we've seen already in Peter's story?

My Part

As any runner knows, a great start doesn't guarantee a great finish. But a good
start is the first, best step. When Jesus calls you, get off to a good start;
let go of the past; drop your nets and move forward with Him.

Take a few moments to think about how you started this race. Write out your
story and share it with someone else. Is there anything about your "start" that
might be hindering your race today? If so, write it down and then seek help in
dealing with it. If it's sin, confess it and forsake it. If it's a lack of
knowledge, then ask your pastor if there's some course of study you could take
that will help you overcome this obstacle. But don't just sit there (you can't
run a race sitting still), do something!

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REPEAT_REPEAT_REPEAT  and  _REPEAT...

Read: Exodus 4:1-17
Without faith it is impossible to please God. - Hebrews 11:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Many people today have become uncomfortable with the mention of God's anger. As those familiar with the message of forgiveness through the cross of Jesus Christ, we don't know in what category to put the stories of God's wrath. Was the God of the Old Testament more vengeful, more intolerant of human failings? Scripture tells us that He doesn't change (cf. Num. 23:19), so that explanation is insufficient. We learn something about God's holy anger in our passage today.

God responded with anger to Moses' reluctance to be the man He had chosen to deliver His people. Moses doubted that the Hebrews would find him credible as their leader. The first time he had tried to assume any kind of leadership, they had rejected him. And now, what kind of legitimacy could he hope to have as a man who had been running from the law for forty years?

If that weren't sufficient reason for not getting involved, Moses reminded God of his inability to speak eloquently. Some have reasoned that perhaps Moses had a speech impediment. It's more likely that this was a feeble attempt to avoid God's call. Stephen, for example, in Acts 7, speaks of Moses as a man “powerful in speech and action” (v. 22). The real reason surfaced in verse 13: when it came down to obeying God, Moses didn't want to.

God was angry with Moses for his lack of faith. Every excuse Moses had named said less about his fear and more about his lack of faith. Throughout chapters 3 and 4, God continually reassured Moses that this was a job they would do together. Moses didn't have to go it alone. God would be with him. God promised to equip him both with supernatural capabilities as well as endow him with natural abilities.

So Moses' final plea for God to send someone else was ultimately disbelief in all that God had promised. Moses didn't take God at His word. His sin foreshadowed the continual sin of the Israelites in the wilderness.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Consider how Jesus responded to people who lacked faith. John 20:24-31 shows a sympathetic Jesus, offering His nail-pierced hands to Thomas as proof of His identity. As a contrast-ing example, Jesus reproved the Pharisees who demanded a sign (cf. Matt. 16:1-4). Here is the difference: God responds to the condition of our hearts. When we cry out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” God hears and responds with compassion. When we reject the promises He's already given, He will not tolerate our hard hearts.

God made everyone (human  )sinners so Jesus Christ could die for all us sinners and be the first resurrected of many brothers and Sons of the Living God full of the Holy Spirit given to all through the First in all and the Last for we are all in Him.
Love in Jesus Def.

Give Thanks

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (I Thessalonians 5:18).

In everything give thanks? What about when we lose our jobs, or when we get sued for an accident, or when we are laid up with a long illness, or when a loved one dies? It is easy enough to give mental assent to this command, as long as things are going smoothly, but it becomes one of the most challenging passages in the Bible when deep adversity surrounds us.

But it is in the Bible! Furthermore, there are many other passages to the same effect. For example: "Be filled with the Spirit; . . . Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:18,20). And how about this? "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4).

How can one "glory in tribulations"? (Romans 5:3). There is only one way, of course, and that is by faith, following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).

No matter what trials we must endure, we will never have to suffer as He did when He, "for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame" (Hebrews 12:2). Likewise, we can "reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). "Our light affliction" endures only "for a moment" in light of eternity (II Corinthians 4:17).

It is only by faith that "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28). But that faith is in the infinite God who loves us with an everlasting love. Therefore, we must "look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen" (II Corinthians 4:18), and continue to thank and praise God.

I Fear God to much to murmur
God hate's murmuring. and i love him to much to to do something that He does not like voluntarily..Praise the Lord GLORY.
Love in Jesus Def

[THOU SHALT NOT SMOKE!]

February 3, 2008

THOU SHALT NOT SMOKE!
by Cornelius R. Stam

Have you read about the clear law against smoking cigarettes in the state laws of Illinois? It’s been on the books since 1907 and here is what it says:

Every person who shall manufacture, sell or give away any cigarette containing any substance deleterious to health, including tobacco, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $100.00 or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed 30 days.

This law has been on the Illinois state law books for 96 years, but in late years, certainly, it hasn’t been enforced and most Illinoisans don’t even know it’s there. The reason is that so many people smoke cigarettes that the authorities don’t even try to enforce it.

The prohibition era demonstrated the fact that human behavior cannot be legislated. This is so even with the law of God. Some people think that the Ten Commandments were given to help us to be good, but this is not so, for the Scriptures themselves state clearly that they were given to show us that we are bad and need a Savior.

Rom. 3:19 declares that the Law was given "that every mouth may be stopped, and that all the world may be brought in guilty before God." Rom. 3:20 says: "By the law is the knowledge of sin."

This is why we read in Rom. 8:3 that "what the law could not do, in that it was weak [on account of] the flesh," God sent His Son to accomplish. Also in Heb. 7:19 we read that "the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did." This is the "better hope" that we proclaim: that through Christ we may have "the forgiveness of sins" and that "by Him all who believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38,39).

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No more smoking in prisons in the province were I live since today HORRAY!!
thank you lord Jesus thank you.!!
Father my God I love you..and thank you for all my disciplines that you have put in my life they have been a blessing..It toke a long time but it is working.(";")
I believe that every one that heard about Jesus Christ and  believe in Him as the one sent by God to die for them and that He rose again is saved.Forever .God see's the heart of the believer.Jesus Christ 's Blood shed is stronger then any sin
   "except the one that, those who heard about  God sending His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die and be raise again and refuse to believe Him ( Jesus Christ" as the " Lamb of God) are the ones that are damn eternally.
For all our sins past and futur Jesus died for those who believe.ITS IS PAID.Your free act like it!!
Do good. love one a other,prayer for each other!!!
Love in Jesus Def.

My Brother did get very very dizzy didn't he 
Help is on the way
I did a little prayer.
Love in Jesus Def

God Knows What We Don't Know

"I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me" (Psalm 119:75).

One of the most perplexing aspects of the Christian life is trying to understand God's purpose when defeat or affliction comes into our lives, thereby hindering or even halting our ministry and testimony for Him. Many have been the servants of God who were sincerely working for Christ, seeking to obey His will and His word as best they understood them, but then suddenly were laid aside by sickness, or had their ministries stopped by the enemies of God (sometimes even by fellow Christians), or for some other reason, and could not discern why God allowed it.

What then? When affliction comes, we must simply trust God, knowing that whatever He does is right and that our affliction is invested with His faithfulness. He is our Creator and, through Christ, has also become our heavenly Father: "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?" (Hebrews 12:9). He knows what we don't know, therefore we can "know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

This verse (Romans 8:28) is one of the most familiar and most wonderful promises in the Bible, but it is one of the most difficult to believe in time of affliction or loss. Nevertheless, it is God's promise, and "all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (II Corinthians 1:20).

God knows the end from the beginning, and in that wonderful day when Christ returns, "then shall I know even as also I am known" (I Corinthians 13:12). Until then, we must simply trust Him.

It was in my afflictions that i accepted Jesus Christ not out of pain but out of love.down deep out of love..I studied "John 3:16 for  3 years and i had to believe in my heart without a reservation that only Jesus Christ the Son Of the Living God could save me by dying at my place.
 And that is what the Father wanted from me  a complet surrender to His will and accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior sent By the Father to saved those who would believe in the works of His Son.
Matthew 11:27 "All things are delivered unto me of my Father:
                        and no man Knoweth the Son, but the Father:
                        neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son,
                        and He to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.(Matthew 11:27 KJV) 
Love in jesus Def.
Good night.

     

I asked the people in my living room where the mailbox was, and they said they didn't know me. The man looked like a line-backer for the NFL, and he ran at me as he hollered for his wife to call the police. I did beat him out the door, and it didn't look like my neighborhood at all.   

Well here is a suggestion ,
  Go outside your house,
Go once around your house to the right,
 and then go twice around that same house
(you got to keep concentrated here now  )
running  to the left and if you are not to dizzy  run into the living room of your house,(Hoping it is the right one) clap your hands once and if you din't hear a sound clap again, and address who ever is there, hoping it is your wife if it is  kiss her and ask her were the mail box is .
Now that should do it.  good luck
keep looking up and watch for flying cars they do exist the have wings they say.and if you see one whithout then maybe it is yours...
Love in Jesus Def

[Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable GIFT, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour Forever!]

Amen Sister Def!

HIS Wounds should have been our wounds, and HIS Death in our place is a love higher than can be expressed by mankind.

Love in Christ,
Tom

Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable GIFT, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour Forever!

I LOVE YOU  FATHER THANK YOU.JESUS MY LORD FOR THY BLOOD SHEED FOR US . THANK YOUBrother Tom Thank you.I really don't know what love is when i see God's  love for me ,I feel very small WHEN I LOOK UP  and just don't see How I can even say to God I Love you and that is were I see that it is  a GIFT.BY GRACE I AM SAVED....GLORY!!!!
Love in Jesus Def

That sounds good, COFFEE!!

Yes thank you, as soon as we can Wheel ourselves out of here we will give it a shot
I will give  the broom a  Little perking up  :Pwith a new one If I can find one as good as that one.good things are hard to find these days , even such a good friend as my broom was to me and my little dog what a helper it was in all season..my my my i am going to cry
Love in Jesus

Hello StrikeToWin
Here is something that should give us a look of how God  answer about those who do not discerne
  Jonah 4:11 KJV      "And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city,
wherein are more than sixcore thousand persons that cannot discerne between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
love in Jesus Def.

..THE  GOODNESS OF GOD.

What about in the case of a person who is born mentally handicapped?  They do not have the mental faculties to determine right from wrong and can not tell what they are doing is even wrong.  (I have a personal stake in this with a cousin that was born mentally handicapped and charged with a crime.)

Hello StrikeToWin.
God See's the heart
 God is a just God
and all things at the end is just.
His will be done His ways are not ours ways and the reasons are for His glory.
Let us pray to understand what He is trying to make us understand  through our tribulations.
Love in Jesus Def.
remember we are at time visited by  angels!

[LIBERTY -- HOW PRECIOUS!]

January 30, 2008

LIBERTY -- HOW PRECIOUS!
by Cornelius R. Stam

We were interested to read, recently, about the man in California who ran short of grazing land for his herd of 13 buffalo. To solve this problem he put them on a barge and took them over to a large island in Lake Berryessa where there was lots of pasture. But what did the buffalo do? They jumped back into the lake, swam to shore and began charging fishermen and chasing automobiles -- so enraged were they at being imprisoned on an island!

After all, neither man nor beast enjoys bondage, though many of us are in fact enslaved.

Our Lord said in John 8:32: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." To this the religious leaders replied: "We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest Thou, Ye shall be made free?" But our Lord answered: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (Ver. 34). St. Paul says the same thing in Rom. 6:16:

"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

Sad to say, many sincere religious people think that they can free themselves from sin by putting themselves in bondage to the Law, the Ten Commandments. This never works, for the Law can only condemn the sinner. Rom. 3:19,20 declares that the Law was given "that every mouth may be stopped and that all the world may be brought in guilty before God... for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Again we have to turn to Christ for salvation and true liberty. He "died for our sins" (I Cor. 15:3) and has "redeemed us from the curse of the law" (Gal. 3:13).

Having believed this and trusted Christ as Savior, true Christians serve the Lord, not from fear, or to gain favor, but out of sheer love and gratitude. This is true liberty and this service is the only kind that God desires from us. Probably no man ever served the Lord more sincerely or tirelessly than the Apostle Paul. In II Cor. 5:14 he gives us the secret: "The love of Christ constraineth us..."

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Give me liberty or give me death.that was my motto.
When I accepted to loose the liberty of my thoughts to His 
He gave me liberty and He gave me Life..GLORY GLORY!!!
Love in Jesus Def.
How sweet it is...to be loved by God and feel it..

[~~~ I AM - The Son ~~~(Originally written in 2000)Healer]

~~~ I AM - The Son ~~~
(Originally written in 2000)
Healer

Surely He has borne our sicknesses, and He carried our pain; yet we  esteemed Him plagued, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded  for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the  chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His wounds we ourselves  are healed. (Is53:4-5)

"Jehovah opens the eyes of the blind; Jehovah raises those bowed down.."  (Ps146:8 ) "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of  the deaf opened. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of  the dumb shall sing." (Is35:5-6a) "So says Jehovah God, creating the  heavens and stretching them out; spreading out the earth...I, Jehovah,  have called You...for a Light to the nations; to open blind eyes..."  (~Is42:5-7)

After the people had acclaimed Jesus as the "Son of David" coming into  Jerusalem, the "blind and lame ones came to Him in the temple, and He  healed them." (Mt21:14) Fulfilling Isaiah 35. Sick people were not  allowed in the temple. Notice how the lame man whom Peter and John  raised up was sitting at the 'gate' of the temple. But Jesus was doing  things differently again. He allowed the infirm to come to Him -in- the  temple area. And He healed them.

Modern charismania has as one of its foundational doctrines, Is53:5,  "with His wounds we are healed." However, they don't heal as Jesus did.  They conjure and proclaim "be healed". It is possible that many of their  subjects are healed psychosomatically. And there are many cases where  various practitioners actually do heal. But there are also countless  people who had "be healed" pronounced over them, who continued to be  sick...many, who also died.

When Jesus healed, it says, "..He healed them -all-." (Mt12:15) Never  forget that Pharaoh's magician/priests (Ex7:11) duplicated Moses' and  Aaron's signs; but after a certain point, they were no longer able.  (Ex8:18-19) False prophets may get -some- prophesies correctly; but they  also have many errors, by which you know they are false. God's  prophesies are 100%. In the same way, healings that are from God are  100%. When these practitioners conduct their healing meetings, claiming  to call down God's power, yes, some probably actually -are- healed. But  statistics and accounts tell that many are not. They are healing 'some',  but their power is not from God.

The one born blind from birth was asked "What do you say about Him  because He opened your eyes? He is a prophet" (Jn9:17) Oooh...but He did  it on the sabbath!! (vs16) But when Jesus healed, everyone He touched  was -actually- healed. This was one of the things that would  characterize Jesus. The O.T. prophecies did not say that He would "keep  the sabbath"; we learned a couple lessons ago that He is "Lord of the  sabbath". But the leaders were comparing Him to their notion of what  they presumed the sabbath should be. But were not comparing with  Scripture.

When John, from prison, sent his disciples to find out, for sure, if  this was -really- Jesus, Jesus responds, "Going, relate to John what you  hear and see: The blind receive sight, and the lame walk; lepers are  cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the poor are given  the gospel." (Mt11:4-5) Jesus pointed John to His fulfillment of  Isa61:1.

When the sick were brought to Jesus, He did not do a sweeping general  'prayer' over the sick multitude in a separate room, prior to going in  to perform the 'main show' where certain chosen ones were brought up to  the platform in front of the TV cameras. It says "they brought to Him  -all- the ones having illness...and He healed them." (Mt4:24) He didn't  'pick-n-choose' the ones He knew He could heal or con. In another place  "He healed them all". (Mt12:15) And rather than having complaints and  repeat trips to doctors to fix what He botched up, the witness of the  people was, "He has done all things well." (Mk7:37)

If Jesus was opening the eyes of the blind, and Ps146:8 says that  "Jehovah opens the eyes of the blind", we can only conclude that Jesus  was telling the truth when He says, "I went forth and have come from  God" (Jn8:42) "I and the Father are One." (Jn10:30)

"..knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep;
for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. Let us
walk decently, as in the day...putting on the Lord Jesus Christ..
...redeeming the time, because the days are evil."
Romans 13:11-14~ Ephesians 5:16

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From A Voice In The Wilderness
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Brother Tom,
May "Isaiah 53: 3-5 be branded in my heart, when He picks me up He will see my branded heart.
Love in Jesus Def.

   I'm going to work on coming out of my shell on this issue and speak up. Everyone knows that I'm extremely SHY.  

Please don't make brother Tom Holler

"Surrender Completely"

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Matthew 19:21-22 (NIV)

The rich, young man wanted to hear quite the opposite of what Jesus was telling him. He had lived a good, moral life and was willing to do whatever was required. But he could not give up everything and surrender completely. He loved his money and possessions too much.

We are all in this situation. We are people with a divided heart. We love God, but we also want the things of this world.

In the Old Testament, when a sacrifice was made, the offering was burned until it was totally consumed by the fire. God wants us to surrender ourselves to Him this way—completely. Then we can truly follow Christ, and HE will fill us.

AND THE THRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE.!!GLORY..AMEN