Bible Minute

[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 10, 2007
Topic: Prayer


Earnest Prayer, Part 2

The word 'earnest' is thrown around a lot, but what does it really mean? To be earnest is to be intense or serious about something. The Bible says that we should be earnest in our prayer life, but how can we do that? Let's take a look at what the Bible has to say.

What Does God Say?

'And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you' (Luke 11:9, NLT).

'Never stop praying' (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NLT).

    * What should be our attitude toward all things in our Christian life including prayer?
    * How can we become more earnest in our praying?
    * What should we do if God doesn't answer our prayers right away?

My Thoughts

God tells us that we should be diligent in our prayers. Sometimes we can feel discouraged because God isn't answering our prayers when we want. It is important to remember that God doesn't work on our time line, but He works in His own time. God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we want. He can answer yes, no or wait. Consider these questions:

    * Have there been times in my life when I gave up praying about something because I didn't hear from God fast enough?
    * Do I enter prayer with a right and worshipful attitude?
    * Am I praying with earnest anticipation that God will work it out for His good?

My Part

God doesn't have to answer our prayers, but we can anticipate that He will. Grab a notebook or piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. The left side is where you will write down prayer requests. Write down the date you started praying for them or today's date and pray for them every day. As each of those prayers is answered, put the date in the left-hand column. Continue to pray for each request until it is answered. This will not only keep you earnest and diligent in your prayers but will allow you to see how God has answered your prayers in the past.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 11, 2007
Topic: Prayer


Pray with Focus

Earnest prayer comes from the heart; it's sincere, focused and real. It's not about impressing others and putting on a big show of spirituality. But what's in the heart will come out in our expression and our actions.

What Does God Say?

Jesus gives us a vivid example. As He prayed in the Garden before He was betrayed, His prayer was so earnest and intense that 'his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground' (Luke 22:44, ESV). That probably won't happen in your life, but it reveals to us the incredible focus and depth of Jesus' prayer.

Jesus also offered two parables that show us earnestness in bringing a request or need before God. In Luke 18:1-8, He talks about a widow who is persistent in seeking justice from a judge. She didn't give up; her 'prayer' was specific, focused , and from the heart. She didn't take it lightly.

Then Jesus goes on to describe two men in the temple and their contrasting prayers. While the story in Luke 18:9-14 is a warning about trusting in our own good works, we also see earnest prayer from a repentant man. 'But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'' (Luke 18:13, ESV). If you saw him, you could tell his prayer was real.

You can find many other prayers in the Bible that are earnest and sincere. But they're also prayers that are focused, actively seeking God's will, confident that He will hear.

My Thoughts

It's easy to dash off quick prayers or a long list of needs or even a glib attitude that says, 'God, if you're listening, would You mind...?' That's not earnest and effective prayer. Take a look at these verses and jot down the characteristics your prayer should have:

James 1:6
2 Chronicles 7:14
Deuteronomy 4:29
1 John 5:14

We're also warned about what prayer is not to be like. Describe what you find in Matthew 6:5-8 and Mark 12:38-40.

    * Which descriptions fit your usual prayer?
    * What's missing from prayer in your life?
    * What's the outward evidence of your inner prayer life?

My Part

One of the biggest challenges to earnest prayer isn't time but focus. You've probably had those moments when your mind drifts from one thing to another and soon you're planning next week instead of praying about today. It takes discipline to pray with focus.

Start small. What's the one thing you really need to bring before God today? Use a set time to pray about that one thing, even if it's just two or three minutes. Set a timer or clock if you have to. What usually distracts you? The phone, other noises, your own thoughts? Turn off what you need to; close a door; jot down those thoughts so they're out of the way; then focus your attention on God.

Remember, prayer is serious business--it's your personal appointment with the Creator and Lord of the universe. Make it a 'big deal' because you have a big God.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 14, 2007
Topic: Prayer


Bold in Prayer, Part 1

Basil King in his book The Conquest of Fear says: 'Go at it boldly, and you'll find unexpected forces closing round you and coming to your aid.'

That's the attitude God wants us to have when we come to Him in prayer. Let's look more closely at 'bold' praying.

What Does God Say?

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it (Hebrews 4:16, NLT).

The writer of Hebrews is not talking about the boldness associated with pride, arrogance or a presumptuous spirit. Let's read the same verse in another translation:

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16, NASB).

With confidence! Not the boldness that comes from believing that we can order God to do our bidding--and that we have the right to do so. But with confidence we can approach our Heavenly Father--confidence that comes from knowing Jesus has opened wide the door into the presence of God.

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT).

Boldness in prayer, then, comes from Jesus--His sacrifice, compassion and sinless life. When we have trusted in Jesus as the Saviour who died for our sins; and we have committed our lives to Him, we know that we are welcome in God's presence.

There is one other aspect of boldness that we need to understand.

My Thoughts

If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear; (Psalm 66:18, NASB)

Obedience to God--living in a way that pleases Jesus--is the key to coming before God gladly and unashamedly. When I am grateful and humble for what Jesus has done for me and when I follow Him as best I can, then I feel a sense of freedom and confidence--boldness--coming into the presence of God.

My Part

Remember Basil King's comment: 'Go at it boldly, and you'll find unexpected forces closing round you and coming to your aid.' Make a list of prayer concerns that you want to bring boldly before God. Ask God's Holy Spirit to come to your aid as you place your confidence in what Christ has done for you at the cross and bring these requests before the Father.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 15, 2007
Topic: Prayer


Come Boldly

It seems like a contradiction when we hold up a verse like Hebrews 4:16 against one like James 4:10. One says we should come to God in confidence and boldness; the other says to humble yourselves before God. But it's not a contradiction because boldness and humility are not opposites. It is possible to approach God in prayer both boldly and humbly.

What Does God Say?

Our humility comes from our recognition of who God is, the Sovereign of Creation. Paul wrote,

"For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?...
For from him and through him and to him are all things" (Romans 11:34,36, ESV).

When we pray, we come before Him with an attitude of reverence and respect for His authority.

The true opposite of humility is pride. Again in James we read, "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble'" (James 4:6, ESV).

It's the grace of God that allows us to come boldly before His throne. The mercy He showed us on the cross and the grace He showed when He called us His children allows us access to the throne of heaven.

The opposite of boldness is timidity. But as Paul reminded Timothy "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV). Again, it's the giving grace of God that moves us to approach Him boldly.

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16, ESV). When we come, we come because we know God. We come, not to dictate our plans for the future but to receive what He would give to us. That is coming boldly with humility.

My Thoughts

Are you one to come boldly before God or to stand timidly in the door?

How can you keep your boldness from becoming arrogance?

Do you think there's a relationship between how well we know God and how we approach Him?

My Part

When you pray today, try to imagine Jesus right there with you. Pull up a chair and try to picture Jesus as He listens attentively to your prayer. Imagine Him with His comforting arms around you on the hard days and laughing with you on the good days.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 16, 2007
Topic: Prayer


It's About Him

For his birthday, a little boy asked for a bike. That's all he wanted. When his big day came, he had a party and a cake, lots of gifts and fun with his friends…but no bike! So he said, "I don't believe in birthdays! They don't work because I didn't get what I wanted!" And he went the rest of his life convinced that birthdays were useless and telling everyone how silly they were to bother with birthdays.

Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? But isn't that sometimes how some people view prayer? They don't get the answers they want so they decide prayer doesn't "work." Well, prayer isn't about what "works"; it's not wishing on a star or crossing your fingers. Prayer is a holy conversation with the Almighty, not a superstitious ritual or cosmic shopping list.

What Does God Say?

The Bible is filled with instructions for prayer. But let's look at the base model Jesus gave in Matthew 6. It starts like this:

"Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:9-10, ESV).

It always begins with God. We recognize who He is (our Father), where He is (in heaven) and what He is (holy, awesome, worthy of reverence and awe). It reminds us to be focused on Him and His kingdom (what He wants to build) and His will (what He wants to do). That takes our own agenda right off the top of the list!

Yes, He's interested in our requests, our needs, even our wants (Read Matthew 6:11-13.); but He wants us to ask in accordance with His plans for His kingdom and the working out of His will--not for our own comfort, satisfaction or even whims.

We can bring our requests to God through Jesus Christ and be confident "that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15, ESV, emphasis added). Notice that once again, it's "according to his will." In fact, some have called that the prayer which never fails: "Your will be done."

My Thoughts

When you sit down to talk with God, focus on Him first, not your list of wants. Tell Him what you appreciate or praise Him for His wonderful works. See what you can learn about Him in these verses then jot down what you find and use it to start your next time in prayer.

Exodus 15:11
Exodus 34:6
Psalm 145:17
1 John 4:8-10
2 Peter 3:9
Ephesians 2:4-10

How do you think these truths about God may help you see and submit your requests to His will?

My Part

What have you been asking God for? Most of us have at least one or two ongoing requests we bring to God. It may be a family situation, our health, decisions about the future, even knowing what God wants for our lives.

Do you ask God to answer your request according to His will? You can't be glib with that prayer; what God wills may have a very different outcome than the one you'd like.

Are you willing to submit to His will, even if it's not what you want? He does work things together for the good of those who love Him as Romans 8:28 tells us, but it may not look like the "good" you were hoping for.

Learning to ask God for His will to be done isn't easy or instantaneous, so be honest before Him. As you continue with your prayer, ask Him to help you want His will, to submit to it, to trust Him to work for your good and His glory.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 17, 2007
Topic: Prayer


In Jesus' Name

Ever wonder if God hears your prayer? Have you ever desperately needed the assurance that God was listening when you prayed? The Bible teaches us some great truths about prayer that can bring a sense of confidence.

What Does God Say?

Here, from Jesus, is the first truth: In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven (Matthew 6:9 NKJV)

Jesus taught us that we can communicate with God in prayer, just as we would talk with a father who is loving and caring. God is our Heavenly Father. And so, just as a child eagerly comes to his father to share with him, so a Christian may confidently go to God in prayer.

What do you think might be the second truth? Search for it as Jesus continues to teach.

"Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10, NKJV)

Notice where the emphasis is? Jesus reminds us that the focus of prayer is not us but God. If prayer becomes about us, when God doesn't answer our prayers, we begin to say, "Well, prayer didn't work for me because I didn't get an answer." But the whole point of prayer is not to get answers; the whole point of prayer is to communicate with God.

The last truth has to do with our access to God and the authority by which we pray: I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name" (1 John 2:12, NIV).

We pray in the name of Jesus because it is through Him we can come before God (His shed blood makes it possible for God to forgive our sins .) and by His name we acknowledge the authority God has given Him.

"For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth," (Philippians 2:9-10, NASB)

"And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth' (Matthew 28:18, NASB)

So, prayer is communicating with the Father in the name of Jesus.

My Thoughts

Has it ever seemed to you like praying in the name of Jesus was just a convenient or traditional way of ending prayers? What is the significance of ending your prayer in Jesus' name?

If prayer is about communicating with God, what is it that you most would like to share with Him?

Sometimes, we experience an urgent or deep need to talk to God. Do you realize that God wants us to talk to Him and wants us to feel privileged and blessed to pray to Him.

My Part

Spend a few minutes in prayer now . Pray, guided by the truths you have learned about praying.

Are there times when you do not feel like praying? The best thing you can do in those moments is to talk to God about how you feel.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 18, 2007
Topic: Faith/Trust


Praying with Belief

How does it make you feel when someone asks you to do something, but you can tell they really don't expect you to follow through? It probably makes you not want to honor their request in the first place, right? Can you imagine how God must feel when we go to Him in prayer never expecting to hear back from Him?

What Does God Say?

"I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for" (1 John 5:13-15, NLT).

"This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God--who does not lie--promised them before the world began" (Titus 1:2, NLT).

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see" (Hebrews 11:1, NLT).

"And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).

"Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence" (Ephesians 3:12, NLT).

    * How are we to enter God's presence?
    * What gives us confidence in Christ?
    * How can we have confidence that God hears our prayers?

My Thoughts

We know that we are to come before Christ boldly and with confidence, but what does that mean? When we ask God to answer our prayers, we should have confidence and faith that He will answer those prayers according to His will. We have to trust that God is going to answer our prayers, if we do not trust Him, then He won't answer them. Ask yourself, do I pray with confidence? Do I pray trusting that God hears me and will answer my prayers?

My Part

Prayer is one of the ways that we communicate with God. It helps us maintain a good relationship with God. It is important that we make sure we are doing what we can to keep up that relationship. If we do not put faith and confidence into our prayers , then God will not answer our prayers. Spend time with God today thanking Him for the ways He has been faithful in answering your prayers in the past and continue to pray with confidence and belief.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 21, 2007
Topic: Salvation


God's Thoughts on Unbelievers

Many people who don't accept God use the excuse that they don't believe in anything they can't see or touch. God doesn't let that excuse pass because the truth is we put our faith in things every day that we can't see like air and gravity. Let's look at what God has to say about those who choose not to believe in Him.

What Does God Say?

Only fools say in their hearts,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
not one of them does good! ( Psalm 14:1, NLT).

My people bend their tongues like bows
to shoot out lies.
They refuse to stand up for the truth.
They only go from bad to worse.
They do not know me,"
says the LORD ( Jeremiah 9:3, NLT).

"He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you" ( John 14:17, NLT).

    * Whose job is it to lead men to the truth?
    * What does God say about people who don't believe in Him?
    * Why can't the world receive the Holy Spirit?

My Thoughts

Sometimes as Christians we think that it's our responsibility to lead nonbelievers to Christ. The Bible tells us that it's not up to us but it is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is our job to make sure that we share the message about Jesus and are living a godly life before nonbelievers so that they can see God in us. Ask yourself: When non believers look at my life, do they see God living through me? Am I a good example of what Christ has done for me?

My Part

Look around at the people you come in contact with every day. Who doesn't know Christ? If you find that there are no unbelievers in your life, then you probably need to make some changes. Take some time today to pray that God will bring unbelievers into your life and that He will help you be a witness to them, so that they might come to know Christ.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 22, 2007
Topic: Evangelism


Like Breathing

If you ask five different Christians how to witness to unbelievers, you'll probably receive five different answers. Some will recommend a tract that's been useful. Others will tell you to pick a neighborhood and go door to door. Still others will say to preach with your actions not with your words. These methods may have their place but nothing beats taking out a Bible and simply sharing the message of Jesus with them.

What Does God Say?

In John 1 we see a situation that's all to common in today's world. As John the Baptist was preaching and baptizing along the Jordan, some priests came and talked to him. "And they asked him, saying, 'Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?' John answered them, saying, 'I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose'" (John 1:25-27, NKJV).

Jesus was among them, and they didn't recognize Him. Jesus is present in our world today too. Yet few recognize Him. So, let's do what John did. "The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29, ESV). Within that one declaration is just about everything an unbeliever needs to know about Jesus. Jesus, the Lamb of God, has taken away their sins.

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, has some more advice. "For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power" (1 Corinthians 1:17, ESV). You don't have to be an eloquent speaker to share the Gospel. You don't need to use fancy arguments or appeal to Greek and Hebrew to persuade your neighbor. Paul says these can be distractions. They draw attention away from Christ and onto the person doing the sharing. Instead just tell them the story simply and let God do the rest.

My Thoughts

As you read this lesson and look at the verses, think about the following questions:

    * What makes it hard to share Jesus with others?
    * Are there people you know you can introduce to Jesus?

My Part

Maybe that last phrase from the lesson, "tell them the story simply," rang a bell. That phrase comes from a hymn written over 100 years ago titled,"Tell Me the Old, Old Story." Do an Internet search and find the lyrics to that hymn. Meditate on them during your next quiet time. Let God remind you that you have a message people are literally dying to hear.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 23, 2007
Topic: Salvation


How to Really Know God

Some of the people who know the most about the Bible don't know the God the Bible talks about. The problem is many people are head smart but aren't heart smart. They know all the facts, but that isn't enough. You can't know God by knowing all the facts in the Bible; it takes more than that--it takes putting faith to the facts.

What Does God Say?

Acknowledge that the L ord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture ( Psalm 100:3, NLT).

Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other ( Deuteronomy 4:39, NKJV).

O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water ( Psalm 63:1, NLT).

You don't have enough faith,'" Jesus told them. "'I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible ( Matthew 17:20, NLT).

    * Why is it important that we acknowledge God?
    * What does it mean to know Christ?
    * Why is it so important to have faith in God?

My Thoughts

Faith is trusting in the facts of the Bible. It's not enough to have head knowledge of the Scriptures. We must turn that into heart knowledge. Just knowing the facts isn't going to get you into heaven; you have to believe in the God you read about in the Word. To truly know God is not just to know about Him but to surrender your life to Him.

My Part

If you have not surrendered your life to Him-go to our "Meet Jesus" page on our Web site. If you've made that decision, then you need to develop a relationship with Him. How do we do that? We develop a relationship with Him by spending time with Him through prayers and reading the Bible. Make sure that you are spending time each day in prayer and in the Scriptures so you can get to know God more deeply.

Additional Scripture: John 4:39-42, Philippians 3:10

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 24, 2007
Topic: God/Jesus


More to Know

Have you ever wondered what drew the first disciples to Christ? I believe one of the greatest magnets was their desire to know God more. In fact, Jesus plainly said on more than one occasion that He came so they (and we) could know Him and by knowing Him, we might know God.

What Does God Say?

What truths do these Scriptures teach us about knowing God through Christ?

"Philip said to Him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.' Jesus said to him, 'Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? (John 14:8-9, NASB).

"He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me" (John 12:45, NASB).

"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14, NASB)

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation" (Colossians 1:15, NLT).

The Son is "the exact representation of His [God's] nature," (Hebrews 1:3, NASB).

You may want to jot down or print out these Scripture references for further study.

My Thoughts

How can you learn more about God? What is God really like? The simplest answer is that God is like what He does.

That's why Scripture is the first place and best place to get to know God. In the Bible we read about what God did, what He is like, what pleases Him and what He wants us to know about Him. The Bible is also the source of our knowledge about Jesus, who Jesus is, what He taught and what He did. God's Word is the key to knowing God intimately.

My Part

If you've never read the Gospels, why not go on your own discovery tour to learn more about God? Choose one of the Gospels to begin with--perhaps Mark or John. Begin each time of reading with a prayer asking God to help you know Him intimately. Then as you read, write down what you learn about God. Soon you will discover that you have a greater understanding of who God is--an understanding that you will refocus and sharpen over the years as you follow Jesus, getting to know more and more about God.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 25, 2007
Topic: Obedience/Discipleship


Stop, Look and Listen

One of the most famous speeches in American history is Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address." On November 19, 1863, in 272 words, Lincoln dedicated the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, battlefield and honored those who had fought there.

Perhaps you have memorized parts of his speech. It has been carved on monuments and printed in history books. Over 15,000 people heard the President that day in person. Interestingly, there are reports that say very few people listened to these words as they were spoken or knew what he said. One historian said the applause was delayed, scattered and hardly polite.

The Bible is God's communication to you. It is far and away the world's best-selling book, with over 6 billion copies sold; but like the crowd at Gettysburg, God's audience may not be listening Let's see what God has to say about the importance of listening to Him.

What Does God Say?

You can fail to hear God's message to you by being filled with your own thoughts and "self-talk" instead of quietly listening to what He says:

Psalm 46:10 (ESV)

"Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"

Ezekiel was a great prophet of the Lord, but look at how God's words were missed by the crowds who came to hear:

Ezekiel 33:30-32 (ESV)

"As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, 'Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.' And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it."

Today, you have God's voice in the Scriptures. He has spoken to you through Jesus Christ. And you have all you need to know for salvation and your spiritual life right in the Bible. God promises blessing to those who truly listen to His Word, but there are serious consequences for those who do not listen You have to read it or hear it, and you have to listen to what God is saying.

My Thoughts

Find the following Bible references and write down what may be a reason for failure to listen to God:

Exodus 6:9
Exodus 20:19
Psalm 81:11-13
Hebrews 2:1
Hebrews 4:2

Now, look up the following Bible verses and write down the blessings God promises to good listeners, in both the Old and New Testament times:

Matthew 7:24-25
Deuteronomy 7:12-13
John 10:27-28
Ephesians 1:13-14
Revelation 2:7

Finally, note some of the warnings God has given to those who will not listen and obey:

Matthew 7:26-27
Jeremiah 35:17
Hosea 9:17
Malachi 2:2
Luke 8:18

My Part

Memorize these words from Jeremiah 13:15 (ESV):

"Hear and give ear; be not proud,
for the Lord has spoken."

Practice daily listening to God. As you read a paragraph or a verse in your Bible, stop, look and listen Ask, "What is the Lord saying to me here? What does He want me to learn? Is there something He wants me to do or something to stop doing? Have I heard all He wants to tell me in this passage?" Keep a journal of what you learn and ask God to make you more and more sensitive to what He wants you to hear.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 28, 2007
Topic: Obedience/Discipleship


Hindrances

Not everyone who hears the message of salvation and hope in God's Word will become a believer. Jesus told His followers that there are three circumstances that can obliterate this "most important" message from our hearts and minds once we've been fortunate enough to hear it.

What Does God Say?

"The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced " (Mark 4:18-19 NLT).

Jesus gave us three "message busters" so we can be cautious and from time to time evaluate our lives to make certain we don't allow (1) the worries of this life, (2) the allure of wealth or (3) the desire for other things to crowd the truth of His Word out of our hearts.

My Thoughts

Look again at the three "message busters." Do you identify with any of these three in particular? Which one do you struggle with most often? Do you focus on financial, emotional or health needs to the exclusion of time with God, maybe even spending hours escaping through television, busyness or shopping instead of taking solace from the Lord and His Word?

How about the lure of wealth or the desire for other things? Are you tempted to strive for something so completely that you think exclusively about how to achieve the goal of reaching it?

My Part

Take some time this week to look at your life and consider whether or not you're spending enough time with God and in His Word so that your daily life is positively affected by your relationship with Jesus.

Make a concerted effort when you begin to worry about this life or strive for wealth or get sidetracked by the desire for something to stop and turn your thoughts to God and His Word.

Carry Mark 4:18-19 in your pocket on an index card. When you feel the "message busters" assault you, take it out and read it to refocus your thoughts.

Don't allow anything to become an excuse that keeps you from your relationship with God or from reading the only Book He ever wrote.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 29, 2007
Topic: Prayer


The God Connection

Technology has made it easy for people to stay connected to one another. What used to be limited to writing letters has expanded to include the telephone, fax, e-mail and the ever-present cell phone. No one has an excuse not to stay connected.

But a connection to God isn't dependent on technology. Instead, God has His own channels of communication. Let's see what the Bible says those are.

What Does God Say?

God has given us two primary ways to stay connected: prayer and His Word.

Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV).

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it (John 14:13-14 ESV).

    * How can you "pray without ceasing"?
    * What promise do you find in these verses?
    * What limitations does Jesus put on your prayer requests?

Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105 ESV)

Establish my footsteps in Your word,
And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me (Psalm 119:133 NASB)

My eyes anticipate the night watches,
That I may meditate on Thy word (Psalm 119:148 NASB)

    * Draw a picture or express in words the description of God's Word in v. 105.
    * How do you "establish" your footsteps in God's Word?
    * How is meditating on God's Word different from reading it?

My Thoughts

Do a self-check. When was the last time that you spent an extended time in prayer (15 minutes or more)? When did you last open your Bible other than at church to follow the pastor's sermon or in Bible Study? If you can't remember when that was, determine that you will make it a weekly habit. Your connection with the Lord will be greatly increased.

My Part

One of the most effective ways of connecting with God is to take His Word and turn it into prayers. Take the following scriptures and turn them into prayers for you or your loved ones:

Psalm 119:9
Philippians 4:19
Isaiah 41:10

Each day as you have your personal Bible reading and prayer time, take at least one verse and make it a prayer.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study
With Woodrow Kroll

Date: May 30, 2007
Topic: Salvation


Relationship Not Religion

Through the ages, countless men and women have tried to convince others to become Christians. You've seen them on TV, the street corners, heard them on the radio or even witnessed to a friend yourself. Sharing the Gospel has a long tradition going all the way back to the first days of Christianity and a man named Paul.

Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy while in prison, awaiting death for preaching about Jesus. But instead of despair or self-doubt, this letter is full of encouragement and hope. His reason for that comes in the first chapter. "But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed" (2 Timothy 1:12, ESV). What's really striking in this verse, though, isn't what he said, it's what he didn't say.

What Does God Say?

Here, near the end of his life, waiting for execution, Paul didn't say, "For I know what I have believed." His life, his career and his ministry for which he was about to die wasn't based on a "what." It was based on a "who": Jesus Christ.

When Jesus walked the earth, He told His followers, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink" (John 7:37, ESV). "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them" (Luke 18:16). "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger , and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35, ESV). Over and over again, Jesus emphasized that a truly fulfilled life came through Him, not just from Him.

Jesus didn't come to preach a few sermons and teach moral lessons. He came to lay down His life, to forgive our sins against God and to allow us to live with Him in peace and joy forever. No teaching can accomplish this, only a person, only Jesus.

Paul found comfort in his last days because of his relationship with a person--Jesus--not from a set of moral beliefs. And Christianity has always been that way--it's about a relationship with a person, not about conforming to a set of rules.

My Thoughts

The difference between believing in a "who" or a "what" can seem like a minor thing. But as you read 2 Timothy 1:8-14, consider the following questions.

In what ways does Paul describe his faith in "relational" terms?

How does Paul indicate that God is active in his life?

Why is the mention of the Holy Spirit in verse 14 important to us today?

My Part

The sermons Jesus taught were important and have many things to teach us, but it's no mistake that most of the Gospels show us what He did, rather then tell us what He taught.

Pick one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) and read through it over the next several days. As you read, take note of the things Jesus does. Ask, "Is this a man I would trust and want to be friends with if I saw Him today?" When you read about Jesus death and resurrection ask, "Why would Jesus go through so much pain and agony for me?"

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