“I must put off my tent.”
As Jesus showed me.
John 21:15-19.
“Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.” 1:15.
What would you say to your children before you die?
Peter wants to…
the saints to give all Diligence to add to our faith for an Entrance into the Everlasting kingdom. And to Avoid false teachers. The Lord will come as a Thief and Heat will follow.
2Pet 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROMISES?
Seed promise Gen 12:3
Eternal life. John 20:31
Strength in suffering. 1Pet 5:10
Instruction. John 14:16; Eph 3:3
Meet our needs. Mat 6:33
Overcome the world. 1John 5:4
Remission of Sins. Jer 31:34
Prayers in His name. Phil 4:6-7
-Spencer Blackwelder
For generations, antagonists of God and theologians have claimed that God is not real, and the Bible has no relevance today.
A former mega church pastor once said, “if the church follows the instructions from the Bible… it will become irrelevant.”1
It’s clear that many have disregarded the Bible and it’s truths. To support today’s religious and cultural practices requires a complete disregard of God’s truth and a tearing down of His word.
While it is true that the Old Law of Moses has been taken out of the way, nailing it to his cross, (Col 2:14), it still has much to teach us and along with the New Testament, is very much relevant to people today.
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)
Here are 5 reasons the BIBLE is still relevant to us today.
the BIBLE is relevant today because… because of the lessons we glean from the BIOGRAPHIES of its heroes as well as from its antagonists. Bios gives us insight into how people lived their lived, how they felt about the people around them, and how they responded to God. Bios can help us answer some of the same questions we face today. Bios show us how people handled crisis, successes, and show us that people aren’t much different today from those in the past.
1 Corinthians 10:6 KJV
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
Read the BIBLE to learn life lessons from the Biographical Examples.
the BIBLE is relevant today because… It contains INSPIRED Wisdom.
One of the reasons we know it’s INSPIRED of God is it revealed scientific knowledge about the world long before human discovery and before technology could discover it.
A path for lightening…
Job 28:26 KJV
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
Ocean currents…
Psalm 8:8 KJV
The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Many other scientific observations have been confirmed in biblical passages, including Leviticus 17:11; Ecclesiastes 1:6-7; Job 36:27-29.
Since these things be so, we can trust the Bible for its INSPIRED Wisdom on how to live in this life and how to live to gain the next.
2 Peter 1:3-4 KJV
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: [4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Read the BIBLE to learn life lessons from INSPIRED Wisdom.
the BIBLE is relevant today because… It contains insight into human BEHAVIOR.
Do you ever wonder why people act, & react in certain ways? Much of the bible contains insight into BEHAVIOR through the stories. You’ll see stories of envy, jealousy, anger, kindness, love, and every other kind of emotion. Today’s humans aren’t much different, except for the technology.
The Proverbs is wisdom that includes insight into BEHAVIOR, both about others and ourselves; for example;
Prov 17:14
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
Prov 23:6
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Read the BIBLE to learn life lessons about human BEHAVIOR.
(to be continued)
Spencer
Let’s read the bible through in 2023
Here’s a link to some printable Bible reading Bookmarks.
If you live in the Borger area and would like to study the bible better, we invite you to one of our services with the church of Christ on Franklin and Juniper.
ENDNOTES.
1 Rob Bell, https://www.charismanews.com/opinion/in-the-line-of-fire/48383-rob-bell-trashes-the-bible-on-oprah, Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday, 2015
Paul wrote about why he did the things that he did. 1Corinthians 9:19-23
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Look at verse 23 again…
“And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” (1Cor 9:23)
Paul was the type of guy that flipped all the switches, turned all the knobs, and pressed all the buttons in his evangelism efforts.
NEW YEAR, NEW ME
This got me thinking about my goals for the new year. Instead of the typical goals most of us try to write, I decided to take a Paul type approach. I still have GOALS, but now they’re framed “FOR THE GOSPEL’S SAKE.”
Here is my revised goal list for the GOSPEL’S sake.
GOOD Health so I may have the energy to preach the GOSPEL.
3John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
OBEDIENCE to Christ so I may not hinder the GOSPEL from my hypocracy.
Mt 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
Love of my SPOUSE, my wife, for the sake of the GOSPEL.
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
My PROSPERITY (financial) goals so that I may have the means to preach the GOSPEL.
3John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
EXAMINE myself & the Scriptures to be a more effective EVANGELIST for the sake of the GOSPEL.
1Co 9:4 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
to LOVE so that all may know I am a disciple of Christ.
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
To STAND firm in the faith for the GOSPEL’S Sake.
1Thess 3:8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
2Thess 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
Warning about immaturity and neglect.
We have much to say but you have become dull of hearing…
ORACLES OF GOD. 12
USE THE INFO. 14
GROW. 5:12-3; 6:1-3,8
HOLY SPIRIT partakers. 6:4-5
TEACHERS, but need teaching. 12
Diligence, Imitate, Inherit 9-12
We have HOPE as an ANCHOR.
ANCHOR. (interjection of Hope)
ABRAHAM example. 6:13; Gen 22:16-17
NO ONE GREATER. 6:13-14
CANNOT LIE He PROMISES. 6:18
HOPE. 6:18-19; consolation; 11:1,6.
OATH. 6:16-17
RIVITED in Heaven. 6:20; cf. 13:25-29How is Jesus BETTER?
Jesus is a better Priest.
Jesus as a PRIEST.
A PRIEST forever. 6; cf. Psalm 110:4
RECEIVED it from God. 4-5, 10
IN the order of Melchizedek. 6 (ch7)
ETERNAL Salvation’s Author. 9
SUFFERED, SACRIFICE. 8-9
TEARS to Him. 7
How is Jesus BETTER?
The REST that is in Christ.
There REMAINS a rest. 1,6,9
Labor to ENTER it. 3,10-11
SOME won’t enter. The word is a SHARP SWORD. 12-13
Jesus, the Son of God, Sits on the THRONE of grace. 14-16
How is Jesus BETTER?
Each New Year I write to encourage us all to read the Word of God. “New Year, New Me” is the mantra of most of us at the beginning of a New Year.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb 4:12-13).
Usually someone would say, “It’s not enough to just read it, you’ve got to STUDY it.” To this I would whole heartedly agree. (The basis of any study is of course reading).
That being said, people struggle to study the bible as it appears overwhelming at first. To allay those fears, this article is titled…
5 Tips for Effective Bible STUDY.
These tips will have a foundation of scripture along with a tip on how to be more effective in our study of the Word of God.
#1 SEARCH the word. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).
From these scriptures we find the first tip, SEARCH the scriptures. There are a few resources available to just about everyone to help us in our SEARCH through God’s word. First, I use “Nave’s Topical Bible.” This is a type of Bible concordance with over 20,000 topics and subtopics. Plus, there’s an app for that!
Other online resources I use are either “Bible Hub” or the “Blue Letter Bible.” Both of these sites & apps have within them “Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.” A concordance can help you SEARCH for any word, phrase, or verse in the Bible. Because all of these are compilations of humans, care & discernment needs to be taken by the Bible Student.
We can SEARCH the Scriptures and be “more noble minded.”
#2 TEACH it to others. “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same teach thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2Tim 2:2). “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1Tim 4:13). “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,” (Titus 2:4).
From these passages we can’t help but notice the need to TEACH the things we STUDY to others in the faith. This is separate from evangelism which is also important. In the church there are those that need a boost from the more mature members (cf. Heb 5:12). It is often said by the one that teaches that they learn even more from their studies than they teach to others.
We can TEACH sound doctrine to other faithful Christians.
#3 Seek to UNDERSTAND because you can. “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, [4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Eph 3:3-4). “In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem” (Dan 9:2).
While some will claim that you are unable to understand the Bible without their personal guidance, these scriptures show otherwise. While it is helpful to call on another for help with your study of more difficult passages (see Acts 8:30-31), it’s still possible to UNDERSTAND the word of God yourself through your own studies.
The resources listed above also give you access to Bible Dictionaries like; “Smith’s Bible Dictionary” “W.E. Vine’s” and “Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek words” to look up the meanings of words as used in the original languages. Along with the concordances, a student can discover the meaning of a text through understanding the words, and examining similar passages allowing the Bible to explain itself through less difficult passages.
We can UNDERSTAND the Bible through reading and STUDY.
#4 Develop a DELIGHT to study the Bible. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Tim 2:15). “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.” (Psalm 119:24,161).
When we see that we can be approved to God, and that His word has so many valuable truths, it becomes possible to enjoy reading, to DELIGHT in His word. The Psalmist tells us that God’s word is, righteous, pure, perfect, and that they provide comfort. These are just a few attributes of God’s word listed in the 176 verses in the Psalm, each of which is about the word of God. Is it any wonder that he found DELIGHT in His word?
We can DELIGHT in studying the Bible.
#5 We can find rest when we put on the YOKE of Christ and YEARN to LEARN of Him. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).
When citing this verse, we often overlook the LEARNING part. We desire the rest, but we never really ask how. We learn through reading and study.
We can find rest when we put on the YOKE to learn of Him.
Spencer is an evangelist working with the Franklin & Juniper St church of Christ in Borger Texas.
Click Here if you would like to hear this online.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
(Eph 2:8)
“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” (Acts 15:11)
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” (Titus 2:11)
“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7).
Grace is the gift of God that brings us Eternal Life. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
It may be helpful to some, as it is me, to think about the grace of God that enables us to have ETERNAL life.
First, we need to explain what ETERNAL means, (I know, but some “scholars” try to tell us it doesn’t mean what we think it means). It means EVERLASTING; perpetual, forever, ongoing. We look forward to a time when we can live with the Lord forever and ever.
How to attain to Eternal life is TAUGHT by the Word of Christ. “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (Joh 6:68). “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life” (John 6:27). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). We would know nothing about it separate and apart from the revealed will of God in the Scriptures.
Eternal life is our lifelong EXPECTATION of hope that is in Christ. “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life” (1John 2:25). “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (Titus 1:2; 3:7). “To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life” (Romans 2:7). Without eternal life, where is the hope?
Eternal life is for the RIGHTEOUS as defined by God. “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matt 25:46). “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 5:21). We are made righteous through the blood of Christ when we are baptized into Christ (Rom 5:9; Rev 1:5).
There is a NEGATIVE aspect to eternal life. The same length of eternity that awaits those that are in Christ also awaits those who are outside of Christ. The difference will be location. “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41-46). “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation” (Mark 3:29). “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2Thess 1:9). “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 1:7). Some will claim that the lost will be annihilated; the scriptures teach something different.
Back to the positive aspects of eternal life. We can be ASSURED of eternal life by our faithfulness to Christ. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1John 5:13). When our faith begins to waver, perhaps it’s an indication of a need to study His word, examine ourselves, and make correction so we may return to that confidence we have in Christ. “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1John 2:28; cf Heb 3:14; 10:22).
We can LAY HOLD of eternal life; “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses… Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (1Tim 6:12, 19). This is done when we remain in the LOVE of Christ. “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:21). We love God when we keep His commandments. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1John 5:3; cf John 14:15). The New Testament Scriptures are consistent on this point. “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Gal 6:8). “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb 5:9).
Spencer
If you are in the Borger area and would like to attend one of the services of the church of Christ at Franklin and Juniper, click here for location, and time.
4 Examples of those who READ the Bible, and the Results.
#4 Daniel.
This amazing man (cf. Ezek 14:14,20) could interpret the Kings dream of the tall statue, and read the handwriting on the wall. (Dan 2; 5). This is the Daniel that was rescued by God out of the Lions den. (Dan 6).
This inspired man STUDIED the word of God. Specifically he was READING from Jeremiah 25:11; 29:10.
Daniel 9:2 KJV
In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
LESSON FOR US TODAY.
We can know God’s intentions for us today when we READ.
Can you see how important God’s people placed on reading?
Let’s read the bible through in 2023
Here’s a link to some printable Bible reading Bookmarks.
If you live in the Borger area and would like to study the bible better, we invite you to one of our services with the church of Christ on Franklin and Juniper.
Borger church of Christ @ Franklin & Juniper 