“The Good News – the best news in the world – is that you can have a close, intimate, personal relationship with God Himself. Do you believe that God is the greatest thing you can experience in the whole world? Do you believe that the Good News of the Gospel is not merely about forgiveness, but that you also have access to a loving God?
Some of the best things in life are the gifts from the One who steadfastly loves us. But an important question to ask ourselves is this . . . Are we in love with God, or just His stuff?
Imagine how awful it would feel to have your child say to you, ‘I don’t really love you or want your love, but I WOULD like my allowance please.’
Our love for Him always comes out of His love for us. Do you love this God who is everything, or do you just love everything He gives you? Do you really believe that God loves you, individually, personally, and intimately? ”
Related Text:
1 John 4:19
“We love because he first loved us.”
Psalm 27:4
“One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.”
Deuteronomy 6:4
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
Zechariah 14:9
“The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.”
1 Corinthians 8:5-6
“For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”—
yet for us there is one God, the Father,
from whom are all things, and we for Him;
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom are all things, and we through Him.”
Ephesians 4:4-6
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope at your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”
When Jesus was asked which of the Ten Commandments was most important, He said, “This is the most important . . . listen Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:29-30)
There is no question about the importance of loving God and ONLY loving God. This may be opposed to the way that some of your friends or family think about how they live their life. But the Bible is very clear about loving only God. The first commandment in Exodus 20 told us not to have any other gods besides the One True God, God that brought the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt, God the Father of Jesus. And the second commandment in Exodus 20 tells us not to make up any idols, but to only worship God, and God alone.
Check out Isaiah 44 verses 6 and 8. “I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but Me.” “You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I do not know any.”
God must be the only focus of our praise and worship.
Psalm 23:1-6
“1 The LORD is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
2 He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
4 Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
as long as I live.”
Here’s a unique exercise with Psalm 23. Read it again, verse by verse, and re-write it in your own words. We’re not re-writing the Bible, but the idea here is to personalize this God-praising hymn and make it specific to our lives. Personalize this psalm by using specific examples of how God is your shepherd. We’ve probaby all heard this Psalm before, but let’s meditate on it’s words and praise God for His blessings in our lives. Don’t just skim over it.
Here are some questions that you may think of to get the ball rolling as you re-write your own personal Psalm 23. What are your green pastures and quiet waters that God has supplied you with? How has He directed your path? What dark valleys has He carried you through?
Have fun!
Related Text:
John 10:11
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
James 3:9-12
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
What good are ideals of God’s love and grace if we cannot control our tongues enough to speak respectfully to other human beings? Everyone, from time to time, has trouble with this. We sing praises on Sunday at church, but we’re rude to the person moving too slowly in front of us at the grocery store. (and some of us are rude in that really annoying way – where we say the rude things with a smile on our face so we can deny it later) It’s like we left our patience inside the church doors, and we’ll pick it back up the next time we’re there.
Our contradictory speech is a puzzle. At times, our speech is right and pleasing to God, and at other times it is a violent and destructive force ready to tear down anyone in it’s path. When the Holy Spirit purifies our heart, He gives us self-control. Let’s begin to put that self-control into action. May God convict us when we speak words that are destructive, and may we understand how to show patience, love, and grace with our words (even in line at the grocery store when the person definitely doesn’t have less than 15 items). What we say under our breath might be a better picture of who we really are.
Related Text:
James 1:26
“If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.”
v13-“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
On a bed of grass, a chameleon can change it’s skin color to green. On dirt, it can change to brown. On a pair of pink sunglasses, it has even been known to turn pink. The animal changes to match it’s surroundings, which helps it to survive. But followers of Christ are not called to blend in with their environment. We are new creations; born again and changed within. We have values and lifestyles that confront the world around us and clash with it’s accepted morals. True believers won’t blend in very well.
The Christians in Corinth were struggling with their environment that surrounded them. Surrounded by corruption, and every conceivable sin, they felt the pressure to adapt. In the middle of Paul’s teaching and instruction, he gives us chapter 13. Some people call it his famous “Love” chapter. It’s a reminder to us to have pure motives, and let everything we do come from love.
Related Text:
Matthew 22:36-39
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “
Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
Ephesians 5:6-10
“Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient. Therefore, do not become their partners. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light — for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth — discerning what is pleasing to the Lord.”
DON’T HIDE IT! The world is filled with darkness and God needs you to be a bright shining light for Him. Let your life shine! In Matthew 5:16 it says, “let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Now, this isn’t saying to “do works” just so people will notice them. But, if we are truly living our lives for our Lord, then everything we do will glorify Him. Then, when people see what we’re doing, they won’t praise us, but the will praise God in Heaven. Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel, don’t be afraid to share Jesus. Live your life with the volume turned up high.
[Happy memorial Day! We are praying for those who have served in the military, for the families of those who have given their lives in service, and for those who are today risking their lives. You don't have to agree with the war or reasons behind it to pray for our soldiers. Pray for their safety and that God will become a part of their lives.]
1 Corinthians 9:24-26
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.”
In life, you only get to run this “race” once. Paul’s telling us to run to win! Don’t just go through the motions, and don’t just do “enough” to get by. Olympians devote their lives to train for their sport, and the gold medals they win are just temporary prizes. But our gift from God is everlasting, truly a gift worthy of our devotion.
In the race, focus on the next step instead of the next lap, and soon you will have more laps behind you than ahead of you. Make every step count, let everything you do glorify the Lord. “Let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in our way and get rid of the sin that holds us back.” (Hebrews 12:1)
Our training involves spending time with God, reading His word and being devoted to Him with our prayer life. We must grow spiritually and grow in the knowledge of our Lord, better understanding His Word, His Commands, and His direction for our lives. Paul tells us to live your life with a purpose at every step, so that you may further the Gospel and make an impact for the kingdom of God. Obedience is key.
Related Text: James 4:7
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Acts 14:19-22
“Then some Jews came [to Lystra] from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.”
How much do you love people, and how much do you love God? Go ahead, think about it for a second . . . are you devoted to others in brotherly (or sisterly) love and are you devoted to your obedience to God?
The scripture you just read at the start of this Bible study is a section of the story of Paul’s first missionary journey. (He had 3, not counting his trip to Rome) When he got to Derbe, he turned around and went back through the cities he just preached in so that he could strengthen the new disciples (the people that accepted Jesus when Paul was preaching to them the first time) and encourage them the remain true to the faith they now professed.
But here’s the kicker - the first city he returned to (Lystra) was the city where he was stoned so badly, that the people hurling the rocks thought they had killed him, so they drug him out of the city and left him to rot. He’s going BACK to the place where the people tried to kill him. I mean, he was probably still healing from his wounds when he walked back into town. It’s like that clip from ‘Top Gun’ where Maverick says he’s going to put on the brakes in the plane, and GOOSE says, “You’re gonna do WHAT?” I wonder if Barnabas asked Paul, “We’re going BACK??”
My point is this – Paul loved God so much, and he cared so much about God’s people, that He risked everything, even his life, to share the Gospel and to encourage and strengthen the new believers. So, when you’re faced with a decision of obedience to God, or when the Holy Spirit guides you, are you obedient? Do you love God enough to say yes to whatever He asks of you? Do you love other’s enough to share the Gospel, no matter the obstacles or consequences?
Luke 10:38-42
“As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the preparations that had to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’ ”
Hebrews 12:1-3
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Luke 15:31-32 (Prodigal Son)
” ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
What is your attitude toward someone who had “major” sin in their life, yet found God’s grace and accepted Jesus as their Savior? Are you willing to forgive them and withhold your judgement and “better-than-you” attitude? What goes through your mind when I tell you that David Berkowitz (the Son of Sam killer from New York in the 1970s) accepted Jesus as his Savior and Lord and is devoted o prison ministry and to sharing the Gospel with other inmates? Do you tell yourself it’s just an act? Do you rejoice when you hear about someone’s life changing experience with Jesus?
If you remember in the book of Acts, Paul (called Saul at this point) was on his way to Damascus to round up Christians, take them back to Jerusalem, and have them beaten (even to death) as a warning to all other Christians about what will happen if you are a follower of Jesus. When the other disciples heard about Paul’s conversion to Christianity, some believed it was a trick to get close to them so he could have them arrested. But God used Barnabas to show the others that Paul was genuine in his new love for Christ.
Back to the story of the prodigal son, the brother who stayed home was upset that his father was rejoicing when his “bad” son returned home. After all, the “bad” son had wasted money on prostitutes. One brother was in the prison of rebellion, and the other brother was in the prison of resentment, bitterness, and non-forgiveness. Hurt, when held too long, turns to hate. We must release our hurt and forgive others as Jesus forgave.
Colossians 3:12-14
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
(postscript: The mother of Stacy Moskowitz, one of David’s victims, wrote him a letter after many years, telling the imprisoned killer that she had forgiven him for what he did. She would often tell people, ‘This kind of anger can make you sick. Don’t let anger eat you up’.)
