resurrecting a generation
Bible Study
So much more
Mar 30th
Consider Psalm 42:1-2
Hear the heart of this psalmist…
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for You, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and stand before Him?”
Notice the amount of water… The writer didn’t just say that the deer wanted a drink of water… he didn’t just write that a trickle would do… Only STREAMS would satisfy (other translations say flowing streams)!
So as the deer was longing for those streams, so the heart of the writer was longing for God Himself.
“But, haven’t we already found Him if we’ve been saved?”
Yes and no.
If we’ve placed our lives in His hands by believing in Jesus for our salvation, that is only part of God. He is not just a cosmic vending machine dispensing tickets to Heaven.
But how often do we treat Him like that…?
“Ok, God, I’m saved. Thanks. See you in Heaven.”
He is God. He is limitless. We have only heard a whisper of His power!
So often we settle for less when there is so much more available. Maybe we settle because we didn’t know there was more. Maybe we settle because the thought of pursuing God is a bit intimidating. Whatever the reason may be, understand that there’s more and it’s freely available.
The veil has been torn. We can freely come before Him. Drink from His flowing streams!
The Commander of Victories
Mar 26th
Consider Psalm 44
What an encouraging passage of Scripture!
The writer of this psalm was praising the LORD for who He was and what He had done for his people.
Check out verses 4-7:
“You are my King and my God. You command victories for Your people. Only by Your power can we push back our enemies; only inYour name can we trample our foes. I do not trust my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. It is You who gives us victory over our enemies; it is You who humbles those who hate us.”
Woah!
He is the Commander of Victories for us, His people. Think about that. He commands victories for your life. You may be struggle with something in your life… maybe it’s a relationship, maybe it’s sin, maybe it’s finances, etc., He has commanded a victory for you! He is the One who fights for You.
The writer of this psalm recognized that his bow and his sword, though useful in battle, were not the tools of ultimate victory. It was the LORD who was the victory.
Jesus IS your victory.
When He cried “it is finished” on the cross. He won the victory.
Maybe you’re trusting in your bow or sword… in our lives that could “translate” to be a number of things. Trying to overcome a sin issue on our own. Trying to fix a relationship on our own without forgiving or giving grace. Trying our own methods, and not His ways. Seeking man’s wisdom, and not the mind of Christ. Trying to open a door that He’s already closed… it could go on and on.
Rest in the LORD as this psalmist did. He didn’t trust in what he could do. He trusted in the LORD and the fact that God, his king, was fighting for Him.
He’s fighting for you. Rest in Him!
Sin in the Camp
Mar 20th
Consider: Joshua 7 & 1 Corinthians 5
Interesting how these two passages coincide with each other.
In Joshua 7 we have the Israelites about to attack the city of Ai… and one of their guys, Achan, had just disobeyed Joshua and the LORD. He had taken a few items from their conquest of Jericho, yet the command was to destroy everything. Achan chose to hide some valuables under his tent.
The result, 36 Israelites lost their lives in the battle with Ai because of Achan’s direct disobedience. The LORD was serious when He said to destroy everything… really, the LORD is serious about sin.
It then came down to Achan and his entire family losing their lives. Again, the LORD is serious about sin.
Fast forward a few thousand years to 1 Corinthians 5.
Here we have Paul condemning the Corinthian church’s spiritual pride. They seemed to be proud of themselves… maybe “good things” were happening in and through their church body. But at the same time there was a man a part of their church who was living in sexual immorality. And they weren’t doing anything about it.
Apparently, Paul was not okay with church leadership just overlooking this sin. It was a big deal.
I wonder if they pulled the Grace card: You know the “we’re all saved by Grace” bit…
Or maybe the “finished work of Christ” card: “You know Jesus died once for all of our sin… so he’s really been forgiven.”
Of course we’re all saved by Grace! Of course Jesus died once for all of our sins! But neither of those are excuses for us to sin. Never.
I’m sure Achan thought “well, I know God said not to keep anything… but Jericho’s a huge city and I’m only going to take a few things… no one will notice.”
The moment we start making excuses for our sin and continue living in it is the moment we’re spitting in the face of Grace. His Grace isn’t available to simply cover over our sin (as Achan tried with his tent when he hid the goods) but it is to bring freedom so that we do not continue to sin.
If we fall, Grace gives us the opportunity we do not deserve to pick ourselves up and move on. NOT to stay down and continue sinning.
If there is deliberate, habitual sin in your life, bring it to Jesus, surrender it to Him and move deeper in Him. Don’t continue down the path that Achan and this guy from the Corinthian church was on.
The issue isn’t really will our sin keep us out of Heaven, but more so, understanding that it’s disobedience to our Father… our sin breaks His heart. And plus, sin’s just a bad deal. Stay away from it.
Abraham’s Blessing
Mar 12th
Consider: Galatians 4:1-9
I came across a nugget that I’ve probably read a hundred times.
Paul is encouraging (or instructing moreso) the Christians in Galatia concerning the law and their faith in Christ here in Galatians 4. He makes it pretty clear in the first few verses of this chapter that our being right with God has nothing to do with our efforts, yet that’s not how they were living out their faith.
He then throws in Abraham.
Abraham was definitely a man of faith. The scriptures declare that he was made righteous not because of sacrifices, but because of his faith. Not because of what he did for God, but that he believed God.
Now check out the next few statements… “God promised this good news to Abraham long ago when He said, ‘all nations will be blessed through you.’ And so it is: All who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.” (Gal. 4:8&9)
Did you see the nugget in there concerning Abraham’s blessing?
Those of us who put our faith in Christ share the blessing Abraham received.
The same blessing is ours who put our faith in Jesus.
Woah!
So the next time you feel your life doesn’t matter… it does! You have the same blessing resting upon your life that was upon Abraham’s.
The real gospel
Mar 10th
Consider: Galatians 1:6-10
We find Paul writing to the church in Galatia… and after greeting them, he gets right to the heart of the matter: the of the Gospel.
Apparently there were those a part of the church in Galatia that had started to follow a “different way”. The gospel they were believing in, living and preaching was not the real deal (see verse 7). It was false.
If the message we’re presenting (and living) is not about Jesus, then it’s not the Gospel. – Bill Bolin
The life that you’re living, does it point to Jesus or does it point to someone or something else? If so, the life you’re living is not the life found in the Gospel.
Paul didn’t hold back in stating the obvious. He made it clear that he wasn’t around just to please people, and neither was the Gospel. Let us always remember the point of the Gospel… JESUS. Not what pleases us, but what pleases Him. Not our desires, but His. Not what makes us feel good, but what makes Him exalted in our hearts.
That may be obvious to you, but does your life proclaim that obvious fact?
3 Chapters of Belief
Mar 8th
Consider Mark, Chapters 9-11:
Over these last 3 days of reading through Mark, something has stuck out to me that I have never really seen before.
Over the chapters of 9, 10 and 11 of the Gospel of Mark, the topic of “believing” is brought up. Chronologically these weren’t necessarily back-to-back days or even back-to-back scenarios. But I do find it interesting that in each of these 3 chapters, Jesus makes it clear that believing is essential.
Check these out:
Mark 9
We find Jesus encountering a man whose son is demon possessed. The father’s plea: “do something if you can.” Jesus’ response in verse 23: “What do you mean, ‘If I can’? Anything is possible if a person believes” (Check out the emphasis on person… Jesus said A PERSON… not just Him — so anything is possible to anyone that believes).
Mark 10
Here Jesus just met a rich young man who had thought he’d done everything needed to gain eternal life. Jesus set him straight (in love — see Mk 10:21). Jesus then instructed His disciples that it was “hard” for a rich person to enter the Kingdom. And the disciples then asked: “Who in the world then can be saved?”
Jesus’ response (in Mk 10:27): “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
Mark 11
Here we pick up (in Mk 11:20) Jesus is leaving the city and He passes the fig tree He had cursed the day before. The disciples were amazed that it had withered. Check out what Jesus says to them…
Mark 11:22-23 “Have faith in God. I assure you that you can say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,’ and your command will be obeyed. All that’s required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart.”
I think a simple matter of believing is essential, wouldn’t you agree?
Why are you bothering me?
Mar 8th
Consider: Mark 5:1-20
Jesus had just crossed over the lake to the Gadarenes. He was quickly approached by a demon-possessed man. The demon inside this man sreamed “Why are you bother me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? For God’s sake, don’t torture me!”
As I was looking over this passage of Scripture, the thought crossed my mind: “How often do we treat God the way this demon treated Jesus?”
It’s easy to say, “Oh, I’d never respond like that to Jesus”. But how often do we really do it? Whenever He’s speaking to something in our life that needs to change… or we need to repent of… how quickly do we shrug Him off?
But, then when WE decide that WE need HIM, it’s a whole different story.
He’s not just a cosmic vending machine.
The demon obviously had an agenda in this man’s life. But Jesus also had an agenda and that was (and is) to bring life and life more abundantly. It was (and is) to set the captives free.
In our own lives, whenever the LORD is dealing with stuff in our lives… maybe convicting us of sin… maybe asking us to reach out to a classmate or coworker, let’s allow Him to deal with it! It is worth the cost of giving it up, because His desire for our lives is freedom and life.
The Source
Mar 8th
Consider: Psalm 22:11
David wrote this Psalm 22 out of a desire for God to act on his behalf. The situation David had found himself in was a pretty rough one. He even commented in verse 6 that he was “scorned and despised by all“.
Now we don’t know exactly what was going on in this situation, but it’s highly possible that David was exaggerating just a little bit… but we all do! Ever have those moments when it feels as if the whole world is against you? I know I have.
And the cool thing about this situation is the One to whom David turns.
Verse 11: “Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me.”
He was crying out to God.
This wasn’t a “oh God, I don’t really talk to you that often but if you do this time I’ll devote my whole life to you” situation. This was a man who intimately to God and was able to be real with Him.
Remember, that the LORD is our source at all times! Not just when things are good and not just when things are bad. His desire is that we turn to Him in every situation of our lives… because David knew that in the good and the bad times the LORD was there.
Because the LORD was his source.
Even When It Hurts
Mar 8th
Consider Psalm 15
David proposes some interesting thoughts in this Psalm. He starts off in verse 1 basically asking the question who is able to enter God’s presence and worship Him?
Now, we know that on this side of the cross, Jesus’ death on the cross paid the price and made it possible for us to “walk” right into the Throne Room. The blood of Jesus has cleansed us and made us righteous… even when we may not totally live up to a certain standard.
However, these words of David should still challenge the core of our being.
In verses 2-4, David gives a list of the characteristics of the one who is able to enter God’s presence. The one at the end of verse 4 is what sticks out to me.
“Those who… keep their promises even when it hurts.”
What does that mean?
It means being “people of our word.” It means how when Jesus said that when we say “yes” that should be good enough to suffice. Or when we say “no” that is good enough. However, if we’ve lived our lives in a way that when we say “yes” people know that we really mean maybe… there is a lack of trust in that thought.
As believers we should be people who keep our promises even when it hurts. When we say we’re going to do something, we need to do everything we can to accomplish and fulfill that word.
As Jesus was hanging on the cross, He could have called upon the angels to come and remove Him. And boy, I bet the cross hurt… it hurt BAD. The amazing things is is that He didn’t call the angels. He stayed on the cross… cause it’s what He said He would do. He kept His promise even while it was hurting Him to death.
Hangin’
Mar 8th
Consider Luke 19:47-48
Here we see Jesus teaching in the temple daily. As He was doing this the leading priests and teachers of the law began planning how to kill Him.
But check what verse 48 says… “But they [those planning to kill Him] could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word He said.”
Imagine that… Jesus’ followers hanging on every word He said. Not some of the words… but every word. Not just the ones we want to hear… not just the ones that are policitally correct… but every word.
In this world in which we live there is only one Truth and only two things that never change: Jesus and His Word.
I’m challenged by this passage to hang on to every word that He has spoken. No telling what would happen if all the believers on the planet began living their lives, hanging on the Word of God.