Your view of God is the benchmark of your spiritual maturity

Luke 11:5-13

I often listen to oneplace.com on my way to and from work, the last few days I've been listening to Grace to You with John MacArthur - God’s Generous Response to Boldness in Prayer. He says "A mature believer who has been shaped by Scripture - and that’s the only way to be mature - understands the nature of God.  Your view of God is really the benchmark of your spiritual maturity.  Understanding the nature of God is critical to spiritual maturity because in the end you rest in the reality of your God."

He goes on, "Superficial knowledge of God, a shallow knowledge of God, a limited knowledge of God contributes to limited understanding and limited faith and limited trust." I found myself saying Amen and nodding a lot at his preaching which was so full of scripture, I had to sit down, listen again and write down the verses he quotes then I discovered gty.org had the whole transcripts listed already. I've included links to his sermons, notes and just wanted to gather the scriptures for myself. Hope you enjoy it as much I do.

MacArthur says, "God is sovereign and God is omnipotent.  He knows the plan and He has the power to work the plan.  He has perfect knowledge so there’s nothing to change the plan.  He doesn’t need us to give Him more information and He doesn’t react to circumstances." Here's the scriptures to back up such bold claims about the God's Character:
Luke 11:5-13,Job 42:2,Psalm 33:11, Proverbs 19:21 , Isaiah 14:24, 46:8-11,Acts 1:7,4:27-28
Our heavenly Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:5-13)
He can do anything, no one can stop God (Job 42:2)
His plans stand forever (Psalm 33:11, Proverbs 19:21, Isaiah 14:24)

• We have the testimony of Scripture, fulfillment of prophecies in Adam, Israel, Jesus and His Church (Isaiah 46:8-11, according to the scriptures)

Father God, alone has authority to set dates and times (Acts 1:7)

• The suffering of Jesus was determined beforehand according God's will (Acts 4:27-28, according to the scriptures)

http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/42-157/Pray-Boldly
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=bible%20verses%20fulfilled%20prophecy

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Trust God's precision scalpel

Too often I find myself coming to God in desperate prayer as a last resort. In my heart I know It's because I feel confident in my ability to get things done and the root of this attitude is pride (not the gracious hard working attitude from 1 Corinthians 15:10). Proverbs 16:18 famously states, "Pride comes before a fall". Earlier this year I attempted to host "Compassion Sunday" at my church and failed, they sent a detailed survey and as I answered the questions I realized it was my failure to ask God first for everything that needed to happen. It brought me back to the teaching I received in the BSF Leadership retreat this year in Milwaukee. To cure pride in my heart I need to humbly come to the Lord. I need to Trust God's scalpel in true repentance to him.

Christians have an ongoing struggle against sin that is frustrating

• Temptation has a cure: Jesus said in Matthew 26:41; Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. Could be important as it's also in Luke 22:46 and Mark 14:38 adds "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"
• FBI: Prayer should be Frequent, Brief and Intense (Pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5:16-18)
• Stop, Drop and Roll: Temptation can feel like a fire starting in our soul, when I was kid I was taught to memorize this in order to put the fire out. From a prayer perspective it's helpful reminder to Stop what your doing and pray (drop), then move (roll).

• Sin held back from God, deceives us: James 1:12-16 reminds us God doesn't temp us, rather we are tempted by our own desire, then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin and sin fully grown brings death. He ends this teaching with the warning, "Do not be deceived"
• The heart is deceitful and desperately sick, only Lord God can search and examine it accurately (Jeremiah 17:9-10).
• By faith we humbly ask God to heal us AND he saves us. Read Jeremiah 17:14 Notice he says, "if you heal me Lord, I will be truly healed, if you save me, I will be truly saved". That's the kind of "all in" faith that God requires, not an experimental, half-hearted faith (James 1:5-8). When we come to God we must believe he exists and rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:1,6).
• Stand against the devil but run from sexual temptation: I was listening to OnePlace.com yesterday and heart Jeff Schreve say regarding sexual immorality in the church, "we are to stand firm against the devil (James 4:7) and his schemes (Ephesians 6:11) but when it comes to sexual temptation we are the ones who must run (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).
• Ding Dong - Run Away! Genesis 39:7,12 tells us when your in a situation that you know is leading to sexual temptation, run away - even leaving behind your valuables, get out of there!
• We Stand firm to protect, defend and speak truth: The devil's schemes are to lie, steal and destroy to harm what God loves more than the heaven's and earth he created, mankind (John 10:10). Jesus came not to condemn the people but to save them (John 3:16-21).
• Grace is the Power to overcome sin: Romans 6:12-14 teaches us that we are not to let sin reign in our body, making us obey its passions. Instead of presenting ourselves to sin as tools of unrighteousness we should present ourselves to God as instruments for righteousness. Sin will have no dominion over you when you submit yourself under God's grace. Notice the "will have no dominion over you", shows the active responsible part you and I have to be active in Grace. Grace isn't about God doing everything for us, Grace is the unmerited favor of God in our lives "to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purposes" (Philippians 2:13)
• Romans 12:3 - By Grace, we know not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought but with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given us.
• John Bevere's book Relentless is all about making God's Grace abound in you, his preaching is awesome - see it here
• Ask help from others to Pray Graciously: To clear your conscience, that you can live honorably in everything you do. "Now may the God of Peace who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen. "(Hebrews 13:18-21)

Rend your heart not your garments (Joel 2:12-13)

• Return to God with all your heart: I love seeing this simple truth across the Bible, Deuteronomy 4:29, promises that while you are sinful, in a foreign land, you will worship idols made from wood and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.
• The Diagnosis: We are brokenhearted and need God to show us this truth we can't see without him (Proverbs 21:2; Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 34:18).
• Total Heart Replacement: What Jesus described in John 3:3, is what Ezekiel saw in Ezekiel 36:26 and what the Psalmist prayed for in Psalm 51:10. This is the begining of Jesus' teaching of the sermon on the mount or the beatitudes that even non-christians argue, saying "Jesus is a good teacher". In Matthew 5:8 Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
• Fasting, weeping and mourning: Our part in the process of repentance is to stop our routine to see what God wants to show us, this is the spiritual discipline of fasting. Jesus expects us to fast ("and when you fast...", Matthew 6:16-18).
• People haven't understood acceptable fasting: Isaiah 58:3-7 teaches that fasting that God wants is to loose the bonds of the wickedness, undo the straps of the yoke, let the oppressed go free and break every yoke. To share your bread with the hungry, bring homeless and poor into your house. To cover the naked people you see. When Jesus fasted he experienced Satanic opposition (after he was baptized and received the Holy Spirit), Matthew 4:4 shows that Jesus lived by "every word that comes from the mouth of God". Fasting is not about routine like the religious people did (Luke 18:12)
• Fasting is self-deprivation on behalf of others: Psalm 35:13, "they were sick, I afflicted myself", Acts 13:2-3,14:23 - Prayer and fasting to commit ministers and elders to the Lord, Ezra 8:21-23, Joel 1:14 to humble ourselves before our God, seek from him community needs, not from others. 1 Corinthians 9:27, to keep my body under control.
• Weeping and mourning is the fuel for good preaching: This gets the heart of 'why do we preach'. Jesus wept when Lazarous was dead so that the Jews would see how he loved him (John 11:35-26,1-44). Jesus approaching Jerusalem saw the city and wept over it (Luke 19:41). How often have you wept on your way to minister to others? Rend your heart!
• Know God's grace, compassion and loving-kindness
• The Gospel!: I love Titus, specifically Titus 2:11-3:15 God’s grace and mercy revealed in Jesus Christ is the basis of redeemed, changed lives where once bad people can now do good.
• Come near to God, he will come near to you: Do it with the purpose to purify your heart (James 4:8), do it right now, while He may be found, to forsake your wicked way - return to the Lord and he will have compassion on you - abundantly pardon you (Isaiah 55:6-7)
• Confidence in Jesus: Hebrews 4:15-16 basically says, Jesus totally 'gets us', so come to him for help in your time of need. Do it by the Holy Spirit, through faith in Him (Ephesians 2:18; 3:12), we experience the these truths when we simply come to him - we say confidently 'The Lord is my helper' (Hebrews 13:6).
• Be Honest: The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth (Psalm 145:18)

God’s word cuts us open and exposes our sin and encourages repentance (Heb 4:12)

• Personal response is required: years ago many people in the US would smoke cigarettes, then it was outlawed in public places because of the harmful effects on individuals and people around them. The government spent money on "quit smoking" advertising, one commercial showed a guy sitting in the living room with his daughter playing on the floor and while smoking he said, "I know it's bad for me" then another younger guy would say, "I'll quit, maybe". I was a smoker and I know it's hard to stop, while your a smoker. I've quit smoking several times for a day, a week, a few months, a year and finally I realized that if I have a single cigarette - it's back to square one again. So the point is, it's easier to be 100% committed than it is to have to make a new decision every day or every situation or moment. I'm not having a cigarette in any situation - not while golfing, or watching a sunset in the Caribbean or even if it's the end of the world. So make a decision and let it be 100%, go under the knife and let God perform the total heart replacement, get into God's word and join with other Christians who will come along side you. Do it right now, in Jesus Name.

Scripture sources and concepts: http://compassionsunday.com/, http://www.atgrace.com/
http://biblehub.com/proverbs/16-18.htm
https://www.bsfinternational.org/
http://www.openbible.info/topics/temptation
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/from-his-heart/listen/tolerating-sexual-immorality-535598.html
http://biblehub.com/philippians/2-13.htm
http://biblehub.com/jeremiah/17-9.htm
http://www.openbible.info/topics/faith
http://biblehub.com/joel/2-12.htm
http://www.openbible.info/topics/heart
http://www.openbible.info/topics/fasting
http://biblehub.com/john/11-35.htm
Throne of Grace: http://biblehub.com/hebrews/4-16.htm

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The story of everything; begins w/ Creation, ends w/ Eternity

A friend recently asked me, "what's the point of your Bible Study blog?", my answer is that someone told me about the Jesus Christ of the Bible and having experienced the promises of God come true in my life - I want the whole world to know.

"God said" appears 54 times in the Bible and the Bible itself claims to be inspired directly by God (2 Timothy 3:16; Deuteronomy 29:29; 2 Peter 1:20-21), furthermore it's purpose is for our instruction and hope (Romans 15:4)

"The central purpose of God's revelation in the Bible is to call all people into awareness of their sin, the availability of God's marvelous grace, and the need for repentance and faith that results in complete forgiveness and fellowship with God. All people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under the judgement of God. Those who call on the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness, believe in His resurrection and receive Him as their Savior are granted salvation, forgiveness of their sin and are regenerated by the Holy Spirit into a new life in Christ. This act of salvation is based solely on the grace and mercy of God, is not the result of human deeds or goodness." - Grace Church Eden Prairie

References:
http://biblehub.com/2_timothy/3-16.htm
http://www.atgrace.com/information/general/what-we-believe

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Rags to Riches, how the Holy Spirit changes us everyday

In the Bible, God’s inspired word uses clothing symbolically to show how spiritual transformation takes place in the life of born again believers. We cooperate with the Holy Spirit by intentional repentance (from sinful nature to God) and confession (admitting personal sins and asking for forgiveness). This is something we do daily, like changing our clothing, we put off the old and put on the new. Here’s a collection of what this looks like that I hope you’ll find encouraging and helpful…

 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. Matthew 25:36

A) God provides clothing for us
Genesis 3:21; God made clothing for Adam and Eve to cover their sin (first death - atonement for sin)
Job 27:16-17; Evil people store away mounds of clothing but the righteous will wear that clothing (Matthew 6:25,28; don't worry about what you'll wear)
Job 29:14; Put on righteousness as clothing; justice as a robe and turban

B) Lord God is "clothed" in righteousness, bringing justice and salvation for his own
Isaiah 59:17; The Lord put on righteousness as his armor, wore the helmet of salvation and clothed himself with robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion (to bring justice)
Isaiah 61:10; Overwhelming joy in the Lord God! He dressed me with clothing of salvation and a robe of righteousness
Isaiah 63:1-3 The Lord's clothing stained red, announcing your salvation - the Lord has power to save! (Revelation 19:13)

C) We can't keep our old clothes when given righteous clothes from God
Luke 5:36; Matthew 9:16; old and new clothes can't be put together
Matthew 12:18-21; God put his Spirit on Jesus Christ, who nations put their hope in

• And at his resurrection he gave the apostles authority of his Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:4)
• Acts 10:30; Angels appear in dreams as having bright clothing (Acts 10:34-48 - so that the gospel can be heard and Holy Spirit can fall upon those being called close to God)

D) Having been given the righteous clothing of God we continue in repentance like "washing our clothes" in confession and repentance as the Holy Spirit does his work of sanctification.
Romans 13:11-14; Salvation is near, remove dark deeds like dirty clothes, put on the shining armor of right living.. put on the Lord Jesus Christ, make no provision for the lusts of the flesh
1 Corinthians 15:53-54; We put on incorruptible and immortality, then death is swallowed up in victory
2 Corinthians 1:22; He put a seal of ownership on us, his Spirit in our hearts guaranteeing what is to come
2 Corinthians 5:2-4; We grow weary in our present bodies and long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing - not wanting to die but that our bodies will be swallowed up by life.
Galatians 3:27; United with Christ in baptism, putting on Christ like new clothes
Ephesians 4:24; Put on your new nature, created to be like God - truly righteous and holy
Ephesians 4:25; Therefore YOU MUST put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor as members of one body
Ephesians 6:11-17; Put on all of God's armor so you will be able to stand against all strategies of the devil
Colossians 3:5,9-10; Put to death evil desires, covetousness, idolatry and don't lie. Put off the old man and put on the new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
Colossians 3:12-14; Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, patience and put on love which binds them all together in unity
1 Thessalonians 2:5; We don't wear masks

E) We are disciples of Jesus Christ, living holy godly lives of faith, hope and love
1 Thessalonians 5:8; Put on faith and love as a breastplate (righteousness from Ephesians 6:14) and hope of salvation as a helmet (Isaiah 59:17)
1 Timothy 6:6-8; True godliness with contentment is true riches, we brought nothing to this world and can't take it with us when we leave - so having food and clothing is contentment.
Hebrews 10:16; God puts his laws in our hearts and writes them on our minds
James 2:2; Outward clothing has no value
1 John 3:2; We will be like Christ (so we will have to change)
1 Corinthians 13:13 faith, hope and love
Colossians 3:14; and over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

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Holiday Hermeneutic - Jesus the reason for the season

A few years ago I put together a little custom Bible track I called Holiday Homiletic for Christmas, inside was a table containing a summary, verse reference and then the verse written out.  On the back it said "Jesus is the reason for the season" with a candy cane "J". This Bible track was to help me meditate on key scriptures I could use to tell the people what's going on in the Christmas story on a deeper level than the facts we typically talk about (Mary, Joseph, a manger, shepherds, angels, a bright star and wise men with gifts). I later put these scriptures in a frame and gave them to my foster grand-mother Judy Lewis, as a parting gift in remembrance of all the wonderful conversations we had about our Lord Jesus.

Here's the content:

Summary	Reference	Verse
He became like us	Hebrews 2:14-17	For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest
Though he is unlike us	Hebrews 4:15	For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
To reconcile us to God	2 Corinthians 5:11-21	All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.
Through Faith and Love	Romans 10:17; 1 John 4:10	Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
We have Eternal life with God	John 3:16-21, 33-36	Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

Hebrews 2:14-17;4:15;2 Corinthians 5:11-21; Romans 10:17; 1 John 4:10;John 3:16-21,33-36

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