I've been spending the last two weeks with my brother's family. I was going on a walk with my one year old niece and my sister. My niece started walking happily towards the road as a car was coming by. I called out to her, but she didn't turn around. Since I have a broken foot, I couldn't get her. My sister knows she is a stubborn baby and as she was getting a little too close to the car, she ran to pick her up. My niece was not so happy as she was taken from what seemed so exciting, but it was the best thing for her.
Psalm 23 talks about God as our shepherd. He guides us to things that are good for us, even when the way to get there is not easy. He daily shows us his love and comfort. He knows us completely and knows what is best for us, even when we don't. He has incredible plans for our lives that we cannot even imagine. He is completely powerful and able to make his plan happen, even when we are walking the other way.
Bible Study ECA
Friday, June 15, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Jehovah Ra'ah- The Lord is my shepherd
Read Psalm 23:1-3
What does verse 1 describe the Lord as?
Where does the Lord lead us?
What is our job as the sheep?
Read Psalm 23:4
What kind of path do we sometimes have to go through to get to where God is leading us to?
Read Psalm 23:6
What is the result if we follow the shepherd's leading?
Read Psalm 147:5
What are two characteristics of God?
Why would these be important for our shepherd to have?
Read Psalm 139:13-16 and Matthew 6:8
How well does God know you?
Why is it important for the shepherd to know his sheep?
What does verse 1 describe the Lord as?
Where does the Lord lead us?
What is our job as the sheep?
Read Psalm 23:4
What kind of path do we sometimes have to go through to get to where God is leading us to?
Read Psalm 23:6
What is the result if we follow the shepherd's leading?
Read Psalm 147:5
What are two characteristics of God?
Why would these be important for our shepherd to have?
Read Psalm 139:13-16 and Matthew 6:8
How well does God know you?
Why is it important for the shepherd to know his sheep?
Thursday, June 7, 2012
God Doesn't Check Out!
Have you ever been sitting in class, but not really “there?” Your body is there but your mind is
wandering, thinking about what you want to play for recess, or what you’re
going to do after school? We sometimes
are present without really being present.
But the Bible teaches us that God is not like us. God is not only everywhere all the time: he
is present and paying attention.
In the verses from Exodus, God saw the misery of the people,
and He acted. He sent Moses, but He also
went WITH Moses.
In John 6 Jesus wasn’t just there, He was present. He saw that the people were hungry and needed
food. He was involved in the situation
and gave them the food they needed. When
He came across the blind man later on, He was involved. He saw that the blind man needed to see, and
He gave him sight.
God is present AND present.
He is everywhere all the time, but He isn’t just there. He is involved and working. Proverbs 15:3 says that “The eyes of the Lord
are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” God is watching you.
Psalm 46:1 says “God is our refuge and strength, an
ever-present help in trouble.” God is
always there to help you, providing you a safe place and His strength to
overcome the problems and trials in your life.
Isn’t it great to know that God doesn’t check out? He is always there. The Ever Present God. And He wants a relationship with YOU!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
The God Who is Always There: Jehovah Shammah
Read Proverbs 15:3
Where are the eyes of the Lord?
Read Exodus 3:7-15
What had God seen? (vs 7)
What did God do because of what he saw? (vs 8)
What name did God tell Moses to use? (vs 14)
Read John 6:1-13
What did the people need?
What did Jesus do about it?
How does this show that God is always there?
Read John 9:1-11
What did the man need?
What did Jesus do about it?
How does this show that God is always there?
Read Ezekiel 48:35
What was the name of the city?
Read Proverbs 15:3
Where are the eyes of the Lord?
Read Exodus 3:7-15
What had God seen? (vs 7)
What did God do because of what he saw? (vs 8)
What name did God tell Moses to use? (vs 14)
Read John 6:1-13
What did the people need?
What did Jesus do about it?
How does this show that God is always there?
Read John 9:1-11
What did the man need?
What did Jesus do about it?
How does this show that God is always there?
Read Ezekiel 48:35
What was the name of the city?
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Thoughts on James 5:7-20
James is finishing his letter and wants to remind us of one two very important things: patience and prayer.
Patience
On my way home today, the taxi driver was talking to me. He said that no matter how well a taxi driver can drive, if he gets impatient with other drivers, he loses all his skill. I was thinking about how teaching is the same way. If I as a teacher lose my patience, I make unwise decisions. I think this is true in whatever we do.
This is why I think James writes about how important patience is in the end of his letter. James writes that just like a farmer, we will receive a reward when we are patient. The difference is that our reward is so much greater than any prize we could think of. I was just watching this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdUGoFTfP7w&feature=related. It is a boy and his parents talking about when he got really sick and almost died. He went to heaven and then, because of his dad's prayers was sent back to earth. In the movie, the boy says "I learned that heaven is real, and you're going to like it." I don't know about you, but I am really excited to go to heaven! Now I just need to be patient and work to get more people to come with us to heaven.
When I get impatient, for something, I tend to get angry at other people, even if it is not their fault. James tells us to be careful not to fight with others. He says the judge is standing at the door. This reminds me of being a kid and not wanting to get in trouble when my parents were around, so when I fought with my sister it was usual when my parents were not around. God is around us all the time, and he will judge us if we are angry with those around us.
James tells us to look at the prophets from the Old Testament as examples of patience. Job was a man who served God with all his heart. Satan said he only did this because God gave him good things, so he asked God if he could test Job. Satan destroyed Job's fields and home, killed his family, and gave him a painful skin disease. Job just kept worshiping and serving God. In the end God rewarded Job with much more than he had in the beginning. James uses Job as a great example of patience.
Prayer
James gives lots of examples of when we should pray and talk to God. God always wants to hear from us, no matter what we are going through. He wants to be our closest friend and know all our thoughts and feelings.
Then, James boldly says that anything we pray and believe will happen, will actually happen. If we have confessed our sins and told God that we want to change and be like Him, he makes us righteous. "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Once we have been made righteous, we can ask God anything and he will answer us, because if we are really trying to be like God, we will ask for things God wants.
Patience
On my way home today, the taxi driver was talking to me. He said that no matter how well a taxi driver can drive, if he gets impatient with other drivers, he loses all his skill. I was thinking about how teaching is the same way. If I as a teacher lose my patience, I make unwise decisions. I think this is true in whatever we do.
This is why I think James writes about how important patience is in the end of his letter. James writes that just like a farmer, we will receive a reward when we are patient. The difference is that our reward is so much greater than any prize we could think of. I was just watching this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdUGoFTfP7w&feature=related. It is a boy and his parents talking about when he got really sick and almost died. He went to heaven and then, because of his dad's prayers was sent back to earth. In the movie, the boy says "I learned that heaven is real, and you're going to like it." I don't know about you, but I am really excited to go to heaven! Now I just need to be patient and work to get more people to come with us to heaven.
When I get impatient, for something, I tend to get angry at other people, even if it is not their fault. James tells us to be careful not to fight with others. He says the judge is standing at the door. This reminds me of being a kid and not wanting to get in trouble when my parents were around, so when I fought with my sister it was usual when my parents were not around. God is around us all the time, and he will judge us if we are angry with those around us.
James tells us to look at the prophets from the Old Testament as examples of patience. Job was a man who served God with all his heart. Satan said he only did this because God gave him good things, so he asked God if he could test Job. Satan destroyed Job's fields and home, killed his family, and gave him a painful skin disease. Job just kept worshiping and serving God. In the end God rewarded Job with much more than he had in the beginning. James uses Job as a great example of patience.
Prayer
James gives lots of examples of when we should pray and talk to God. God always wants to hear from us, no matter what we are going through. He wants to be our closest friend and know all our thoughts and feelings.
Then, James boldly says that anything we pray and believe will happen, will actually happen. If we have confessed our sins and told God that we want to change and be like Him, he makes us righteous. "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Once we have been made righteous, we can ask God anything and he will answer us, because if we are really trying to be like God, we will ask for things God wants.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
James 5
In our bible study at school, we read through most of James, but didn't quite finish it. This week we are going to finish the last chapter of James.
Read James 5:7-20
vs 7-8
What is James reminding the people of God to do?
Why do you think he would he compare patient people to farmers?
vs 9
In verse 9, who is the judge?
What does it mean when it says he is standing at the door?
Why should that make us stop grumbling about each other?
What does it mean to grumble about each other?
vs 10-11
Who should we look at as examples of patience?
How does God treat those who are patient, even in hard times?
vs 12
Why should we not take an oath (make promises)?
vs 13- 18
In verses 15 and 16, what does James say will happen when we pray with faith?
When you pray, do you really believe that God will answer your prayers?
vs 19-20
What do you think verses 19-20 talking about?
Read James 5:7-20
vs 7-8
What is James reminding the people of God to do?
Why do you think he would he compare patient people to farmers?
vs 9
In verse 9, who is the judge?
What does it mean when it says he is standing at the door?
Why should that make us stop grumbling about each other?
What does it mean to grumble about each other?
vs 10-11
Who should we look at as examples of patience?
How does God treat those who are patient, even in hard times?
vs 12
Why should we not take an oath (make promises)?
vs 13- 18
In verses 15 and 16, what does James say will happen when we pray with faith?
When you pray, do you really believe that God will answer your prayers?
vs 19-20
What do you think verses 19-20 talking about?
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Where the name came from
Where does the title of this blog, "Walking in the Truth" come from?
In 3 John 1, John is writing to another Christian named Gaius. John had heard that Gaius was being faithful to God's word. Gaius was showing love, even to strangers! Therefore, John said in verse 4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." John was so happy to hear about the way that Gaius was living and showing his faith by his actions. How awesome it would be to be like Gaius, who showed God's love in such great ways that people just had to tell others about him.
Questions to think about:
1. What does it mean to walk in the truth?
2. How can I live like Gaius?
3. Who is someone I know that lives in a way that shows God's love to other people? If you think of someone, I encourage you to tell them. This will be very encouraging to them.
In 3 John 1, John is writing to another Christian named Gaius. John had heard that Gaius was being faithful to God's word. Gaius was showing love, even to strangers! Therefore, John said in verse 4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." John was so happy to hear about the way that Gaius was living and showing his faith by his actions. How awesome it would be to be like Gaius, who showed God's love in such great ways that people just had to tell others about him.
Questions to think about:
1. What does it mean to walk in the truth?
2. How can I live like Gaius?
3. Who is someone I know that lives in a way that shows God's love to other people? If you think of someone, I encourage you to tell them. This will be very encouraging to them.
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