TUESDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 2015
Summarized by Sarah Powell
Watch Word: He who has been forgiven much, loves much.
When visitors come into our community and join our morning meetings, Jonathan never misses a chance to ask them to share a little bit of their lives with us. One of the best ways to encourage each other as believers is to share with each other how God's grace has been working in our individual lives – how He has been redeeming us. This morning we had the opportunity to hear from a German friend that had come to visit us. From his story, we drew out a couple of themes that we then focused on for the rest of the morning.
The first was that of the role that pain and brokenness play in our lives. We had also touched on this a bit yesterday. Sometimes, in order to really realize our need of a Savior – to really realize His worth – we have to find ourselves completely broken. It is out of that brokenness that God can help us to see not only our need for Him, but also the depth of the love that He has for us. Our guest shared that looking back now, he is actually thankful for the painful things that he went through because coming through those experiences has allowed him to be able to help other people who now find themselves in similar situations. This reminded Kristina of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, in which exactly that truth is stated: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” We also recalled Romans 8:28-29, in which we're told that “...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
This promise from Romans is not only encouraging because it promises that all is being worked together for good. It also reminds us of what the good end is that all is being worked toward: we are being conformed to the image of our Savior. In sharing in His suffering and death, we are also able to partake in His life – life that is abundant and eternal. And that is good.
The second theme that we focused on from our guest's story this morning was that of forgiveness. We considered the fact that forgiveness is for the benefit of both the forgiver and the one receiving forgiveness. In Hebrews 12:14-15, we're told to “pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” Judith shared with us an analogy that a teacher gave her once: withholding forgiveness from someone is like drinking poison yourself and believing that it is killing the other person. Several of us were able to testify to the fact that forgiving someone – by God's grace – is actually incredibly freeing and one of the best decisions that we can make.
And alongside being freed when we give forgiveness, giving forgiveness is also a testimony to those around us of God's grace. When we choose to forgive, even when it is not asked for or deserved, it can serve as a picture to others of God's forgiveness given to all men. Each of us has also been forgiven so much, even though we don't deserve it. We finished our morning by recalling the story of the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her own tears in Luke 7. In verse 47, Jesus explains that this woman loves much because she has been forgiven much. We drew our watch word for the day from this verse, recognizing that we cannot love others without choosing to forgive when we are wronged, and we cannot forgive well unless we recognize how much we have already been personally forgiven through our Savior. He who has been forgiven much, loves much.
THURSDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 2015
Summarized by Agnes Bruna
Main Passage: Chapters 7 & 8
Watch Word: “The joy of the Lord is your strength”
Today, we saw that after the people had finished building the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah had not finished his work: he wanted to build a people. One of his problems was that not many people lived in the city. After helping building the walls, a lot of them returned to their own land and homes outside the city. But before he dealt with that problem, Nehemiah had something more important to do: re-familiarize people with the Word of God and His commandments, which brings us to Chapter 8.
It was so encouraging to read in verse 1 that the people actually wanted to hear God’s law and to understand it. After the people gathered, they were actually the ones who asked Ezra the priest to bring the book of the Law of Moses and read from it. Other priests also helped reading and explained the Law to the people to make sure they understood. It reminded us of when we discussed in our studies of the book of Acts, in which Philip explains the Word of God to the Ethiopian eunuch. It is really important that people learn to listen to God for themselves through His Word. How important that is was shown by the fact that the day was called a holy day three times in this chapter.
So why were the people weeping? One suggestion we had was that maybe they wept in reaction to all they had come out of in exile. But especially we thought it was because they felt convicted through reading God’s Word. Reading God’s Word can and should bring conviction of sin, but Nehemiah wanted the people to be joyful because God had brought them back from exile and they were able to read God’s Word again. Jesus has “upped the bar” for us in obedience. We realize that we can’t be pure, which leads to weeping. But through grace and forgiveness, we can rejoice.
The celebration of the Feast of Shelters – Tabernacles – was significant because just as God brought His people out of Egypt, He now brought His people back from exile. Celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles was also a way of the people being doers of the Word, not just hearers (James 1:22). And in Revelation 21 it tells us that God wants to tabernacle with His people. His presence with us is what gives us joy.
So, in this chapter, there is an emphasis on the importance of God’s Word, how we can be convicted through God’s Word, and how – ultimately – God’s Word makes us joyful. So our watchword for the day was: “The joy of the Lord is your strength”.
WEDNESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2015
Summarized by Kyle Carlson
Main Scripture Passage: Nehemiah 6
Watch word: My eyes are always on the Lord.
In our meeting today we read from Nehemiah chapter 6. During this time, Nehemiah faced many attacks from his enemies in a variety of ways. Once his enemies heard the wall of Jerusalem had been completed, they tried to meet with Nehemiah in the plains of Ono. Nehemiah had discernment to see their evil intent to harm him, and therefore did not agree to the meeting. They then tried to get him to meet through slanderous accusations about his character and motives. Again, Nehemiah was not troubled and simply stated that their accusations were false. He let the truth speak for itself. They then tried to get him to hide in the Temple out of fear for his life. Some of his enemies hired a prophet to try and convince him of this. However, Nehemiah discerned that this word was not from the Lord and refused to hide. In every situation, Nehemiah trusted in the Lord and refused to be swayed by human logic and fear.
The wall was then completed only 52 days after they began working on it. For such a large project, this was a remarkable accomplishment. Even their enemies recognized the Lord’s power through its completion. In verse 16 it says, “When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.” The completion of this wall became a testimony of God’s power. Nehemiah himself was also a testimony of God’s power because of all the trials and temptations he faced. In the last portion of the chapter, we learned that he also faced many internal threats during the entire 52 days of the wall’s construction. Nehemiah faced opposition through compromise, slander, and treachery. Yet, he discerned all the evil and was not discouraged from completing the work God had given him to do.
There are many themes and challenging moments in this chapter. The first theme we discussed was discernment. Nehemiah displayed an incredible gift of discernment when his enemies tried to deceive him. He was not afraid, and their tactics actually inspired him to work harder on rebuilding the wall. We discussed examples of discernment in our own lives or the lives of people we know. Many inspiring examples were shared about people who followed the Lord’s voice and had particular discernment into a situation. These examples often came from years of following the Lord, and looking back at their testimony for inspiration during present and future trials.
Throughout this chapter, Nehemiah never looses his testimony or witness. His enemies simply wanted to make him stumble, or even just appear as though he had stumbled. One community member remarked that if he hid in the Temple, the people following him would have left. They would have seen the fear in him, and the walls of Jerusalem would not have been completed. He might not have actually been afraid, but his witness would have been lost. This led us to a discussion about our testimony and its power. Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Our testimony is one of the best tools we have at our disposal. It is not only a historical account of God working in our lives, but it is the present and future workings of the Lord. Nehemiah understood this, and guarded his testimony and witness. He also relied on his experience to motivate him. He knew God had been faithful so far, and trusted that he would continue to be faithful.
How can we apply Nehemiah’s example in our lives? He was faced with temptation and fear, yet he did not give in. Why did he have so much strength and confidence? From where did he get this steadfast trust in the Lord? Well, he had already decided long ago who he would follow; who he would trust. Based on his experience and the character of God as described in the Word, he had a confident hope in the Lord. His answers to his enemies appear natural to him, yet they are quite bold in many ways. In Psalm 25:15, we read, “My eyes are always on the Lord, for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.” If we follow Nehemiah’s example, we will always look to the Lord. While we might not face direct physical threats like he did, we will certainly face something in life. If we only keep our attention on the Lord, he will take care of everything. “My eyes are always on the Lord.”
TUESDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2015
Summarized by Kristina Kayser
Main Scripture Passage: Nehemiah 5
Watch word: Love and fear God above all
Nehemiah chapter five is a rich Scripture passage that is full of spiritual truths! We are given a wide-lens look at a problem affecting the entire Jewish community in Jerusalem, as well as a focused insight into the personal life of Nehemiah himself. Our study began this morning with a study of verses 1-13, concerning a national issue of social injustice, how it came about, who it affected, and how it was ultimately resolved.
Israel was facing money problems, and the poor of the land found themselves the victims of hunger, debt, and slavery, leading to a "great outcry." Financial straits were made worse by the fact that the Jewish nobles and officials were taking advantage of their brother’s struggle by exacting high interest. Land was mortgaged away for food and when loans could not be repaid, children were being sold as slaves to Jewish nobles to pay for their parent’s debt. The poor felt helpless and powerless to do anything, so they sought an advocate in Nehemiah (Proverbs 31:8-9).
We looked at several passages in the Torah (Exodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:35-43, Deuteronomy 19-20) that clearly outline the boundaries God established for how the Jewish people were to treat the poor among their brethren. Loans, interest, usury, and slavery, were all direct violations of God's law. This helped us understand why Nehemiah reacted and responded the way he did.
His first response was anger, leading us to ask the question, "Is it okay for believers to be angry, and, if so, how should that anger be dealt with?" We discussed the fact that the Bible addresses the issue of righteous anger towards sin, injustice, oppression, etc. and agreed that anger is an acceptable response depending on what we then do with it. If our anger is channeled towards revenge or adding sin to the situation, then it reaps nothing good or holy. For example, anger against abortion is misdirected with such things as violent riots and insults outside the clinics. Some have even gone to the extreme of blowing up those clinics in the name of righteous anger.
Nehemiah shows us the way to direct anger properly and justly. His second response to the outcry is to take counsel with himself or take serious thought. He was wise enough to not respond too hastily at the height of his emotion. With great boldness, Nehemiah addressed the problem directly and in truth. He then gave clear instructions about stopping all interest and returning all that had been taken. This was to be done simply and purely out of walking in fear of God. He wasn't asking the people to do anything that he was not also willing to do. The nobles and officials responded in repentance and sincerity. And they concluded in worship! How beautiful is that? May we also respond to correction with such swift humility and praise.
In the previous chapter, the work of God was threatened from outside enemies, whereas this chapter demonstrated Satan's tactic in trying to prevent God's work through internal conflict and disunity among brethren. Moreover, when it comes to financial matters, it is crucial for us to link our decisions with our relationship with God and others. Perhaps, one of the best ways to have a right heart before God, when dealing with money, is to follow Nehemiah's example in the last section of chapter five.
Leading by example, Nehemiah did not take his rightful allowance as governor, so as not to burden the people. He lived in a simpler manner and was gracious and generous with the things he did have. All the while, he worked alongside his fellow Jews to build the wall and did not seek material gain. Whether God has entrusted us with much or little regarding physical wealth, may we seek to live sacrificially, give generously with a cheerful heart, and love and fear God above all!
MONDAY, 9 FEBRUARY 2015
Summarized by Dafe Ofoh
Main Scripture Passage: Nehemiah 3 and 4
Watch word: But God...
Today was a good morning with the family of Shevet Achim. This morning we read on the message of the life of Nehemiah, in Nehemiah chapter 4. To the end Nehemiah is a man of faith. Despite the many predicaments he found himself in, he did not stop, he did not give up, he did not allow his weakness to pull him down or tear him apart; he continued to run the race, to fight the good fight and he kept his faith in God – who powerful and faithful to His faithful ones – raised him to such an extent that we still look to and learn from him to this day. We, like the people of Israel have a Defender.
Nehemiah said “We, people of God – men and women of faith, do not need to defend ourselves because we have a Defender that is God . Every man or woman of faith is led by an indwelling spirit of grace, which is greater than he who dwells in the world.
The God who created us now dwells within us through the living Word. Ask Prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 6:15-17 and he would tell you that our Defender is with us in the living Word. Whenever we are going through ordinary circumstances in life as Christians, we should always remember that we have no other refuge than this command of Jesus: ‘Only believe’. Whenever we truly believe, our hearts will be at rest; we will be connected to the Defender.
We need no more than to open the eyes of our faith. The opening of our eyes of faith is the silencing of our fears. Ask David in 1 samuel 17;32-52 - it was word which came out of David's lips that produced an overcoming spirit in him. In this way, Nehemiah is also a man of faith.
Our word of the day was "But God."
All throughout Nehemiah 4 we see difficult sitution after difficult situation arise, "But God" was always there and ready to defend His people. So may it be believed in our lives.
WEDNESDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2015
Summarized by Josh Miles
Main Scripture Passage: Acts 9:1-19
Watch word: Go, for he is a chosen vessel
How do we know the Lord is talking to us? Visions? A still small voice? When we hear his voice, what is our response? In the Acts 9, Ananias is prompted through a vision to speak with. This vision was not a pleasant idea for Ananias, who knew Paul through his fearsome reputation, but Ananias followed the calling of the Lord through the vision
Have we ever experienced the Lord speaking so clearly that we have had no doubt as to what we were hearing? Have we ever heard a word that we believed was from the Lord, but that was not immediately confirmed until later?
As Ananias did through his example in Acts, we must believe that that God can speak with great clarity - God can establish a doubtless confidence that we have heard him. When the Lord wants to take hold of us, he can do it in the most unmistakable of ways. With this confidence, as Ananias did, we must be ready to follow and obey despite our human fears. Are we ready to come to Jesus even if his call is to come and die? To suffer alongside him? How clear of a calling do we need?
Jesus called Ananias, despite his fear, to renew Saul/Paul both physically and spiritually - a call Ananias heard, clearly realized was the Lord, and obeyed.
Our theme for today was, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel" This theme carries the idea that God has the power to choose and to save whom he wants - and that he can communicate clearly and loudly as needed. The question we can ask ourselves is, "Why did you choose me and save me?"
Prayer for the day: Give me faith not to hate others but to pray for them and love them, that they may come to you.
TUESDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 2015
Summarized by Agnes Bruna
Main Scripture Passage: Acts 8:26-40
Supporting Scripture: Ephesians 3:20, Revelation 12:11, Jeremiah 31:34
Watch word: Philip opened his mouth.
Philip was sent by the Holy Spirit to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, just as we were about to send out a team from Jerusalem to Gaza. We read the passage and looked to see if we could send them out with a word from the Lord from this passage. The main thing we noticed was that Philip speaks what God says, guided by the Holy Spirit. All he needed to do is open his mouth to explain the Scriptures to those who do not understand. And that’s what we prayed for the crew going out to Gaza.
At verse 26 we stopped and thought if we are willing to be diverted from what we are doing when we are prompted to speak? Of course we need discernment, but there is joy in unplanned conversations. Anna also pointed out that there can be consequences to ignoring the leading of the Holy Spirit, sometimes difficult ones, as He trains us to be obedient to His voice.
So how do we know it’s the Holy Spirit? Some of us mentioned a pounding of our heart, Sophie said after praying for guidance she can feel God’s peace. But the main thing is that we prepare ourselves so we can be ready when the moment comes. It is also important that we realise that our actions in small things can have a ripple effect. Great things can come out of small acts of obedience. In Ephesians 3:20 it says that God is able to do much more than what we ask or think.
Kristina read in Revelation 12:11 that people overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony… We noticed that there are two things which are important: First of all our testimony; there should be no place for embarrassment or worry about what people will think; we just tell of the things God did for and in us.
Secondly Philip let the Scriptures speak for itself. We don’t need to try to control what people believe, or how they interpret the Scriptures. When we ask the right questions, guided by the Holy Spirit, we can let Him do the teaching. Rafat said that the Holy Spirit touches the heart, not the head. We believe from the heart. This approach to explaining the Scriptures tears down hierarchy, as everyone can hear from God (Jeremiah 31:34). So, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to work. All we need to do is share God’s word. God prepares the hearts; at the right time we need to be ready and not be ashamed.
So, we need to open our mouths with our testimony, while being willing to be vulnerable; and with the Scriptures themselves. “Philip opened his mouth” Acts 8:35. Are we ready to guide our families here to the Scriptures?
MONDAY, 2 FEBRUARY 2015
Summarized by Julia Binder
Main Scripture Passage: Proverbs 2
Supporting Scripture: Matthew 5:5 and 7:7, Job 37:14-20, Psalm 37:8
Watch word: Discretion will protect you.
“Seek the Lord with all your heart.“ With these words, Jesse introduced us to the passage of today’s bible study. The entire 2nd chapter of Proverbs is about the pursuit of God’s heart, and getting to know him more and more. The first four verses tell us what it takes to come to a place of understanding and knowledge. They mention the conditions necessary to receive understanding, by using an if/then comparison method. Verse 5 then brings up the wonderful results of seeking the Lord.
In summary, verses 1 through 4 say that to gain understanding you have to receive the word, treasure it in your heart, ask questions about it, and go find it. If you do this, then understanding comes. These verses should not be treated like a recipe for understanding, because God is still God and not a weather forecast. However God promised in Matthew 7:7, “Seek and you will find.” God has the greatest understanding. In Job 37:14-20 he says, “Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders. Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?“
From there, in verses 5 through 11, all the good things are enumerated that come as a result of seeking the Lord. The fear of the Lord, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, protection, success, discretion and guidance are all a result of seeking the Lord. We then talked in more detailed about the word “discretion,” and what it means to us. We came to the conclusion that is means to be quiet and show restraint, if the situation demands it, but in the same way, speak the truth when necessary. From there, verses 12 through 19 speak about evil men and women we should be aware of. This raised questions such as: have we ever been negatively influenced by others, have we ever had an experience with someone who delighted in evil things, or have we ever met a person who flattered us for his or her own goals?
We all have experienced the bad influence of evil people, and we know that it is worth being aware of such people. But being aware doesn't mean to avoid these people, because Jesus wants us to witness especially to them. However it means to avoid the negative influence that they might bring. God should always be our first influence.
The passage ends with the words, “The upright will live in the land, not the wicked.” Psalm 37:9 encourages us with the statement, “For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.“ Matthew 5:5 also says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” What an encouragement for us to seek God more and more! If we seek him wholeheartedly, then God gives us his discretion and protection.
THURSDAY, 29 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Kristina Kayser
Main Scripture Passage: Acts 8:14-17
Watch word: Let Love Lead.
As our community delves further into the account of Acts, we encounter more and more of the work and personality of the Holy Spirit, both in the early church and in our lives today. We re-read Acts 8:14-17 this morning with the purpose of taking a closer look at the Samaritans first encounter with the Holy Spirit. It appears that although they had been baptized in the name of Jesus, they had not yet received the Holy Spirit. This came only when Peter and John visited Samaria, prayed and laid their hands on the believers there.
Thus, the question was presented, "Is there a separate experience/baptism of the Holy Spirit for believers apart from the confession and baptism of salvation?" Other questions posed included, "Are we hungry for more of His Spirit?" "Is the power of the Spirit carrying us in our work and in our lives?" "What is the evidence of being filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit?"
In light of these questions, Jonathan shared the story of D.L. Moody, who, for many years, was a powerful and influential evangelist with a growing ministry. Two women, however, prayed throughout these years for him to be filled with the Holy Spirit and told him so. This began a journey of prayer and seeking more of the Spirit for Moody until he had a powerful encounter that he describes as such: "I can only say that God was revealed to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand." Later when asked why he continued to pray for a refilling of the Spirit, Moody replied, "Because I leak!"
We then discussed the varied opinions/positions within the church on the Holy Spirit. Some hold to the belief that a person is filled with the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion and others believe there is an additional baptism of the Spirit following salvation that is often accompanied by speaking in tongues or other spiritual gifts. Still others would add that a believer has multiple encounters with the Holy Spirit throughout his life as he hungers after and seeks fresh empowerment from the Spirit for work, ministry, relationships, etc.
It is true that the Holy Spirit should and does change everything. If the Holy Spirit is a promised gift from the Lord, then, is not the Spirit-filled life a beautiful thing to be desired? We looked at evidence of the Holy Spirit in someone's life within the context of 1 Corinthians 12-14. Paul makes clear that the gifts of teaching, prophecy, healing, helping, administering, and tongues are appointed by the Lord but not all believers are one and the same. Furthermore, he says, "But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way."
That way, we discovered, is love. The truest and most powerful evidence of a Spirit-filled, Spirit-empowered believer is transforming love. Other gifts will pass away, but love abides forever. And if gifts are not exercised in or motivated by love, nothing is gained. The perfect and overwhelming love of God should lead us in all things, especially in the use of other spiritual gifts.
We agreed that our community is a place where the Holy Spirit is welcomed. Part of community life here is knowing each of us has liberty in the Lord and that we should encourage each other to pursue spiritual gifts and help identify them in each other. It is vital that we do not seek the gifts of the Spirit themselves, but to seek to see Jesus' name glorified, the body of Christ built up, and people's hearts changed. God is love, and it is by His love that we are redeemed, transformed, and empowered. So, may we be led by His love in all our pursuits!
WEDNESDAY, 28 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Kyle Carlson
Main Scripture Passage: Acts 8:4-25
Watch word: Is my heart right before God?
Our discussion today came from Acts chapter 8, verses 4 through 25. In this passage, Philip goes to Samaria and preaches the gospel to those living there. The crowds listened intently and received what he said. Accompanying his message were many miraculous signs, such as casting out demons and healing the lame. There was a sorcerer, named Simon, who lived in Samaria and performed magic to impress the people. The people there held him in high regard because of the power they thought he had. However, when he saw God’s true power, he recognized it as such and became a believer along with many others from the city. Philip continued to perform many miracles, and Simon followed him as he did.
The apostles in Jerusalem then heard about all that had happened in Samaria, and so Peter and John traveled there. The Holy Spirit had not yet come to the people in Samaria, so Peter and John laid their hands on the believers and they received the Spirit. When Simon saw this, he asked if he could buy the power of the Holy Spirit so that he too could pray for people and they would receive it’s power. However, Peter saw his true motives and replied in verse 20 saying, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!” Peter then said Simon needed to repent of his sins and pray that God would forgive him for his evil thoughts.
The Samaritans at that time did not have a great reputation in the eyes of the Jewish people. They were seen as the “black sheep” of the area. They also had a reputation for sorcery and magic, as we see evident in the story of Simon. When Philip started to preach, he also performed many miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit. He gained the attention of the city because they seemed to recognize the Lord’s power as being the supreme power. It is then interesting that Philip continued to perform many miracles, but the power of the Holy Spirit did not fall on anyone until Peter and John arrived. Perhaps the Lord knew that Peter needed to be present to address Simon. His heart was not right, and he only wanted the Holy Spirit for selfish reasons. In our meeting, this topic led us to a discussion about our hearts being right before God when we ask him for something. Whether it is asking for guidance, or the power of the Holy Spirit, or any other need; God is concerned with the status of our hearts. God sees directly through us, we cannot hide anything from him. How foolishly we all try to though. He looks at our hearts behind something, our true motives. So whether we are new believers or have known Messiah for many years, it is important to ask ourselves, “Is my heart right before God?”
TUESDAY, 27 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Jesse Tilman
Main Scripture Passage: Acts 8:1-13
Watch word: Where You Go, I'll Go
This morning we looked at the passage describing the initial spread of Jesus' followers after the stoning of Stephen. It starts with Saul beginning his persecution of the church by condoning Stephen's death. After this there arose the great persecution in Jerusalem and all the Christians, except for the apostles, began to spread out, mostly to Judea and Samaria. This dispersal also brought the spreading of the Message as many heard from those traveling. We learn about Philip's fruitfulness in Samaria; led by the Spirit he journeyed there and saw the Lord work wonders and bring many to salvation. Even Simon the longtime Sorcerer turned to the Lord when he saw the truth of the Message.
Our discussion centered on the word of staying close to God by walking in the flow of the Spirit. Sophie shared about a dream she had of being inside a circle drawn on the ground and surrounded by enemies. They could not touch her though, as long as she remained inside this circle of life and protection. She could even lay down without fear. We discussed how the circle can represent a nearness to God's presence and the safety that brings. Others also shared life events where the Lord had led them opposite the expected or world's way of thinking, sometimes by refusing an easy solution offered, fighting for one's rights, or by stepping back from a job that included some unethical practices.
The guiding principle we gleaned was that operating in the thinking of the Spirit leads to true safety, fruitfulness, and integrity. So often the world offers a lot if we will just follow it. Will we follow Him when it looks like the opposite of well-being, popularity, reputation, etc.? As we begin to understand and know our infinite God, it pays to abide by His rules and keep our ear tuned to His voice. He knows the path He is taking us on and He knows the dangers, blessings, and twists and turns on its way. Our understanding is limited and He is asking us for trust in Him first before revelation. The more we make Him the joy of our lives the easier this will be. As we put aside distracting pleasures, our heart will be more and more in His hands, the safest most fruitful place. So let's join in saying, "Where you go, I'll go!"
MONDAY, 26 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Konrad Wiedmer
Main Scripture Passage: Nehemiah 2
Watch word: The Good Hand of Our God is Upon Us
In today’s bible study, we were moving forward in the book of the prophet Nehemiah in the Old Testament. First of all, we reviewed what happened in the first chapter and how significant our watchword from that passage was: God does not call the equipped; He equips the called. Because Nehemiah had God’s call to rebuild the city of Jerusalem in his heart, God gave him everything he needed!
Chapter two starts with the conversation between Nehemiah and the king he was serving. King Artaxerxes favored Nehemiah’s huge request to be allowed to rebuild the broken walls of Jerusalem. The most important fact here is found in verse four, as Nehemiah replies to the king’s question about what is the matter and what is troubling him. He does not immediately bring his thoughts before the king; instead, Nehemiah prays a quick prayer to the Lord. What we also noticed is that in chapter one, the prophet sat before God and cried out his prayer for a long time. Basically, this means that his first step before bringing his request before the king was praying. In this, we also saw a great use for us nowadays. Whatever we are going to do, however easy or hard it might be, the first priority should be dedicated and persistent prayer to the Lord before any action is taken. Then later, when we are actually in the situation we interceded for ahead of time, we can call upon God again in a quick prayer to focus our minds.
Our God is truly a God of wonders as we can see in the story because Nehemiah asks for many more things concerning his journey and the wood he needs to rebuild the broken walls. Those requests were huge, and we agreed that it was bold to ask those things from the king. But as Nehemiah knew that the good hand of his God is upon him, he stepped forward in faith.
All his requests are approved by the king, who himself did not believe in the Lord. Here we discussed another important point. Is the Lord also working in the hearts and through the actions of non-believers? Yes – definitely. We can see that not only in this story, but also in our daily life here in Israel!
Even in this early stage of the reconstruction of the Holy City, there were some people who did not want the city to be rebuilt. We read that in verse ten because the scripture says: “They were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.”
But the end of today’s passage speaks powerfully into that situation. Nehemiah replies to the ones who are against his calling: “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem”.
In this statement, we see how much the prophet trusted God, and we want to do the same day by day. God’s good hands were all the time on him, wherever he went, and we can be sure it is the same for us. Let’s be aware of that and be connected with Him in every minute of our life because he is the author of it :)
THURSDAY, 22 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Kyle Carlson
Main Scripture Passage: Acts 7:37-60
Watch word: Forgive our enemies, as we have been forgiven
Today we concluded with Stephen’s powerful speech to the religious leaders of the time. He reminded them how the people of Israel also repeatedly rejected the Lord and turned to idolatry when they were at Mount Sinai. They refused to listen to the Lord. Stephen then challenges the council in verse 51 saying, “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did and so do you!” This outraged the council and they “shook their fists at him in rage.” However, Stephen was not troubled, he was full of the Holy Spirit and looked to heaven. In verse 56 he says, “…Look I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” This infuriated the council and they dragged him outside and stoned him. Just before he died he prayed an incredibly powerful prayer saying, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!”
Stephen’s prayer just before he died displays great faith and courage, and it has many ramifications. Paul, then called Saul, was present at Stephen’s death, and appeared to be the instigator of it. As we know, Paul would later be profoundly used by God and become the author of much of the New Testament. Jonathan brought up a quote from St. Augustine in which he says; “The Church owes Paul to the prayer of Stephen.” In that final moment of his life, what if Stephen had cursed his executioners and Paul? What affect would that have had on Paul? Instead, we see Stephen forgive and actually intercede on their behalf!
When Paul later encounters the Lord and becomes a believer, he already knew Stephen had forgiven him. This led us to our watchword for today, “Forgive our enemies, as we have been forgiven.” This is a simple sentence that is incredibly difficult to live out. Especially when we consider the area of the world we live in and some our community member’s background’s. This is a daunting challenge and command. Now, this does not mean there are not consequences for actions, but it does mean that forgiveness is not ours, as Christians, to withhold. If we do, it will lead us down a path of bitterness. When considering the hurt and evil in the world, forgiveness would be impossible aside from the power of the Holy Spirit. Stephen was a man “full of the Holy Spirit.” This gave him faith, courage, boldness and forgiveness. What an example to aspire to. He was a man who walked in the Spirit and trusted only in the Lord, not in any efforts of his own.
WEDNESDAY, 21 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Kristina Kayser
Main Scripture Passage: Acts 7:17-37
Supporting Scriptures: Exodus 3:10-1; Numbers 12:3; Deuteronomy 18:15
Watch word: God's not done yet
Our morning devotions began with the question, "What was the purpose of Stephen's lengthy account about the patriarchs when his life was on the line?" Moving on from yesterday's focus of Abraham's journey of faith, today's Scripture portion centered on Moses. Step by step, it appears that Stephen is building a case for God's promises of old being fulfilled in Jesus.
We're introduced to Moses in this passage as one brought up in the courts of the King of Egypt, "instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians," who "was mighty in words and deeds." At the age of forty, he took action to execute justice for his people and was rejected by them instead. (More on that subject later.)
Fleeing to the wilderness of Midian, he then spent the next forty years in complete contrast to the previous forty. Where as Moses was once full of self-assurance with the world at his fingertips, he now found himself stripped of every comfort and devoid of any confidence in himself. Perhaps, it could be said that it took forty years to get Egypt (i.e. pride, earthly wisdom, and knowledge) out of Moses. In essence, God was breaking and humbling Moses so that he could be used to carry out God's plan of deliverance in His way and in His time. We further discussed how our greatest failures or seasons of trial are often the things that bring us closer to the Lord and are necessary for our further growth and equipping. Numbers 12:3 says, "Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth." This could not have been said of pre-Midian Moses. But the desert tested and tried him so much so that, when God spoke to Moses after this forty year preparation period, he responded thus: "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt...Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue" (Exodus 3:11; 4:10).
The final part of our passage this morning concluded with Stephen repeating the fact that Moses, the one chosen by God to deliver His people from Egypt, was initially rejected by Israel. Similarly, the One chosen by God to deliver His people from their sins, was also rejected. Stephen then quotes the following words of Moses, which strongly allude to the coming Messiah, Jesus: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers--it is to him you shall listen..." (Deuteronomy 18:15).
Like Moses, do you find yourself in a desert place at the moment? Is failure, disappointment, or delay causing you to wonder what God is doing and how long this season will last? Take heart, friend. The Lord is not finished with His work in your life--in our lives. His work takes time, as that of a potter sitting at the wheel, deftly molding the clay with care and patience. And just like us, the pot is not ready for use until it is put through the fire. Then, at last, it will be a finished work. May we trust our heavenly Father in His promise to complete the good work He began in us.
MONDAY, 19 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Sarah Powell
Main Passage: Hebrews 12
Watch Word: Encouraged by Discipline
Today, Jesse led us through a discussion of Hebrews 12, which is a rich chapter, filled with encouragement and exhortations. In the chapter before, Paul had just finished reminding his readers of all of the faithful men and women who have followed the Messiah throughout history and been faithful to God's call on their lives. He then exhorts us in verse 1 of chapter 12 to “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,” in order that we may be able to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Why? Because we are “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,” who have already proven God's faithfulness.
Here we noted that running with “endurance” suggests doing something over and over, continually, daily, because we have purposed in our hearts to do it no matter what. Endurance is a necessary part of every believer's life in so much as we recognize that we are not citizens of this world but, instead, are only passing through, pursuing the heavenly city to come (as we're reminded in Hebrews 13:14). It is in light of this that we should seek endurance, in order to not be held back from our destination by sin, fear, pride, or other things that could weigh us down.
It is with the same intention of helping us to arrive victoriously at our heavenly home that God as our Father disciplines us. For much of chapter 12, Paul expounds the fact that God disciplines us in love, explaining that God uses discipline in order to yield the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” in our lives (vs. 11). Agnes then had us consider what God's discipline looks like in people's lives. What does it mean to say that God disciplines His children? Kristina shared that in her own life, God often disciplined her in times of disobedience simply by allowing her to reap the natural consequences of wrong choices she has made instead of protecting her from those consequences. Another way some of us have seen God's discipline in our lives is through seasons of unfruitfulness, in which God puts us in a “time out” of sorts, seeking to teach us something before He allows us to move forward.
As Paul finishes speaking about God's discipline, he then exhorts us to “pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled...” (vs. 14 & 15). Here we noted that the “cloud of witnesses” that is meant to encourage us on toward our goal does not merely have to refer to those who have reached the heavenly city before us already, but can also refer to the fellow members of the Messiah's body who are still currently in the race alongside us, pursuing the same goal. We should be exhorting and encouraging one another when we see that another is beginning to get weighed down by things that are holding them back from running this race well. Moreover, we should continually ask God to give us humble hearts so that we will be able to receive and grow from exhortations that another gives to us regarding the way that our choices are affecting our walk with the Lord. And as a part of seeking to help each other run this race well, we should seek peace with each other continually because bitterness is another thing that will rapidly become a burden that holds us back from the Lord if we allow it to remain in our hearts. Of course, that does not mean that there are never disputes among us as believers, but they should never be allowed to endure. We should always seek a peaceful resolution in so far as we are able.
Finally, we came to Paul's description of the mighty power of God displayed on an earthly mountain before Moses and the children of Israel when God came upon the mountain in fire and smoke, causing all of Israel to tremble. Paul goes on to say that we are not coming to a merely earthly mountain to be awed by our God. No, we “have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn... to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant...” (vs. 22-24). Paul concludes the chapter by saying, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (vs. 28-29).
And what does He consume but all that should not endure? He consumes the sin that seeks to hinder us from running to Him freely. He will consume this temporary world in order to bring us to our heavenly home. And He lovingly disciplines us as a part of His consuming nature because He wants us to be truly free from all that holds us back from Him and the fullness of life that He has called us to in His Son. Therefore, when we see His discipline in our lives, we should be encouraged. We are not illegitimate; we are children of God. And He is lovingly forming us into “just men made perfect” (vs. 23).
THURSDAY, 15 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Nick Boyum
Main passage: Acts 6
Watchword: Focus & Care
Today's passage may seem administrative at first; indeed I was tempted to overlook the implications it has for each of us as a member of the Body. Acts 6 finds the apostle tackling a problem brought to their attention by a group of Greek-speaking believers in the early church: their widows were being neglected in the daily good distribution. Whether this neglect was a result of division in the early church or merely a language barrier, we can only speculate. What we can learn from the Apostles' response is that each and every job and set of skills is just as important as the next. They do not say "it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables" because serving tables is less important; they are making a distinction between giftings of the Spirit and their role in the Body. In fact, there is a reminder in there that we should all prioritize the preaching and studying of the word of God in our lives, in addition to the roles the Spirit has given us in the church.
How many of us have found ourselves burnt out by operating too long in a role we do not feel fit for, even within in a church or missions position? Likewise, have we ever experienced an individual who takes it upon themselves to do everything themselves out of obligations other than serving God? When we try to work outside the Spirit, and this was definitely a conclusion our community came to also today: we find ourselves burning out and losing connection with our true source of purpose, God's Spirit. We concluded that if we try to function by our own strength and understanding, we can often stifle not only an individuals intended area of service, but also the Spirit's ability to work in the Body through that individual. Let us examine our own desires against the gifts God has given to each of us through His Spirit today, and go out rejoicing at the works the Lord has prepared for each of us as part of His Body today!
WEDNESDAY, 14 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Lindsay Martin
Main passage: Acts 5:12-42
Watchword: If it is of God, you cannot overthrow them
Today we reviewed the passage where the apostles are thrown in prison for performing miracles among the people throughout Jerusalem. After they are thrown in prison, an angel appears to them and opened the prison doors to bring them out. He directed them, saying, "Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life." So that's what they did.
Now, when the high priest found out that they had escaped, he was very perplexed, and his anger rose toward the apostles. The chief priests gathered to decide what should be done with these men. As the apostles spoke of being witnesses to Jesus' sacrifice and the filling of the Holy Spirit, the priests became even more angered and wanted to kill the apostles.
As the priests became more passionate, one of the pharisees, Gamaliel, spoke up and tried to give some peace to the situation. He encouraged the men to be put outside until they could make a decision. And he shared with the priests what he had seen of God's power when He is defending his people. He said, "If it is of God, you cannot overthrow them." That is where we received our watchword for today: If it is of God, you cannot overthrow them.
There are many things that seem to be working against us as we try to get approval for the passports for the Syrian refugees, but we know that if God wills it, we will not fail. Please pray with us as we apply once again this week for these precious children to receive passage into Israel! If it is of God, you cannot overthrow them; these are encouraging words for us as believers.
MONDAY, 12 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Kristina Kayser
Main passage: Acts 5:1-11
Supporting passage: Philippians 4:10-13;19. Hebrews 4:16. Proverbs 30:7-9. Matthew 6:21
Watchword: Fear God, Not Man
Our community began chapter five of Acts this morning with the dramatic account of Ananias and Sapphira. While only briefly mentioned in the Scriptures, they go down in history as one of the most memorable couples who teach us a poignant lesson in "what not to do." The first question we asked was, "What was the sin issue?" The problem was not that this husband and wife owned property, nor was the problem that they kept back part of the proceeds of their sale. That much is clear from Peter's response. God does not make a blanket requirement for all disciples to sell everything they have or give every penny they have for the church. But there is a deep-rooted connection between our dependency on material things and our trust and contentment in the Lord. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21). Truth and contentment flow together from the heart, as Proverbs 30:7-9 aptly states. "Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me." (verse 8).
The real problem turned out to be an issue of the heart, namely deception. Both Ananias and Sapphira made a conscious decision to lie about the proceeds. And as Peter points out, they didn't lie to men, but to God. What made them lie and how can we guard our own hearts from falling into this same sin? One possibility we discussed was the issue of peer pressure within the church. Did this couple seek recognition or honor from the other believers? Did they feel obligated to give because so many others were doing so? Another issue is the risk we all face when our hearts are slowly deceived by the enemy--the father of lies. This most commonly happens when we're not living according to God's word or letting His Spirit reign in our hearts. Little decisions accumulate overtime that either lead us closer to or further away from the Lord.
The final subject of our discussion this morning centered around the idea of our fear of God versus our fear of man. When we elevate the opinions of man and allow that to dictate our actions, we've missed the point of life in Messiah. There is so much freedom to found in fearing God and living to glorify Him. "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe." (Proverbs 29:25). The deaths of Ananias and Sapphira brought fear upon the entire church, which made us ponder our own fear of God and how that changes us. God is holy and righteous, and the sin of Ananias and Sapphira was exposed and punished quickly. But God is also full of mercy and compassion. Through repentance of sin, we are covered by the righteousness of Messiah and have hope in His name.
WEDNESDAY, 7 JANUARY 2015
Summarized by Julia Binder
Main passage: Acts 4:23-31
Supporting passage: Psalm 37:7
Watchword: Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
After Peter and John get released by the council, they go straight back to the rest of the Church and tell of everything that had happened to them. Then the whole church starts to pray from verse 24 on. You can see that the church is of one heart and soul because it is written: “They prayed with one accord.”
At first, they remember to whom they pray and how mighty God is: “You made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.”
Then they remembered David and his words, spoken through the Holy Spirit: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?”, which fits perfectly to the situation Peter and all the disciples experienced with Jesus' crucifixion.
Verse 26 emphasizes that people of every type had been against Jesus, including the Gentiles and people of Israel.
We discussed how much King Herod and Pilate have to be blamed for the crucifixion. Yes, they bear a part of responsibility, but in the end it was God's plan. Jesus had to die so that we can live, and if it hadn't been Herod or Pilate, then somebody else would have delivered Jesus to death. It all was God's great plan, which the new-founded church was now carrying on.
From there, they prayed to God and asked for his help to speak his words with much boldness. It is amazing to see their reaction to the threats they just experienced. Just a few hours ago, they were prohibited to talk about Jesus, and now they are praying that they would be able to preach the Gospel even more. Instead of being discouraged, they ask for new strength from the Holy Spirit. That alone testifies of great boldness.
There are many people in the Bible whom God calls, and they are without confidence and filled with doubt regarding God's plan for their life.
“Who am I, that you are calling me?”
Moses, Gideon, and many other big characters of the Bible asked themselves this question. But God says: “Don't look at yourself; look at me and who I am.” God makes the weak people strong so that he gets all the glory. As the church prayed to God for new strength, God answered their prayer and filled their hearts with the Holy Spirit and boldness.
Psalm 37:7 says: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” How often do we try to do things out of our own strength instead of waiting for God's strength? We need to be ready and willing to walk in his ways so that God gets all the glory.
Today's passage presents a good ro