Bible Study Snacks, Romans 14:1-12

Hi, everyone!

I'd like to thank you for joining me again as we continue our journey through the Book of Romans. I hope that all is going well in your life! I also most sincerely hope that you'll find these Bible Study Snacks helpful and spiritually enlightening in your walk with God. In this session, we will study a new chapter. The chapter is Romans, Chapter 14, verses 1-12.

Here is this week's bible study in summary...

Paul discusses the relationship strong and weak brethren are to have towards each other. He admonishes the strong to be careful in their dealings with those whose faith and knowledge is weak, and for the weak not to judge those who are doing what God allows.

In such matters, each brother should be true to their conscience and do what they do as service rendered to the Lord. There is no place for condemning or despising one another in these matters, for Jesus will be the judge. Of primary concern is not to put stumbling blocks in a brother's way.

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.

Carefully read through Romans 14:1-12. Here again, I must stress the word “carefully” because if you aren’t “careful” you will miss Paul’s point. Let Paul speak to you through his writings as if he were right there with you, sharing his story in person.

This week’s study questions:

1. What kind of people are we told to accept (Romans 14:1)?
2. What condition is put upon the way we accept them (Romans 14:1)?
3. Describe the two kinds of people and their faith as mentioned in Romans 14:2.
4. What does Paul ask both groups to do in Romans 14:3?
5. What is the main point of his question in Romans 14:4?
6. Paul goes from speaking about foods to what topic in Romans 14:5?
7. Describe the two views Christians have toward treating certain days as holy days (Romans 14:5).
8. What is the most important principle both groups need to remember (Romans 14:5)?
9. What makes a person’s views “holy” and acceptable to the Lord (Romans 14:6)?
10. The NASB translation of Romans 14:7 is more accurate: “For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself.” If we don’t live or die for ourselves, for whom do we live (Romans 14:8)?
11. What was the overall purpose of Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 14:9)?
12. Paul asks two questions in Romans 14:10. Write them in your own words.
13. Why are we not to judge our brothers and sisters (Romans 14:10)?
14. Are Christians exempt from the need to give an account of ourselves? Why (Romans 14:11-12)?
15. List at least two changes you desire to take place in your life because of these verses:
16. Why is the one which limits what he eats weak in faith rather than the other person?
17. A holy life is one which does what pleases God. How does this apply if there is no particular right or wrong way
18. Have you ever seriously thought about giving a final account of your life? What do you think you will need to give an account for? How are you fairing? List one way to improve.

Finally, after answering the study questions, re-read Romans Romans 14:1-12. Take your time and read each question and verse as many times as you feel necessary. Keep in mind that by doing this, you might see something new that you overlooked the first time around.

As we journey through our studies together, I will continue to pray that God’s message will come through to you loud and crystal clear. Until next time, I wish everyone a blessed week!

God bless you!

Sheri

(Video) Bible 101 With Dr. Craig Evans - Part 1

Acadia University Professor Dr. Craig Evans sits down with Denise Lodde to give an overview of the Bible, what it is, who wrote it, its historical accuracy and message and why it's a book that matters to all whether they believe in it or not.

Produced By: Denise Lodde, featuring: Dr. Craig Evans - New Testament Scholar, Professor, Acadia University

Do You Find Yourself Lost?

I recently came across a story about a Massachusetts family who became lost in an elaborate corn maze and had to call 911 to be rescued. The corn maze was located on a farm and usually attracts thousands of visitors each season. The family apparently entered the maze shortly before nightfall and panicked as darkness fell. They were worried that the farm had closed so they called 911, an emergency dispatch number, for help. The farmer said staff members had not left the farm when the family called police. They knew there were people in the maze, but did not hear anyone call for help. The husband, wife, and two children, one, a three-week-old baby, were all safely rescued by the local police.

This is not such an uncommon story. Many of us find ourselves lost, as well. But instead of a corn maze, we are lost in life. We become so wrapped up in our daily lives (i.e., work, school, home, etc.) that we soon find ourselves drifting further and further away from God. We, in essence, become lost, or separated from Him in the great Maze of Life.

In Jeremiah 50:6, God tells the children of Judah that they have been like lost sheep. They, like many of us, were led astray by their shepherds. We worship our television sets, cell phones, the internet, food, celebrities, etc. We find ourselves worshipping these things over God himself. These items have become our shepherds, and we find ourselves paying the spiritual price for it. We have allowed these things separate us from Him.

Genesis 3:7-10 illustrates how no one is ever quite the same after sinning with knowledge. Notice Adam and Eve's sin occurs after God had instructed them (Genesis 2:16-17). Nobody had to tell them they had done wrong—they knew! Now they looked at things differently than they had before; a sense of wrong rushed in on them immediately. Just moments before, all had been friendly and joyful. All of nature seemed obedient to their every wish, and life was good.

Suddenly, however, they felt guilt and fear, and it seemed as if every creature in the Garden had witnessed their act and condemned them. Feeling exposed, they sought to hide, illustrating that separation from the purity of God began immediately. The virtue of their innocence began to lose its luster.

Another tragedy resulted from what happened in Genesis 11. All of these people who were scattered over the face of the earth were also separated from the holy line—a family through which God almost exclusively worked, that began with Shem. Actually, the line began after the death of Abel with Seth, the son of
Adam, and came down through Enoch to Noah and from Noah to Shem. From Shem the descent finally produced Abraham. After Babel, the scattered people were, in fact, not only separated from that holy line, but also from God's Word, which this family preserved and passed down. This was another tragic result of their sin!

Psalm 22:1 begins with perhaps the most heart-rending cry in history: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” As Matthew and Mark attest, Jesus Himself spoke these words as He was about to die: "And about the ninth hour [mid-afternoon] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46; see also Mark 15:34).

Our Savior's cry of abandonment marks His awareness that His Father had indeed turned from Him, being burdened and defiled by all human sin (Isaiah 53:6; II Corinthians. 5:21; Hebrews 2:9). As Isaiah 59:2 informs us, "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." Because He had never been sinful, Jesus had never known separation from the Father, and His feeling of desertion and rejection may have been the deepest cut of all.

Like the family in the corn maze we suddenly find ourselves lost, or separated from God and don't know what to do about it. The separation is not real in the sense of distance. It exists because like the Israelites, we have offended Him through acts of disloyalty in our breaking of His commands. This separation therefore has to be rectified. Thus, He can hear, but He will not hear because His mind is made up. We are giving no indication that, even though we are practicing aspects of His way, we want to be reconciled. Does it not seem logical that, if we really wanted to be reconciled, we would submit to Him? That we would be obedient to Him? That we would come to Him in an attitude of humility, seeking forgiveness?

As with Ephesus, we are looking at a people (us) who have not so much drifted from the doctrines but have changed in the way that they respect and apply them. The book of Hebrews was written to the Hebrew people in the first century who were drifting. Paul's Ephesus letter applies directly to them (Hebrews 2:1). The letter to Ephesus shows that they had let them slip or were in the process of doing so (Hebrews 2:2-3). The Ephesians had become neglectful losing their devotion to this way of life. This is a very stern warning: "I will remove your candlestick." He advises them, "Repent. Go back."

Keep in mind that one cannot go back to something that he did not previously have. This is a key to our separation from God. It will be a major key in re-unifying us-going back to what we had before: repenting, turning, going back. We must never forget that we are involved in a relationship with a real live Being, and He is not just any being but the One that we are to marry.

Would we want to marry someone who could take us or leave us? That is what happened to these people: They had lost their devotion to the relationship. They still had the doctrines, but their devotion was gone. They did not cherish Him anymore. They did not cherish the relationship, even though they had not walked away from the doctrines. Does this sound familiar? So He says, "Turn. Go back."

The power to love was still residing in them, but they would have to stir themselves up and use it. Love is what one does out of consideration for making the relationship better than it had ever been before. They needed to stir up the Spirit within them and return to the same zeal and devotion that they had shown at the beginning of their conversion. I am here to tell you that is exactly what we need to do. The Spirit is still there, as it always has been. We just need to rouse ourselves to action and find our way back home to God. Why not do it today?

Scripture: Leviticus 16:20-22; 2 Samuel 12:9-14; Psalm 22:3; Psalm 69:1-3; Isaiah 1:4; Ezekiel 20:12-13; Ezekiel 34:11-12; Luke 15:1-7; 1 Peter 2:25.

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help me find my way. I long for the light and only see darkness. Dear Lord I humbly ask that you guide me on my journey and be my light when I am lost. Amen

Praise God,

Edie

Adam and Eve: A Man, Woman, a Garden and Sin

Adam and Eve were the first people to populate God's new creation. They were placed by God in the Garden of Eden. It was a utopia unparalleled by human invention. Though the location of the Garden of Eden is a debatable topic, the description of it in Genesis leaves no question as to the beauty and extravagance of God's garden.

This was the perfect home for man. It was created before sin. Its beauty was perfect. The lush vegetation contained fruit trees never before known to man. This garden was full of color, a beautiful array of flowering colors, pleasing to the sight. The aroma was surely one of sweetness, and the food brought healing to Adam and Eve's mortal bodies. It was pure paradise.

Because of sin, they were driven from the garden and began a life that would end in physical death in a hostile environment. Their sin was the beginning of sin in God's creation, and human history from that day has felt its effects. Through the "seed" of the woman we see the first glimmer of hope for man, an answer for his sin.

In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we discover some important principles pertaining to the God’s creation of the world. First, that man is distinguished from the rest of God's creation (Gen. 1:1, 26). Secondly, that life comes from God (Gen. 2:7; Gen. 2:18, 21-22). And, that the role of women in marriage is determined by the purpose and order of her creation (1 Tim. 2:12-15). We also see some principles that pertain to marriage. These are, that marriage establishes a close union (Gen. 2:23); marriage creates a new home (Gen. 2:24); and that marriage is permanent (Mathew 19:4-6).

The main idea that most people to take away from the story of creation is how sin entered the world through Satan’s deception of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:1, 6). As a result of their sin the consequences were: physical death; banishment from the tree of life (Gen. 3:19; 1 Cor.15:22; Rev. 22:2); woman's submission to her husband (Gen. 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:11-15); pain in childbirth (Gen. 3:16); man will toil in order to eat (Gen. 3:17-19); spiritual death, "for all have sinned" (Rom. 5:12-14).

Put into simpler terms it means: Satan deceives (2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Pet. 5:8); Satan's deception includes the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17); sin causes pain and suffering; women are to submit to men; man must work; and spiritual death is a consequence of personal sin.

Now as bad and depressing as all of this might sound, God does offer a glimmer of hope. He offers a promise of forgiveness (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 16:20). What did this mean for sinful, disobedient man? It meant that God devised a plan for man's redemption (Eph. 1:4; Rom. 8:28-30), and that Satan will be crushed (Rev. 20:10).

Questions:

1. How is man different from the other forms of life in the world?
2. How is man created in the image of God?
3. In what ways is a wife to be a helper to her husband?
4. What was Jesus' answer when questioned about divorce?
5. What kind of influence should parents have on their married children?
6. What is the meaning of the statement, "Cursed is the ground for your sake" (Gen. 3:17)?
7. Is sin something we inherit? Prove your belief with scripture.
8. How was the temptation of Eve similar to the temptation of Jesus (Mat. 4)?
9. Why is there pain and suffering in the world?
10. When did God plan man's redemption? Cite scripture.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for all that you do. The love of life, the peace in my heart all comes from your grace. Please help me to show your love and grace to others as you have done for me. Thank you Lord for being a part of my life. Amen

God bless you,

Team CHBM

Does Bitterness Rule Your Heart?

“I’ve had a few arguments with people,” comedian Buddy Hackett once confessed, “but I never carry a grudge. You know why? While you’re carrying a grudge, they’re out dancing!”

Are you carrying bitterness around in your heart? Bitterness is resentful cynicism that results in an intense hostility towards others. The Bible tells us to “get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” (Ephesians 4:31) How? This is accomplished by being “kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

You see, bitterness is the most dangerous of all attitudes to healthy Christian living! If not checked, it will eat away the vitality of your spiritual life until your testimony is in shambles. Think of bitterness as a cancer of the soul, claiming millions of victims each year. It spreads faster than the common cold and, if left to its own devices, will destroy families and churches.

The problem with bitterness is that you can’t hide it, nor contain it! It spreads like a plague until it affects everyone around you. Some of you may be so bitter that you can’t talk about your husband or wife, parents or children, friends or relatives, pastor or church without expressing bitterness about how much they’ve hurt you. The reality is that life is full of hurts! Jesus himself warned, “it is impossible but that offences will come:” (Luke 17:1). Life is full of hurts and it always will be!

As long as you live, people are going to hurt you, offend you and disappoint you. But you don’t need to be the victim of their offenses. You can learn to rise above life’s disappointments. A good place to start is Ephesians 4:25-32. Here, the Apostle Paul gives us several keys to overcoming bitterness. Let’s take a look, shall we?

1) Stop lying and start telling the truth (Ephesians 4:25). Honest communication depends on honest conversation. Telling the truth builds bridges; lying builds barriers.

2) Stop hating and start loving (Ephesians 4:26-27). In this passage we are warned not to stay angry, because anger destroys communication. Anger will lead either to aggressive or depressive behavior. It causes us to strike out at others or to put ourselves down. Either way, its destructive force hurts us and those whom we are angry.

3) Stop stealing and start giving (Ephesians 4:28). Stealers are takers and selfish by nature! In personal relationships ask yourself, “Am I a giver or a taker?” Givers tend to see the worth and importance of other people and therefore are apt to bring out the best in others. Takers, on the other hand tend to see the world solely from their own standpoint.

4) Stop cutting people down and start building up (Ephesians 4:29-30). Some people excel at cutting down everything and everybody! This passage warns that such negative communication grieves the Spirit of God.

5) Stop overreacting and start acting like a Christian (Ephesians 4:31-32). Paul reminds us not to handle our problems like pagans. Don’t blow up, it only makes things worse! We start with bitterness, which soon leads to wrath and anger. This in turn leads to yelling at each other, which takes us on to evil speaking, blasphemy, or slander. And finally, we are led to malice which can result in a deliberate attempt to do bodily injury! Such behavior is not of God. It is a worldly response to problems, not a Christian response.

6) Stop retaliating and start forgiving (Ephesians 4:32). True Christians are know by their forgiving spirit. (Luke 17:5) Selfish and insecure people get angry quickly. They can never figure out why God’s world does not revolve around them and their plans, therefore they suppose that God doesn’t really care for them. In order to learn to forgive others effectively, we must ultimately see ourselves for what we really are...unprofitable servants, yet unconditionally loved by God. Only then are we in a proper position for God to work in our lives. Remember...forgiveness is the key!

Why not release the power of God in your life today! The scripture clearly states that wrong attitudes grieve the Holy Spirit and hamper work in our lives. We must put away all wrong feelings that stem from bitterness. We must learn to forgive others just as completely and totally as God has forgiven us. If you don’t know Him as your Savior, you can come to Him right now. If you do know Christ as your Savior, but you have let hurt turn to bitterness, ask God to forgive you and set you free!

Scripture: Numbers 14:19-21; Proverbs 20:22; Micah 7:18-19; Matthew 5:24; Matthew 5:44-45; Acts 10:43; Colossians 3:13; 1 John 1:9-10

Prayer:

Lord, grant me the strength to forgive others, and to excuse their transgressions against me, so I may truly reflect this spiritual fruit; to obliterate any persistent feelings of malice, to let each trespass end as a closing chapter, to continue on the road of righteousness, and forgive my sins as I aspire to forgive others. Amen

Peace be with you,

Heather

Have You Prayed Today?

Doctor Charles Parkhurst, distinguished preacher and reformer of New York, in an address in which he dealt with his early religious life related how he had often heard his father pray in the church, at the family altar, and at the family table. But it was only when he heard him praying aloud on his knees in the barn that he knew the reality of prayer and the deep reality of the religious life.

The Bible urges us to pray. Yet too many of us complain that prayers are not being answered. We have not received the results that we were looking for. Has God failed to keep his promises? Are Jesus' words empty and meaningless? If there is no answer to our prayers, the fault lies with us. We need to persistently search the Bible and, like the disciples, ask the Lord to teach us how to pray. God has laid down certain principles of prayer, which, if followed, assure us of God's answer to every humble request we make. Let's take a look a some of these principles now and the rest next time...

First, we are to pray according to God's will (1 John 5:14-15). We must not forget to recognize that God is Lord of all things. Who are we to tell the almighty, all-wise God what he must do and how he must do it? God knows better than we know! Too often we think that we cannot live unless we have our way. In everything we need, let us always pray that the will of God be done.

Secondly, when we go to the Lord in prayer, sins may form a barrier between us and him. Therefore, it only makes sense that these sins need to be removed. There's just one catch. We can't remove them ourselves. Jesus must remove our sins! Fortunately for us, He has done this by the blood of the cross. Because of this unselfish act, in the name of Jesus we can approach the prayer-answering God. If we come to God through Christ, in other words, pray in the name of Jesus, we will find a loving Father who can lift our burdens or give strength to bear them (John 14:13-14).

Lastly, sometimes, for various reasons which are too lengthy to list here, we just don't have it in us to pray as we should. In those times of weakness, or where we can't find the right words to say, the Holy Spirit will pray on our behalf. The Holy Spirit, who knows our thoughts and what is in our hearts, helps us by stepping in and praying for us (Romans 8:26). Now that's an extremely comforting thought!

Dear friends, what I want you to take away from this message is not that you feel guilty about your lack of a prayer life. I want you to feel hungry for a greater prayer life. I want you to come to see prayer not as a duty but as a privilege. I want you to pray not because of our battle with Satan, or because of the pain of those around you. I want you to pray because of the sweetness that comes from spending time with the Father!

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7; Ephesians 6:18; Mark 11:22-25

Prayer:

"Bestow upon me, O Lord my God, understanding to know thee, diligence to seek thee, wisdom to find thee, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace thee." -Thomas Aquinas

May God bless you always,

Ginger

Bible Study Snacks, Romans 13:1-14

Hi, everyone!

I'd like to thank you for joining me as we continue our journey through the Book of Romans. I hope that all is going well in your life! It is also my most sincere hope that you'll find these Bible Study Snacks helpful and spiritually enlightening in your walk with God. In this session, we will study a new chapter. The chapter is Romans, Chapter 13, verses 1-14.

Here is this week's study in summary...

Continuing to instruct concerning the "transformed life," Paul now discusses the Christian's responsibilities to governmental authorities. Understanding that all governments are in power due to the providence of God, and that they serve as ministers of God to avenge the evil doer, Christians are admonished to submit to "the powers that be." This submission involves payment of taxes and having respect for those in authority.

Paul's next message deals with the importance of love and moral purity. Christians are to be indebted to no one, save to love one another. When love is properly demonstrated, even the requirements of the Law are adequately met. This admonition to love, however, is carefully balanced with the reminder that time is short and it is imperative that Christians maintain moral purity. This is done by Christians putting on the Lord Jesus and not making provision for the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh.

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.

Carefully read through Romans 13:1-14. Here again, I must stress the word “carefully” because if you aren’t “careful” you will miss Paul’s point. Let Paul speak to you through his writings as if he were right there with you, sharing his story in person.

This week’s study questions:

1. Who are we to subject ourselves to (Romans 13:1)?
2. Why is it that we are to subject ourselves to them in this way (Romans 13:1)?
3. When a man rebels against this authority, who else is he resisting (Romans 13:2)?
4. What happens as a result of this rebellion (Romans 13:2)?
5. How do we get rid of our fear of the governmental authorities (Romans 13:3)?
6. What are the governmental authorities called in Romans 13:4?
7. What therefore is the responsibility of the governmental authorities (Romans 13:4)?
8. Besides fearing what the government might do to you if it catches you doing something wrong, what is the other reason we are to submit to the government (Romans 13:5)?
9. According to Romans 13:6, what are taxes for?
10. What does Paul say about all the preferential treatment the government might expect (Romans 13:7)?
11. What does Romans 13:8 say about debt?
12. What command summarizes the others (Romans 13:8,9)?
13. Complete this sentence from Romans 13:10, “Love is the ___________ of the law.”
14. According to Romans 13:11, what are we to be doing now?
15. List the behaviors he tells us to avoid (Romans 13:12-13)?
16. Memorize Romans 13:14. Put a check here once you have completely memorized it.
17. How are we to respond to those people who would encourage us to rebel against a wicked and corrupt government (Romans 13:13:1-7)? Does our response change if our own constitution mandates a rebellion against evil rulers?

Finally, after answering the study questions, re-read Romans Romans 13:1-14. Take your time and read each question and verse as many times as you feel necessary. Keep in mind that by doing this, you might see something new that you overlooked the first time around.

As we journey through our studies together, I will continue to pray that God’s message will come through to you loud and crystal clear. Until next time, I wish everyone a blessed week!

God bless you!

Sheri