bible study

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Nehemiah 13:11 Don’t Forsake The House Of God

So I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their place. Nehemiah 13:11

Things tend to get abandoned and forsaken by people over time. They get busy with other things in life and forget about what is needed to be done. Many want to just relax and have fun and not take care of the necessary things. As that occurs, many of those things begin to fall apart, breaking down, being unable to accomplish what they were intended to accomplish.

Nehemiah noticed the house of God was not taken care of properly. He got angry with the rulers and asked them why they had forsaken the house of God.

It is easy in life to get so busy with life that one will either forget or just put to the side some of the more important things. People get busy in survival mode or trying to have fun and not wanting to work. Doing regular maintenance is not something that many desire to do, because it can be costly and takes time and effort.

Most people will never be in a position to have to take care of a physical church building themselves. Yet, there is a house of God that each one is directly responsible to take care of maintain. It is each individual believer’s personal soul and body. Every believer is a temple of God–a house for God dwell in.

In order to take care of the house of God, one’s own body and soul, one must not forsake it and maintain it on a daily basis. Maintenance of the soul takes time in prayer, studying and apply God’s word, times of worship and praise, repentance of and fleeing from sin. Believers must not forsake these activities.

As a believer, you are the temple of God, the house of God in which He can dwell. Do not allow His temple to fall into ruins and disrepair by living in sin.

Begin every moment with constant communion with God in prayer. Take time to study His word, memorize it and apply it to your life. Keep His temple clean from all the corruption of sin in this world.

Make your life one that God dwells in so closely that the world can see Him in you and in everything that you say and do.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will be the temple of God; that God will strengthen you in maintaining your life as clean and holy before Him; that the world will see God dwelling in you; and that you will never forsake the Lord your God in anything you say or do.

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Thank You For A Great Year

I want to say a great big ‘THANK YOU’ to everyone around the world who has chosen to stop by my devotional blog and read it and for many to subscribe to it in the year of 2021!

It was an amazing year for my blog. There were 81,271 views last year, nearly doubling the highest number of views ever on this blog. There were 58,256 visitors to the blog, also nearly doubling the highest ever.

God had led me to start this blog back in 2014. I had no idea if anyone would actually read it or begin to follow it. Over the years since, God has led me to include articles of experiences, various studies on different subjects, book and movie reviews, verse of the day, giving thanks verses, and memory verses.

Although it is great to have such high numbers of viewers and followers, my prayer is that lives are being changed for God. I trust that the many who read these posts are encouraged to draw closer to God, become more like Jesus, read the Bible more, and trust God more. If these things have not occurred, this blog has failed.

However, I believe that God’s word is living and active. As it goes out and is read by people around the world, it is changing lives. Some will move away from God, while others will draw closer to God.

This blog has the ability to get God’s word into nations and places that the world does not want anything to do with Jesus. It can reach people of every nation twenty-four hours a day.

As you read this blog, feel free to share it with others. Get the word of God out to the rest of the world. Let people know what they are missing without reading God’s word.

If something is written that touches your life, please let me know. It is very encouraging to hear what God is doing in the lives of people all around the world. Everyone has a story to tell about their experience with God and His word in their lives. What is your story? Again, thank you for taking the time to stop by and read this devotional blog.

May you hunger for more and more of God’s word in your life. May the God of heaven and earth fill your days with His overwhelming presence and blessings and guide you by His Holy Spirit as you make Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life.

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John 21:4 Not Recognizing Jesus

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. John 21:4

When a person is very close to another person, he will be able to easily recognize him. However, when a person is farther away, it is more difficult to recognize the other one.

The more one spends time together with a person, the more he will recognize him at a distance or in a crowd. Every person has certain characteristics that stand out, that make him different from every one else. Only by close association can a person really know those differences.

After Jesus had died, the disciples had went back to fishing, their old trade. As they were out trying to fish, Jesus stood on the shore, but they did not recognize Him, even when He spoke to them.

The world does not recognize God or His voice. They are focused on themselves and the temporary things of this world. God could be right in front of them doing works, but they would not see Him, calling the events coincidence. Often many believers are living in the same way as the world is living.

They are so busy focusing on living in this world or in doing ministry, that they do not recognize when God is standing right in front of them doing something. They are not taking the time to grow closer to God, but to work on the things of this world.

The best way for a believer to be able to recognize God is to spend time with Him. This is taking time to know who He is and what He is doing by taking time to pray and study His word. People often choose to not take the time to spend with God in both prayer and His word.

God is always working in your life. Take a moment to look at your life. Do you see Jesus? Can you recognize His hand at work in your life?

If you cannot recognize Him working, you must shift your focus back to Him. Instead of going back to your old ways of doing things or focusing on just the temporary things, focus on God.

Spend time daily with God in both His word and in prayer. Begin to recognize God and His hand at work in your life. Realize that God is always with you at work.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will spend time in prayer and God’s word; that you will recognize God working in your life and this world; and that you will point people to Jesus.

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Fruit Of The Spirit: Self-Control

Self control word

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 

Today I will be looking at the last fruit of the Spirit–self-control. Thank you, if you have been following this little bible study on the fruit of the Spirit. If you have not been following and just joined, you can find the other studies here: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness.

This final fruit of the Spirit is the culmination of all of the rest. Without the rest of the fruits, one cannot have this last one. It is one that many people do not really want to talk about or think that they already have it, though most people struggle in this area. Self-control is being able to control one’s own thoughts and actions. It is taking responsibility for yourself.

Self-control is often looked at in the areas of exercising and dieting. Very few people exercise good self-control in these areas and will admit it. However, self-control needs to be exercised in many other areas of life.

Hole in wall

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. Proverbs 25:28

Solomon points out the value of self-control, or rather the destruction of the lack of self-control. In his time cities had a wall surrounding the city to protect it from the enemy. If there was a hole in the wall, their protection was gone. The wall was then worthless and the city could be overrun.

In the same way, a person who does not have self-control in his life has a hole broken through. Not having self-control allows the enemy to enter into your life. It gives the devil a foothold into your life, causing you to breakdown and choose to sin, rather than flee the sin.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, James 1:19

One are that many people lack self-control in is with their speaking and listening. Many are slow to listen and very quick to get angry. They are quick to strike back with words, cursing someone, when something does not go their way, rather than trying to understand and listen.

Angry person

In order to follow what James is telling us to do, we must have self-control. You have to make a choice to listen. You have to make a choice to be slow to speak and not become angry so quickly. This takes practice over time, because it goes against the human nature.

Immediately many people will rise up now and say that they cannot do this. It is in their nature to sin, that they have no self-control. This is true, if they are relying upon their own strength and abilities. Man does not have any self-control in himself. However, it does not have to stay that way.

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, Titus 2:11-12

Titus tells us that God’s grace teaches us to say ‘No’ to sin and to live a godly, upright life that is self-controlled. We have the perfect teacher–God’s Holy Spirit.

Blocking hand

However, just like children in school, we often do not want to learn. Some will say that they cannot do it, it is not in their nature or some other excuse. This is true if you say that, but it does not have to remain true. You can change.

Remember that in Christ you are a new creation, a new person. You have the ability to say ‘No’ to sin and run away from all temptation. However, to do this, you must be in control of yourself. You have to conscientiously choose to not sin or walk into sin.

In your own strength and power this is difficult, even impossible to do. You cannot live a self-controlled, sinless life without God’s help and power.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Another version says that I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. God is there to give you all the strength you need to do what needs to be done. This is not just physically doing things, but also strength to do the not doing things, to turn away from sin.

Pushing a bolder

In yourself, you cannot stay away from sin, but in Christ you have that ability. There is no reason for you to continue in sin. Christ has made you a new creation. All you have to do is live as the new creation, live as Jesus lived. Every time temptation pops its head up to cause you to sin, turn to God for strength and a way out of that temptation. Refuse to sin. Allow His Holy Spirit to guide you in the right path.

But all of this is a choice you have to make. It does not come automatically. It is not built into you. You have to be self-controlled. The great news is that with God’s Holy Spirit you can have that self-control to make the right choices every time.

Two choices

Give your life over to God and allow Him to be in control. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and help you live a godly life here on this earth. As you are filled with His Holy Spirit, you will have to bear some fruit.

God does not want you to fail, so He has given you everything you need to be successful in walking a holy, righteous, sinless life. You must now make the choice to accept it and live in it.

As you are filled with His Holy Spirit, you will show His love, which will lead to joy bringing about peace, which leads to forbearance/patience, bringing on kindness and goodness, which will make you faithful and gentle. Once all of these fruits are in place, you will have self-control to keep in them and in God’s will.

Be the man or woman God has called you to be in Christ Jesus. Do not conform to the ways of this world any longer and remain in sin.

This finishes looking at the fruit of the Spirit. Next week I will bring this study to a finish with an overview of all that we have studied and what it means to you as a believer. Please feel free to comment and/or share this post with anyone you think that could use it.

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Fruit Of The Spirit: Gentleness

Gentleness word

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 

Thank you for continuing with me in this study at looking at the fruit of the Spirit. If you just joined in this study and have not seen the previous posts you can find theme here: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.

Today I will be looking at the fruit of gentleness, what it is and what it looks like in the life of a believer.

The word ‘gentleness’ was originally translated as meekness in the KJV bible. It is a word that is talking about being mild, not harsh.

Puppy walking

Many in the world see gentleness as a type of weakness. It is often accepted that a woman may be gentle, but it is often discouraged in men. Some women, with the feminist movement, will also look down upon being gentle. With that in mind, very few people are actually gentle.

Throughout the bible there are various verses that give good guidelines as to what gentleness looks like in a person. I will be looking at some of these verses.

The best spot to begin is with God and seeing how He is gentle.

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11

The world loves to drive and push people. They want to show that they have absolute control. Some believers lead in a harsh demanding sort of way, just as the world tends to lead. They are demanding and forceful, rather than gentle and kind as God is.

God does not have to prove He has control, He just has it. He uses His immense power under control and with gentleness.

Holding sheep

People are just like sheep. They need to be treated gently. Leading is to be done with control, but in gentleness, carefully guiding people or others. This type of leading can only be done when done out of love and care for others, being filled and led by His Holy Spirit.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

Harsh words are heard all the time. Watch any political campaign and all you will often hear is slamming other people with harsh words. Crushing the opponent is the goal of many candidates.

Sadly this can also be seen in the church. One believer crushes another with harsh words or they crush non-believers with hateful harsh words. They will often not speak the whole truth that God has given them, but only a portion of what God says.

Choose your words

There will be times when someone is harsh with you. One will say things or doing things that are harsh. Do not respond in the same way. Instead of using harsh words, you  must be gentle towards others. Being gentle will cause another person to calm down faster. Harsh words only stirs up anger and a fighting spirit.

When you are filled with the Holy Spirit and are being led by Him, you will be gentle in what you have to say towards others. Your words will not be harsh and condemning, but full of love and grace, building others up. These words will be gentle.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

People will want to know why you believe what you do. Why do you believe in a person who lived centuries ago? Why do you not do certain things and do other things? Why do you act the way you act?

Better than you

Answering these can be easy, but they can be done in a harsh way. Some will answer it in a ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude, looking down upon the person asking the question. Others will answer in a way that is looking at the person as though it was a stupid question to ask.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit will cause you to answer with gentleness. You will not be rude and condescending about it.

Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,2 Timothy 2:25 

As a believer you will have some who oppose you. Watch the news, movies, tv shows, listen the radio, it is everywhere, believers have opponents. There are people who do not believe in God or believe in Jesus. They may not believe in any god or they may believe in a false god.

Some of these may oppose violently, while others may be calm and mild about their opposition, they just don’t agree.

Opposing teams

Many believers have harshly went up against unbelievers. They will quickly condemn them and show no compassion or love towards those who oppose. They want judgement.

However, as a believer, you are to be like God, gently speaking to them with the goal that they will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus and repentance. You need to remember that at some point you were just like them without a saving knowledge of Jesus. You did not know the truth.

Fill your heart with God’s love and gentleness towards them. Seek to show them who God is and His great love for them. Hope for a change of heart and that they will follow Jesus.

Being filled with God’s Holy Spirit will change you. He will make you more like Jesus every day. The signs of those changes can be seen in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is a character change. Allow God to change you into the image of Jesus everyday.

Black and white butterfly

Change in the Holy Spirit begins with love, leading to joy, leading to peace, leading to forbearance, leading to kindness, leading to goodness, leading to faithfulness, which in turn leads to gentleness. Allow these changes to occur and be evident in your life. Allow the world to see all these fruits of the Spirit.

Again, thank you for continuing with me on this journey of looking in depth the fruit of the Spirit. Next week I will look at the last fruit, the fruit of self-control. Please be sure to return for this last fruit. Feel free to share this post with any of your friends who may need to see it.