Fill My Cup

I had an opportunity to sit down and have an in-depth conversation with a friend. A conversation that would lead me to look backwards to share "what God has brought me through", forward to reveal where he is leading me and inward to share my heart.

This day was like any other day....peoples lives were changing. There was a sense of restlessness and uncertainty in the air.

Our conversation was lite; it was a surface converstion. However, somewhere along the way the spirit began to move.

Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.....Zechariah 4:6

The conversation took a turn that would lead me back to one question.

Is the body of Christ doing what Christ commissioned us to do?

Let me preface my story:

My friend and I touched on one topic after another. Then, the comment that was shared that saddened my heart.

You know I went to church "Easter Sunday" but I felt so alone"; so you are a CME. I picked up the acronym from a Pastor of a church I was visiting a few weeks prior. He referenced it to individuals who only attend Sunday Morning Services on Christmas, Mother's Day and Easter.......so you are a CME.

Yes, but the only reason why is ( here is the show stopper) it seems during the service they ( the church leaders) put more emphasis on what teams are playing on Sunday. I want to attend a church like I use to attend when I was young. In my heart, I was saying me too.
"
She raised her hands expressively. When I leave a service I should be full. I should feel different about myself. My cup is not being filled.

Each of us cry daily "Fill My Cup" oh, Lord.

In John 21:15-17, Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do You Love Me?"...... Feed My Sheep.

Sunday after Sunday I sit and watch a body who is content with being pew warmers. A body who is being deceived by the enemy into believing the Church is meeting the needs of believers.

I must admit I chuckled when the Pastor said bring your CMEs friends to church on Easter. God showed me the question I should have been asking myself is, why? And as the body of Christ what can we do differently to meet the needs of Gods people.

No one should feel alone when they are surrounded by God's children.

I knew there was a sense of restlessness in the air and the restlessness was in me.

The only witness I know is through my life.

Acting Christ Like

What do you think?

Was it common courtesy or just acting Christ like; maybe, it was luck but I choose to believe it was God's favor?

I wasn't sitting in 1st class; however, I was receiving 1st class treatment. Why? Because while going through secruity at the Airport in New Jersey; my actions affected the lives of two other people. In every experience in life, we can see God's favor.

Philippians 2:4
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Let me explain....

The security line was long and people were trying to make their connecting flights. It was like being stuck in traffic; you can see the exit but you can't reach it.

Yet, the approach to the conveyor belt was slow and steady and as quickly as I approached my turn; things began to unfold. An airport employee busily doing his job brought an elderly man in a wheelchair to the front of the line. The gentleman in front of me began muttering do you understand this; I shrugged my shoulders. It is evident by his reaction that we live in an "it's all about me" society. The airport employee was apologtic and proceeded to help the elderly gentleman through the security line.

Seconds later, three flight attendents were trying to pass through the line. "What somebody else", the gentleman stated. His feathers was ruffled. One of the flight attendents pressed on through while the other two stared in disbelief. He said NO, like a kid whose toy was being taken away. The only thing he didn't do was stomp his foot and cry. He voiced I am not moving and began to put his things on the convoyer belt.

I preceded to stepback and let them through. I heard one of them comment "Hope he is not on our flight". I thought why would anyone be rude to a flight attendent or anyone. My parents always told me not to cut off my nose to spite my face.

As things settled down, I struck up a conversation with the ladies and to our surprise we were on the same flight. In fact, one of them was named Marilyn ( what a co-incidence). As they walked away they told me we are going to take care of you.

They were definitely true to their word.

There I sat with a glass of wine ( let's not get stuck on the wine) enjoying my book; nibbling on cheese and crackers; later, served some warm cookies.

What did it cost me to put others interest before mine? Nothing

What I did gain? Some would call it luck but again I call it God's favor.

Are We Any Different?

Are we any different from the Isralite children?

They saw miracle after miracle and experienced God's blessing everyday. I have heard people say; if I lived during those times and experienced and saw what they experienced, I would never forget what God has done for me.

Day after day I see the blessings of God flowing in Christian lives; Individual's marriages restored, families delivered from financial bondage, children blessed, people healed etc.

Yet, just like the Isralite children when the pressure is off and when everything is going good. We start grumbling and complainting or worse; we forget we are called to build his Kingdom and not build our own personal kingdom.

I challenge you today to acknowledge God's mercies. Thank him, for his many blessing and work in his kingdom so others experience his goodness.

There is nothing like being in the presence of God; being blanketed with his love. His love binds us together like a fine woven quilt. Each patch representative of our testimonies as we press forward.

We can be different if we chose to be ....

Can you be in your Promised Land?

A Bible Study is suppose to generate thoughts that make you go ......Humm. I had one of those moments during the Tuesday night study. The group is now at Romans 9:1-29. The title of the Lesson was "The Potter & His Clay from the Lifeguide bible study "Becoming New in Christ" by Jack Kuhatschek.

The chapter opens with Paul being filled with sorrow for his people because they did not receive Christ and he reminds us of their heritage and the blessings that God bestowed upon them as his children. He goes on to define who are God's children. The summary of this lesson is we are God's children. Why? Because we are born of his spirit; his spiritual children.

My thought took me back to when God spoke to Abraham and told him to leave Haran and his family and his father's house and go to the land he had promised and God would make him a great nation. He was obedient in part. He did leave, however, he took his nephew Lot along with him. It took time and a separting; from Lot. Then God told Abraham to lift up his eyes and look to the north, south, east and west; all that he could see God would give to him.

This is the thought that made me go hummmm. How many of us are already in our promised land? God has spoke his instructions for our life; yet, we are not fully obedient. Walking in partial obedience is being disobedient. We are trying to live a resurrected life but we are taking along our worldly friends and the world's ways. Consequently, we can't move forward and step into the promises that God has dropped into our hearts. God is tell us to come out from among them and lift up our eyes to the north, south, east and west and all we can see he will give to us.

It is time for us to re-position ourselves and step into the promise of God; the living waters where the blessing flow.

Lesson 2 - Discussion Responds

1.

1. Ungodliness and unrighteousness of men
2. Faill to recognize the sovereignty of God by compressing the truth
3. Unthankful
4. Man being wise in their on eyes, Lust of their own heart
5. Fornication, wickness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whispers.
6. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents.
7. Without understanding, covenant breakers ( don't recognize any authority), with natural affection, implacable, unmercifull

2. That humanity needed a Savior due to our inability to control the carnal nature

3. It is in man and has been revealed to man the nature of God; through creation.

Comment: It is engrained in mankinds DNA.

4. All people respond differently; some have a spiritual respond and others suppress the knowledge they have of God

5. Respond (a): Reject God, Make up ideas, Fall into sin and Grow to hate God

Respond (b):God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity; God gave them over to degrading passions; and God gave them over to a depraved (reprobate) mind.

6. The moral degeneration is reflected in our values as a nation, same sex relationships; what use to be shocking is not acceptable - violence, vulgar language, inappropriate dress and behavior; wrong has become right..

7. By their peoples behavior, accordimg to these verse. it reflect God removing his hand off their lives

8. Majority Consensus ......No, the verse show that we all have the ability to be the thing.

9. There is available to every man certain knowledge of God. This knowledge is attainable by observing his creation. (Verse 20)

Psalm 19:1-2

1. The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork.
2. Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals his greatness.

10. People need to hear the gospel so it can bring change in their lives; and we are the ambassdors for Christ.

Leeson 2 - The Wrath of God

1. According to verses 18-32, what are some of the reasons God wrath is being revealed?
2. What questions of feeling do you have when you read about God's wrath in verse 18?
3. What does everyone know about God, according to verses 19-20? How di they know these these things?
4. How do people respond to the knowledge they posses about God ( vv. 18,21)?
5. Verses 21-32 describe the downward spiral of sin. How would you summarize each level of descent? How might each level lead to the next?
6. What evidence do you see of this moral degenerations today?
7. It is common to think of God's wrath primarily in terms of future judgement. Yet, verse 18 states that God's wrath is now being revealed. How is this evident form verses 24-32?
8. Do you think verses 18-32 refute the notion that people are basically good? Explain.
9. People often raise the questiom of how God could condemn those who have never heard of him. How does this passage address that question?
10. How might this passage make you less ashamed of the gospel and more eager to preach it?

Pray that God would be revealed powerfully to those who are rejecting him.

Lesson 1 - Answers

Romans - Becoming New in Christ

Last week, the bible study began a new book "Romans". I will be posting the questions and comments. This blog is a resource to help you mature in your Christian walk. The church has become complacent on teaching Christian they have to live a morally upright life. We are to focused on dipping out of God bags of gifts instead of developing a relationship with a living Savior.

Chapter 1 - Good News from God

1. Imagine that verses 1 and 5 are the only information you posses about Paul. Describe everything you would know about him
2. In verses 1-5 Paul gives a summary of the gospel for which he has been set apart. What do we learn about the gospel from these verses:
3. What do verses 8-13 reveal about Paul's attitude toward the Romans?Why do you think he was so encouraged and motivated/
4. Because he was an apostel ( one who is sent ), Paul felt obligated to preach the gospel to everyone ( v. 14 ). Whom do you have the greatest opportunity of reaching with the gospel?
5. What steps can you take to reach them?
6. Paul says we can be eager to preach the gospel or be ashamed of it (vv. 15-16). What might lead us to adopt one attitude or the other"
7. In verse 16 Paul describes the gospel as "the power of God" for salvation. How have you seen this power demonstrated in your lfie or the lives of others?
8. Martin Luther wrote that verse 17 to him " a gateway to heaven" What's so significant about the ideas in this verse?
9. What do you think it means to "live by faith"? (v 17)
10. In what areas do you struggle to live by faith?

Quiz on the Spiritual Gift of Faith

1. Faith is a spiritual gift that ______Christian______.
2. Faith is the ______of things hoped for, the _______of things not seen.
3. For without faith it is _______to please Him.
4. For we walk by _______, not by _________.
5. If we "have faith as a mustard seed" we can_________ ________.
6. And the apolstles said to the Lord, _______our faith.
7. Faith is which piece of spiritual armor?
8. The ______ shall live by faith.
9. Which is the "faith chapter" of the Bible?
10. Who is the "author and finisher of our faith?

Hebrews 12 - The Runners Discipline

Group Discussion: Why is perseverance usually not at the top of the list of the qualities we most admire in people?

Personal Reflection: What are your faith-race goals?


Questions:

1. What hinderances and entanglements get in the way of your Christian faith race (verse 1)? Why?
2. Up to this point in the letter, how has the writer encouraged perseverance by pointing to Jesus.
3. What value is it to keep your eyes on Jesus (vv. 2-3)
4. What discipline of the Hebrews do you think the writer alludes to (vv. 3-4, 7; 11:35-38)?
5. How do the values of God's discipline cited here help us to respond positively to discipline (vv. 10-12)
6. How have you been able to "strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees" when under discipline (v. 12)?
7. Identify the writer's specific instrucitons in verses 14-17/
8. How could you identify a "bitter root" or a godless Esau" in your life. ( vv. 15-16)
9. What encouragement do you find in verses 18-24 to run the faith race with perseverance?
10. We've all been tempted to drop our of the race. Whay would the warning of 25-29 cause us to reconsider?
11. In what way does your worship reflect ( or fail to reflect) the fact that God is a "consuming fire". (v.29)

Background - Hebrews

For the past several weeks, it has been on my heart to start an on-line Blog Bible Study. My home study is currently studying the book of Hebrews. Last week, we covered Hebrews Chapter 11 - "The Heros of Faith" I will post the chapter we will be studying next and some questions related to that chapter. In turn, please post your questions & answers. I will respond based on our group discussion and I will share your answers and questions during the live discussion on Tuesday night.

We have come to learn in the past weeks that Hebrews is one of the more difficult books to understand. However, if we grap what the writer is saying it will give us a fuller appreciation of our Savior and what his sacrifical death provided for us.


Hebrews Background:

The Jewish people in the first century had a very difficult decision to make when presented with the gospel. The writer of Hebrews understood this. The writer clearly demonstrates the superiority of Christ and that is the key. Hebrews is a book of comparisons, but it is not Judaism compared to Christianity, but Judaism compared to Christ. He is the difference. He is greater than angels, He is the priest after the order of Melchizedek, He is the perfect sacrifice.

There have been two basic reasons put forth. The first was to warn the Jewish Christians against returning to Judaism. If the Jews were becoming apostate, then the author would try and show the supremacy of Christianity to Judaism in the fulfillment of the Old Testament, in hope that the readers would try and resist the temptation to return to Judaism. (Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-31; 12:14; 13:17)

The backbone of Hebrews is the Old Testament. The author is setting froth an argument to Jews, and so was arguing with, the only authority by which he could speak - the Old Testament. The author to the Hebrews often uses the Psalms to set forth his arguments.


Next Week:
Hebrews Chapter 12.
I will post the question for the chapter Monday morning.

Please join us as we "Grow in the Livng Word of God".