Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Wednesday in the Word

We had a wonderful Wednesday in the Word on today! The day started off with the weekly ministers breakfast. This was especially difficult for me today as I am engaged in a 40 day fast. Thank God, I was able to endure!

Our Sunday School lesson was really exciting today. The lesson was taken from Philippians 3:17 - 4:9, entitled, Joy in the Community. This was a very helpful lesson as Paul demonstrates several elements to help us maintain joy in the Christian Community. He first lets us know to follow Godly examples of Christian living. Paul wanted them to imitate him. He did not mean that they should imitate every single area of his life, for he had just stated that he was not perfect. But in the matter of relentlessly pursuing after Christ likeness, he did set himself up as an example. Many times when we imitate others, we pick up the bad traits and leave the good ones behind. Paul told the church at Corinth, "Follow me as I follow Christ".

Paul then goes on to talk about the characteristics of the enemies of the Cross of Christ. There were those in the church that tried to add the works of the Law as a requirement of salvation. If keeping the Law was able to save, then Jesus Christ's death on Calvary's cross was the biggest mistake in human history!

This lesson ends with one of my favorite passages in Scripture. It teaches to worry about nothing, but to pray about everything. When we do this, the peace of God, will transcend our understanding!! I get joy out of this because our understanding leads to depression, sickness, worry, confusion, and hopelessness, but God's peace literally rises above our understanding and then guards our head and our heart so we don't mess up with our hands! Finally, it gives us the things that ought to occupy our minds. I believe that many people in the body think about the wrong things and as a result they live beneath what God has intended.

Our Bible Study was very thought provoking on today. We continued our series in Romans. Today we looked at Romans 2:12-16, from the thought "How God handles hypocrites". He judges the actor (hypocrite) according to 3 divine standards: truth, deeds, and the gospel. Today we looked at the last of these 3. One verse that really stuck out was V. 13. This verse tells us that the doers of the law will be justified and not just the hearers only. James tell us this same truth in his epistle.

Many church goers believe that because they sit in the church, they are secure with Christ. This is no more true than going in the garage makes you a car! I likened this to a person being ill, going to the doctor, getting the prescription, getting it filled, going home, sitting the medicine on the dresser, and then going on to complain about their condition. The medicine wont have any affect on you until it gets inside. The same is true with the Word of God. Many people know the Word of God, but how many know the God of the Word?

God Bless and as always keep us in your prayers!

5 comments:

HALLELUJAH said...

Pastor Whiterspoon

Sounds like you keep hitting grandslams over there BBC, a few of them balls landed over here at GSJ.

Pastor McGhee

Is hitting grandslams too, a few of them balls were hit in your direction, they came from the Book of Romans.

I will see you in the next inning.

GOD Bless~~~

Fitts said...

Doc Spoon, your Bible studies, reflect that you are a man committed to expository preaching. While most preachers reserve Sunday's for there exposition, you are committed when ever you break bread.

I admire your commitment to exposing God's truth to God's people.

Keep up the good work,

DeAntwan

Rev. Barney said...

Stay at the Wheel Pastor. What I really love about the Sunday lesson is the joy factor. After all I have been through, I still have JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pastor Lance A. Mann said...

Spoon, again you have shown us what sold biblical exposition really is. I am confident in the fact that the more faithful you are in exposing the riches of the Gospel to BBC, the more God will keep blessing both you and the church. Great and I mean great bible study boy.

Lance

Pastor Rev. Ray E. Owens said...

I hope BBC appreciates what they have in you as a pastor/teacher. Your ability to make the Word of God so available to application is amazing and I am glad to know you as a preacher, pastor and friend.