Bible Study Will Not Give You Eternal Life

                                                     When The Door Slams 

I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish-the very works that I am doing -testify that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me' to have life.                                           John 5:36-40 

        Bible study will not give you eternal life. You could memorize the entire Bible and be able to discuss issues of biblical scholarship and yet fail to experience the truths found in its pages. It is a religious temptation to prefer the book to the Author. A book will not confront you about your sin; the Author will. Books can be ignored; it is much harder to avoid the Author when He is seeking a relationship with you. 

        The Pharisees in Jesus' day thought God would be pleased with their knowledge of His Word. They could quote long, complicated passages of Scripture. They loved to recite and study God's Law for hours on end. Yet Jesus condemned them because, although they knew the Scriptures, they did not know God. They were proud of their Bible knowledge, but they rejected the invitation to know God's Son. 

        Think about this: Can you imagine yourself knowing all that God has promised to do in your life but then turning to something else instead? You may be tempted to turn to substitutes. These substitutes are not necessarily bad things. They might include serving in the church, doing good deeds, or reading Christian books. No amount of Christian activity will ever replace your relationship with Jesus. The apostle Paul considered every "good" thing he had ever done to be "rubbish" when compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ (Phil. 3:8). Never become satisfied with religious activity rather than a personal, vibrant, and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the strong man boast of his of his strength, and let not the rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for in these I delight," declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9: 23-24)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

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Standing Before An Empty Tomb

                                                        When The Door Slams

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying., As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in  white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"                                           John 20: 11-13 

        Mary Magdalene could vividly remember the day Jesus delivered her from her demonic bondage. She became His devoted follower that day (Luke 8:2). She watched Him heal the sick and teach people about God's love. Her life was transformed as she experienced the joy of being with Jesus. 

        Then her world seemed to fall apart! Her Lord was arrested and brutally murdered. The crowds that had shouted, "Hosanna!" at the beginning of the week cried, "Crucify Him!" by week's end. A final blow came when she went to anoint Jesus' body at the tomb. She saw that His tomb was empty. Someone had apparently stolen His body. As she sobbed in despair, angels asked the penetrating question, "Why are you crying?" She was standing before an empty tomb! Jesus had risen, just as He had promised! Knowing that Jesus was alive put everything back into perspective, and Mary joyfully raced to share the good news with others. 

        Think about this: The Christian life is not always easy. There are joyful moments of walking with Jesus, but there are also times when nothing makes sense and when your world seems to be crumbling. The world will mock our Lord, and we may grow discouraged. At those times, you need to peer into the empty tomb. It is the abandoned tomb that give you hope, for it symbolizes the life that is yours from your risen Lord. The empty tomb promises that nothing, not even death itself, can defeat the purposes of your Lord. Are you crying beside an empty tomb?

Christ has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for man to die once and after that to face judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly wait for Him. (Hebrews 9: 26-28)

Christ was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for our sake. Through Him I believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, so that my faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:20-21)  

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.  

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When You Meditate On Scriptures

                                                     When The Door Slams 

How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.                                                          Psalm 1:1-2

        Meditation means "to think deeply and continuously about something." For a Christian, this means remaining in the presence of God and pondering each truth He reveals about Himself until it becomes real and personal in your life. This takes time. In His sermon on the Mount, Jesus accused certain would be followers of calling Him "Lord" and yet never doing what He told them (Luke 6:46)). 

        They had the correct truth in their heads, but it had never translated into obedience. When you meditate on Scriptures, the truth moves from your head to your heart and results in obedience. As the psalmist said, "I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You" (Ps. 119:11). 

        When you know God's Word in your mind but not in your heart, it means that you have learned the principles and concepts and doctrines of God, but you have not come to know Jesus personally. You can reject a doctrine, or ignore a concept, or even challenge a principle, but it is much more difficult to ignore a Person. You can have Scriptures in your mind and still sin against God. 

        Think about this: There are those who can recite long passages of Scripture and yet live ungodly lives. However, you cannot have Scripture fill your heart and continue to sin against God. When God's truth is allowed to touch the deepest corner of your soul, the Holy Spirit will transform you into the image of Jesus Christ. Don't just read your Bible; meditate on God's Word and ask Him to change your heart.

May I let the fear of the Lord be upon me, and be careful in what I do, for with the Lord my God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery (2 Chronicles 19:7). May I meditate on Your precepts And consider Your ways. May I delight in Your statutes, And not forget Your word. Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes that I may see Wonderful things from Your law (Psalm 119:15-18). The Spirit helps me in my weakness, for I do not know what I ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for me with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches the hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27.        

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

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Human Reasoning Will Not Make You Wise

                                                     When The Door Slams

See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."                          Deuteronomy 4:5-6 

        Wisdom is not what you know about the world but how well you know God. Human reasoning will not make you wise. It may even lead you to reject the ways of God (1 Cor. 1:18-25). God's purpose in creating a nation for Himself was to demonstrate His wisdom to the world through the obedience of His people (Zech. 8:23). As the Israelites followed God, He would bless them, and the wisdom of obeying God would be evident to all. 

        God gives you the same opportunity to base your life on his wisdom. When unbelievers make important decisions, they must rely on their own knowledge and understanding. You, as a Christian, have access to God's wisdom. God's Spirit is within you to guide you (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit will open your eyes to the truth of the Scriptures so that you can see things from God's perspective. Only God sees the future, so only He can accurately lead you to make correct decisions today. 

        Think about this: As you allow God to direct your life, those around you will see true wisdom, wisdom not of the world but of God. Others will be confused about what to do in our complicated world, but God will guide you safely to the correct choices for you. Your family will be blessed because you make wise decisions. Your obedient life will demonstrate the wisdom of allowing the Holy Spirit to be your Guide.

May I not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all my heart. May I not turn aside to go after worthless things which do not profit or deliver, because they are useless. (1 Samuel 12:20-21) God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change his mind. Has He spoken and not done it? Has He promised and not fulfilled it?  (Numbers 23:19)   

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.  

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What Has God Testing Reveals In Your Heart

                                                       When The Door Slams

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.                                                                               Deuteronomy 8:2-3

        

        God allows us to suffer difficulties and hardships for a purpose. God led the children of Israel to wander through the wilderness for forty years in order to humble them and test them. When they refused to obey Him and enter the Promised Land, the Israelites revealed that they did not really know Him. If they had, they would have had more faith. God spent the next forty years testing the hearts of His people to see if they were prepared for His next assignment.

        Testing reveals what in your heart and produces a robust faith (James 1:3,12). God allowed His people to hunger so they could experience His provision and develop a deeper level of trust in Him. As the people walked with God they came to understand that their lives depended upon His Word. They learned that God's Word was the most important thing they had. 

        After learning to depend on God for forty years while living in the desert, the people listened when God spoke, and they believed. When they finally entered the Promised Land and waged war against their enemies, the Israelites knew that God's Word meant life and death. They were prepared to listen to Him, and as a result He led them to an astounding victory.

        Think about this: Is God presently testing you in some area of your life? What has His testing revealed? Have you become better toward God because of where He has led you? Or have you come to trust Him more as a result of what you have gone through?

May I not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). May I be above reproach, blameless as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not fond of dishonest gain, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sensible, just, holy. and self-controlled (Titus 1:6-8). 

This is God's commandment: that we believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us (1 John 3:23). The Father has sent the Son to be the savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he in God (1 John 4:14-15).  

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.         

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Leaning On Your Own Understanding Bring Negative Consequences

                                                     When The Door Slams

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.                                                                    Isaiah 55:8-9

        Rarely does God do something exactly as we think He will. Our problem is that we try to second-guess God, saying, "Oh, now I know what God is planning to do!" Moses experienced this as he learned how God was going to deliver the Hebrews out of Egypt. God told him He would harden Pharaoh's heart. Yet the result was not what Moses anticipate. 

        Rather than allowing the Hebrews to leave, Pharaoh increased their hardship. Rather than becoming a hero among the Hebrews. Moses was despised by them for bringing greater suffering. Moses returned to the Lord and asked, "Lord, why have You caused trouble for this people? And why did You ever send me?"(Exod. 5:22). Much of the frustration we experience as Christians has nothing to do with what God does or doesn't do. It has everything to do, rather, with the false assumptions we make about how we think God will and should act.

        Have you ever done the will of God and then things seemed to become worse? Moses completely misunderstood what the results of His obedience to God would be. When things did not turn out as he anticipated, Moses became discouraged. God had told Moses what to do, but had not told Moses what the consequences would be. 

        Think about this: It is foolish to attempt to do God 's work using your own "understanding." God does not eliminate your common sense; He consecrates and bless it. He gives you His wisdom so you can understand His ways. 

        As you look back on God's activity in your life, you will recognize the supreme wisdom in how God has led you. As you look for ward to what God may do, be careful you do not try to predict what God will do next. You may find yourself completely leaning on your own understanding. 

All a man's ways are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weights the motives (Proverbs 16:2) "I Know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to gives you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). Peace You leave with me; Your peace You give to me. Not as the world give to me. I will not let my heart be troubled nor it be fearful (John 14:27).   

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

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Faith Dose Not Eliminate Problems

                                                        When The Door Slams

Now faith is the substance if things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.                                                                Hebrews 11:1,6

        Your relationship with God is largely determined by your faith. When you come to Him, you must believe that He exists and that He is exactly who He has revealed Himself to be in Scriptures. You must also believe that He will respond to you when you earnestly seek Him. 

        Without this kind of faith, you cannot please God. Regardless of the ethical values of your life, the good works you perform, the words you speak, or the sacrifices you make for His sake, if you do not have faith, you will not please and you have nothing of God. It can be tempting to substitute religious activity for faith in God. Christians may claim they are being "good stewards" of their resources when, in fact, they are wanting to walk by sight rather than by faith (Heb. 11:1). They may refuse to do what God tells them unless they can see all the resources in place first.

        You may say, "I love God, but I just have difficulty trusting and obeying God ." Then you are not pleasing to Him. You cannot struggle at the core of your relationship with God and still enjoy a vibrant fellowship with Him! Faith does not eliminate problems. Faith keeps you in a trusting relationship with God in the midst of your problems. Faith has to do with your relationship with God, not your circumstances. Some may say, "I am not much of a person of faith. I am more of a practical person!" Yet you will never do anything more practical than to place your trust in the Lord God! Nothing is more secure or certain than that which you entrust to God. Trust and obey.

Trust in the Lord your God and you will be established; believe in His prophets and you will prosper    (2 Chronicles 20:20). I was washed, I was sanctified, I was justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11). Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore let us be steadfast, immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:57-58).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                                        Never Rest Ministries