Monday

BIBLE READING: Matthew 10. 16-33

DISCUSSION

If you were allowed to have only one tool, one piece of equipment in your toolbox, what would it be? I know…that is a no brainer…duct tape! Yes, it is called duct tape, but it originally was called “Duck Tape” when it was created for the military during WW2 (look it up..cool stuff.) You can use duct tape to fix just about anything. In fact, the astronauts used duct tape to help them get home on the Apollo 13 mission. So, why are we discussing duct tape? There are some lessons that duct tape can teach us concerning our faith. Duct tape is a great tool. It is designed to be strong, yet flexible. As Christians we are taught to have a strength about us; “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1Corinthinas 16. 13) We typically think of acting like men as being strong, but we also need a softer side about us to be understanding with those that are weak. There is something to be said for a quiet strength.

Paul tells the church at Ephesus “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6.4). That word for discipline is translated as nurture in many of our versions and it means tutorage. It is hard to  imagine a strong tutor; it’s more likely for us to see it as an understanding tutor, a father that is firm, yet loving. We need more people within our churches that are a good combination of strong and flexible. If we had that, we might be more accepted as a faith and more successful in our soul winning. When Jesus sent out his disciples, he said, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10.16). We would do well if we would be more like duct tape in being strong yet flexible. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday - October 4, 2016

Woodlawn Family Bible Study TUESDAY BIBLE READING:    Genesis 32:22-32 Do you want to be blessed? That sounds like a rhetorical question, doesn’t it? Who doesn’t want to be blessed? I guess it really depends on your definition of “blessed.” Many people desire blessings that will make them wealthy or, perhaps, material goods. However, being blessed is not limited to those physical things. In fact, sometimes we can be blessed in the most unusual ways. For instance, in Genesis 32:26, we find Jacob wrestling with what we often call an angel. Within the story, Jacob is overtaking the angel and holding him down; refusing to let go until the angel gives him a blessing. The angel obliges Jacob, but not in the way he might have imagined. The angel changed his name from “Jacob” to “Israel,” but he also did something else. He put Jacob’s hip joint out of socket, causing him much pain and difficulty walking. In part, his blessing had to do with him walking with a limp. How is tha...
Read more

Resolutions: Draw closer to God through study of His word

BIBLE READING: John 14.7 Spend time alone with God’s Word.  Besides the spiritual growth we will gain from study, we will also come to know Him better.  Reading His word brings us in touch with Him.  Jesus tells us in John 14:7 – “If you had known Me, you would have known my Father also.”   Just studying the life of Jesus will help us to know God better.   In seeking God’s help, we can draw closer to Him through prayer, meditation, nature, and study.   “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.” Psalm 1:2  I Tim.4:13,15 - “Give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine… meditate on these things; give yourself wholly to them.”   Regardless of our circumstances we can rely on God’s unchanging character.  God is good. God loves me. God is with me. God knows my problems. God cares. Romans 8:31(b) tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Make a resolution to slo...
Read more

“Examples”

BIBLE READING: Mark 13- Luke 1 DISCUSSION                                                                                   This past week we have read of some great examples in the bible.   We read in Mark 13 about us being ready and being prepared for when Jesus returns.   We need to all stay awake!   In Mark 14 we read of one action having such an impact.   How this woman gave her very best to Jesus because of her love for Him.   In Mark 15 we read of Pontius Pilate and his desire to keep his power.   He loved his power and did not want to give it up even if that meant sending an inno...
Read more