Tuesday 120324
Don’t let me or my writings influence or scare you in any way, instead, allow me to be used as a vessel to open the Word, just a little bit, and hopefully, together we are going to read and study His Word, and let God teach us what He wants us to hear.
So, our study consists of two ground rules:
1st we ONLY read and follow what is found in the Holy Bible.
2nd we ONLY learn from a study by what effort we put into that study.
The verses we are going to study tonight:
2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 15:24; Acts 9:15; Ephesians 2:8; 2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 7:13-14.
This week’s lesson is for anyone that studies the Bible by themselves or maybe in a group. Tonight, we’re going to compare Scripture with Scripture.
There are many people today that see no problem with ‘Man’s Churches,’ I’m okay with any church but I criticize many of them because the churches today, cloud Scripture to fit what they want to portray instead of teaching us Gentiles, what we should be reading instead of Scripture that was written for the Jewish people to document their history as a people.
2 Timothy 3:16 ‘…All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…’ KJV (King James Version)
‘…All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…’
Keyword here is the word ALL. Everything from cover to cover, EVERYTHING.
‘…and is profitable for doctrine…’
The adjective ‘profitable’ in this verse means useful or beneficial, promoting or enhancing well-being. In other words, the Bible is good for us.
‘…for reproof…’
The word ‘reproof’ in the Bible can have multiple meanings, including rebuke, chastening, scolding, correction, disputing, judging, arguing or proving.
In this verse in 2 Timothy, it is generally understood to mean ‘rebuke’ or ‘correction’ in a kind way. The verse can be interpreted as Scripture being useful for showing people what is wrong in their lives and how to live right.
The thing we all must realize, even though SCRIPTURE has been given by the inspiration of God, ALL SCRIPTURE hasn’t been meant for ALL of us to follow.
I’ve said for several years now, the Old Testament was written for the Jewish man so his history, the history of the Jewish people could be remembered.
There is nothing in the Old Testament for a Gentile to learn. There is nothing in the Old Testament that tells me how to live my life.
The Old Testament for me, is like a road map, it shows me when the Jewish person did wrong. It sends a caution flag up for me, warning me to not make the same mistakes as they did.
So, the Bible tells us when people have lived their entire lives the wrong way and at the same time, the Bible shows us how we can live our lives right.
From the two earlier facts, there are several verses that we really need to look at.
Matthew 15:24 ‘…Jesus replied to his disciples, God has sent me to help only the people of Israel. They are like sheep that have lost their way…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
This is Jesus talking to His disciples in vs24.
Jesus, Himself tells us He came ONLY for the house of Israel, that is the Jewish people.
Jesus didn’t focus on us Gentiles until after He was crucified, buried and was resurrected back to life.
To me, maybe the most powerful verse in the Bible for us Christians today.
Acts 9:15 ‘…But the Lord said to Ananias, Go now to Saul! I have chosen him to work for me. He will go to those who are not Jews and to their rulers. He will tell them about me. He will also tell the people of Israel about me…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
If God chose Saul/Paul, why do we turn our backs and not focus specifically on Paul’s writings?
Why do we feel the need to do extra instead of just following God’s lead?
Are we not being just as the Jews doing things the way we want to do things and not worrying what God wants us to do?
In a way, churches today focus on Scripture that was written for the Jewish individual, it shouldn’t be that hard to believe that since they’re picking which verses they do and don’t want to read they’re steering their congregations in the wrong way also.
Why don’t they just repeat this next verse over and over again …
Ephesians 2:8 ‘…For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God…’ KJV (King James Version)
Here is a newer version:
‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…When you believed in Jesus, God saved you because he is very kind. You could not save yourselves, but that is God’s gift to you…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
Some common sense here, what do we think we’ll gain if we try to DO something?
God has already told us IT’S A GIFT, a gift is free.
Let’s read 2 Timothy again and maybe in a newer version so we might see it clearer.
vs16 ‘…Everything that is written in the Bible comes from God’s Spirit. It helps us in many ways. The Bible teaches us what is true. It warns us when we are doing wrong things. It shows us what is right. It teaches us how to live good lives…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
Why do we feel we have to do better than what God has tried giving us?
It is called UNBELIEF.
We, human beings, we don’t believe that God can do what He has told us.
Adam and Eve didn’t believe God when they were in the garden.
Jonah didn’t believe God, not until he came out of the fish’s belly.
The Israelites didn’t believe God at Kadesh Barnea.
The list goes on and on throughout the entire Bible.
The Sadducees and the Pharisees didn’t believe when Jesus walked the earth.
Today, it’s the 21st century, there are millions of people that still don’t believe that God can do what He’s told us.
We recite verses that have never been meant for us to follow and yet, those verses that WERE written for us Gentile’s, it seems that part of our Bibles have been ripped out from the covers and thrown away.
We just don’t BELIEVE, there is this cloud of UNBELIEF hanging over our heads.
This must be the number one reason why the gate is so narrow. Most of mankind has always followed the wrong path.
Matthew 7
vs13 ‘…Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate…’
vs14 ‘…But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it…’ CEV (Contemporary English Version)
The reason it is so hard for us to find and follow the narrow road is maybe because it’s really too easy for us to find and follow. ‘MAN’ keeps getting himself involved in trying to do things just a little bit better.
The Bible tells me it is a GIFT that we’ve already been given … all we must do is accept it, as it is.
All the above words, taken from this lesson has happened and then suddenly, the Bible uses the word ‘MYSTERY’ that flip-flops everything that we thought we knew but instead, all of this has been kept secret and has now been shown to mankind.
What we thought we knew, or what we thought we just began to understand now has all been changed.
The first thing we MUST figure out is that it is our
FAITH that is going to save us from Everlasting Damnation.
It is our FAITH that God can do what He has told us.
It is our FAITH that will allow us to attain the gift that God has given us.
It is our FAITH that is going to allow us to believe that JESUS died on a cross for our Salvation.
It is our FAITH that God is who He says He is.
So, at the beginning of this lesson, we read a verse where Jesus told His disciples that He ONLY came to the House of Israel.
Matthew 15
24 ‘…Jesus replied to his disciples, God has sent me to help only the people of Israel. They are like sheep that have lost their way…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
If we kept on reading Matthew 15, in fact, 4 more verses:
vs28 ‘…Jesus answered her, Woman, you show clearly that you believe in God. God will do what you have asked…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
in a different version:
vs28 ‘…So Jesus answered her, you are a woman of great faith! What you want will be done for you. And at that very moment her daughter was healed…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
The woman’s FAITH had her request answered.
This is an example in the Bible, where this writing in Matthew was written for the Jewish individual to prove how the promises made by God in the Old Testament were being fulfilled by Jesus through His ministry.
In three Bible passages, Jesus healed people and told them ‘Your faith has made you well.’ He healed 10 lepers (Luke 17:11-19), the woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9:20-22), and a blind man (Mark 10:46-52).
Luke 17:19 ‘…And Jesus said to him, get up and go; your faith has made you well…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
Matthew 9:22 ‘…Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, Courage, my daughter! Your faith has made you well. At that very moment the woman became well…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
Mark 10:52 ‘…Go, Jesus told him, your faith has made you well…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
Even though the Gospels written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are written to those Jews that were attempting to change into Christianity, these verses show how important FAITH is in our Christian life.
FAITH made these three believers well … so too will our lives be changed if we apply FAITH into our lives.
Keep yourselves in the Word. Strengthen your BELIEFS in what He teaches us and get away from believing in what our churches of the day want us to believe.
Believe in what God teaches us.
I love y’all very much. Jesus loves us even more than we can comprehend love and what it really means.
Trust and BELIEVE in Him.
Open your Bibles and read the real Word He wants us to hear.
Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen
InHIM. ><)))o>