Bible Study #745

The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living If you are saved, you will have a desire to be holy, a hunger for the Word, the inner witness of the Spirit, and a desire to share Jesus. These are the birthmarks of the believer. #745 15 Sept 15 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil Ephesians 10:10-11 Grateful for . . . . THE WORD OF GOD ! (\0/) (\0/) (\0/) (\0/) (\0/) (\0/) Greetings! [Just a reminder that I give a lot of scripture reference for those that are 'Bereans' and like to check things out.] Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might: Cf. Phil 4:13; 2 Tim 2:1 .. Ultimately, Satan’s power over Christians is already broken and the great war is won through Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, which forever conquered the power of sin and death (Rom 5:18-21; 1 Cor 15:56, 57; Heb 2:14). However, in life on earth, battles of temptation go on regularly. The Lord’s power, the strength of His Spirit, and the force of biblical truth are required for victory. Put on the full armor of God; “Put on” conveys the idea of permanence, indicating that armor should be the Christian’s sustained, life-long attire. Paul uses the common armor worn by Roman soldiers as the analogy for the believer’s spiritual defense and affirms its necessity if one is to hold his position while under attack. Schemes: This Greek word carries the idea of cleverness, crafty methods, cunning, and deception. Satan’s schemes are propagated through the evil world system over which he rules, and are carried out by his demon hosts. “Schemes” is all-inclusive, encompassing every sin, immoral practice, false theology, false religion, and worldly enticement. The devil: Scripture refers to him as “the anointed cherub” (Ezek 28:14), “the ruler of the demons” (Lk 11:15), “the god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4), and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). Scripture depicts him opposing God’s work (Zech 3:1), perverting God’s Word (Matt 4:6), hindering God’s servant (1 Thess 2:18), hindering the gospel (2 Cor 4:4), snaring the righteous (1 Tim 3:7), and holding the world in his power (1 Jn 5:19). More on this subject next week. Keep a smile on your face and a song in your heart! ♥ Memory verse for this week: Phil 1:6 This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ] 1. What did the angel who met Joshua outside Jericho tell him to do before he would give him a message? 2. Which nation at first was an ally of Israel in resisting Babylon? * * * * * * * * * When men fail you .. read Psalm 27 * * * * * * * * * BIBLE MEDITATION: Praise the Lord! Revelation 7:12 - “Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever.” DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: I heard about a man who got a little excited in church. He kept shouting, “Praise the Lord!” That week some of the brethren called on him while he was plowing his fields. When they were finished talking, he hung his head and said, “I know it’s the truth. I have disturbed the services, but you know I sit there and think what the Lord has done for me—how He died in agony and blood for me upon the cross...how He’s forgiven all of my sins...how He’s filled me with the Spirit and...hold this mule while I shout!” If being a Christian and going to heaven doesn’t excite you, you have calluses on your soul. It’s exciting to know the Lord Jesus Christ! ACTION POINT: When was the last time you raised your hands and shouted “Praise the Lord!” Maybe right now is a good time! from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding . . . by Adrian Rogers * * * * * * * * * When your faith needs stirring . . . read Hebrews 11 * * * * * * * * * We have begun another journey and will learn from the book "AGENTS of the APOCALYPSE" written by David Jeremiah. A Riveting Look at the Key Players of the End Times. GBY . . . . AGENTS of the APOCALYPSE . . . . chapter two THE MARTYRS . . It was after ten o’clock on Sunday morning when Daniel Goldman, an up-and-coming attorney in a Turin, Italy, law firm, finally rolled out of bed. He poured his cup of wake-up coffee, eased into his recliner, and flipped on the TV. He had nothing to do before Rachel got out of church; they would eat lunch at their favorite restaurant afterward. Rachel Elon. Daniel warmed at the thought of her name. He had met the raven-haired beauty at a bar mitzvah five months earlier. Their attraction had been immediate and mutual, and as love blossomed, they had begun to talk of marriage. A woman in the marketing firm where Rachel worked had invited her to a Christian gathering, and within a few weeks she had become a Christian. This morning was her second time to attend the little church. Her conversion did not bother Daniel. As far as he was concerned, she could follow whichever religion made her feel good—or none at all. He had quit attending a synagogue the day he left for college, and his only connection with his parents’ Jewish faith was an occasional wedding or bar mitzvah. A newsflash snapped Daniel out of his reverie. According to chaotic reports from around the world, thousands of people had suddenly vanished. People had disappeared from workstations, cars, airplanes, ships, and military stations, causing widespread devastation. Cars had crashed. Planes had plunged to the ground. Gas plants had exploded. Cities were darkened by massive power outages. Daniel watched, incredulous, as casualty estimates rose into the millions. Before long the panicked news anchor announced something strange: “From the reports we have so far, it appears that all who have vanished were professing Christians. Here in our studio we have retired pastor Marco Conti to make some sense out of this.” The former clergyman explained the Christian belief called the Rapture, which maintained that all Christians would be taken into heaven so they would be spared the political and natural upheavals that would precede the second coming of Christ. “Do you think this is what has happened?” the anchor asked. “Of course not.” Marco chuckled and shook his head. “Enlightened Christians today see all biblical miracles—including virgin births, resurrections, and prophecies—as myths intended to convey larger truths, such as humanity’s ability to find spiritual life within.” “Yet it seems that all who have disappeared were practicing Christians.” “Well, not all,” the pastor said with a smile. “I’m still here.” Daniel looked at his watch. It was time for Rachel to be out of church. He called her cell phone. No response. He kept calling for the next half hour. Finally, he drove to the little church building. Cars—including Rachel’s—were still in the parking lot. He stepped inside the open door. The pews were empty, but a half dozen men and women stood around, looking dazed. “What’s happening?” Daniel asked. “Look at the pews,” a woman replied, her voice breaking. The benches were strewn with Bibles, bulletins, and purses. Daniel searched until he found a lavender-colored Bible he recognized as Rachel’s. He slumped to the floor, barely realizing that the sobs he was hearing were his own. . . . . . . . . Daniel remained in a stupor for days. He plodded about his life mechanically, performing his duties at the law firm without his usual enthusiasm and creativity. The firm itself was in turmoil, having lost fourteen of its fifty-plus employees in the cataclysmic disappearance. The increased workload significantly stretched the remaining attorneys and their staffs. Daniel, however, was grateful for the distraction of overtime. The first nation to recover its balance was Great Britain. The architect of the recovery was their brilliant prime minister, Judas Christopher, who identified the most urgent problems and formed teams to conscript workers for cleanup and reconstruction and to fill critical vacated positions. Within weeks, although people were still reeling, Britain was back on its feet as a functioning society. Other European nations did not fare so well, and many countries were sinking deeper into chaos with each passing week. Most of Europe’s leaders pleased with the British hero to bring order to their own devastated nations. Prime Minister Christopher graciously offered his help, and slowly but steadily Europe regained its footing. In the evenings Daniel watched the aftermath unfold on TV while he worked. The British prime minister appeared often, always displaying confidence and an air of concern. But something about him made Daniel’s skin crawl. He sensed that he man’s charm was a façade and that his eyes were on something far beyond helping people who were struggling. Daniel knew from various blogs he’d read that Christopher had demanded a fair amount of internal control from those desperate nations in exchange for his leadership. One day, when Daniel was at work, he phone rang. “I need to see you in my office.” It was the firm’s senior partner. As Daniel entered, his boss couldn’t look him in the eye, and his fingers fiddled compulsively with a pencil. “Daniel,” he said, his eyes still averted, “I have to let you go.” Daniel tried to absorb the blow. “Why? What have I done wrong?” “You’ve one nothing wrong. You have been loyal, your work has been impeccable, and you have consistently taken on additional responsibilities.” “But . . . but we all know the firm is shorthanded after the big disappearance. You’ve been desperately trying to recruit new lawyers. So why are you firing me?” “I’m not at liberty to say. Please don’t ask questions. It will do no good. But I am giving you a generous severance package. It has already been deposited to your account.” Still reeling, Daniel returned to his desk and boxed up his belongings. Stunned though he was, the young lawyer had no doubt he would find another job quickly. All the law firms in Turin had been desperate for attorneys since the mass disappearance. In the next few weeks, Daniel submitted his resume to every firm in the city. They all turned him down. One evening, after a month of hitting dead ends, he sank deep into his recliner, wondering what he would do next. He had plenty of money; he had quite a bit saved even before the severance package. But it wouldn’t last forever. The phone rang. “Daniel Goldman?” The voice was familiar, but Daniel couldn’t place it right away. “Matthew Pearlman here.” “Matthew, my old friend! I haven’t seen you in ages. How in the world are you?” “Not bad. I just heard that you’ve been fired. Join the club.” “Not you, too! But you were a partner in your firm.” “Yeah, it didn’t matter. We’re all being fired, Daniel.” Daniel didn’t know where Matthew was going with this, and there was a moment awkward silence. “Care to have coffee?” Matthew asked. “We need to talk. In person.” next week: . . THE MARTYRS cont. . . * * * * * * * * * When your prayers grow narrow or elfish .. read Psalm 67 * * * * * * * * * WARNING ABOUT HIS RETURN, Part 3 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * [He] will then repay every man according to his deeds. Matt. 16:27b For unbelievers this truth is a dire warning, because at Christ’s judgment they will have no acceptable deeds to present to the Lord as evidence of salvation. Many professing Christians will say on that day, “’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles.’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Matt. 7:22-23). For unbelievers, this will be a day of unending fear as they finally realize the good works they relied on to make them right with God were nothing more than filthy garments (cf. Isa. 64:6) that leave them totally unfit to stand before the righteous King and judge. At Jesus’ second coming, Paul warns, He will deal out “retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thess. 1:8). There will be a day of reckoning for all people. For the cross-bearing, obedient Christian it will be a day of great rejoicing and glory, because he will have evidence that the life of God is within him by faith in Jesus Christ. But for the unrepentant, Christ-rejecting sinner, it will be a day of great terror and torment, because he will have no evidence of divine life. ASK YOURSELF When you think of those whose carefully built defenses will be exposed before God’s holy fire at judgment, how seriously does this make you want to take your responsibility for personal evangelism? What keeps you from being more deliberate in sharing what you know. * * * * * * * * * If you want to be fruitful .. read John 15 * * * * * * * * * No Worries! – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs." — Matt 6:31–32 A poll was taken in which Americans were asked what they worry about the most. The number-one response was, "My appearance." They may lose their house. They may lose their life savings. They may get wiped off the earth in a nuclear blast. But the real concern is, "How do I look in this outfit?" Things don't change much. Two thousand years ago, Jesus said, "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs" (Matt 6:31–32). Fast-forward to today, and the number-one concern is the outward. What do you worry about the most? What causes you the greatest stress? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us why we should not worry, and what we should do instead. Then He concludes with this statement: "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need" (Matt 6:33). What we learn from Jesus about anxiety and worry is that the follower of Jesus Christ should not be filled with anxiety. This does not mean that a Christian should not be concerned with needs like food or clothing. Yes, we need to concern ourselves with them. Yes, we need to think about a roof over our heads and clothes on our backs and food in our stomachs. In fact, the Bible contains many admonitions about saving our money, investing wisely, and working hard for a living. Jesus is not saying that we should never think about these things. Rather, He is saying that we should not be obsessed with or worry about them. Worrying doesn't empty today of its sorrow; it empties tomorrow of its strength. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work . . Rev 22:12 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Answers to this week's Trivia's: 1. What did the angel who met Joshua outside Jericho tell him to do before he would give him a message? A. Remove his shoes Josh 5:15 2. Which nation at first was an ally of Israel in resisting Babylon? A. Egypt Jer 37:9 * * * * * * * * * Answers to Questions about heaven. . . David Jeremiah What is heaven's light source? Does heaven orbit around a planet similar to the sun? A. In Revelation 21 we read: "The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light" (v. 23). In the New Jerusalem there will be no light posts, no lanterns, and no lamps. Light emanates from the throne of God, where the Lamb who is the Lord Jesus is seated. He will be the light, and there will be no need for any other source, because the brilliance of the light of the Lord Jesus in His glorification will fill the city. What a spectacular image! * * * * * * * * * Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith in God. Until next time remember, "Keep looking up!" God loves you with an everlasting love! Nancy <\\\>< Remember: A man may go to heaven….. Without health, without wealth; Without fame, without a great name; Without learning, without earnings; Without culture, without beauty; Without friends and without ten thousand other things---- But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ. ~ This is a FREE e-mailing ~ This Bible Study is sent to subscribers only according to our strict NO SP*M policy. If you appreciate the information contained in this letter, please forward it to your friends. If you have acquired this letter from a friend and want to subscribe: Send an e-mail with Subscribe on the subject line to: hisfootprints4us@comcast.net If you do not want to receive these Bible Studies, please send an email with 'unsubscribe' on the subject line to hisfootprints4us@comcast.net No hard feelings This week's Quiz: Parables . . . Jesus said that He spoke in parables to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah that said the people would hear and not understand (Isa 6:9). The parables teach many good lessons, but we have to be willing to be taught. What do you know about these parables? 1. The parable of the good Samaritan was told to answer what question? Lk 10:29 a. “Who is my neighbor?” c. “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” b. “Can a rich man be saved?” d. “By what authority do you do these things?” 2. The phrase “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” occurs in the parable of the: Matt 25:21 a. sower c. minas b. talents d. vineyard 3. The parable of the unforgiving servant begins with Jesus saying that we should forgive: Matt 18:22 a. a hundred times c. always b. seventy times seven d. seven times 4. In the parable of the lost sheep, how many sheep did the shepherd leave to search for the lost one? Matt 18:12 a. 9 c. 199 b. 99 d. 299 5. In the parable of the sower, upon how many different types of places did the seed fall? Mk 4:3-8 a. 3 c. 5 b. 4 d. 7 6. Which parable has the phrase “eat, drink, and be merry”? Lk 12:19 a. the rich fool c. Lazarus and the rich man b. the wise steward d. the rich young ruler 7. In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, how many took no oil with them? Matt 25:2 a. 3 c. 7 b. 5 d. 9 8. In the parable of the wedding feast, the man is thrown out because: Matt 22:11-12 a. he’s not wearing a wedding garment b. he sat in the place of honor uninvited c. he wasn’t invited to the wedding d. he was rude to the bridegroom 9. In the parable of the wheat and tares, the owner of the field ultimately tells his servants to: Matt 13:30 a. root out the tares c. bind the tares and burn them b. leave the tares alone d. sow more tares 10. In one parable Jesus said that no one would light a candle and: Lk 11:33 a. hide it under a bushel c. let someone blow it out b. put it in a secret place d. both a and b