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Date Posted: 11:28:07 06/15/22 Wed
Author: c
Subject: further teachings 6/2022

Today in the Word

6/5/22

Moses, the murderer

(edited)


Even though Moses sinned, God used him to breathe life into a dismayed and wandering people....

You may feel that what you have done in the past makes you unusable by God. Be encouraged. God has plans for your future. Just as God used Moses, He can use you too.

Chris Rappazini


--------------------------=

Today in the Word

6/10/22

David's confession

(edited)


Finally, David desired to put his new life into action for the good of others. His new yearning was to use his forgiven sin to teach others about God. The Lord's forgiveness gave him a reason to praise God for the rest of his life, and it does the same for you and me too (Psalm 51:15).

Spend time in confession today. As you do, reread David's prayer and personalize it to fit your situation. Ask the Lord for forgiveness and a renewed heart.


Chris Rappazini

------------------------------=

Today in the Word

6/17/22

Hope in suffering

Lamentations 3:19 - 33



(edited)


...Suffering from sin is painful. But be encouraged by Jeremiah's message: Every morning, when you wake up, God's mercies are new. They are there waiting to give you a second chance.

...Take time today to lament, expressing this pain to God and turning to Him for hope and healing.


Chris Rappazini

----------------------=

Today in the Word

6/21/22

Forgiven and forgiving

(edited)


We don't truly realize how much we have been forgiven unless we forgive those who have failed us. Grasping how much we have sinned against God, and His forgiveness toward us, challenges us to give others a second chance, too. When we are unable to forgive, we are not fully grasping the non-restrictive nature of God's forgiveness.

This word may be difficult for us to hear and to act upon. Whom do you need to forgive? While this person may never come to you asking for forgiveness, that does not mean you cannot extend it to them.

Chris Rappazini

---------------------------=

Today in the Word

6/22/22

You are forgiven

(edited)


...It is a tragedy that those who think they are the most religious are often the ones likely to miss the significance of forgiven sin.


Chris Rappazini

------------------------=

Today in the Word

6/30/22

A Celebration

(edited)


The older brother in this parable is meant to represent the Pharisees. Like the parable, they too must have been astonished that Jesus would welcome sinners into the Kingdom. As the religious experts, it was their duty to go after those that were lost, but they were too self-righteous to give others a second chance. Our God is constantly seeking the lost. When one person puts their trust in Jesus, all of Heaven rejoices!

If you have experienced God's forgiveness, make it your mission to seek others who need another chance, too. Then join the celebration!


Chris Rappazini

---------------------------=

intouch.org Daily devotion 6/13/22

Requirements of Waiting

God’s at work even in what feels like a delay—and His plans are worth the wait.

Psalm 25:1-22

In today’s psalm, we see David praying for protection and guidance as he waits for God. We all know how difficult waiting is during times of illness, danger, trouble, or confusion. But God can use these situations to develop the virtues He desires in our lives.

Faith. The Lord’s ways are nothing like ours (Isa. 55:8-9). His purposes are higher and eternal, whereas our desires are usually immediate and earthly. Even when we don’t understand why God delays, we can trust in His character and faithfulness, knowing He’ll do what’s best.

Humility. Since the Christian life is God-directed rather than self-directed, submission to whatever He ordains for us requires humility. For this reason, we must acknowledge that the Lord is our Master and we’re totally dependent on Him.

Patience. In Scripture, this word means “long-suffering” or “forbearance.” It’s spiritual fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in us as we wait and trust God to intervene at the right time (Gal. 5:22-23).

Are you willing to remain in your current position until the Lord acts on your behalf? Waiting on God isn’t passive or idle. It takes a determined focus on His wisdom, goodness, and faithfulness no matter how challenging a situation may seem.

------------------------=


How to Walk in The Spirit (Every Christian MUST Know This!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JioWB-78he0

THE BEAT by Allen Parr (youtube channel)

6/14/22

(Summarized points - not necessarily diret quotes)

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.


The Holy Spirit leads/helps us walk in the Spirit by reminding saints of helpful Scripture that we heard or read or were taught about to shape our choices in the moment about what to say or do (or refrain from saying or doing) to make choices that will be beneficial to a saint's spiritual walk and advancement.



The Holy Spirit will influence saints to make choices that aren't about Scripture verses but are more about going in one direction or another that seems like the choice will be according to the approved will of the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.Example: Peter being prompted by the Holy Spirit to go along with the soldiers Cornelius sent to Peter for Peter to preach to gentiles for the first time (Acts 10:14 - 23)



The Holy Spirit should be making saints more and more characterized by the fruit of the Spirit coming through us in our walk of faith daily:

Galatians 5:22 - 23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

i.e. are we feeling more and more that the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are in control therefore we as saints can pull back from a lot of our own ways and reactions and leaning to our own understanding and feelings and trying to control things and defer more and more to the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's approved ways for saints to think, behave, respond, etc.




The Holy Spirit should be giving saints a feeling of empowerment when we saints do works of service that seem somewhat more than we think or feel we can do on our own. Example when we witness about the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and we saints feel that we are going past our hesitation to talk about spiritual things to people who we think won't approve of hearing Christian testimony (or won't like hearing spiritual talk from us for a personal feeling that he, she or they may have about us in particular).



The Holy Spirit should make a saint worshipping the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through regular singing and thanksgiving something that seems to be building us up.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.




The Holy Spirit should make a saint's prayer life go beyond superficial and disinterested efforts into prayers that feel like they are more and more expressing faith and trust. More about intimacy with the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

This might not be about speaking in tongues while praying but a certain strong connection to the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ felt while praying that empowers a saint's prayer life.


-------------------------=

intouch.org Daily devotions 6/15/22

Our Protector

Though hardship in life is inevitable, God is our protector and refuge, and He is with us through it all.

Psalm 62:5-8

Have you noticed all the instability in our world today? There is much to fear if we have only ourselves or others to rely on in these troubling times. But God is our Protector, and when we run to Him, we can have peace in the midst of uncertainty. If He is our Rock, then we won’t be shaken by the events in this world or even those in our own life.

The Lord is able to safeguard us in treacherous times. No matter where trouble originates—with others, external circumstances, or our own actions—we can find ourselves in danger and afraid. Thankfully, we have a loving God who leads us to safety.

Now that doesn’t mean the Lord will rescue us from all trouble, but He will walk with us through every painful circumstance. As we pour out our heart to God and let His Word bring comfort, He will renew our mind, calm our fears, and strengthen our trust in Him.

Do you take refuge in God when circumstances are frightening, or do you watch the news or browse the web looking for hope and reassurance? The world cannot provide the help you seek. Only when the Lord is your stronghold will you remain unshaken.

-----------------------------=


Adult Bible Class - Union Gospel Press

Summer Quarter 2022

(edited)

Eternal Servants

by Megan Hickman


p 2


...Psalms 73 has brought much comfort to believers who are struggling with injustice in the world. Though it is generally true that life is easier if you live righteously (cf. Isaiah 3:10; Proverbs 11:10), that is not categorically guaranteed; we live in a world marred by the effects of sin. But Asaph shows us that we can still exercise trust in the Lord and His purposes by remembering His faithfulness.


p 2- 3

Micah had the particular difficulty of rebuking the people and calling for their repentance. The people chose to listen to the false prophets, which resulted in their demise. There are times when God allows us to serve without seeing the results we hoped for, but we must always remember that He is sovereign and will use our faithful service for His glory in ways are never aware of.


Habakkuk's speech in chapter 3 is an excellent example of seeing God's faithfulness even in uncertain times. The prophet sees the power of the immoral Chaldeans (Babylonians) and knows that it will mean suffering for God's people, yet he concludes that no matter what happens, he will have joy in the Lord and take refuge in Him. What a beautiful truth that we can take refuge in Christ when it seems like our world is turned upside down.


We can see from our examples this quarter that being a servant of the Lord has a lot to do with trusting in His character, even when we face opposition. God has the power to complete His Kingdom work without us, but He included us in His great plan so that we could have the opportunity to have a relationship with Him....

Therefore, we should see our service to God as a privilege, one that will grow us and conform us into the image of Jesus and help prepare us to worship Him in Heaven. Our service to God does not cease after our life on earth. At God's appointed time, we will continue to serve Him in His perfect Kingdom.


--------------------------------=

Adult Bible Class - Union Gospel Press

Summer Quarter 2022

6/12/22

Isaiah's Commission

(edited)

Robert E. Wenger


p 11

It is possible for us as God's people today to have unclean lips in God's sight. Through our lips we may bring forth filth, profanity, gossip, hatred, and lies. But even if we avoid these, our very prayers and expressions of worship may be unclean to Him because our hearts are insincere. And we may remain unaware of this because we have ignored the Bible, God's revelation of Himself. A mere glimpse of His holiness should bring us to our knees.


---------------------------=

Adult Bible Class - Union Gospel Press

Summer Quarter 2022


6/19/22

Asaph's Lament

(edited)

John A. Owston

p 16 - 17

Considering his investment, Asaph wondered whether a godly life was "in vain" (Psalms 73:13). "He questions the value of holiness when its wages are paid in the coin of affliction" (Spurgeon, Treasury of David, AP&A). To be sure, such an approach is very superficial. To overcome such an attitude, we must first admit that things are not always as they seem.


"To decide that such earnestness has been a waste of time is pathetically self-centered - what did I get out of it? - but the very formulating of the thought has shocked the writer into a better frame of mind, which he now describes" (Kidner).

Painful thoughts (Psalm 73:16). Trying to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together was difficult for Asaph. As in all situations in which we attempt to discern why the universe operates as it does, we are frequently left with more questions than answers. The more he contemplated the issues at hand, the more burdened and troubled Asaph became.

While believers should attempt to use their minds to discern truth and to know the proper course of action to take, there are some things that are better left in the hands of God.


God's guidance - Psalm 73:21 - 26.

Foolish and ignorant (Psalms 73:21 - 22). Finally, the psalmist came to realize that his envy of the evildoer and his way of life was a waste of time. It revealed that his thinking was both "foolish" and "ignorant."

"Whenever we are dissatisfied with the manner of God's providence in governing the world, let us remember that this is to be traced to the perversity of our understanding" (Calvin)


The writer depicted himself as acting like a "beast" (vs. 22). Instead of approaching this situation like a rational being created in the image of God, he had simply followed his instincts as an animal would.


Even though his circumstances remained unchanged, Asaph now viewed them from God's vantage point, not through the eyes of one who was envious of the wicked.

God's purpose in all this was not just to teach Asaph to trust Him; it also was to equip Asaph to teach others.

-----------------------------=

Adult Bible Class - Union Gospel Press

Summer Quarter 2022


6/19/22

Golden Text Illuminated

(edited)

"My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever" (Psalm 73:26).


Asaph, like Job, realized that one must put his or her trust in God. While we may feel weak, God is our strength. While we may feel poor, God is our eternal treasure. If we can realize these things, we will see how prosperous we are spiritually. By looking past our present condition and the condition of the wicked who prosper, we can see that we have a far greater inheritance to look forward to.


When we put our trust in God and make Him our treasure, the concerns about things here in this world will fade away.

James Jordan

----------------------------=

Adult Bible Class - Union Gospel Press

Winter Quarter December 2021, January, February 2022

A humble Lord is born

(edited)


12/26/21

John Alva Owston

p 22


Those who realized these truths and put them into regular practice would be happy and blessed in their service to the Lord.

We should not be misled into thinking what most people today mean when they use the word "happy." True happiness is found in following, serving, and obeying Christ. The one who is truly happy is so because he knows that the Lord is with him; his heart is in tune with the priorities of the Lord Himself. Thus he knows in his heart that no matter how much he suffers in this life, he will one day surely reap the rewards of a faithful servant of Jesus Christ.

----------------------=

Adult Bible Class - Union Gospel Press

Winter Quarter December 2021, January, February 2022

2/13/22

Pilate: What is Truth?

Golden Text Illuminated

(edited)

"Jesus answered, My Kingdom is not of this world: if My Kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My Kingdom not from hence" (John 18:36).


Theologians tell us that God's Kingdom is both already here and still on the way. They use the expression "now and not yet." Though they await the physical descent of the Kingdom, Christians can now experience some of the powers of the "world to come" (Hebrews 6:5).

Because He is sitting at God's right hand, Jesus is already "Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). "All power is given unto (Jesus) in Heaven and in earth," so with the promise of the King's presence, Christians can make disciples and teach the nations to observe God's Word (Matthew 28:18 - 20). Prayers can be answered; miracles can happen.

Christians engage in spiritual warfare. We do things like live righteously, preaching the Gospel, trusting in God,, loving our enemies, persevering through trial, and praying in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:15 - 18). We honor our governing authorities, but if we are asked to disobey the commands of God, we say: "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). By God's grace, we honor Him.

David Samuel Gifford

------------------------------=

Adult Bible Class - Union Gospel Press

Spring Quarter 2022

From Bondage to Freedom

by Megan Hickman

(edited)

p 2

Paul, a passionate preacher of the doctrine of grace, still fought daily for righteousness: "I keep my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Corinthians 9:27). This is called sanctification. We are to conquer our bodies and bring them into submission to God's Word. We are justified, declared righteous in God's sight, but we still have sin in our hearts that lingers.

Many believers do not understand how to grow in holiness. It must start in our hearts.

...It is possible to read the Bible aimlessly and without purpose. We must not do that.


p 3

God's Word divides the thoughts and intentions of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12), so we should read His Word with the goal of growing in holiness. We should make a practice of studying specific Scriptures that address a particular sinful tendency. That way, we can know what Scripture says about that behavior, meditate on God's insights into our sins, and commit these verses to memory to use as a defense against temptation (cf. Matthew 4:1 - 11).


...The Bible does not teach us to just avoid sin; it teaches us to act righteously. We are commanded to replace sinful behavior with righteous behavior because we long for righteousness instead of the temporary pleasures of sin.

People in the world often excuse sin by saying, "Well that's just the way I am." But when we come to Christ, God tells us who we are and gives us the power to live like it. Of course, we will never be perfect in this life, but God has promised that our labor is worth it. It will be rewarded and will give us much more joy than any worldly venture could ever provide.

Knowing that God supplies the grace for us to overcome sin and do good works in its place helps us see our good works as a privilege, not a burden. They are not something we do to impress God. We do them because we love God and want to grow in His likeness.

...Further, we should respect those who rebuke us according to God's Word, knowing they are simply holding us to the standard of the Gospel. This can be difficult, especially since we often assume ill will on their part - and there will be Christians who rebuke us out of pride or selfish ambition. But we must take the good with the bad and realize God is using others, flaws and all, to communicate truth to us.

If we are humble, we can let that truth change us.

--------------------------=

Adult Bible Class - Union Gospel Press

Spring 2022

5/22/22

Spiritual Weapons

(edited)

Robert Ferguson Jr.

p 57


Boasting in Christ (2 Corinthians 10:18). The only thing any of us have to boast about is what Christ has done, is doing, and will do in our lives. We can do nothing of eternal value without Him (cf. John 15:15).

When a carpenter builds a beautiful house, does his hammer get the glory? Of course not. That would be downright absurd. The carpenter is the one who gets the praise and attention. The tool was just something that he used. While tools are important, it is the maker's hands that did the work.

The same is true for us. We are tools in the hands of God to be used at His pleasure and discretion. Thankfully, He also looks on us lovingly as sons and daughters, but we still have no reason to boast in ourselves as if we could do anything apart from Him.

The Lord will commend those who trust in Him. God is satisfied with those who love Him, and they will know His pleasure for all eternity.

-------------------------=


Coretta: My Life, My Love, My Legacy

by Coretta Scott King


p 7

ONE

We don't have time to cry



Shortly before bedtime, my parents smelled smoke. In what seemed like minutes, fire whipped through our home....We returned to find that many of our prized possessions (clothes, family albums, our beautiful furniture, and our prized Victrola with the Bessie Smith record collection) were gone. Nothing was left of them but red coals and a dull glob of black vinyl.

p 7-8

Our father hushed our cries and shook us from our misery. "We don't have time to cry," he told us. He led us in prayer and told us to give thanks because we still had our lives. He even made us say we forgive those who had destroyed our home. I repeated the words to please my father, but I am not sure I really meant them.

I was only fifteen, but I was not naïve. In our little backwoods town of Heilberger, Alabama, terrorist acts at the hands of men and women with hate in their hearts were never far from me. They came with the territory. And we had few ways to get help or justice.


p 9

...I could not see any rational reason or purpose for our being burned out of our home. But when I look back at it through the lens of time, I see those awful charred embers as preparation. That night, I witnessed faith in action. I did not see fear in my father's eyes. In fact, the very next day, he exhibited nerves of steel. He went to work like nothing had happened, no doubt looking into the faces of those who had done this horrible thing. He would not give the terrorists the satisfaction of knowing their evil acts could bend or break him.

Our burned-out home served as a primer, a prelude, an introduction. The postcard from hell was my first taste of evil, the kind that shows up at your door in such a way that you can never forget its smell, its taste, its sting. That kind of ugliness would not remain in the shadows of that dark country night; no, it would follow me for the rest of my days.

Fortunately, I learned early how to live with fear for people I loved. As I would go on to face my own fiery trials, I sought to obtain that same kind of internal fortitude that my dad exemplified. He had the ability to deny people with ugly agendas the power to chase him from his mission. When fear rushed in, I learned how to hear my heart racing, but refused to allow my feelings to sway me.

That resilience came from my family. It flowed through our bloodline. Before I was married to Martin and became a King, I was a proud Scott, shaped by my mother's discernment and my father's strength. Knowing what I know now, if I could have chosen parents, I would have chosen exactly the ones God selected for me: a hardworking, faithful, courageous father and a loving, nurturing, farsighted mother.

p 9 - 10

My father was one of the most fearless men I've ever met. The racial pressure on him was relentless, but it never broke him. Growing up, he provided me with incredible examples of courage. He stood at only about five feet seven inches, but he was a powerhouse. Curiously enough, he was resented because he was a hard worker and independent. He believed in rising before the sun, and would always tell us kids, "Get up early even if you don't do anything but sit down, so you won't be lazy."


p 10 - 11

...After years of hauling timber, saving his meager funds, and dodging racial threats, he decided to make the giant leap to owning his own lumber mill. He even employed a white man to oversee the day's work. This courageous and history-making move by the grandson of a slave in the backwoods of Alabama only fueled the hateful intentions of the local whites, who were determined to keep black men subservient.

My father owned the sawmill for about two weeks when a logger came to him and asked to buy it. When my father refused, the logger threatened him, saying,"Well, it'll never do you any good." The next Monday, when my father arrived at the sawmill, the inevitable had happened: the mill had been burned to the ground.

But that didn't stop him. He was a determined man. In 1946, he started a grocery store in the building next to the new home he had built.This time the whites allowed it to survive, and that little country store shone with a spirit of compassion. Soon he was able to add a one-pump gas station and automobile services (oil change, air for tires, and so on). Both blacks and whites patronized the store, buying groceries - often on credit, which went unpaid. Or dad would lend folks money out of his pocket Sometimes the borrowers would pay a little on their accounts, and he would let them charge a bigger portion. When he died in 1998, shortly before turning one hundred, the amount people owed him for groceries and loans over a span of forty years added up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. He never let the mounting debt worry him.

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