Bible Studies

What is Your Heart Attitude?

I am a fairly deceived and deceitful woman. Oh, it’s not that I go about lying day after day. I do my best to be as honest as possible. But I think that I often deceive myself by lying about my own heart condition. Rather than spending time in prayer (who has time these days?) seeking God’s will, I make my own decision, ask God to bless it, and then blissfully go on my way thinking that His “stamp of approval” (through my request) solves it all. And I think I’m not alone in this, but rather am surrounded by many. There are things that I think American Christians do, thinking we are doing the “right” thing, when what we are doing is actually rebellious and self-centered. We give . . . a little. We pray . . . a little. We respect . . . a little. We have compassion . . . a little.

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Manifest the Life of Christ in Our Daily Living

True religion will manifest itself in every phase of life. We sit down in the quiet and read our Bible–and get our lesson. We know it now–but we have not as yet got it into our life–which is the thing we must really do.

Knowing that we should love our enemies, is not the ultimate thing–actually loving our enemies is.

Knowing that we should be patient, is not all–we are to practice the lesson of patience, until it has become a habit in our life.

Many know the cardinal duties of Christian life–who yet have not learned to live them. It is living them, however, that is true religion.

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Forgiveness of Yourself

You are not a failure. You are a Christian in recovery who failed. Satan wants you to forget what you have accomplished so far and to focus on a few moments of inappropriate behavior. Jesus wants you to focus on Him!

“I am in a Bible study and I feel I should give up this privelege.”

No way! That is Satan talking to you again. Stay in the Word.
Pray and commune with God. Ask for forgiveness and then accept His grace and mercy.

  • Ask the LORD to forgive and cleanse you of your error.
    Isaiah 1:18
    Come now, let us reason together,"
    says the LORD.
    "Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
    though they are red as crimson,
    they shall be like wool.

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Learn to Listen

Decades ago, soon after coming to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I wrote a poem about the journey that had brought me to that point. I titled it “There Comes a Knowing.” Though at the time I thought it applied only to the pathway to salvation, I have since come to understand that it is a lifetime journey, a “coming to know” the heart of the Father over and over again.

1 Samuel 3:7
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.

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Our Motivation for Freedom

Americans are, if nothing else, individualists. It’s difficult for us to understand the concept of “corporate” or “group” because our country was founded on the idea of the individual going forth and conquering to achieve his goals. Other cultures are not so individualistically minded, but work together over long periods for the corporate good. But ultimately every sinner (meaning every human being) struggles with the idea of stepping back and allowing someone else to achieve, to have, to succeed.

Father God deals with us both corporately and individually; Christ died for us both corporately (the elect) and individually (the sinner). And the Spirit is concerned with how we interact, individuals, with each other, the group.

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Peace in Times of Trouble

And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I, be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come.

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Does Your Pride Deceive You?

The pride of your heart has deceived you. Obadiah 1:3

We know that most portions of the Scriptures were written to specific groups of people, but we also know that God’s Word is timeless and His instructions applicable to our lives today.

I was struck with that reminder the other day when I read the words in Obadiah: “The pride of your heart has deceived you.” I nearly fell from my chair at the implications — not that I didn’t already know how pride can harden our hearts and steer us into sin, but I suddenly realized that EVERY TIME I have been deceived, it has been because of pride.

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The Bible: Literature to be Studied or God’s Word to Nourish

The Bible consists of a series of letters from the Heavenly Father, to His dear children. Then let us cherish them as such, and act accordingly. A few verses that are thoughtfully and prayerfully pondered, will advantage us far more than two or three whole chapters, merely skimmed through.

1 Peter 2:2
Desire the sincere milk of the Word—that you may grow thereby.

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