Follow the Course to Repentance!

Moreover, true repentance never exists except in conjunction with faith, while on the other hand, wherever there is true faith, there is also real repentance. The two are but different aspects of the same turning--a turning away from sin in the direction of God...The two cannot be separated; they are simply complementary parts of the same process. -L Berkhoff, Systematic Theology, p. 487.

Luke 13:1-5 continues on about "an innumerable multitude of people" that had gathered to hear Jesus speak. What a sight it must have been to see people pressing forward to hear the Word; to take a chance on inconvenience and danger rather than miss an opportunity for their souls. Incredibly, the more the Pharisees strove to drive the people from Christ, the more flocking there was to him!

The prevailing belief among Jesus’ audience was that calamity was caused by the sinfulness of those affected. Jesus denies this and gives warning about His audience’s need to repent. Why? Because a far greater calamity awaited those who refused to repent. The Bible is clear on the necessity of repentance (Luke 13:3; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30-31).

Most of us are familiar with the often asked question that we need to answer, "How to repent?" This is how we’ll spend our time today, making sure we understand how to repent. Repentance is, from beginning to end, a mental process. It is, literally, a change of mind. “To change one’s mind for the better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins,” Thayer. Repentance, however, will show. There will be fruits, amendments, restitutions that will testify to this change of mind.

So, how do we repent? First you need to come to a realization that your course leads to destruction. This is what Jesus was seeking to get across in Luke 13:3-5. There is a source of conduct outside of man (Jeremiah 10:23). Breaking that code of conduct is called sin and it separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23).

Paul stressed the judgment to the Athenians, Acts 17:30-31. Then there are the Jews on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:3); Simon of Samaria (Acts 8:18-24); and even a mention of Godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Next, you should enquire as to the correct course. What shall we do? (Acts 2:37). What wilt thou have me to do? (Acts 9:6). For some it’s a matter of remembering a course already learned (Revelation 2:5). We can certainly stress the need for Bible study here. Psalm 119:11; Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 3:18; Matthew 5:6).

Additionally, we should resolve to follow that course. Why? Because this is the point where repentance comes in. It is the change of mind that causes change of direction (Romans 6:17-18; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Just look at Saul of Tarsus (Acts 8:3; Acts 22:4; Acts 26:9; Galatians 2:20). Yes, we should follow that course to the death (Revelation 2:10).

I stress that the act of repentance is a mental act. We must recognize that the effects of repentance are often physical. So, when we study how to repent we must show how one may see repentance. This leads us to our final example. In addition to everything that has been mentioned, we must bring forth fruits (Matthew 3:8; James 2:18); pay restitution to others (Luke 19:8-9). After all, a thief cannot repent AND keep the stolen goods. A slanderer cannot repent AND fail to correct the lie. A kidnapper cannot repent AND keep the stolen child. An adulterer cannot take a wife, repent AND keep the wife God has not authorized.

To repent, means walking in the light. No repentance ever took place with just mere words. For one to have repented their direction must have changes 1 John 1:7-9; John 8:31; Hebrews 5:8-9; Revelation 2:10). There is definite labor involved (Philippians 4:3).

In closing, I will try to break this all down into basic terms.

How To Repent:

1. Know the course you’re on leads to death.

2. Learn the course you should be on.

3. Resolve to follow the course.

4. Follow the course.

Prayer:

God, my good and loving Lord, I acknowledge all the sins which I have committed every day in my life, whether in thought, word or deed. I ask for forgiveness from the depths of my heart for offending You and others and repent of my old ways. Help me by Your grace to change, to sin no more and to walk in the way of righteousness and to praise and glorify Your Name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Tawny

Coffeehouse Bible Ministry: Weekend Edition

Welcome to the Coffeehouse Bible Ministry:
Weekend Edition!

In the Weekend Edition, our goal is to present Bible-based material to you that is educational, thought-provoking, enlightening, and blessed.

In this excerpt from an in-depth, online seminar, Monica Dennington focuses on tough questions concerning the roles of women in the church, as well as God's authority structure for the entire Body of Christ.

Here, she examines two sets of scripture. One set says that women must not teach, speak, or have authority over men. The other set of scriptures show examples of God appointing women as prophetesses, teachers, ministers/pastors, and preachers, including positions in which they had authority over men.

Join Monica as she goes straight to the Bible for the Lord's command concerning this apparent "contradiction" in God's Word!

Title of this week's message: Women In the Church: The Contradiction

(Video) What Do Real Women Struggle With?

Lysa Terkeurst talks about things that real women struggle with.

Bible Study Snacks, Romans 16:1-27

Hi, everyone!

To all of my dear and faithful readers, I'd like thank you for joining me the past several months as we journeyed through the Epistle of Romans together. You have made it all so much more meaningful and beautiful for me. I truly hope that I did the same for you.

Now, with a heavy heart, I must tell you that we have almost arrived to the end of our journey. As I always mentioned before our studies, I hope you found these Bible Study Snacks helpful and spiritually enlightening in your walk with God.

I will be taking a little time off to refresh myself physically, mentally and spiritually. But, I will definitely return with more Bible studies in the near future. In the meanwhile, please continue to refer back to the Bible Snacks blog entries in our archives as many times as you wish. Remember...don't stop reading and studying the Word, you will never go wrong!

With that being said, let's begin the final leg of our journey through the Epistle of Romans. In this session, we will study Romans 16:1-27.

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

In this last chapter, Paul closes with miscellaneous instructions, greetings, warnings, and a doxology. Of particular note are his comments concerning Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. Also, his greetings to Priscilla and Aquila remind us of how instrumental this couple was in the spread of the gospel. The remaining greetings from Paul remind us that there were many others who contributed to the growth of the church in the first century.

A final warning is given against those who would cause divisions and occasions of stumbling contrary to what Paul had taught in this epistle. For above all else, Paul wanted to ensure their continued obedience in the gospel.

Paul's companions at Corinth add their greetings, and Paul closes this wonderful epistle with an expression of praise to God for the revelation of the gospel which was leading to the obedience of faith among all nations.

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 16:1-27. 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. The word describing Phoebe can be accurately translated either as servant or deaconess. How were they to receive her? How were they supposed to help her (Romans 16:1-2)?
2. Why were they supposed to help Phoebe so much when she came to them (Romans 16:2d)?
3. What did Prisca and Aquila do for Paul the apostle (Romans 16:3-4)?
4. What is going on in the home of Prisca and Aquila (Romans 16:5)?
5. Did you notice each verse from Romans 16:6-16 all start with the same word “Greet”? Write down next to the names below the greeting associated with these brothers and sisters.
Mary
Andronicus and Junias
Ampliatus
Urbanus
Stachys
Apelles
Herodion
Tryphaena and Tryphosa
Persis
Rufus
6. How did Paul greet the church (Romans 16:16)?
7. What warning did Paul give the church in Romans 16:17?
8. What are these men like (Romans 16:18)?
9. What good thing did Paul hear about the church in Rome (Romans 16:19)?
10. Write down the benediction in Romans 16:20.
11. Romans 16:25-27 is also a benediction. (Some ancient manuscripts also include verse 24 with its own benediction). What is it that Paul wants them to be established in (Romans 16:25)?
12. Is the mystery spoken of in verse 25 now known or still unknown (Romans 16:25-26)?
13. What is made known to the nations leading to their obedience (Romans 16:25-26)?
14. What does Paul wish God to gain (Romans 16:27)?
15. Do you see any common theme among the greetings (Romans 16:6-16)? What would you want to be known for? What steps have you taken to get there?
16. Think back over the teachings in this book. Share one way you have been significantly “established” (Romans 16:25)?

Finally, after answering the study questions, re-read Romans Romans 16:1-27. 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.

And so we have completed our study together, my friends. Once again, thank you for your diligence and companionship. May God always be with you wherever your life takes you. Until our next journey together...much love and peace!

God bless you!

Sheri

When Life Has You Down...Let God Pick You Up! (Part 1)

This notice appeared in the window of a coat store in Nottingham, England: We have been established for over 100 years and have been pleasing and displeasing customers ever since. We have made money and lost money, suffered the effects of coal nationalization, coal rationing, government control, and bad payers. We have been cussed and discussed, messed about, lied to, held up, robbed, and swindled. The only reason we stay in business is to see what happens next.

The store owner knew that life was full of challenges. But he was determined to survive, even if only to hope for the best and "see what happens next."

Christ's followers have a much better reason to endure tough times as they live for Him. The Lord has assured us in His Word that better times are ahead. The psalmist reminded us that in spite of the prosperity of the wicked, the righteous will be set free.

We all know there are times when we find our lives down in the dumps. It just seems like we are stuck in a rut. Sometimes it seems like we just lose our desire to go on for God and just want to give up. Sometimes life just gets us down so far that we wonder if there will ever be a way up.

Does that ever happen to you? Some of you might be there today. You say you feel like life has jumped on you with both feet and you're just about ready to throw in the towel? Well, before you do, I'd like to show you a way out. God has a word of encouragement and instruction for you. And it starts right now!

Let's turn to 1 Peter 5:5-10. Verses 5 and 6 tell us to "surrender (humble) your will to God." We can do this in a couple of ways. First, assume the place of submission. We live in a day when men are all seeking their own way, but the child of God who wants to please the Lord will learn to allow God to have the place or preeminence in his life (Colossians 1:18).

Next, assume the place of slavery. "Clothed with Humility" literally means to "wear the apron of a slave". True humility before the Lord merely means assuming the place of a slave. As an example, this is what Jesus did in the Upper Room (John 13:4-16.) In other words, I have no will but His will. I have no plan but His plan. I have ne desire but His desire. We are called His "bondslaves" or servants (Ephesians 6:6).

In addition, we can accept the plan of the sovereign. If we can learn the way of humility, then the Lord will lift us up in His own way. As long as we seek to promote ourselves, we will never amount to much for the glory of God. However, when we turn loose of our lives and willingly place ourselves under the Lord, He will use us for His glory!

Verse 7 tells us "send your worry to God." Conclusively, it says "casting." This verb refers to the act of "throwing or casting" something. It is in a form that refers to a one time deal. We're told here to "once for all, throw our burdens to Jesus!" When the worries of life press us down, we do not have to bear them alone!

Thank God, there is One Who is stronger than we are and Who is willing to carry our load. And how does He do this? He does it completely! Notice how much or our burden we are supposed to give to the Lord. "All you care"! He tells us to give Him everything! We're not so much as to keep even the smallest part of a burden to ourselves. We are told to give it all up to Jesus!

How can we do this? We can do this confidently! With the absolute confidence that He cares for us (Hebrews 4:15). When we are burdened, it touches the heart of God and He is moved on our behalf. Please notice that this verb is in the "Present Tense, Active Voice and the Indicative Mood."

You may wonder what this means for you, well Present Tense means ongoing activity. Active Voice means the Lord Himself is involved. Indicative Mood means that it is a fact! Put it all together and we find that Jesus Christ, Himself, is actively involved in caring for us. Why the interest? Well, He has made quiet an investment in us (e.g., The Cross) and He will see to the needs that arise in our lives.

Take today's information and go back to 1 Peter 5:5-10. Read it line-by-line as you refer back to our discussion today. Allow all of this to slowly be absorbed in your mind and spirit. Next week, in Part 2, we will discuss the remaining verses (vs. 8-10), and tie it all together for you. Until next time, keep the Word close to your heart and always remember that God loves you no matter what!

Prayer:

Father, I pray for all those in need,
For all of my friends and my family.
I pray for your strength to see us all through,
When life is the hardest and when times are good. Amen


God bless you,

Darlene

I Just Want To Thank You, God!

Of the 102 Pilgrims who made it to America from England in 1620. 56 were lost due to starvation, disease and the ensuing cold winter. On a brighter note, the following year, 46 Pilgrims and 91 Indians met to give thanks for a bountiful harvest and for the preservation of their lives. Let's face it, those folks had every reason to be depressed and discouraged, but they were thankful despite all that had happened!

In the Bible, the book of Habakkuk was written against a backdrop of apostasy, judgment and unbelievable hardship. It was written during a time when Jehoiakim the king of Judah led the people back into idolatry and away from the Lord.

As a result, God is preparing to judge the nation. Habakkuk is having trouble understanding why God would use a heathen nation like Babylon to punish His people. He cannot understand why God doesn’t just purge their sins and draw them back to Himself and to righteousness.

If you stop and think about it for a moment, you'll see that Habakkuk is a lot like Job. He argues his case, but in the end, he realizes that God is not to be worshiped merely because of the temporal, material and physical blessings of life, but simply for Who He is.

Thus, he ends his words with a song of thanksgiving to God for Who He is and for the unchanging benefits that belong to those who know Him! Habakkuk had reason to dispair, but he chose to be thankful instead!

The keywords of these verses (Habakkuk 3:17-19) are “although” and “yet”. Habakkuk is saying, “I sure don’t understand all that is happening, but I am going to thank God anyhow!” Using these verses as a backdrop, I'd like to show you that regardless of how things may look on the surface, we have a reason to thank God for all. Let's continue...

First, thank God, His sovereignty never changes (Habbakkuk 3:17-18a)! We all know that in our lives circumstances can and do change. This is very clear to everyone. But, God never changes (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17)!

Need further proof? Look at Egypt as they experienced 7 years of plenty, and 7 years of famine. How about Job’s life; the Great Depression; even our own economy today. The lesson learned from this is: I may not be able to rejoice in my situation, but I can always rejoice in my Sovereign!

Looking back to Habakkuk, yes, he is painting a bleak portrait of the future, but he looks away to a God Who is always the same! Bible definitions tell us that “Lord” = “Jehovah” – “The Self-existent; eternal; changeless; covenant-keeping God” – “the I AM”. The One we can depend on in desperate time; we can trust in troublesome time; we can believe during unbelievable times; we can lean on Him at all times!

We may not always know what He is doing, (Isaiah 55:8-9); but we can always trust Him to do what is right, (Genesis 18:25). We may not can always understand His plan, but we can trust Him to have the best plan (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28).

No matter how things may appear, God is still in control. He still knows best and He always does what is right. If I can believe this, then 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 becomes a possibility in my life. He will always be God; therefore we can be thankful anyhow!

Secondly, thank God, His salvation never ceases! I always keep in mind that while things might get bad in this life, they do not affect my salvation! Salvation does not depend on things going well. It rests solely on the grace and power of God! Life is uncertain at best, (e.g., one phone call or doctor’s visit can change everything), but salvation is eternal in nature.

The word “salvation” applies to more than just the soul. The word also means “deliverance and rescue”. That reminds me that this world is not my home. He is coming to rescue and deliver His children one day! Things may get bad here, but this world is not our home, (Philippians 3:20). We are headed to a better land, (Revelation 21-22). Praise God, the Lord has been good here, but the best is yet to come, (1 Peter 1:3-4)!

As I mentioned above, and feel worth repeating here, things may get bad in my life, but they cannot take away my salvation (John 10:28; Hebrews 13:5). God’s children are saved “to the uttermost” (Hebrews 7:25). And let me tell you, that is as saved as you can get! Sure, you may lose everything here, but I can’t lose Him or what He has given me (e.g., Job and his hedge). He can’t deny us (Isaiah 49:14-16). God’s salvation ever ceases; therefore we can be thankful no matter what!

Last, but not least, thank God, His strength never collapses! The dictionary tells us that “strength” = “ability." But, our strength does not lie within us. The Lord is our strength (Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 40:31; Philippians 4:13). When we are unable to stand, He enables us. When we can’t go on, He helps us. When we are in the deep valley; He leads us to higher ground.

“Hind’s (gazelles') feet” speaks of grace, agility and swiftness. “High places” speaks of the mountain tops where the deer is free from the dangers found below. Habakkuk is telling us that God enables him to rise above his circumstances and that God gives him the strength to stand above the battle and to enjoy precious freedom in the Lord. In other words, he is saying, “God turns my doubts to shouts! And He gives me peace in midst of my problems!”

That is what God did for Job (Job 1:20-21) and Paul (2 Corinthians 12:9), and that is what He can and will do for you. God enables His children to stand when their own strength fails; therefore we can be thankful no matter what life throws our way!

In conclusion, during his trials, Habakkuk learned a valuable lesson.
a. He learned a lesson that all of God’s children need to learn.
b. He learned that God is both our salvation and our song (Isaiah 12:1-2; Exodus 15:2; Psalm 118:4).
c. He learned that he had nothing to fear from life, but that he had a real reason to be thankful in spite of everything!

Therefore, I leave you with this. If you are saved, you possess every reason to be thankful that Habakkuk possessed. So regardless of what you might be facing today, look to God, lean on God and be thankful for everything!

Prayer:

For all You have given,
Thank You God.

For all You have withheld,
Thank You God.

For all You have withdrawn,
Thank You God.

For all You have permitted,
Thank You God.

For all You have prevented,
Thank You God.

For all You have forgiven me,
Thank You God.

For all You have prepared for me,
Thank You God.

For the death You have chosen for me,
Thank you God.

For the place you are keeping for me in heaven,
Thank You God.

For having created me to love You for eternity,
Thank You God.

Have a blessed day,

Mary Beth

They Who Served God

The great violinist, Nicolo Paganini, willed his marvelous violin to Genoa -- the city of his birth -- but only on condition that the instrument never be played upon. It was an unfortunate condition, for it is a peculiarity of wood that as long as it is used and handled, it shows little wear.

As soon as it is discarded, it begins to decay. The exquisite, mellow-toned violin has become worm-eaten in its beautiful case, valueless except as a relic. The moldering instrument is a reminder that a life withdrawn from all service to others loses its meaning.

Today, we’ll look at different women that served God and think about their character in their work. Why? I feel that it is important to encourage and motivate women to be like the women who worked for God. To start our discussion off, I refer you to Acts 17:4, 12. Here, we can read that women played a significant role in the early church. While we don’t know who the women specifically were at Philippi or Thessalonica, we know that they composed a good sized part of the congregation.

In Jesus' ministry women played a great role, as well. After all, women were the first humans to witness that Jesus had been resurrected from the dead. And, while we don’t have a lot of detail about many of them, we know there were some women that worked for God.

When I think of women who worked for God, and their wonderful contributions, I also think of the strong traits they displayed in their works. Let us remember Sarah in Service (1 Peter 3:1-6). Deborah in Counsel (Judges 4). Deborah was a judge and prophetess in Israel. She counseled Barak as he battled Sisera, and in no small way helped Israel overcome their army. Then there is Hannah in Devotion (1 Samuel 1-2). Remember, Hannah had no children. But her faith was strong and she prayed to the Lord and devoted her firstborn to Him. Her prayers were answered, and Samuel was born.

I also think of the Widow of Zarephath in Hospitality (1 Kings 17:9ff). Due to drought there was a famine. The widow only had a small amount of food left, but she shared it with Elijah and was rewarded for it. Also, Mary in Priorities (Luke 10:38-42). Mary understood what was important and Jesus praised her for it.

We are fondly reminded of Dorcas in Charity (Acts 9:36ff). Dorcas was kind and did good things for others. She is especially remembered for how she took care of widows.
And lastly, Lois and Eunice in Parenting (2 Timothy 1:5). As Timothy’s mother and grandmother they are honored by how they raised him to be faithful. What a tribute to his maternal parents!

In conclusion, I have presented some women that served God in extraordinary capacities. They are an example to us, both men and women, in these areas of work and service. I hope they will motivate us to greater service. And along with that, I hope they will encourage our women to know that God sees their efforts.

Let us pray:

Lord, you call us to your service
and continue your saving work among us.
May your love never abandon us.
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

May God bless you,

Nikki