How a Misfit Like Me Fits In (Letters to My Father - August 28, 2017)

Dear Father,

This world is both confusing and confused. The complexity of human-generated problems in the world is beyond my comprehension.

Much of what the world praises doesn't make sense to me anymore. At one time it did because I didn't think much on it. Now, it amazes me how upside-down our priorities can be.

What am I to do? 

Conformity is not my specialty if I don't understand why and agree with the reasons. You've given me so many reasons and validation for believing in You.

Yet, I've wasted so much time trying to fit in to this world, teetering between feeling like a misfit and trying to conform to the patterns of this world, which are simultaneously particular and peculiar.

There is no fitting in. 

There is no place for me here. I am no longer of the world. Rather, my goal is to stop being conformed to the patterns of this world and be transformed by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:2*).

Of course I'm a misfit! 

I'm a sojourner in this world. But, my sojourn is not a vacation where I lie in a hammock in the tropical sun sipping piña coladas to my heart's desire. It's more like a tour of duty overseas where I risk getting my heart ripped out.

Am I giving up? Not at all!

Quite the opposite, in fact. I consider Your rewards in Christ, Father, for example, there's joy, peace, love, and freedom - and all for eternity, versus the temporary satisfaction and pleasures of the world.

At the very least, there's striving to reduce the painful experiences of poverty, ill health, suffering, and loss. There's a time for everything under the sun, including fun and pain. Yet, all is vanity and striving after the wind if I simply try to fit it all in before I die.

I'd rather take at least some time to store up treasure in heaven...

I'd rather search Your word for the unsearchable riches that are in Christ (Eph 3:8). I'd rather know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge and filled with Your fullness (Eph 3:19). I'd rather learn from You who can do exceedingly abundantly more than I can ask or think (Eph 3:20).**

I'd rather discover Your secret and hidden wisdom that was destined for my glory before time began (1 Cor 2:6-10).***

What a perfect fit!

Love,
Dwight
Aug 28, 2017

* Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)

** To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, (Ephesians 3:8)

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:19)

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, (Ephesians 3:20)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3&version=ESV 

*** Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"-- these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. (1 Cor 2:6-10 ESV)

This Marvelous Journey into God's Hand and Heart (Letters to My Father - January 21, 2017)

Dear Father (Jan 21, 2017),

Yes! Absolutely I love You. You know I love You. But, what I need to emphasize in my writing is why. I learned to love You by learning the truth from Your word by Your Spirit.

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17 ESV)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13 ESV)

I may have been saved and born again many years ago. But, I didn't understand from Scripture just how thorough and consistent is Your message of Your amazing grace. I didn't fully appreciate just how rock solid is the assurance of my salvation from Your word.

But, now that I do, the blessings of that knowledge are my responsibility. They are also a tremendous privilege. You know I've spent years and hours studying these things and other doctrines. It took a long time to undo the assumptions I previously held tightly.

But, I sought You and You rewarded me. I have been blessed with a wonderful pastor/teacher, used by the Spirit to guide me into all truth, even the deep things of God. Now it's time to share what I've learned. This is the real essence of my blog title, Revelations For Life.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b)

[It's as if God is telling me...] Do not be afraid to teach, go deep, and stay off the surface. Seek to exhaust doctrinal topics, such as salvation by grace. Ask the questions I had and answer them directly. Let my yes be yes and my no be no. Illuminate the coherency of God's perspective of humanity's problem and its condition with God's solution, desire, and eternal plan.

[Back to addressing my Father...] Let everyone who asks know the reason for the hope that is in me. May I answer with all gentleness and patience, compassion, clarity, enthusiasm, and boldness. If I have gained any insight from Your word of truth, Father, grant me the courage to declare it boldly and make it plain to everyone.

You know I love You, Father. Now I desire to let the world know why. May they also know the abundance of joy and peace that comes from knowing You, not as the world gives, but as You give.

All my love,
Dwight
(w/ minor edits)

Dear Reader,

I had tons of questions about being Christian both before and after I was saved. The phrase I just uttered, "I was saved," was loaded with questions.

• Saved? Saved from what?
• Why do I need to be saved?
• How can I be saved?
• What does it mean to be saved?
• What does it mean to "work out your salvation?"
• Is salvation the same or different from being born again?
• Who can be saved?
• What of my sins before I'm saved?
• What of my sins after I'm saved?
• Does salvation have any prerequisites?
• Was salvation always available?
• How does salvation differ in the OT versus the NT?
• Is salvation permanent or temporary?
• Can my salvation be lost? If so, how? If not, why not?
• When can I consider it done?
• How can I be sure I'm saved?
• What is not salvation?
• What does 'salvation by grace' mean?
• Is there anything keeping me, or anyone else for that matter, from being saved?
• Were only certain people chosen to be saved?
• What about infants and those with cognitive challenges who can't comprehend the gospel?
• Who will not be saved? Yikes! Why not?
• Is there an unpardonable sin? What is it? Have I committed it?

Those questions are just a small sample of the ones I studied in His word. This is only the doctrine of salvation. I tried to address one common assumption in my post, "Can a person's lifestyle condemn them?" But, there are many other doctrines. In all of them I wanted to understand these things from His perspective. I didn't want to grab something just because it sounded good and holy. I was hungry and thirsty for the Bread from Heaven and the Living Water only He could provide, no matter how good the filet mignon and Maine lobster tail sounded on an empty stomach. I had a soul to feed.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 

(2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 

(2 Timothy 2:15 ESV)

I learned to delight in Him as He provided answers, and that made me want to learn more. Surely, he gave gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers. But, I would still question what others taught to see if it was true. The title alone was not enough.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who [diligently (KJV)] seek him. 

(Hebrews 11:6 ESV)

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 

(Ephesians 4:11-14 ESV)

I frequently checked myself by examining my motives and asking, "Why do I believe what I believe?" Was I simply following what sounded good from someone who seemed like an authority on the matter? After all, they studied it for years, went to seminaries, had Masters and Doctorate degrees. (And yet, there's no shortage of authorities who disagree.) Or maybe they were among the poor and serving the suffering with profound compassion. Maybe they were popular on TV or the Internet and in books and appealed to the masses. Could they all be wrong?

Or did I confirm what was being said by reading and studying the Scriptures myself, and seeing if His Spirit was testifying with my spirit that these things were so? You may be familiar with some of my other posts about "Why Scripture?" and "Scripture Q&A." (If not, please check those out.) Those lessons were a large part of my starting point. Let this moment be another point at which I do my best to teach what I know for anyone who is asking or seeking.

Please! By all means, do not settle for popular opinion or the status quo. Neither is a school of thought correct merely because it is narrow path. Verify everything in God's word.

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 

(Acts 17:11 ESV)

The truth is not popular. You might think it would be. But not God's truth. Not only do people want to inject their own positive human goodness into it, which is not necessarily God's perspective. But, the enemy of God also wants to distort this information and is very good at it. That's partly why we have so many denominations, yet little unity. (See the reference from Ephesians 4 above.)

Tradition also, no matter how solid or how long, is not an indication of truthfulness. It might feel good because it's familiar, or look divine because it's been going on forever. But, God's word breaks through traditions to give a much deeper meaning to being Christian.

Be humble and open to what God has to say in His word, and do not go beyond what is written. Everything He wants us to know has already been written in the Scriptures. There's no need to go outside the Bible for additional information, as if He left out some critical piece or clue to a puzzle. Rather, some outside information may be useful in helping us understand Scriptures, this blog included. But any outside information should be tested by the word of God, including this blog.

Lastly, as you assimilate the word of God and His thoughts and heart into your own mind and heart, you will be able to discern what is His will, and recognize what is not. This is not to puff us up in anyway. Rather, we should have the same attitude as that of Christ Himself: humility.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

(Philippians 2:5-8 ESV)

All that being said, I will continue on to my next set of lessons, a series which I will call "Salvation 101." Please join me on this marvelous journey into God's hand and heart.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 

(John 10:27-29 ESV)

In Christ,
Dwight

PS - I use a Bible program called e-Sword available from www.e-sword.net from which to read, study, and quote Scripture. While I sometimes need to understand the Greek and Hebrew words of the original texts (dictionaries also available in e-Sword), the English Standard Version (ESV) is one I found to be a decent translation to understand the thought God is expressing. ESV copyright says I can quote from it, just so long as I note its origin when giving the verse. Note also, I may have underlined part of a verse for emphasis, but generally I intend to emphasize the whole passage.

We need to remember it's about understanding God's thoughts on His terms. Is the correct translation in John 14:23, for example, obey or keep? What's the difference? We cannot automatically assume we know. What if the thought, upheld by the definition of the Greek word being translated, means "to guard" or "to protect." The thought is then different than simply doing what you're told to do. We should seek to understand the context, the thought being expressed, and perhaps visit a Greek dictionary to make critical distinctions. Remember, He is trying to tell us something that we have not thought to ask. We are carnal; He is spiritual. It's information we couldn't even imagine.

I also refer to the KJV, NKJV, NIV, and NASB on occasion. I feel the ESV and NIV in comparison, along with some Greek dictionaries, best accomplish this, understanding His thoughts, trying to be as literal as is readable. I tend to avoid translations that have taken the liberty of injecting their own thoughts into the text, such as MSG, NLT, TLB, and CEV. I feel they often dilute or miss the significance of what is being communicated. I am very careful about the dictionaries, concordances, and commentaries I use. Again, the emphasis is on understanding God's thoughts. I do not entertain books celebrated by certain denominations as being equivalent or more important than the Bible, nor do I consider and church denominations to be on equal footing or greater than the authority of God.

Last Year's Christmas Message (2015)

Here's an unusual post for you: genuine sermon outline notes from the church I attend remotely by conference call, Word is Truth Christian Church. I hope the notes and Scripture references give you a small taste of what the message was all about, and a small taste of the goodness of God.

Enjoy!

"Word is truth" comes from John 17:17 which says, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." We took a break from our usual study of Titus for this special, seasonal message.

Please reply or leave a comment if you would like a link to the recorded sermon, if you have any questions or comments about the message, or if you'd like more information about participating in this weekly conference. 

The church is a virtual assembling of the saints with the purpose of learning the deep thoughts of God headed by Pastor Doug Presley. Messages are available on Dropbox upon request. Doug Presley says, "follow me as I follow Christ," on Twitter as @charislife. 

Thought of the Week

For this reason I kneel before the Father, (Ephesians 3:14)

One point to make is about Paul’s attitude before the Father in prayer.  Even though he has a ranking position in the Church [as an Apostle], notice he kneels before the Father.  Kneeling is not just posture; it is an attitude of humility.  It is an attitude which gives open recognition and respect for our eternal God and Father.  It says we are creatures from His hand and we have an abiding appreciation and admiration of His majesty.  It further says we willingly submit in total humility to this One who is all wise and powerful.  

Kneeling speaks more of our humility than it does posture.  It says we know His plan and willingly present ourselves before His wisdom to use us as He sees fit.  It is to abandon our agenda and place ourselves in the loving hands of the Father, willing and ready to act according to His will.  We are not to give ourselves to anyone or anything like this in this world.  We are not to bow to earthly rulers or angels because this type of worship and surrender belong only to the Father.  We are free to have this attitude anytime we approach God, whether kneeling or sitting, whether walking or driving in a car.  We can approach the Father with the reverence and honor He deserves. 

Sunday (12/27/2015)

(Luke 1:37) For with God nothing will be impossible.

Faith is our eyes to see God.  Of course, you know that God is invisible to the world generally speaking.  There have been some exceptions where God has chosen to make an appearance in the world.  Imagine that, there is physical, tangible evidence that God does indeed exist, and more than that, He wants us to know Him!  This Christmas season, stop and breathe in the wonder of almighty God visiting us in such a personal way.  “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). 

1.     For with God…

a.     Learn to consider God!

b.     Consider Him broadly (creation’s designer and planner)

c.     Consider Him personally (the babe in the manger, Heb 10:5; John 1:14)

d.     Consider Him intimately (We are made in Him image, not everything is, Gen 1:26, 27; Rom 8:16, 17; Gal 4:4-6)

e.     God is more real than we are, after all, we did not create Him, but He created us! (Psalm 100:3; Isa 42:5)

2.     nothing will be impossible

a.     We live in a miraculous world, don’t lose the marvel of life by looking past God.  Thank you for allowing me to BE and be here

b.     The miraculous is common to God, (the wizard of OZ analogy)

c.     The Christmas story is filled with impossibilities—BUT with GOD…nothing!

d.     We live in the atmosphere of God’s capabilities (all the time!), “and in Him all things consist.” (Col 1:17)

e.     Faith not only sees God, but it the recognition of HIM as the eternal cause 

f.      A great verse which expresses the desire of God (1Cor 13:12)

3.     Learn to respect what God has done

a.     Mary’s perfect response: "May your word to me be fulfilled."

b.     Merry Christmas!  Yet another opportunity to celebrate God, don’t miss it!

c.     Another way to honor God on Christmas, see Him AND His eternal plan

Is This Biblical?

Ask, and it will be given to you. Andre asked, I responded.

(Disclaimer: although I appreciate the quote from George Muller, I disagree with his conclusions found in Wikipedia. Not that its the best resource, but I didn't know who this guy was.)

A social media post...

Andre
There many wise theologians and students of the Bible. A) is this Biblical? If so, what would it look like? B) What does the Bible mean that we should die to ourselves?

Comments

Dwight
To answer your questions, Andre, A) absolutely this is Biblical, as phrases in his quote are almost exact verses from Scripture, and B) to "die to self" means is very much what George said, which is to quit living for yourself.

But, this is only half the teaching in Scripture. The other half, the better half, is to "live to God." It's equally important to understand what that means, otherwise we'll be in danger of trying to become righteous by modifying our behavior.

Salvation is not about behavior modification, nor is it merely an emotional response. It's not about sacrifice, it's about humility. It's not about becoming righteous, it's about taking on His righteousness and growing in grace.

"It is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one can boast." (Eph 2:8-9) Now that you're saved, grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. It's not about your plans for success, or about worldly roles. It is about His will for your eternal life (John 17:3) and confirming to the image of His Son.

Jesus died for a miraculous reason, only part of it was for your salvation. The other part is the second half of 1 Tim 2:4 which says, "[God] who desires all people to be saved (first desire) and to come to the full knowledge of the truth (second desire)."

Here are a few Scripture references for George's quote: John 14:20; Col 3:1-3; 2 Cor 5:14-15, 17; Romans 6:7-8, 11; 2 Tim 2:15). However, I do not agree with His conclusions. Once he discovered that God had a plan for church-age believers, he failed to elaborate on that plan; what is the mystery, the secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before for the ages for our glory.

Dwight, a serious student of the Bible

Andre
Dwight, I am very grateful for your helpful explanation. But where does enjoying what God created and is lawful come in? Like giving us a huge variety of delicious food to eat, having a great beer, sexual intimacy with your wife?

Andre
What I mean is, dying to self means not caring about yourself?

Andre
I will embark on a study based on your post. Thank you for taking the time!

Dwight
Excellent questions, Andre. That's why you can't do one without the other. You must have the living part to even be motivated for the dying part. Dying is not fun. But, as the saying goes, some things are worth dying for, yet not literally!

Since you brought it up, let's use the marriage and intimacy analogy. I love it! Would you agree there are phases of you getting to know your wife and being closer to her, and she to you? Of course! But, it didn't start out that way, did it?

There was probably a time you didn't know her well at all, or at least not as well as you thought. You may have dated other girls beforehand. But they became less interesting to you as you got to know your future wife better. Eventually, you knew her, and cared for her, well enough to decide to commit to an exclusive relationship with her.

The wedding ceremony is kind of like baptism; it's an outward sign and celebration of this inward commitment you already felt in your heart. You were a little nervous, perhaps, and knew you didn't know all that the future held you two.

What you felt in your heart can be likened to salvation. That's the part where you believed in God's solution to condemnation and trusted in the righteous work of His Son. Likewise, you believed in your wife before the wedding, more likely the engagement. The wedding, the baptism, was what made the belief, the engagement, magical event, and a sheer delight.

Around this time, you may have acknowledged other women as beautiful and attractive. But you knew this one was special. You had wonderful hope for your future together. You trusted she was worth exploring. To trust, you had to be a bit humble. Through humility, intimacy could grow between the two of you. You may have had second or third doubts about your decision and commitment, but you stuck with it. You may have been tempted with an emotional affair, but you come back to your wife, recommitted, having faith, humble, trusting.

Sanctification with God is like that. Salvation, like the wedding, is behind you. You didn't have to know everything to be saved, just like you didn't have to know everything about your wife to get married. Your wedding is in the past, just as your salvation is in the past. God is now 100% responsible for your soul. You can rest and be assured in that. You don't continue to become saved, you are already saved.

In the same way, you don't live with your wife trying to relive the wedding over and over. Sure, you want to keep the relationship magical. But, over the years, magic is produced in different ways, more meaningful ways, ways others probably wouldn't understand.

It's only gotten better. You've experienced profound things together, laughter, adventure, boredom, arguments, making up. You've discovered each other's vulnerability, grew in deeper appreciation, and that brought greater maturity and understanding.

Now, after years and years of marriage, ups and downs and up again, you're at a point where the thought of being with another woman doesn't enter your mind beyond a fleeting moment before it's brushed away as silly and irrelevant. You know where your heart belongs. In fact, your heart would feel ripped to shreds if anything took that away.

Self was what you wanted long ago when you first dated.Dying to self would be impossible by itself. But when presented with the chance to live, love and cherish your wife, the self melted away. It died a quiet death. You didn't have to shove it in the coffin. For the desires of your heart were before your eyes, and the will to live for her consumed you, willingly, delightfully.

Dwight
Therefore, delight in the wife of your heart. Enjoy each other. Enjoy all creation, for He has created these things for good. But also know Him. "Delight in Him and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) Dying to self is not a burden when we experience the profound joy of the fullness of Him who died for us.

He wants the desires of your heart to be for Him, above everything else. Seek Him, both of you, and He will become the desire of your heart (singular because the two have become one flesh). His love goes beyond all that we could think, ask or imagine (Eph 3:14-21).

May the joy and peace of the Lord be with you always!

Are You in the Driver's Seat, or a Car Seat?

No, I haven't completely forgotten what it was like to be a kid. For example, I remember quite well I loved pretending in miniature. Just about any prop worked to enhance the experience: G.I. Joe, Lionel Trains, and Matchbox Cars, were my brand-name favorites.

Did you ever have one of those mini single seat cars, with the pedals that go back and forth for awesome power, and it actually steered? I might be showing my age, but mine was almost entirely metal. The only plastic was the little red hub cap covering the nut and bolt on the ends of each axle.

Pretend play was fun, even if it merely mimicked real life scenarios. A journey to my neighbors, three houses down the block, in a suburb where houses were about 50 feet from each other, was a trip worth repeating four to six times in this mini-car.

Gliding along the sidewalk was even better if someone pushed fast! I'm positive the pedals had a built-in speed control that would jam if you tried to pedal too quickly, like opposing keys on a manual typewriter from the 70's.

But, tell me to get in a real car because we're going on a real journey, and I'd run to hide in the closet quicker than a parent can ask, "Anybody have to 'go' before we go?"

Yes, I understand sometimes we have to get in the passenger seat of life, willingly or carried. But, if I have the option, I'll drive. I like to be in control of the vehicle, the chosen route, and my destiny, as much as I am motivated and able.

Today, (many) years later, I'm reminded of this childhood example, car rides, in regard to my spiritual walk. I have a heart to diligently seek God, know Christ, understand grace, truth, faith, and His eternal plan for His church, the body of Christ.

I don't wish to simply hand the reigns over to someone with worldly credentials who purports to be a spiritual authority, declaring, "I'm an excellent driver."

To me, it ultimately doesn't matter if they have a masters or doctorate degree in divinity, or if they're in a popular denomination well established by solid church history, or they're intelligent scholars, best-selling Christian authors, charismatic crowd-pleasing orators, outspoken evangelists (dead or alive), or if they have a heart-wrenching ministry, are well-dressed, highly moral, live in an exclusive secret society, or if they just love everybody all the time. To me, none of those are what ultimately matter.

No. Rather, I'm convinced there is a higher purpose for God's word, an understandable revelation of His eternal plan. Through the Spirit of Truth, we can and should know His will (1 Timothy 2:4; Romans 12:2~). Only then will I know what "good works" are that He "prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10, following Ephesians 2:8-9~~).

No, I'm not going to simply hand over the reigns with something as precious as my soul. I believe God exists and He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6~~~). I delight in Him and I believe this pleases Him as much as it delights me (Psalm 37:4*).

Definitely, there are eternal rewards. But, there are also rewards for here and now, such as rest for my soul, peace in my bones, contentment in my mind, joy in my heart, and (let the reader really get this point ...) growing into the fullness of Him who is the head, into Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16**). 

By the way, salvation is a gift, not a reward. The gift of God is free. Rewards are for those who are saved and depend on what they do while in the body.

Those rewards, both eternal and present, are compromised, big time, when I let someone do the seeking for me. As a result, my "good works" may even be burned to a crisp even though I will be saved (1 Corinthians 3:10b-15***).

Yes, I found an excellent pastor/teacher who teaches from Scripture. But it's up to me to show up, listen carefully, prayerfully and thoughtfully, follow up with private study and prayer, and carefully test his teachings against the Scriptures (Acts 17:11****).

The idea is that learning from Scripture is so much better than learning from Religion. In the days Jesus walked the earth, religious leaders were constantly trying to trap Him in His words and even kill Him.

In fact, many religious leaders today, and throughout history, are trying to do the same thing by twisting Scripture and suppressing the truth. So, I assert Religion is the antithesis to understanding God's thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8-9*****).

Instead of running away from biblical doctrine because of what religion did to it, I went deeper into the Scriptures, essentially ignoring what religion had to say. Now, I'm getting, and have been getting for a few years, a lot of spiritual growth and enjoyment out of the study of Scripture.

And even that's saying it lightly; I frankly didn't know enjoyment from the study of God's word was possible at first. I merely hung on to the hope the Scriptures were all true, that apparent contradictions were wrong, and what religions were saying about it was false. That humble attitude was eventually rewarded.

How great are the rewards from God!

Previously, while attending a few mainstream religious churches, I was preoccupied with behavior modification, often having to wonder if I was saved and whether or not I could maintain my salvation. What an awful trap it was to try to earn what could only be given to me by God, instead of using my freedom in Christ to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth.

I got involved in humanitarian efforts in one place, which felt good to my soul, and religious tradition at another, which satisfied my self-righteous mind. But neither shed much light, if any, on what God "decreed before the ages for our glory" (1 Corinthians 2:7+).

Now, although I'm in North Carolina and "attend" by conference call, I study with a small home-church formerly based in New Jersey, where we are "serious students of God's word, the Bible."

Are we arrogant making a claim like that? Am I arrogant for bringing it up? You would think so, especially when I don't follow the norm of studying famous theologians, charismatic evangelists, seminary professors, best selling devotionals, common commentaries, larger and shorter catechisms, published confessions of faith, popular and wealthy congregations, memorize cherry-picked verses and lovely songs, or prioritizing involvement in just any local church family.

On the other hand, perhaps you see what I mean when you read that list and compare them to your own experiences. Rather, as I've studied His eternal word and His eternal plan, I've come to realize what He really means by "good works" (2 Timothy 3:16-17++) and how to get there (2 Timothy 2:15+++). It's not what I thought it was. His ways are not my ways, neither were His thoughts mine.

Maybe you get my point, and maybe you don't. Most church-goers would fiercely defend their particular denomination rather than entertain the idea that their doctrine falls short of God's plan.

This isn't private interpretation in isolation where we make the word mean whatever we want; we take His word for it. We clearly see in the world that our sort of study and reliance on God's word is very uncommon. We also see the common mistakes, hypocrisy, and arrogance that result from following the world's ways of religion. I wouldn't trade this intense focus on the word of God for anything in the world, especially man's religion.

Whose word are you following? Are you driving your own relationship with God? Or is someone else strapping you in the car seat of religion? (Galatians 5:1++++)

~  ~  ~

Scripture References:
~ [God] who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4)

~ Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

~~ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-9, 10)

~~~ And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who [diligently, KJV] seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

* Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

** And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

*** Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:10b-15)

**** For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

***** Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Acts 17:11)

+ But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. (1 Corinthians 2:7)

++ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

+++ Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 MKJV)

++++ For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

Simple Bible Study Outline - Lesson 3

Opening Comment: 

I was more intentional about making this interactive and it went very well. Please take your time to consider these questions thoroughly and look beyond what you think you already know. Ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you through this spiritual information.

I pray also, that the eyes of your heart, dear reader, are enlightened that you may know the incredible riches of His grace in Christ Jesus. Again, my Bible Study Lessons are actually intended to be interactive; best when live in person. Nevertheless, please leave your comments, post your questions, and let's dialogue. (You're welcome to use your username or remain anonymous.)

Review verses:

(I downloaded and use e-sword.net almost all the time, and prefer the ESV, NIV, and KJV translations. However, you can also look up these verses in your favorite translation at www.BibleGateway.com.)

John 16: 4-15
John 3: 16-18
Romans 3: 10-31
2 Peter 1: 16-21
1 Peter 2: 2-3

Discussion Questions:

1. In verses John 16:12-15, what is the role-name of the Holy Spirit in John 16? Why is this role assigned to Him? What does this mean for those who are saved? When did get this role? How can we benefit?

2. What are His other roles and responsibilities (verses John 16:8-10)? [We will study those in more detail later.]

3. What does it take to be saved according to Ephesians 2:8-9 & John 3:16-18? Is that it? Are you sure? How can we know? What about lifestyles and heinous sins? Do these have to change first before one can be saved, or at the same time that salvation occurs? In fact, is salvation a process or a moment? Why?

It's likely we'll be out of time before we get to all the questions above. But that should not thwart us from diligently and humbly seeking Him on our own, between lessons.

We should consider going deep and exhausting these doctrines until we see God leaves no wiggle room. His way cannot be one way for some people and other ways for other people.

Questions for Later:

1. Who has or who can do right by God before salvation, to find favor with Him?

2. Where should we go and with what attitude(s) to discover His grace and truth?

3. Why can't we just settle into a nice church family and let that suffice? What if you're deployed or away on business and there is no local church family?

Simple Bible Study Outline - Lesson 2

Even though this lesson had less outline notes, I talked a lot to fill in the gaps. It was mostly a review of the Scripture verses from last week with additional depth, context, and background.

I ended with some basic questions, but realized I should've been including these throughout. My lessons are meant to be interactive, so please, leave a comment, post questions. Let's dialogue!

Open w/ prayer. Start w/ Q&A. Teach.

Lessons:

1. Pick up from last week. Some Scripture is so basic and foundational, it's worth committing to memory, so it sinks into your heart. God is motivated by pure love for you to know Him and His eternal plan. He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6). [If seems I'm repeating this point, it's true. It is important to understand that it is proper to have expectation with a humble attitude.]

2. The Only way to learn spiritual information is from the Holy Spirit, who is our guide into all truth. Read from John 16. [Simply stated, yet profound. God's truth does not come from any man. Yet, so many put their trust in man's religion and tradition, often muddied with Bible verses here and there so it sounds like it comes from God.]

3. You cannot put the cart before the horse; spiritual milk comes before spiritual meat. Milk is the basics: why we are lost, condemned in Adam, saved by grace through faith, word is truth, etc. * [The human analogy works well. Babies need milk, not solid food. It is right for them to crave it.] For example...

4. Romans 3:10-28... None is righteous. Righteousness manifested & revealed apart from the law. Putting "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" into context. What is the context?

5. Why is Bible study critical? It is literally a matter of life and death. Who or what are you trusting in? Self-righteousness? Moral behavior? Tradition? Religion? Denomination?

Scripture Verses:

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:12-15)

as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (Romans 3:10-28)

* Verses mentioned in context above...

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-- if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:2-3)

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:15-19)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17)

Simple Bible Study Outline - Lesson 1

Here are my notes from a discussion last night with a relatively new Christian. I elaborated in person, filling about 30 minutes. Below is just an outline.

My hope is that it may influence how someone thinks about their new born Christianity. It's not about suddenly getting involved in humanitarian efforts, or church outreach ministries. Nor is it about being moral. It's about growing in grace, then and only then will we be equipped for "every good work."

I hope you pay special attention to the verses I listed below as worth committing to heart.

~ ~ ~

Bible Study Notes

[Words in brackets are mine to add clarity.]

Lesson 1 Notes:

1. Read/study the Bible 1st, then other books. Like putting the genuine, unabridged classic before SparkNotes.

2. Hermeneutics- rules for interpretation, let clear direct Scripture help us understand ambiguous or seemingly contradicting Scripture (such as Php 2:14-16 helping us understand the time frame -in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation- of Col 1:21-23, which makes it sound like salvation is conditional w/ the words "if indeed," given Eph 2:8-9 which clearly says salvation is not conditional: we cannot earn it or maintain it), context is king, use original language to understand thought behind words, consider audience, etc.

3. Topics we mentioned: All Scripture is not only God-breathed, it's good for instruction in righteousness, etc. When saved, justification follows condemnation, sanctification follows salvation. Sanctification is made possible by truth, and God's word is truth (John 17:17).

4. Some Scripture is so basic to the foundation of faith, it's worth committing to memory, so it sinks into your heart. God is motivated by pure love for you to know Him and His eternal plan. He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6). [We didn't really get into this thought. We'll pick up from here next week.]

Scripture verses to take to heart:

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”
John 17:17 ESV

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 ESV

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV

“Do your best to present [or, study to show] yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling [discerning] the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

“[God,] who desires all people to be saved and to come to the [full, accurate] knowledge of the truth.”
1 Timothy 2:4 ESV

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who [diligently] seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6 ESV