7 replies to this topic

[Kevin Blankenship]

Sisters and Brothers.......there are times, I will admit to you, when I just don't feel like wading through Scripture. There are times when Scripture has lost it's savour for me. Like right now. I am reading one of my volumes called "Tozer Speaks". It is not always Tozer. Sometimes it is one of E.M. Bounds books. I have others, as do most, if not all, of you.
But the BIBLE is the WORD OF GOD to you and me. It SHOULD.........be the most important book, in ones collection...barring none!!! I mean....the GOD....Creator of the Universe. Jesus is even called the LOGOS....or WORD. So the Bible is absolutely and without doubt.....God's Word. From Genesis....to The Revelation.
And here I am......admitting to you.....that there are times when I'd rather watch a documentary on how they make M&M's. I have noticed something about me. I tie up a heavy bundle for myself to carry. And then, I turn and walk off. I judge myself harshly and I give myself no quarter. And I have figured out why:
Because I think that I will really catch God's attention and convince Him that I am serious about this thing. I am missing the Eternal POINT!!!!!! What I am trying to do.....has already been done in Jesus!!!!! '
Jesus has already paid the penalty for all of my sins. I reckon, deep down, I just feel that I must go through some unpleasantness to be accepted by God. When all I really have to do is to believe that when Christ Jesus was going through all He went through 2100 yrs ago.....that I was in Him. Just exactly like I was in Adam, when he was naming the animals, and eating forbidden figs. I was in Adam when God passed sentence on Adam....so now, before Jesus became a part of my life, the judgement that Adam had passed on him, passed on to me too. I will die someday, for it is appointed unto man, once to die. I must earn my bread by the sweat of my brow.
But the Last Adam came 2100 yrs ago, or thereabouts. Now the Last Adam's benefits are not like the First Adam's curse. For I must BELIEVE in the Last Adam.....Jesus.....and my faith, (according to James) is dead unless my faith produces good works.
But the First Adam's curse....just fell on me. Whether I believe that there is a First Adam or whether I am a knucklehead who actually buys into the demonic doctrine of evolution. (that still kind of confuses me) but still, the Bible declares that Jesus is the Last Adam, and in HIM I died. So I am to reckon myself dead to sin. Now, why I said all of this is beyond me. But it is what I believe. Maybe someone new will log on tomorrow who doesn't really understand why faith in Christ is necessary to be saved from God's wrath. And I can only hope that I didn't further cloud the waters for him/her.
To my question: Do y'all ever go through these times when it is all you can do to crack a Bible open and attend to your Christian duty. I really think that my heart needs a good chisel plow turned loose on it. I mean, one that will get down and dig deep and plow up my old hard crusty heart. I FULLY concur with Jesus's assessment of the human heart because I witness my putrid hearts shenanigans every day although I don't act out on them. And I chop them off at first opportunity. I REALLY need for God to do a divine work of illumination in me. I mean......SERIOUSLY. I feel like I am running on my own steam....my own intuition and I KNOW that I will fall short. I was going to ask y'all what kind of Bible study helps you used!!!!! Look up at the Title of the thread!!!! I'm a real piece of work ain't I? lol I'd cry if I wasn't so blooming whacky. Oh.....and good night dear Sisters and Brothers. Isn't God so very graceful to allow the likes of me into the kingdom. I just wish I knew FOR SURE is God was looking down on me and (1) Frowning and shaking his head or (2) Looking down at me and loving me ANYWAY....or (3) Doesn't really care one way or the other since I wasn't predestined. (But I'm almost past that)

[Candice]

Kevin,
God's not looking down on you (as you write near the end); He is in you and your body is the temple of His Spirit! I know, as a child Roman Catholic, that image comes to me too. But, it's untrue...

More tomorrow Brother!

[radar]

Hi Kevin,

Of course we do! all of use experience dry times, times when we must press on thru in God's word against our own flesh. Look at David's psalms, we can all relate to his experiences. I believe that is why God inspired him to write these to be an encouragement to us. Just as Peter says do not be amazed at the fiery tests we are going thru, as our brothers and sisters in Christ are going thru the same troubles. I even have times where my mind is so distracted I have to put down my study, and go away for a while, coming back at a later time to finish. I used to feel guilty about not sticking to my routine. I believe that God uses this to teach me not to get stuck in a routine but remember my realtionship. I believe that God honors the fact that if you can't study at that particular time, rather than pressing on and reading for the sake of reading, that we come back when we are able to be still before the Lord and are able to read with knowledge and power.

[Candice]

Hi Kevin,
I really like this topic "Bible Study Helps". The very three words are really summed up in so many scripture verses, at least for me. Thus, a rather lengthy response to those three little words.
God did all of this for our benefit...His sacrifice for us, His resurrection and His intercession for us. His word is really for our benefit – every dot and tittle. I don’t always see this and need to appreciate it everyday.

There are believers all over the globe that, for lack of freedom or due to poverty, share one single page torn out of a bible with one another til someone shows up to give them another page or one of the villagers treks several miles to get another page! Seriously. We are blessed to have many copies of the bible, multiple versions and this forum. I am personally blessed to have these posts because, the fellowship and pondering on the word is part of it all.

There are special blessings for those who read scripture, even special blessing for reading Revelation!
I really considered this endeavor before responding. Phillippians 4:8:
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Paul went on in the next verse to say that we practice these things we have learned. We learn, in large part by the word of God.

Then, Hebrews chapter 1 came to me regarding rest, work, laboring to keep on the straight and narrow, yet knowing Christ sees it all and helps us accomplish it. This isn’t always my state of mind, heart and soul.
But, more, so much more is just ongoing and sanctifying us until the day we leave this spinning mud ball. While we are balancing on this ball, we have fleshly stuff to do, others to deal with and distractions to the max.

I share these particular verses of Hebrews 12. I split them out, non-sequentially, because I believe each has to really be read over and over and individually and dwelled on in prayer. Just what I believe that makes full measure of our need to be in the word.

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged 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."

And, then, I especially like the ensuing verses that seem to cinch it as far as going from why we read and study the word - to reality that God knows us to the core (every single creature and what it’s doing) - and that it takes Christ as High Priest to really do anything with our prayers (or lack thereof) - what really happens behind the scenes with Christ, so to speak.

Hebrews 4:13 "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."
Hebrews 4:14 "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession."
Hebrews 4:15 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin."
Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Then, going back to Hebrews 1:1 to 10:
4.1a "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his."
Can’t we just sit back and say “it is good. All is well”; not working or “digging for Jesus”
[Now I know that some of this has to do with Sabboth. NOTE THAT I WILL POST THIS AS A TOPIC because I do not believe that I personally take the Sabbath seriously as a commandment as you will read further on in this reply…]
4.1b Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].
4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
4:5 And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest.
4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, to day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.
4:11 "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."

OK, I am believing Heb. 1:12 as this to why [in part] we study and why BIBLE STUDY HELPS. We must rest in Him, but labor to do so. How oxymoronic. However, when I don’t read the word, HE convicts me in my Spirit and I simply rest, respond and serve as best I can. When I don’t get into the Word daily, it is always my distractions and often others’ demands which are normal part of living. But, I am often devoured and have learned that this is not worth it to me. We literally need to enter His rest and take that rest seriously. Not an option. But, rest in knowing that He knows us and we are not moved a bit positionally. Not always been easy for me to believe that.

I believe we "renew our minds" and clear our stinking thinking by being in the word as much as we can. That’s why Phillippians 4:8 applies to our renewing our minds by reading the word and allowing it to speak to us. How else can we replace and be filled on an ongoing basis? If I am in need to thinking on something worthy of praise, I’m hard-pressed to do find much in me or around me. So, it must be Christ and His word. We must have something as Paul writes to think upon when we are in work mode; even play mode. It must be practiced.

As far as how I study, the LORD keeps reminding me not to look at myself and my stinking thinking and natural, fleshly tendencies. As Major Ian Thomas, a GREAT Christian writer said, "Pig is Pig". We really can't change our natural tendencies in the flesh. Some days are just spent doin’ lots of stuff. As RADAR wrote, it really is just how it is.

I greatly enjoy bible study with ladies from Fall to Spring. Right now, I'm on Ezekial with Chuck Missler as my bible teacher, so even watching his videos or listening in the car helps me go through the bible when I am less motivated to go through it daily alone. I don't think we ought to think too highly of any teacher, but something about him makes me stay put. I don’t see him bearing bad fruit; at least not yet. I pray he never goes off the deep end or anything despite some of his controversial topics.

You will find what the LORD leads you to as you take notice.

I tend to be a "Doer", I'm from a "Doer" family. My father was first in his generation to be here in the US. My grandparents were Hungarian peasants who worked hard to survive on a daily basis. My father's favorite expression was "don't put off tomorrow what you can do today." and "today" meant "now". I put that into my son by immediate obedience. “Just do it!” I could have wrote that! I don't rest and sit around easily, don't watch TV but maybe 30 minutes a week! I am a "doer, doer, doer". This isn't the best disposition for sitting to just read scripture, but the LORD has just taught me and sometimes I am daily on it for a couple or few months at a time. Right now, I'm completely off schedule because of my hip surgery. It’s off to physical therapy. I’m off my crutches 2 ½ weeks early because I can’t “do” with them as I’d like. They are an encumbrance to my healing; hope the orthopedist sees my point on Wednesday!

Then, like today, I had to get some chores done first thing - because I'm a doer in my nature and have to get laundry started, make sure my son has eaten a nutritious breakfast and cleaned his bathroom/bedroom, all those things that had to take place in the morning since he works 32 hours a week in town which is 30 minutes' drive each way and times a wastin'. I have to do work on our business today which will take a few hours.

All of this doing now, in some level of maturity gained, has begun to bother me because I'd like to do my more usual first thing in the morning prayer and bible study. It is easier for me to let go and allow things to fall apart a bit.

We are not all Aiden Tozers who prayed for hours a day. He really, according to a biographer, did not spend time with his family and did not other "work". Hmm...I don't think most of us are put in his position to do that...

Two stories – analogies if you will….

Now, I was watering some plants outside and watching giant bumble bees and this reminded me of something the LORD showed me last summer. Seeing that the LORD just made these bees to do their work; their seemingly only reason to live. They are definitely "doers", but that is just how the LORD made them! It was really a way the LORD spoke to me...He really did just say "just do what you're created to do". I'm a doer. Period. So, I prayed for some folks while I watered and pulled some weeds (not supposed to be doin’ that with my hip!). Ridiculous in this frontier - I'm so addicted to gardening from living in California that I refuse to stop being a gardener, despite the fact that I'm the only one around for 10 square miles who would attempt this! All the millionaires just hire people to pop flowers in each year – who can do that? But, for me, gardening is a way I can keep doing and still pray and see the LORD's creation at work too. I notice bumble bees are slow in their labor in June. It's still cool and they're just slowly working, going from bloom to bloom, just pacing themselves. Then, July they quicken their pace because there are so many blooms. Then, in late-August, they're in a frenzy because they know - and God put that there - that their days are numbered as it will surely snow in September and the job they were designed to do is over. Over. Amazing.
We’re like that in that our “job” will be over here. We can just march time in season and out of season as God directs us. Just like those bees

Now, compare that to us. Men had to hunt for months to get food. This wasn't some eight hour job - it was big and their survival depended upon it. I'll bet DAVID did more praying on his feet in battle, running long distances on his horse, hiding in a cave, or searching for food than he did on his knees. He was communing all the time. He had to watch out for his sheep from wolves! So, he had to be on his toes at all times. He probably prayed watching!!

Next story…A few years ago, two deer were in our meadow on one side of the driveway and were a bit distracted with my dog and I outside doing something. It was just about dusk. Those deer suddenly ran for their lives - chased by a large mountain lion up our driveway and then to the meadow on the other side of the road. One deer lost its life and became a meal to the lion, while the other ran off and down into a draw. That was really a sickening sight to see. I felt like literally throwing up as the deer screamed and the lion just kept grabbing it's neck or shoulder – whever he could grab onto - every time it would look like it was going to get a way. That deer was DISTRACTED with me and my dog – not something it should have been caring about too much. It was really aweful, and I've been hunting, etc. The dumb deer. It wasn’t even the rut!

We also have constant threats to our lives in Christ too, but have to "do" all the time. Survive daily. So, can we keep doin? And keep watching? And, keep praying as we do and watch?

Think of David watching those sheep and leading them - doin' most of his time (I believe). And praying all the while.

Blessings
Candice

[elizabethcog]

God might not move but yes I sure do and not always in the right direction I will admit,but time and time again He draws me back to Himself,how He does this my little words cant say but He does nonetheless, I pray that I will always CHOOSE to hear him calling my name even when I am so lost and self serving,your choice is written in all your posts dear brother and that is to know Him more and be considered a fragrant aroma.....you smell fine to Jesus.love your sister in Christ=D

[Kevin Blankenship]

Sakes alive!!!! I just have to say: Y'all are the cream of the best part of the crop!!! I actually sit and read each reply giving it thought while reading. Each reply is special to me. No no no, I'm not being maudlin and sentimental here. I mean it! Y'all's words found their mark and a a peace....or rather...a Peace....has stole over me. Each reply was placed exactly right. As if God was speaking through His people.....to his people. Thanks you all....SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....much.
And Candice.....I'm a hunter, outdoorsman, etc. You story of the mountain lion just freaked me out!!!! We have bobcats around here, and they are TINY in comparison to your Cougars!!!!!!!! One of these days.....one of these days. When my job here at momma's house is done.......I am getting out of Savannah (no, not running from anything) and I plan on moving to the mountains somewhere. The GREAT DIVIDE!!!! That is where I want to go!!!!!! Everyone have a very very Blessed night and it is my fervent prayer that God's Spirit visits you tonight in some tangible way,......and I know that we are filled with His Spirit......but somehow....the Spirit can also vist us and manifest Himself to us. It's just crazy.....in a very holy and positive and intriguing way. Now tell me sisters and brothers.....aren't we in for a real treat???? I mean........HEAVEN!!!!!! Just think of it!!!!! The River of Life!!!!! (I bet it will have some trophy brook trout swimming in it!!! And rainbows!!!! Browns!!! Cutthroat!!!!! And I bet that it will be cold and good to drink. And all prepared for us by a Father Who loves us SO STUPENDOUSLY MUCH!!!!,....that He sacrificed Someone Who was very near and dear to Him.......just so that we humans would have a way of reconciliation made whereby we could be reunited with God, in spite of the horrid separation that the Fall caused. Jesus.....we just want You to know this......we love You. Deeply. Good night all.

[radar]

Kevin,
Your prayer got answered. I woke up at 3:30am and started praying. Then sometime after 4:00am started studying (don't usually do this until 9:30am. Finally at a little after 6:00am I read the great posts here from you, Candice (I love long posts ) and Elizabeth. Now for a little power nap before I hit the street missions later on today. Thank You Jesus for my new found brothers and sisters! I would pray that those in our local fellowship would be just as faithful as these on this forum.

[Kevin Blankenship]

Radar, I am continuing to pray your prayer request for a couple of days ago. I have been praying that God would send forth workers into the harvest field......and Radar, YOU are a direct answer to THAT prayer. I pray that ll of our lights can shine for Jesus Christ today. That He may become more, and we, less. Good morning all!!!!