Video Lesson: Victory in an Uphill Battle (Part 1 of 2 ) - Beth Moore

Beth Moore asks: "Are you finding yourself in a fierce uphill battle? Do you feel like you're fighting so hard that you can't even draw your sword for the battle; that you're just trying to survive, standing long enough to face it?" 

Did the thought ever occur to you that "sometimes we're fighting the wrong enemy!" In this, Part 1 of 2 video lessons, (based on Joshua 9 and 10*), Beth Moore teaches us what we can do when we find ourselves in such circumstances; as we all will at some point during our lives.

* (I highly recommend that you read Joshua 9 and 10 prior to watching this video!)

Love and grace always,

~Eve 

Bible Study - (Introduction/Prologue) 1, 2, 3 John

"Inasmuch as love grows in you, in so much beauty grows; for love is itself the beauty of the soul."  -Augustine of Hippo, Homilies on the First Epistle of John

Hello, and welcome! I have selected 1, 2, 3 John as our first Bible study. It speaks to me personally, mostly because of what I see happening around the world today. From time to time, the believer in Christ needs reassurance that they are still on the right path; and that He is still there.

Before starting in on the questions, I strongly suggest that you read 1, 2, 3 John more than a few times. They're not very long, but some say they can be perplexing. Reading them at a comfortable pace is encouraged. It’s understanding what you read, not the speed!

I’ve included a concise (brief) introduction of the “letter” to help set the stage for our study. If you are interested in learning more, there is a lot more information available from various sources. It is my hope that this study inspires you to follow up on this. Now, let’s launch into our study.

Prologue: Principle themes subsequently developed in the letter are introduced (1 John 1-4). Three in particular are: (a) the significance of first-hand testimony by apostles as to the identity of Jesus. (b) the implication of Jesus’ earthly ministry as a component of the revelation of God Himself in Jesus Christ (cf. 4:2, 5:6), and (c) eternal life is attainable for those who believe in Jesus Christ (5:11-12, 5:20).

Author: Although the text doesn’t really say who wrote it, the apostle John, son of Zebedee, is customarily thought to be the author. Interestingly, the writer indicates having a first-hand relationship with Jesus (1 John 1:1-4).

Target Audience: The First Epistle of John, which is a “catholic epistle” or general letter, was composed by the apostle toward the end of the first century (AD 80-90). Though written for believers, it was not directed at any particular church or district. 1 John is also very likely the final apostolic message to the entire Church. 

At this time, the churches were being jeopardized by false teachings that combined aspects from various heresies (misconceptions). John’s objective was to give strength to his readers who were Christians living in Asia Minor (Ephesus); imparting to them knowledge, joy, and courage in their faith. 

In addition, he resolved to boost their confidence and self-respect as they became aware of God’s faithfulness to forgive sins, and expunge (rub out) their guilt. In this way, they would be unrestrained to fulfill God’s command to love each other.

"Fellowship" is the central point of 1 John which includes: opposition to false teachings, and remaining steadfast in faith (1 John 1:3). This implies fellowship both with John and his following, and God by way of both the Father and Christ (1 John 1:1-3).

As we get under way with our study, let’s first look into the Prologue (1 John 1:1-4) and see if we can shed some light on the matter of “eternal life.” What does it tell us about its reality, and the Incarnation? I have included some questions below to help guide you along.

    1) What are some key phrases that tell us whether the announcement/message is true, or not? (1 John 1:1)

    2) What proves that the Person is real/actual? Who was He with? (1 John 1:2)?

    3) What was the motivation for “fellowship,” and with whom (1 John 1:3)?

    4) What is the hoped-for result of all these things (1 John 1:4)?

Hopefully, this served to familiarize you with the format we will be using. When we meet again we will pick up Chapter One of this epistle. Until then, I pray for your health, safety, and faith in Christ.

Scripture: Matthew 18:20; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 12:12; Romans 1:12

Prayer: “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”   - 1 John 5:20 (ESV)

Joyfully in Christ,

Bridget

Friday "Light" - Almost Saved, But Not Quite!

**New**

"Some give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; while others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before."   - Herodotus

 

There are many people who "almost" reached their goal, or "very nearly"  achieved their dream, barely missing the mark. Then, they just simply stopped or gave up trying.

They each had their reasons for not continuing to pursue their hopes or dreams. But the questions will always remain: "Did I truly give it my all?" "Did I quit too soon?" Did I let others sway my decision due to a lack of self-confidence?"

In Acts 26, the apostle Paul, spent two years in custody; being put there by Jewish leaders who wanted him dead because he was spreading the message about Jesus' resurrection. Paul then appeals his case to a higher Roman court. 

But, before he has the chance to appear there, Festus the governor of Judea invites Paul to plead his case in front of King Agrippa II. Paul believes that the King has some familiarity with the Jewish religion, culture (Acts 26:2-3); and even prophesies of Jewish Scripture (Acts 26:27).

After Paul gives his testimony, Festus thinks that he must be unstable. However, Agrippa not only finds  Paul's story captivating, but he also understands it somewhat and wants to know more. 

In fact, he is so inspired by it that he's "almost" compelled to become a Christian himself (Acts 26:28). Paul then challenges him to believe in Jesus, and that's when Agrippa draws back.

Sadly, King Agrippa thought this would create too many difficulties for someone in his position. As Paul was a Roman citizen, and also realizing that there was no good reason for holding him, they sent him on to appeal his case in Rome. 

The point of this, is Agrippa was "almost" saved, but "not quite." Sadly, too many put this off until tomorrow, or when a better situation presents itself. But there is no such thing as being "nearly" saved, or "almost" a Christian (Acts 2:21).

Good intentions don't quite cut it when it comes to accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Either you're all in, or all out. There is no "almost," "practically," or "more or less." 

The good thing is, Jesus wants us to be "fully" saved more than anything (1 Timothy 2:3-4). Don't put it off another minute. His offer of salvation will be here tomorrow...but there is no guarantee that you will be (John 3:3)!

Scripture: Romans 6:23; Acts 16:31; 1 John 1:9; John 8:24; 1 Peter 2:24

Prayer: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”  - 2 Peter 3:9  (ESV)

Grace and blessings,

Margot 

Jesus Is the Way - The Solution for Sin

"There is the seed of all sins--of the vilest and worst of sins--in the best of men."   -Thomas Brooks 

The Bible describes sin as an offense or violation against the law of God. The actual act of this violation is known as transgression. Let's go even further and call sin a "rebellion" against God because that's just what it is (Deuteronomy 9:7). 

Scripture (Genesis 3) tells us that sin was introduced into the human race by Satan through Adam and Eve. And we've been dealing with the consequences of their "rebellious" act ever since (Romans 5:12).

Oswald Chambers, the well-known early-twentieth-century evangelist and teacher, once said, "We have to recognize that sin is a fact, not a defect; sin is red-handed mutiny against God." Simply put, it must be taken seriously!

The Bible provides many characteristics of sin, of which I will mention just a few: Christians are no longer enslaved to sin, but are free from it because of Christ. Even so, we are always on the verge of turning back towards it (Romans 7:21).

The world is full of pit falls and traps that can cause us to stumble in sin. Rather than allowing ourselves to be controlled by, or imitating worldly things, we should live out our faith filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:5–6).

Mercifully, God, out of His love for us, offered His Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4: 9-11). By His blood, that was shed on the cross, Jesus provides something that we all definitely need: forgiveness for our sins (Ephesians 1:7).

So how can one gain access to this? Jesus, after His sacrificial death, made clear how those lost in sin could be saved. It requires repentance (Luke 24:46-47), belief, and baptism (Mark 16:16). 

Unquestionably, the forgiveness of sins provided by God through Jesus is transformative. But to be truly gratified requires something more. Our close relationship with God, ruined by our sins, needs to be restored. 

And for this, Jesus is the solution. We shall continue with more on this in our next meeting. I hope you will join me then!

Scripture: Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Psalm 51:5; Galatians 5:16; John 8:34 

Prayer: "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!"  - Psalm 51:1-2 (ESV)

May God bless you!

Brandi

"Faint Not!" God Is There For You

"By perseverance the snail reached the ark."   - Charles Spurgeon

One of the most difficult things for Christians is keeping the faith. Now I'm not trying to shame anyone, in fact, I know it's not an easy thing to do. I speak from experience having been there myself.

Adam, Eve, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, David, Elijah, and John the Baptist, are a few of the people in the Bible who also struggled with their faith.  As you can see, if this is where you find yourself now, you're in good company!

Like many of us, they each had their reasons for their moments of doubt, too. Yet in the end, they were able to pull it together and come back even stronger and better than before.

The Bible is really good about giving us guidance when we need it the most. We just have to know where to look. Take prayer for example This is an area that tends to get overlooked until the trials and tribulations of life strike.

Luke 18:1 (KJV) tells us "that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;"  We are to faint not in prayer; that is, never give up, or become discouraged. Prayer doesn't have to occur by appointment only. God is always available to hear from you.

Let's talk about perseverance. This is where life is kicking us while we are down. We're almost at our wits end, and more than ready to call it quits. Our faith meter is showing "low," and our confidence is fading fast.

2 Corinthians 4:1 (KJV) offers help. "We faint not," it says. The apostle Paul is bearing a heavy load trying to defend his ministry to the Corinthians, and spread the Lord's message. It's wearing them down, yet, he and his friends press on; they persevere.

Let's examine one more example: preservation. We are familiar with different demands placed on us at work, school, or even home. We might ask ourselves, "When am I going to have time for me?"

Turning to 2 Corinthians 4:16 (KJV) we are told, "For which cause we faint not;" This is in reference to hope. In other words, faint not in hope. God employs frail and weak vessels (men) to carry his powerful truth.

Despite not exactly being the picture of robust health, Paul was doing the best he could. He was only flesh and bone like the rest of us. Still, he refused to give in. His outward appearance was rough, but he was renewed inwardly daily.

Paul and his fellow workers in Christ surely suffered a lot, but God helped them push through it. That is, He helped preserve or protect them, which enabled them to continue when it would have been easier to quit. 

Again, the common theme of these examples is "never giving up" or "not becoming discouraged" which is meant by the word "faint." Although most of us will never go through what Paul did, God can help us "not to faint" just the same. 

Scripture: Galatians 6:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:13; Hebrews 12:3; James 1:2; Jude 1:24 

Prayer: "Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!"  - Psalm 113:1-3 (ESV)

God bless you!

Mary

Friday "Light" - Head or Heart..?

**New**

"When sinful people will not give glory to God for His mercies, He will fetch glory out of them by His judgments."   - William Greenhill

 

A person doesn't usually go headfirst into God, but rather heartfirst. The biggest problem sinners encounter is that this is what they do; they put their "head" before their "heart."

If you were to ask sinners what their apprehension is about making the decision to repent and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, they might try to justify it in the following ways:

"I'm waiting for a time that is good for the Lord." Well, I'm telling you that there's no time better than the present! Every moment that you are a sinner is a moment that God is ready to save you.

In all honesty, you'll never find the gates of heaven open any wider than they are right now. Another might respond with, "I'm not necessarily waiting for a more favorable time for God, than I am for better conditions." 

Allow me to address this line of thought. There are plenty of individuals who desire heaven on their own schedule. They know what they're doing is keeping them apart from the Lord; yet they continue: doing it (John 14:6).

God is very patient. He can afford to be, after all, He has all of eternity. But we don't! Each day that goes by is one less day we have to make corrections. Change your life for the better today (2 Peter 3:9)!

I could go on and on, but I trust you understand the message here. There are many excuses that we as sinners could come up with for not accepting the Lord's offer of eternal salvation (Matthew 7:13-14). 

Jesus Christ died on that cross knowing that not everyone would accept Him. He expected nothng in return, yet left us with the promise of eternal life with Him in Heaven (Romans 3:23). The choice is completely yours. 

He could have made excuses for not accepting us, we certainly gave Him plenty of  reasons not to (John 3:17). Instead Jesus graciously did, with his "heart" and not His "head." Now, as they say, the ball... is in your court!

Scripture: Acts 4:12; Galatians 3:26; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 6:37  

Prayer: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  - Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

Grace and blessings,

Margot 

Jesus Is the Way - An Abundant and Blessed Life

"Man's life is of God, not of his goods, however abundant they may be."   - Henry Alford  

Who wouldn’t want to live a better life? Who wouldn’t want to have a more full and abundant life? What if I told you that you can have this and much more; and it’s all well within your grasp!

No, I’m not trying to sell you on some get-rich-quick scheme, or fast-track to wealth secrets. In fact, the chances are pretty good that you won’t even see this on any late-night T.V. infomercials. 

But the way to achieve "it" is time-tested, and backed by the most reliable source in the universe. Beginning with this message, we will examine how Jesus Christ is indeed “the Way” to living the life He meant for us to live.

We shall begin with the way to a better life. Jesus can provide us with a more "abundant" life. Abundant means plentiful, or in great quantity. In scripture, it is defined as: abounding; having in great quantity; overflowing with.

In John 10:10, Jesus tells us that His purpose in coming to earth was so we may have a more abundant life. In other words, a life filled with more than we could imagine while alive. However, It's important to note that He didn't come with any promises of wealth or luxury.

Even so, Jesus did promise us that we have a loving Father in heaven who cares for us deeply (Matthew 6:31:33). And that He is more than capable of abundantly providing for us, if we choose to follow Him (Mark 10:30).

Without a doubt, those who take Him up on his offer of an abundant life are also blessed. Not blessed with large amounts of cash in the bank, or a big house on the hill. What I mean is something much more than that (Ephesians 3:20).

Happiness, like the kind that can only be acquired through a strong relationship with Jesus. For example, Paul while under house arrest never lost his happiness for life, nor his faith (Philippians 4:11-13).

Also, the Christians who were facing persecution in Asia Minor (Turkey) were comforted in a letter from the apostle Peter. He reminded them that as children of God they had every reason to be happy in their glorious future in heaven (1 Peter 1:6-8).

 

To sum up, Jesus Christ offers us a way to a better life; a more abundant life. If we choose to follow Him, our lives will not only be abundantly filled, but they will be happy and blessed, too. Yes, Jesus is the Way to these things, and lots more; as we shall see (Matthew 6:33)!

Scripture: Romans 15:13; Philippians 4:19; 1 Corinthians 2:9; 2 Peter 1:4; 2 Corinthians 9:6

Prayer: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."  - 1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)

May God bless you!

Brandi