Do You Lack Wisdom?

In October 2010, there was a story of a group of nuns who were given an old Honus Wagner baseball card. It was badly damaged, and they assumed that it wasn’t worth much. They were surprised to find out that the card could be word $200,000! Similarly, godly wisdom is valuable yet unappreciated.

Life was exceedingly difficult for those to whom James addressed his wonderful epistle. A small Christian minority, even in their places of greatest strength, they were scattered abroad throughout the Roman Empire. They were misunderstood, and in many instances they were the subjects of ridicule and persecution. It was very difficult to know how to be master of circumstances as they faced the trials of life from day to day. Because of these circumstances from which they could not escape, the inspired writer poses a pointed question and makes a practical suggestion.

“Do any of you lack (or have a shortage; or need of) wisdom?”

By asking this basic question, James was not seeking to be academic. This question did not arise out of theoretical speculation. He was aware of the difficult situation in which his readers found themselves. By his question and suggestion, he informs them of his awareness of their need for divine insight.

Wisdom is more than the possession of knowledge. A person can have all the facts and still not know what to do with them.

Wisdom is more than understanding. One can have all the facts and be sympathetic with the people involved and still not be able to know how to utilize both his knowledge and his sympathy.

Wisdom has been defined as divine insight or divine intelligence. It has also been defined as sanctified common sense. James was raising the question concerning whether his readers had a Christian interpretation of the circumstances of life as they faced it.

Easton's Bible Dictionary defines wisdom as: “a gift from God to those who ask it.” Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language defines wisdom as: “the quality of being wise; knowledge, and the capacity to make due use of it.”

Christianity teaches us to be joyful under troubles: such exercises are sent from God's love; and trials in the way of duty will brighten our graces now and our crown in the end. Let us take care, in times of trial, that patience, and not passion, is set to work in us. Simply put, whatever is said or done, let patience have the saying and doing of it.

When the work of patience is complete, you will find that it will furnish all that is necessary for our Christian race and warfare. That’s why we should not pray so much for the removal of affliction, as for wisdom to make a right use of it. And who doesn’t want wisdom to guide him under trials, both in regulating his own spirit, and in managing his affairs?

Scripture: James 1:5; Job 28:12; Proverbs 3:13; Romans 1:22; Romans 16:27; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 2:6

We will continue this discussion of wisdom next time. Thank you for letting me share this special message with you today. May God bless you all.

Let us pray: God our Savior, bring us back to you and fill our minds with your wisdom.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

God Bless You,

Adele

Bible Study Snacks: Romans 1:8-17

Hello, everyone!

I am so glad that you could join me again! It was a very busy week around here for me, but I managed to make it through in one piece. I hope that all is well in your life, and that you are ready to dig a little deeper into the Book of Romans. I also hope that these studies are proving helpful to you. As I have mentioned before, our pace will be deliberately slower than other studies. Why? I feel that there is so much to learn from every verse and word of the Bible that it will pay off in the long run if you are given smaller, more tasteful bites of scripture to learn rather than simply swallowing one big piece and not savoring what God is serving you.

Seriously, we could zip through the Bible very quickly if we wanted to, but this is not a race. If you wish for a faster pace, I must tell you that you won’t find that here. There are other Bible studies available that might suit you better. However, I think you’ll enjoy this slower journey. Think of it as the difference between taking an express train to your destination, or a car. The train will get you there faster, but you’ll miss a lot of the scenery and details along the way. Right? Now, if you are ready, let’s begin our study!

Let’s pray:

Heavenly father, please guide us as we study your Word today; I pray that our hearts and our minds will be open so that we will not only receive your Gospel, but learn from it as well; you are the Light of the world, Lord, and your Spirit will illuminate our path as we journey through your teachings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Today, we will be looking at Romans, Chapter 1:8-17. Take a few minutes to read these verses if you haven’t already (it will be helpful!)

First, I feel that a little review and background might be in order before we go on. As is the custom in most of his epistles, Paul begins by extending greetings and offering thanks. Identifying himself as a bond-servant of Christ, he mentions his apostleship and its mission in the gospel of God concerning His Son: to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles (1-6). Addressing the recipients of his epistle as "all who are beloved in Rome, called as saints," he extends to them the popular two-fold greeting of that day: "grace" and "peace" (7).

Looking ahead, you will see that he (Paul) is thankful for their well-known faith and reveals his desire to visit Rome and to proclaim the gospel there (8-13). The motivation behind that desire is his sense of obligation and bold conviction that the gospel is God's power to save (14-17).

Study Questions:

1. Verse 8 tells us that we should have an attitude of ___________________ toward all other members of the church. (Romans 1:8)
2. We should also have an attitude of _______________(Romans 1:9)
3. What was Paul’s request in verse 10? (Romans 1:10)
4. Why did he yearn and long to see these church members? (Romans 1:11)
5. What did he expect to receive from them? (Romans 1:12)
6. Why didn’t Paul come right away to see the church members in Rome? (Romans 1:1; Romans 15:22, 23)
7. What one word could we replace for the different people mentioned in verse 14?
8. How are we to feel concerning our obligation to present the Word of God to everyone? (Romans 1:15)
9. Why shouldn’t we be ashamed of the Gospel? (Romans 1:16)
10. A person can only have God’s righteousness by _________________ (Romans 1:17)

List at least three changes you desire to take place in your life because of these verses.

After answering the study questions, read Romans 1:8-17 again. Pause at each verse and read the question and verse as many times as you feel necessary. You might see something new that you missed the first time around. As we go along in our studies together, I pray that God’s message will continue to come through loud and clear to you. The next time we meet, we will study Romans 1: 18-32.

Until next time...may God bless you!

Sheri

Saturday Scriptures with Sahara - Psalm 68:19

One morning R.C. Chapman, a devout Christian, was asked how he was feeling. "I'm burdened this morning!" was his reply. But his happy countenance contradicted his words. So the questioner exclaimed in surprise, "Are you really burdened, Mr. Chapman?" "Yes, but it's a wonderful burden--it's an overabundance of blessings for which I cannot find enough time or words to express my gratitude!" Seeing the puzzled look on the face of his friend, Chapman added with a smile, "I am referring to Psalm 68:19, which fully describes my condition. In that verse the Father in heaven reminds us that He 'daily loads us with benefits.'"

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits,.... With all spiritual blessings, with an abundance of grace, as well as with temporal mercies, for which he is, and ought to be, praised day by day. We usually think of a burden as a heavy load to carry; in a negative way, if you will. However, in this particular verse, when the Lord "loadeth us" or "burdens us" it is in a positive light. In this case, a burden is really a blessing, or benefit!

The idea here is, "Blessed be the Lord God even if he lays a burden on us, and if he does this daily, for he is the God of our salvation." He enables us to bear it; he gives us strength; and finally he delivers us from it. Therefore, he constantly lays on us a burden, he as constantly aids us to bear it. He does not leave us. He enables us to triumph in him, and through him; and we have occasion constantly to honor and to praise his name.

This accords with the experience of all his people, that however heavy may be the burden laid on them, and however constant their trials, they find him as constant a helper, and they daily have occasion to praise and bless him!

For further study, F.E. Marsh enumerated some of God's blessings as:

An acceptance that can never be questioned. (Ephesians 1:6).
An inheritance that can never be lost (I Peter 1:3-5).
A deliverance that can never be excelled (2 Corinthians l:10).
A grace that can never be limited (2 Corinthians 12:9).
A hope that can never be disappointed. (Hebrews 6:18, 19).
A bounty that can never be withdrawn. (I Colossians 3:21-23).
A joy that need never be diminished (John 15:11).
A nearness to God that can never be reversed (Ephesians 2:13).
A peace that can never be disturbed (John 14:27).
A righteousness that can never be tarnished (2 Corinthians 5:21).
A salvation that can never be canceled (Hebrews 5:9).

Have a blessed day!

Sahara

It is Impossible to Please God Without Faith

As a mother was walking with her 4-year-old daughter, the girl picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth, and Mom told her not to do that.

"Why?" she asked. "Because it's been lying outside and is dirty and probably has germs."

At this point, she looked at her mother with total admiration and asked, "How do you know all this stuff?"

Thinking quickly, she replied, "It's on the mommy test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a mommy." "Oh." She said seemingly satisfied.

They walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but the daughter was evidently pondering this new information. "I get it!" she beamed. "Then if you flunk, you have to be the daddy!"

The Bible contains many examples of why we, as Christians, should test, or assess, our own faith to see if we indeed have what it takes to go the distance. Paul’s ministry travels had taken him many places. During his visits, morale and motivation was probably very high. But, what happened after he left? He could only hope that his teachings and the support of his followers there would help keep it all going strong. But, unfortunately this was not always the case.

For example, Paul had received reports of problems in the church in Corinth. In a letter he wrote to the church there, Paul calls on the Corinthians to examine, or perform a faith checkup on, themselves because there was occasion to fear that many of them had been deceived. Such had been the irregularities and disorders in the church at Corinth; so ignorant had many of them shown themselves of the nature of the Christian religion, that it was important, in the highest degree, for them to institute a strict and impartial faith examination to find out whether they had not been altogether deceived.

What might an examination of faith, or test, consist of? I suppose that you could go about it in different ways, but I have listed below some ways that a person could examine himself faith-wise. They are:

Let him search and see if he has the proper qualifications.
Let him see if he has knowledge to discern the Lord's body.
Let him see if he has true repentance for his sins; true faith in the Lord Jesus; and a sincere desire to live the life of a Christian, and to be like the Son of God, and be saved by the merits of his blood.
Let him examine himself, and see whether he have the right feelings of a communicant, and can approach the table in a proper manner.

Keep in mind that, although it is God's gracious method to bear long with sinners, he will not bear always; at length he will come, and will not spare those who remain obstinate and impenitent. Christ at his crucifixion, appeared as only a weak and helpless man, but his resurrection and life showed his Divine power. In other words, God doesn’t play around!

Remember, in the end, every man's work shall be made manifest. What every man has built on this foundation shall be seen. Whether he has held truth or error; whether he has had correct views of piety or false; whether what he has done has been what he should have done or not!

The Bible says, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). This is faith -- believing that God does exist, that He loves you and wants to have a relationship with you through His Son, Jesus Christ.

We ought to know if Christ Jesus is in us, by the influences, graces, and indwelling of his Spirit, by his kingdom set up in our hearts. Let us question our own souls; either we are true Christians, or we are deceivers. Which one are you?

“Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.” 2 Corinthians 13:5

Scripture Readings: 1 Corinthians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 11:28; Lamentations 3:40; Ephesians 3:17

Let's Pray: Jesus, I praise you and everything thing you do for us; I pray that I will always walk in the strength and committment of faith that you expect and deserve; and that I will never forget how you died in order to give us a chance at everlasting life with You. Amen.

May God bless you always,

Kristen

How Strong is Your Faith?

Persecution of Christians still exists today. According to one recent estimate, 100 million Christians presently face persecution. These persecuted Christians live in countries, such as North Korea, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, India, Nigeria, and China.

Christianity gained its foothold in the Roman Empire, a vast area that included Palestine. The first known martyr of Christianity was Stephen, a leader in the early church, who was stoned to death by a mob in Jerusalem in 35 A.D. Peter and Paul were executed by the Romans under Nero during the period 64-67 A.D.

When, following the great fire in Rome in 64 A.D., some Romans accused Nero of having ordered the burning, he sought to deflect blame from himself to the small Christian community. The historian Tacitus wrote that "to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations called Christians by the populace."

Here are a few examples of Christian persecution occurring in today’s world:

Two failed bomb attacks on churches in Jos, Nigeria, have magnified the fears of Christians in the region. On Sunday, March 20, a bomb exploded prematurely, killing three men who were carrying it toward two churches. The intended targets were worshipers at the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and the nearby Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN)

Four years after the brutal murders of three Christians at a publishing house in Malatya, Turkey, attitudes toward Christians in Turkey have become even less favorable. According to a new report from the Turkish Association of Protestant Christians, the Christian minority in Turkey suffer discrimination, slander, personal attacks and attacks against churches on a daily basis.

Six Christians leading a service at a nursing home in Uzbekistan on March 13 were detained by police and charged with resisting police orders and violating procedures for conducting a meeting. The Baptist Christians were leading Sunday worship at the “Kindness” nursing home in Ohangaron City when police raided the service in an “anti-terror operation.

Ayatollah Vahid Khorasani spoke out against Christianity and evangelism during a recent religious class at the Islamic seminary in Qom, Iran. On Wednesday, March 9, Khorasani stated, “People [in Iran] have become Christians, and Shiite youths are being misled by Christianity.” His statements were published on the government website “Ayandeh.”

Right now, Asia Bibi, a Christian woman in Pakistan, is sentenced to die for blasphemy.

Jesus expects us to be faithful to Him, no matter the circumstances and no matter the consequences. The Greek word for faithful is “pistos,” which literally means trustworthy, faithful, or believing. Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary defines “faithful” as: True and constant in affection or allegiance to a person to whom one is bound by a vow, be ties of love, gratitude, or honor, as to a husband, a prince, a friend; firm in the observance of duty; loyal; of true fidelity; as, a faithful husband or servant.

History has shown that it can, at times, be difficult to be a Christian. In fact, Christianity can sometimes even turn deadly. What if you were faced with the decision to either deny Christ and live or remain faithful to Christ and die? What would you do?

Scripture Readings: 1 Thessalonians 4:14;Romans 14:9;Revelation 2:10

Let's pray:

Father in Heaven, ever-living source of all that is good, keep me faithful in serving You. Help me to drink of Your Truth, and fill my heart with His Love so that I may serve You in faith and love and reach eternal life. Keep me in Your presence. Let me never be separated from You and help me to do Your Will. Amen.

Have a blessed day,

Theresa

Bible Study Snacks: Laying the Groundwork for Romans Chapter 1:8-17

Last time, we read and discussed Romans 1:1-7. But, before we move on, it might be a good idea to learn a little more about Paul. If you find that you need to refresh your memory, please go back and review our last study session. Remember, we will never rush through our teachings; as we like to stress quality over quantity while studying the Bible. Some additional information about Paul:

• Paul was the apostle of Christ to the Gentiles. The commission of the other apostles extended to all nations and every creature, but was exercised in fact chiefly among the Jews. (Gal. 2:7-9)


• Paul's commission (Acts 26:16-20) certainly included the Jews, but was chiefly to the Gentiles. (Acts 9:15; 20:21)


• He began his first missionary journey from Antioch, visiting Cyprus and other various points in Asia Minor.


• Soon after his return he started on his second missionary journey, where he entered Europe and preached in Macedonia and Achaia.


• His third missionary journey took him back to Europe, then Asia (Ephesus); back to Macedonia and Greece, returning to Macedonia (Philippi), to Troas (on the coast of Asia Minor), past Ephesus (Miletus), back to Syria and up to Jerusalem.


• It was during this third missionary journey (while at Corinth) that he wrote the Epistle to the Romans (around A.D. 60).

Now, up to this time Paul had never been to Rome. He had come close a few times before, but he always turned back. Here are some questions for you to think about as we prepare for our next study:

• Why did he, the Apostle of the Gentiles, seem to avoid Rome, the center of the Gentile world?


• Did he have no desire to come to Rome?


• Was he afraid, or maybe ashamed to come to Rome with his gospel?

Hint: These questions are answered in the next reading, so continue your scripture reading with Romans 1:8-17. We will cover that material in our next study session.

Prayer:

Jesus, I pray to you that you will open my heart; so that I may be receptive to your teachings. I pray that you will open my eyes; so that I may not only see, but understand your Word. Your Gospel is much needed nourishment for my hungry soul; Heavenly Father may you always feed my spirit in abundance. Amen.

Until next time...May God Bless You!

Sheri

Read And Believe!

When their son left for his freshman year at Duke University, his parents gave him a Bible, assuring him it would be a great help. Later, as he began sending them letters asking for money, they would write back telling him to read his Bible, citing chapter and verse. He would reply that he was reading the Bible--but he still needed money. When he came home for a semester break, his parents told him they knew he had not been reading his Bible. How? They had tucked $10 and $20 bills by the verses they had cited in their letters!

How about you? Are you diligent about reading your Bible on a daily basis? In today's busy world, there seems to be less and less time to do all that that we want, or need to do. Between working, caring for families, participating in activities outside of the home, etc., it can be hard to find that spare moment or two to sit down and read any book, let alone read the Bible. Right?

Wrong! The Bible is more than just a book. Think of it as God's owners manual for our lives. Within its pages are instructions for living a purposeful and fulfilling life. Through its pages, God speaks to us. He gently guides us when we need direction; shares His wisdom in times of turmoil and conflict; and comforts us when we are in despair.

President Ronald Regan once said, "Within the covers of one single book, the Bible, are all the answers to all the problems that face us today--if only we would read and believe."

The Bible should be more than just a book in your library, or sitting on your coffeetable. God meant for us to read it; and not only read it, but live by it! If you haven't read a Bible in while, why don't you give it another try? You know, you don't have to read your grandparents old musty Bible? There are many wonderful, modern translations of the Bible available these days. By the way, you don't have to read it from cover to cover, either. There are different Bible reading plans that help make your Bible reading more manageable and pleasureable. Simply find one that suits you and go from there!

Scripture readings: 1 Peter 1:25, Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, Revelation 14:6

Let's Pray:

Lord, I know that my life needs your guidance and wisdom; I am only fooling myself if I think that I can do all by myself. Your Word is my true guiding light through the twisting and winding roads of this life; I will look to your Word daily to help me live the life that you meant for me to live. Amen.

God Bless You,

Robyn