Tag: Bible Study

Worship in the Workplace

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-25; 1 Timothy 6:1-2; Titus 2:9-11 (day five)  Let me start by asking a couple of questions.  Where to do you go to worship?  Are there several answers you could give that are honest and truthful?  I have friends say, “I can worship God anywhere”.  But, do they?  There is significant and meaningful value in gathering with believers for Worship and Bible Study. (Hebrews 10)  Can we worship at other times and places apart from Sundays in a sanctuary or church meeting space?  Can we worship in the workplace?  Can worship really happen there?  Paul seems to think the answer is “Yes”(Colossians 3:23).  Worship is likely to happen when we labor with passion and faithfulness as employees (“servants be obedient”).  Worship also can occur as we manage and lead others (“masters do the same thing”) with compassion, integrity, conviction, and honesty.  Jesus has given us examples that glorify God both as servants and masters.

 

Rhythm

Re: Verse reading–Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:1-9 (day five)

Hello from Youth Camp at LeTourneau University.  Our theme for the next two weeks is “Rhythm”.  Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”  One of the truths we want our students to understand is that Life in the Spirit is best accomplished with regular and consistent attention and determination.  There is a rhythm needed to keep “in step with the Spirit”.   Worship, Bible Study, Meeting with Other Believers, Prayer, Devotions, and Service are means to a fullness of Life in the Spirit.  The goal for camp is to NOT be a once a year spiritual vaccination to keep us “spiritually healthy”, but rather a reminder that throughout each day and week, that we can and should be regularly and intentionally engaged in activities, conversations, learning, study, and relationships that would point us to the Scriptures and the Author of our Faith.  This same principle is mentioned as a prompt and prescription for parents and those who have influence in the lives of children and teens to bring Rhythm to faith growth and development. See Deuteronomy 6:7-9.

Youthfulness

Re: Verse reading–1 Timothy 4 (day five)

12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.

It’s a scripture used in Youth Ministry to encourage teens to grow and lead now.  So, what  can we learn from Youth these days?  Here are recent conversations with teens at FBCSA.

Evangelism:  “I wanna learn how to share my faith with my friends so they can know Christ”.

Hunger:  “Which book of the Bible should I read next? I just finished Ephesians and it was AWESOME!”

Selflessness:  “Before I go into the workplace, I wanna serve in a foreign country.”

Obedience:  “How can I get to Africa? I believe God wants me to go to there.”

“How do I start a Bible Study at school?  God is calling me to lead a group.”

“How do I teach the Bible?  God is telling me to share scripture with my friends.”

Choosing the Best

I hope you are reading John 12. ( The “Re Verse” design for Bible Study is one of the things about FBC that I really appreciate.)  In this week’s chapter, we see the hard work that prayer often is.  In verse 27, Jesus says, “Father, save me from this hour”.  (NIV makes it a question.  I think a statement is a better translation.  Similar to Jesus in the Garden when his first prayer was “let this cup pass from me”.) It is understandable that all of us want to avoid pain when we can.  However, the Lord knew immediately that the better prayer was, “Father, glorify your name”.  I’ve been there.  Have you?  The first thing you feel/want is NOT the best thing.  The higher aspiration can only be born as you set aside the lower.  Prayer, including the honest use of the Lord’s Prayer, is hard work.  It requires me to choose the best, even when my first desire if something else.