Bible Minute

[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 10, 2007
Topic: God's Love


The Power of a Friend

I've lost my car keys on...well...more than one occasion. And I don't know what's more frustrating, the time I spend looking for my keys or the realization that if I'd pulled the couch back just another inch I could have ended my search much earlier..

But let's change the situation. Let's say you are the lost object. You see caring people and organizations all around you who appear to want to help those who are lost and hurting. But they somehow never see your need. Would you feel frustrated?

What Does the Bible Say

John 5 tells about a man who'd been crippled for 38 years. He'd spent his days near a pool of water called Bethesda in Jerusalem. People believed the water would heal the sick if they climbed into it at just the right time. When asked why he'd never climbed in, the man answered, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me" (John 5:7, ESV). In other words, he had no one to help.

In Mark 2, we see another crippled man. When Jesus came to his town, he must've hoped Jesus would notice him; but with all the crowds around, his expectations were probably not very high. Imagine, then, his joy when his friends tore back the roof of the house where Jesus was speaking and lowered him down to the very feet of Jesus.

Both these men were healed, but the second example shows us the impact that we can have on the lives of others. The first man had no friends. No one reached out to him, and for 38 years he lived by the side of a pool hoping for a miracle. The other crippled man wasn't alone. Four men reached out to him and brought him to the very feet of Jesus.

My Thoughts

Are there those around you today who could use a friend who cares? Reach out to them. Get some friends and show them God's love. And someday you'll know the joy of the crippled man's friends when they heard Jesus say to him, "My son, your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:5, ESV).

As you read John 5:1-17 and Mark 2:1-12 think about the following questions:

    * In both these passages, who objected to the healing of the crippled men?
    * What was the reason in each case?
    * In addition to healing them, what else did Jesus do for these men?

My Part

The example of these four friends shows that reaching out to those in need doesn't have to be a solo affair. If you're in a small group at your church, look for a need that you can address together. Talk to your pastor or church leaders. Prepare by praying that God would lead you to a specific person or family that needs to hear of His love. Praise God for the opportunity to serve Him.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 11, 2007
Topic: Obedience/Discipleship, Christian Living/Situational


Do What Jesus Says

WWJD--that stands for: "What would Jesus do?" It's a great question. And in the Bible we see Him do a lot of things that give us an awesome example to follow. However, the Bible is packed with even more things Jesus said--His instructions for living. So, maybe the better letters would be DWJS—"Do what Jesus says."

What Does God Say?

The "Do what Jesus says" concept first shows up in John 2. As Jesus attends a wedding with His friends and His mother, the host family runs out of wine. His mother, Mary, thinks He should do something about it. Then in John 2:5 we read, "His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you'" (ESV). I'm not sure what she anticipated but she said the right thing--do what Jesus says.

So, what did Jesus say we're to do? Read through the Gospels, and you'll find a wealth of instruction. Let's look at just a few we can "do" each day.

Matthew 4:19: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (ESV)

Matthew 5:16: "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (ESV).

Matthew 6:31-32: "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs." (NLT)

Luke 6:27-28: "But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you." (NLT)

Luke 6:37-38: "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive" (NLT).

Luke 17:3-4: "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." (ESV)

My Thoughts

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus offers direct statements, illustrative stories or real-life examples that guide us through life. Matthew 5 and 6 is a teaching session Jesus had with His followers. Take a few minutes to read through these chapters.

    * What attitudes does Jesus want you to cultivate? Which are hardest for you?
    * How are you to treat other people? How well do you think you're doing with this?
    * What instructions does He give for responding to those who don't treat you well?
    * What does He say about your relationships with family? With people around you?
    * What about your relationship with God?
    * What do these actions say about your heart?

Read Matthew 7:24-27 and describe what happens when you hear and obey Jesus.

My Part

When you start "doing what Jesus says" instead of just asking what He'd do, you move from considering a suggestion ("Here's an example you might want to follow.") to obedience ("Act on my instructions."). Obedience is our positive response to God's Word to us. He speaks; we hear and we take action. And it flows out of love: when you love someone you want to do your best for him or her.

Obeying Christ shows Him that we love Him, and it's visible evidence to others as well. John 14:23-24 tells us, "Jesus answered him, 'If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.'" (ESV) And by the way, Jesus was our best example of obedience, too--obedient to His Father in all things, even death (Philippians 2:8 ).

Do a self-check: Am I doing what Jesus says? Or just wondering what He'd do? Do I obey out of love? Do I take His instructions seriously and make them part of my life? Can anyone around me tell that I'm doing what Jesus says?

If this is a new idea for you or one you struggle with, ask Jesus for His help. Remember, He also says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7, ESV).

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 12, 2007
Topic: Salvation


Born Again

Do you remember all the steps you went through to join your family? The application you filled out, the questionnaires about your future plans, the endless interviews with potential mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters? And then the whole probationary period when you had to be on your best behavior or you'd be shopping for a new family all over again?

You don't!?

Well, I don't either and for a good reason. Becoming a member of a family doesn't work that way--even if you're adopted. Generally, you're born into a family; and you'll die as a member of that family. No matter how good or bad the relationships get in between, the people you are related to are your family.

So, if we can't earn or buy our way into our families here on earth, what makes us think we can do that when it comes to God's family?

What Does the Bible Say

You see, you become a member of God's family the same way you become a member of your family here on earth: you're born into it. "Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3, ESV). That's what Jesus said to Nicodemus. And Nicodemus asked a very natural follow-up question: "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" (John 3:4, ESV).

Yes, there is a difference between being born and being born again. You had no choice about your first birth. But when it comes to being born again, there is a choice to be made--by you and by God. See, it's God's family you'd be born into; so, naturally, He gets a say in the matter. And here's what He says: "For God so loved the world, that he gave [my] his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16, ESV).

God's choice is this: He wants you to join Him in heaven. That means there are no good deeds you can do to make God accept you into heaven--He's already accepted you. All you have to do is respond to Him, for "everyone who believes in him will have eternal life" (John 3:15, NLT).

Being born into God's family is something that has immediate benefits. We get a new outlook on life. We get a peace that comes from seeing life from God's perspective. We get a genuine love and compassion for others. Sure, these things don't come overnight--after all, you weren't born physically as a 25-year-old--but as you grow and mature in God's family, they'll become a part of your life.

My Thoughts

Based on John 3:1-21, think about the following questions:

    * We read that not only is Jesus providing a way into God's family, He's also saving us from something. What is that?
    * What does it mean that whoever does not believe "is condemned already" in verse 18?

My Part

If you've ever felt like you need to live up to God's standards before He'll let you near heaven, let this message sink in: You're already accepted.

If you live in constant fear that you'll slip up and God will disown you, remember: He'll always love you. Even if you've already made the choice to be born into God's family, take some time today to think about these truths.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 15, 2007
Topic: God's Love


How Deep is His Love

Remember that 70s song, "How Deep is Your Love"? The singer describes the depth of his love, but he's wondering if his beloved loves him just as deeply. There's a little insecurity there about the substance and reality of love. Sometimes we wonder the same thing about God's love. We get a little insecure when all we need to do is open up His Word and see that His love is so deep, there's really no end to it.

What Does God Say?

First, remember that God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 says "Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (NLT, emphasis added). God is love, completely and totally. He can never be other than that, just as He can never be something other than God. And as the very essence of love, He is also the source of love.

So, how do we see the depth or extent of His love? While the Bible is filled with God's love revealed, John 3:16 offers a succinct description: "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life" (NLT). God's love for you--and every other person in the world--is so deep, He made the ultimate sacrifice so that you can live forever with Him. Jesus is the Son (also God) who willingly died to pay the penalty for your sin. Love that sacrifices its own life is deep love!

1 John 4 underlines it: "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love--not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" (1 John 4:9-10 NLT). Even if we didn't return His love, God still loved us enough to make this sacrifice. "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners" (Romans 5:8, NLT).

My Thoughts

Love wants the best for the beloved; it gives its all. God did that in sending Jesus; Jesus did that in dying for our sins. But wait, there's more! Read these verses and jot down the gifts you're given because God loves you.

Romans 5:5
Titus 3:4-7
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Ephesians 2:4-5
Ephesians 3:17-19
Isaiah 63:9

    * What does God's love give you that no other love can?
    * How does that influence your view of God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit?

If you're worried that something will block God's love, read Romans 8:35-39.

My Part

This depth of love is extraordinary, and our challenge now is to love as God loves. Remember 1 John 4:7-8? "Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God." (NLT). John goes on to say, "Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us" (1 John 4:11-12, NLT). That's our part--to love each other deeply, to be willing to sacrifice and serve and to show those around us that God is love and He's in us.

    * So how deep is your love for God? For other people?
    * What are you willing to sacrifice in order to live out this love?
    * What needs to change in how you operate now?

This isn't easy and you'll probably never be "perfect" at it. But you can grow in love. Go back to 1 John 4:7-21 and read it a few times. Write it out and post it where you'll see it frequently. Ask God to help you demonstrate His deep love as you go about your day.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 16, 2007
Topic: God's Love


A Love Like God's Love

Sometimes we become focused on our own little universe. We forget that the world is much larger than our small piece of it, that there are other nations and people. Many of us concentrate only on what we’re familiar with--people who look like us, speak like us and believe the way we believe. But God sees the whole world. He knows each person in each culture and on every continent. But can He really love us all?

What does God Say?

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16, NLT).

"We love each other because he loved us first" (1 John 4:19, NLT).

 "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love--not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins (1 John 4:9-10, NLT).

    * For whom did God send His Son?
    * Whom does God love?
    * Why should we love others?

My Thoughts

John 3:16 tells us that God loves the world, the entire world. It's hard for us to grasp how many people are in the world. And when the Bible says, "the world," it doesn't mean only the world today; it means everyone who has ever lived on this earth: the multitudes who died before you were born. He loves everyone: the men and women who are homeless and hungry; those making terrorist threats around the world; your neighbors and, yes, even you. He loves those who don't even believe in Him. But what about you? Do you love the world? Do you see the world the way Christ does? Ask yourself:

    * When was the last time I showed love to someone who wasn't like me?
    * How long has it been since I've shared the Gospel with someone of another faith or a different culture?

My Part

Sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zones. We have to remember that God loves us all the same, and we should love others the same. Take time today to pray and thank God for His love. Pray that you will be able to show that love He's given to you to someone who needs to see it.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 17, 2007
Topic: Love


Living in Love

You and I have a decision to make today and every day. Often we don't even think about it. Sometimes it's easy; other times we want to avoid it all together. The decision we have to make is whether or not we'll choose to act in love.

God wants us to show love to others. And He doesn't leave us without an example. In fact, God Himself is the greatest possible example. Psalm 40, written by David, shows us how God demonstrates love, how we can follow that example and how God responds to those who love--and to those who don't.

What Does the Bible Say

In Psalm 40:1-5, we find at least five ways God demonstrates love toward David:

    * God listens to and hears the cry of David (Psalm 40:1).
    * God saves David from destruction (Psalm 40:2)--an early picture of the salvation God offers to all of us through Jesus.
    * God gives David a new song to sing (Psalm 40:3).
    * God pours out blessings and goodness towards those who trust Him (Psalm 40:4-5).

Now, we can follow God's example in one of two ways. The wrong way, seen in verses 6-7, is to use actions to cover attitudes. It's true that God commanded Israel to make certain sacrifices and offerings; but if you've ever used the phrase, "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission," you know the kind of attitude the Israelites had. Rather than doing the right thing to begin with, they lived their own way and then tried to "make up" for it with their sacrifices.

There is a better way. That way is mentioned in verse 8,
"I take joy in doing your will, my God,
for your instructions are written on my heart" (Psalm 40:8 NIV).

In this verse "religion" (outward actions designed to win God’s favor) has been replaced with a relationship. David is following God, who has shown love to him because he wants to, not because he has to. Read verses 9-10; then ask yourself how likely it would be for someone to be saying those things solely from a sense of obligation.

My Thoughts

Read verses 9-17 and think about the following questions:

    * How does God respond to those who love Him?
    * We see in these verses people who choose not to love God--how do they treat those who love God?
    * What is the end result of choosing to follow God's example of love? (See verses 16-17).

My Part

Who around you today could use a glimpse of God's love? Share a smile with the clerk at the grocery store. Open the door for someone. If you have an opportunity, share with someone how God has touched your life. Share how He hears your prayers and how He saved your life.

Most of all, spend some time getting to know God through the Bible. Without that relationship with Him, anything you do will just boil down to outward actions without the inward attitudes.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 19, 2007
Topic: God's Care, Faith/Trust


When You Can't Do Anything

If you're facing a problem that seems unsolvable, what do you do? If your problem is physical, you'd probably see a doctor; if your problem is financial, you might seek financial counseling; if emotional, you might talk with your pastor--whatever your problem is, it's likely you would use any methods available to provide a solution. But what if nothing worked? Jesus encountered a man like that in His ministry.

What Does God Say?

"Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie--the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, 'Do you want to get well?'

"'Sir,' the invalid replied, 'I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.'

"Then Jesus said to him, 'Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.' At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked" (John 5:1-9 NIV).

Jesus spoke to a paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda who had been unable to walk for 38 years. The man had been dealing with his affliction for so long, he must have had moments of hopelessness and despair--feeling he'd never be cured. But the waters in the pool offered some hope. (Evidently a legend existed that said the first person who got into the pool when the waters were stirred would be healed.) And this paralyzed man had waited and wished for someone to lower him into the waters when that happened but no one was available.

The point of this story is that when the paralyzed man encountered Jesus, his situation improved. Jesus made the difference in his life. He makes the difference in your life, too, when you know Him. His Spirit comes to live in you and begins to work all things out for your good and His glory (See Romans 8:28-29).

My Thoughts

Read again today's passage and answer these questions:

   1. What were the first words Jesus spoke to the paralyzed man?
   2. Why do you think Jesus asked him that?
   3. Did Jesus put the man into the waters?
   4. Instead of relying on a legend, what did Jesus do to help the man?

My Part

When you come to a place in life so difficult that you feel helpless and hopeless, and there is nothing you or anyone can do, what then? Then is when you must trust the only person who is able to help and can bring hope to any situation--Jesus. Will you trust Him today?

"Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28 NLT).

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 22, 2007
Topic: Jesus, Obedience/Discipleship, Evangelism


To See as Jesus Sees

Do you see people around you the way Jesus saw those around Him? Maybe it's time to check your spiritual vision. When Jesus looked at people, He saw their hearts and lives. He knew their deepest needs, and that He could meet those needs. He wasn't blinded by the surface details like race or social standing.

What Does God Say?

One great example of Jesus' vision is in John 4, where Jesus talks with a woman by a well in Samaria. She obviously had a need for water or she wouldn't have been at the well. But Jesus looks further. "Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, "Give me a drink," you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water'" (John 4:10, ESV).

She needs more than a quick drink--she needs spiritual life. "Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14, ESV).

It would've been easy for Jesus to ask her for a drink of water and then go His way. But there's more at stake here--she needs life, eternal life, a life that's transformed forever. Jesus also knew the details of her daily conduct but instead of an attack, He gave her an opportunity to believe and experience new life. "So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 'Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?'" (John 4:28-29, ESV).

By contrast, when Jesus' disciples showed up at the well, they couldn't look beyond this woman's status, nationality and moral condition. They "marveled" that Jesus was talking with her. When she left the well, the disciples quickly forgot about her. Their minds turned to the physical need for food, and they urged Jesus to eat. But Jesus had an answer for that too: "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest" (John 4:34-35, ESV). Jesus found His fuel in doing God's will, in changing hearts and lives and meeting spiritual needs.

My Thoughts

Take a look at a few other verses and describe how Jesus saw people.
Matthew 9:36-37
Mark 8:1-10
Luke 19:1-10
John 5:1-15

    * What needs did Jesus see?
    * How did He meet them?

My Part

So, how do you see people? Do you look at how they're dressed or what they drive or do for a living? Do you ever wonder about their spiritual condition? Or are you distracted or even intimidated by what you see? Often, we're so caught up in people's social status, appearance and lifestyle that we write them off and forget they have spiritual needs that only Jesus can meet. Wealth and good looks can disguise spiritual need just as easily as weird clothes and rough language.

The next time you're at the grocery store or some other public place, look at the around you. Take a moment and evaluate how you see people. What do you notice first? What barriers come up, based on this quick impression? You may not have opportunity for conversation at this point but start re-training your vision. How would Jesus see this person? What questions might He ask?

Use these thoughts to prepare yourself for other conversations you will have--at work, at the store or salon, when you're waiting at the doctor's office or meeting your teen's new friends. And pray for God to open your eyes and to speak His words when those conversations come up.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 23, 2007
Topic: Christian Living/Situational


Living in View of Eternity

How's your eyesight, your spiritual eyesight that is? We can have perfect 20/20 vision and still not see everything we need to see spiritually. Sometimes we get focused on our daily lives, the problems, the struggles and the successes of this world and live with an exclusively earthly vision when God has called us to live our lives in view of eternity, asking ourselves, what really matters?

What Does God Say?

"The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 'Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?' So the people came streaming from the village to see him.

"Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, 'Rabbi, eat something.'

"But Jesus replied, 'I have a kind of food you know nothing about'" (John 4:28-32, NLT).

What were the disciples thinking about?

What was Jesus thinking about?

What happened as a result of Jesus taking the time to talk to the Samaritan woman?

My Thoughts

Because Jesus took the time to meet the need of an immoral woman, who was not even a Jewess but part of a nation shunned by the Jews, a great many people heard about Him and came to see Him. Jesus lived in view of eternity. He lived his life on earth focusing on what really mattered--and what mattered most at that moment was not Jesus' need for physical food (Although that's what the disciples were thinking about.) His eternal view required Him to meet the needs of the woman. Imagine the kind of impact we could have if we did the same

Ask yourself:

Do I take time to look around and see the needs of others?
If I don't, how can I slow down enough to become aware of other peoples' needs?

My Part

A lot of us have appointment books and electronic calendars. We map out our schedules, and we like to stick to them. In fact, our lives seem to run more smoothly if we do stay in a routine. But a problem occurs when we've scheduled our lives so closely that we don't see another person who needs a little encouragement or a helping hand. Today think about those around you. Who is in need? Who can you help? Pray that God will give you a vision like His--to see the needs of others. In the end, that's what really matters.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 24, 2007
Topic: Jesus, Christian Living/Situational, Evangelism


The Power of One

Many Christian biographies are awesome stories of someone who comes to faith in Christ and not only is that person's life transformed, but he or she goes on to change the world. Look at individuals like John Newton or William Wilberforce who helped take down slavery, Hudson Taylor and Amy Carmichael who dedicated their lives to teach the Gospel and personified compassion in distant lands like India and China. Or consider Dwight L. Moody who called a nation to revival and trained a new generation of leaders. And it all started with just one person--and Jesus.

What Does God Say?

Take a look at John 4. This is Jesus' famous conversation with a woman He meets at a well in Samaria. You can read their discussion in John 4:4-26. But let's focus on what comes next. This woman is so amazed over what Jesus knows about her, that she believes He's who He says He is--the Messiah, the Promised One who'll save her.

And she has to spread the news. "So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" (John 4:28-29, ESV). Based on her words, "the people came streaming from the village to see him" (John 4:30, NLT).

It was important for the townspeople to hear the woman's testimony. They needed to know what Jesus had said and why. But more importantly, they had to meet Him too. John 4:39-41 describes it this way, "Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, 'He told me all that I ever did.' So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word" (ESV).

Faith isn't built just on hearsay. It comes from a personal encounter with Jesus. Look at John 4:42: "They said to the woman, 'It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world'" (ESV).

These people had the advantage of seeing Him face to face and hearing His voice. Today, you can encounter Jesus through God's Word and listen as the Holy Spirit speaks through the pages of this inspired Book. And what starts with you--just one--can change your world too. Jesus told His followers (including us) that we are "the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16, ESV).

My Thoughts

It's often this personal one-on-one encounter with Jesus that changes the course of someone's life. God also uses other people to make introductions. Check out these four meetings.

John 1:43-51
John 20:10-18
Acts 8:26-29
Acts 9:1-19

    * Who met Jesus? Was another believer involved?
    * What changed for the person who met Jesus?
    * What did he or she do next?
    * How do you think this meeting influenced or changed each person's world?

My Part

It really only takes one to get things started--and that one could be you. Jot down your personal spiritual biography.

    * How did you meet Jesus? Who introduced you?
    * How has it changed your world?
    * What are you doing to introduce others to Jesus?

You can't "make" someone believe, but you can share your own story and then help him or her find Jesus. That's what Philip did, and what the woman at the well did. And in one case it changed the life of a friend and in the other it changed a whole town.

As you pray today, thank Jesus for introducing Himself to you and ask Him to show you ways to do the same for others. You can change your world!

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 25, 2007
Topic: Salvation


Question of Truth

According to a recent Barna poll, 64 percent of adults in America believe that truth is relative to a person's situation. When teenagers were polled, the numbers went up. In other words, most people today do not believe there is any such thing as absolute truth.

The Bible tells us there is a truth that does not change, a truth that can be known and a truth that can have an eternal impact on our lives.

What Does God Say?

"Your faithfulness extends to every generation,
as enduring as the earth you created.
Your regulations remain true to this day,
for everything serves your plans" (Psalm 119:90-91 NLT).
"The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous rules endures forever" (Psalm 119:160 ESV)

Perhaps the most remarkable truth about truth comes from Jesus:

"Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me"( John 14:6 NLT).

    * What does Jesus say about truth in this verse?
    * How can we come to the Father?

My Thoughts

The question of truth comes down to whether or not you believe that Jesus spoke the truth about Himself and God, and that the Bible that records His words is trustworthy and reliable. That means accepting as true what the Bible tells us about who Jesus is, what He did on the cross to pay for our sins, what He wants to do now in our lives and what He purposes to do for our eternity.

The Bible cautions us to be careful about what we accept as true.

"There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death" (Proverbs 14:12 ESV).

And the Bible reminds us that trust in the Father and His Son are necessary in order to have a relationship with God.

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.
"By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.... 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 11:1-3, 6 NLT)

My Part

Isn't it wonderful that God is a God who cares about us? He cares that we know the truth that is in Christ and cares that we have a relationship with Him as our Heavenly Father. The doorway to this relationship is to acknowledge that you want--with all your heart--to trust Christ as your Savior, turn from your sins and commit your life to living by the faith that pleases God. If you haven't done so, why not do it today?

"The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth" (Psalm 145:18 ESV)?

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 26, 2007
Topic: Jesus


It's Your Verdict!

Is Jesus Christ who He says He is? If so, then your eternal destiny rests in His hands and what you do with Jesus is the most important decision you must make in your entire life.

But if Jesus is not who He says He is, then you're wasting your time by depending on Him at all. And you face an unpredictable destiny.

God warned Israel many times about the dangers of listening to false prophets. For example, look at Jeremiah 23:16 ESV: "Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.'"

That's how essential it is to know whether Jesus is telling the truth about Himself or not. Was He a false prophet? Are Christians leaning on "vain hopes," or on the eternal, unchangeable promises of God? Where can we find the answer?

What Does God Say?

In John 5, you will find a drama that resembles a courtroom trial. Carefully read through the whole chapter.

    * Jesus, the accused, is there.
    * The evidence is clear: An invalid has been healed by Jesus on the Sabbath.
    * Jesus' accusers--teachers and leaders of the Jews--are present.
    * The twofold accusation is specified (John 5:18 ). First, Jesus had worked on the Sabbath; second, and more significantly, He was lying about His identity, claiming to be God.

In His defense, Jesus specifically says these things about Himself:

    * He does only what the Father does (5:19-22).
    * As the Son of God, He is worthy of honor (5:23).
    * He is the giver of eternal life (5:24).
    * He has life in Himself (5:26).
    * He has authority to judge men (5:27).
    * He has the power to raise the dead (5:28-29).
    * God the Father sent Him (5:30).

Is Jesus making these claims without any proof? If Jesus is telling the truth about Himself, He is God. If not, He is nothing more than a liar and a deceiver. Does He have any witnesses to testify that what He says about Himself is the truth? Jesus tells them that He is not the lone witness to His deity. There are many others that testify. Keep looking at John 5 and you will see who or what these witnesses are:

    * Jesus Himself is a witness, but by law that is not enough (5:31).
    * John the Baptist clearly backed up Jesus' claims (5:32-35).

Now, examine the following scriptures and write down the other witnesses Jesus names in His defense:

    * John 5:36
    * John 5:37
    * John 5:39

You'll be interested to see that Jesus later mentions two more witnesses who testify to His deity in John 15:26-27. Who are they?

My Thoughts

A successful trial must end in a verdict. The whole New Testament and the testimony of the true Church through the ages shows you that Jesus is unquestionably "The Way, the Truth, and the Life" and that no one comes to the Father but by Him (John 14:6, emphasis added).

In the parting statement of John's Gospel, you read: "This is the disciple (John) who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true" John 21:24 (ESV).

My Part

If you have received Christ as your Savior, it means you should add your own name to the list of witnesses who are testifying to the good news that truth and salvation are found in Jesus Christ. The world needs to hear that message. (See Acts 1:8.)

If you have not trusted Christ for your salvation, it is still very likely that you are looking at this Bible Minute today because someone has prayed for you. Do you know why? Think about this Bible passage, which tells you why godly people are concerned about your need to know and believe the truth:

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth(1 Timothy 2:1, 3, 4 ESV).

Would you like to find out more about truth in Christ? Click on the "Meet Jesus" link below.

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 29, 2007
Topic: Jesus, Salvation, Faith/Trust


Whoever Believes

I love the fact that God loves me. In fact He loves me so much He made it possible for me to be saved from sin and given eternal life. But it's not His love that's my salvation. God's love is the truck delivering the gift of salvation all wrapped up in Jesus. I unwrap that gift when I believe. That's what John 3:16 is about.

What Does God Say?

John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (ESV). God's love prompted Him to provide us with a way to be cleansed of our sins and receive eternal life. That "way" is through Jesus, who died on the cross as payment for our sins. That's the gift of salvation, unwrapped when we believe.

Believe what? That Jesus died for us, to save us from condemnation. "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:17, ESV) and that He alone gives you eternal life (John 3:16).

Faith means putting your confidence in Jesus, believing that what He did through His death and resurrection is all that God required to take care of your sins and give you eternal life. It's a gift to be received, not earned. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul writes "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (ESV).

My Thoughts

So, what do you believe? Are you satisfied knowing that God loves you and hoping that covers you? Or have you put your faith and trust in Jesus and God's plan for your salvation? Take a look at a few more passages.

Acts 4:11-12
Acts 10:37-43
2 Timothy 1:8-10
Titus 3:4-5

    * How does salvation come?
    * What are we to do to get it?
    * In your own words, create your statement of faith for salvation through Jesus Christ.

My Part

Faith is a hard thing to quantify or define. But if you're putting your faith in or trusting your life to Jesus, it's going to mean your whole life: body, mind, spirit.

Think of it this way: It's like putting all your money in one bank. You can learn everything about the bank, its reputation, security systems and services; you may accept all the terms and conditions, maybe even personally know people who work there. But until you actually deposit your money in it, you haven't put your "faith" in that bank.

God's plan for your salvation is way better than any bank. Now you can know all about God, His love, His expectations, His character and even about His Son. But until you "deposit" your life into His hands and put your faith in Jesus....you're missing out on salvation. So, what about you today? Are you among "whoever believes"?

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 30, 2007
Topic: Salvation


One Way and Only One

If you take a trip to the city of Kyongju, South Korea, you can visit Pulguksa temple. A monk will welcome you and get you started on a guided tour of the Buddhist shrine. Your guide will show you the ancient, ornately-decorated buildings and several religious artifacts from Korea's long-distant past.

Inside the temple, your guide will point out to you a dark stack of incredibly old, very dusty, spider-webbed and unused books--books that have rested on the same shelf in the same corner of the temple for centuries. They contain, your guide will inform you, much wisdom from ages gone by. But you'll note the books are not opened; they are too precious to touch because of their antiquity.

King Solomon wrote, ""Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh" (Ecclesiastes 12:12 ESV). A visit to some of your local bookstores will convince you that his opinion is right on.

Of all the books in the world, books in every language and on every subject, only one brings us living, life-changing, eternal truths about ourselves and God. It is the Bible.

What Does God Say?

If you hunger to find one truth from God that you dare not face eternity without, where should you go in the Bible to discover it? Well, here it is, in John 3:16-18 (ESV).

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

Read that entire passage over carefully and think about the following questions:

    * Who is God's gift to the world? (v. 16).
    * What in God's nature moved Him to give such a gift? (v. 16).
    * On what does a person's eternal state depend? (v. 16).
    * What is not God's purpose for sending His Son into the world? What is His reason? (v. 17).
    * What do you see in verses 16 and 18 that prove verse 17 is not saying the whole world will be saved?
    * How many times do you find forms of the word, "believe," in John 3:16-18?
    * From reading verse 18, how can you know whether you are under God's condemnation or not?

My Thoughts

"Believing" is not simply agreeing in your mind that what God has done for you is true.
Saving faith or belief involves placing your complete trust in Christ's sacrificial substitution for you on the cross, not depending upon your good works, religious opinions or positive human qualities to help you avoid God's condemnation.

No other book in the world is ever going to give you a better answer to your soul's eternal need. In fact, no other book can!

My Part

John 3:16-18 is not the only passage in the Bible that speaks plainly about God's one way of salvation. Look up the following passages in your Bible, then see if you can find other places in the Bible where His way of salvation is made clear.

    * John 3:36
    * John 1:12
    * 1 John 5:10-13

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[nChrist]

Daily Bible Study

Date: Oct 31, 2007
Topic: Salvation


Only One Plan

Michel Lotito of Grenoble, France, is one of the most unusual individuals in the world, at least when it comes to his culinary tastes. Since 1959, at the age of nine, Mr. Lotito has daily dined on metal and glass. According to The Guinness Book of Records, he consumes 2 pounds of metal per day. So far he has eaten, among other things, ten bicycles, a supermarket cart, seven TV sets, six chandeliers, a low-calorie Cessna light aircraft and a computer.

But God is also unique (There's only one like Him.), and He offers you and me a unique plan. (There's no other plan like it.) Let's see what the Bible has to say about this unique plan.

What Does God Say?

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NLT).

List all the "single" items you find in the verse above.

Your list might include the following unique, singular items:

One God
One world
One Son
One motivation
One way
One eternity
One life

There are those who might question the "one way" on this list. But the Bible makes it clear and plain: God's plan is the only plan--it is unique; there is no other.

In addition God's Word teaches that there is only one unique way to experience God's love-and that's through Jesus.

"Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me'" ( John 14:6 NLT).

"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us" (Romans 5:1 NLT).

"Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us" (Ephesians 2:18 NLT).

"Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying (John 11:25 NLT).

"For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity--the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5 NIV).

"He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name" (Acts 10:43 NLT).
"Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,
'The stone that you builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.'
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:10-12 NLT)

My Thoughts

If there is only one unique plan, and one unique way to experience God's love and forgiveness, would it make any sense to search for another way?

And if God has, in His love, made known to you how to experience eternal life in Christ, is there any reason why you would not accept God's love and receive Christ as your personal Saviour?

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved" (Romans 10:9-10 NLT)

My Part

I want to encourage you right now, wherever you are, just to take a minute, close the rest of the world out and pray to the Lord and say, "Father, I'm a sinner and I know it. I need a Savior and I believe Jesus is the One. And right now I want to trust Jesus as my Savior."

Now, if you do that--and you need to do it sincerely--the love of God can never ever be taken away from you.
"For 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13 NLT).

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