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The purpose of these pages is to engage in some group study focussing specifically on the mid-week period of Tuesday to Thursday. We will post some scripture verses, and a few thoughts before throwing the conversation over to you. This is not a teaching session, use the prompts (and Google) to explore scripture and share …
Before you start to dive into this week’s bible study, take a few moments to calm your spirit. Get comfortable with your beverage of choice, your bible and something to write with. Pray that God would give you the time to study without distractions (put your phone on silent) and put to one side the concerns of the day. Breathe deeply for a few seconds and focus on who Jesus said he was…. When you are ready move on…
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Back in May we looked at a couple of the ‘I am’ statements of Jesus mentioned in John’s Gospel. Here is the third in the series.
Borrowed from the TNBibles website
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Take a moment and read John 8:12 a couple of times and 1 John 1: – 2:11…
12Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Jesus was speaking to a series of prophesies from the old testament and telling mankind that he was the fulfilment of things Prophesied 700 years earlier.
Isaiah 9:2, -The people who walked…
What do you think Christ meant in John 8:12? Note that it is conditional – Those who follow me – Mal 4:2 – Those who revere my name. How does this balance with ‘I am the light of the world’?
How does light contrast with darkness in the context of this passage?
Jesus also told His disciples to make the most of it – John 12:35-6 What relevance does this have for us today? Psalm 119:130, John 1:4-5, Psalm 119:105 Side note: a light for my path will only illuminate a few steps at a time – what are the implication of this.
The texts, seem to suggest that the Word is available and for everyone, but that we have to make a conscious decision to follow Christ.
What does it mean for Jesus to be “the Light of the World” today? How does that apply to us today?
Make up a list of the blessings of walking in the light. Here are a few verses to start you off.
Psa 27:1, John 12:36, 2Cor 4:6, 1Pet 2:9, Take another look at the ‘I am’ statements of Jesus mentioned in John’s Gospel. (Top of the page)
We also have a mandate…
The purpose of these pages is to engage in some group study focussing specifically on the mid-week period of Tuesday to Thursday. We will post some scripture verses, and a few thoughts before throwing the conversation over to you. This is not a teaching session, use the prompts (and google) to explore scripture and share relevant verses.
Log in to the conversation as often or as infrequently as you like and if you wish to join in put your thoughts in the comments box at the bottom of the page.
As we start the study take a few moments to calm your spirit. Get comfortable with your beverage of choice, your Bible and something to write with. Pray that God would give you the time to study and put to one side the concerns of the day.
Breathe deeply for a few seconds and focus on who Jesus said he was…. When you are ready, listen to the most recent (at time of writing) contribution from one of our praise bands….
Last time, we looked at sheltering in the shade of the Father God. This week, we are going to look at what it actually means to be loved by the Creator God. Take a few moments and read the first chapter of Ephesians. Pause after a few verses to consider what you have just read.
Put the letter in context…
Dividing the passage into three sections…
This section describes the blessings. It contains a number of actions – make a list… He…
There are about nine or ten in the passage.
Here, Paul points out that all of this has been done through and in Christ because we believed. The sign of our belief is the gift of the Holy Spirit; to those who are a possession – suggestion: those who have given their lives and now belong to…
The last part of this passage is where we are focussing our study, as Paul gives the reasons why he is constantly praising God and giving thanks for the believers at Ephesus. What does Paul mean by the phrase ‘the eyes of your heart may be opened’? He prays that we might have understanding – obviously something that we think we have but probably don’t. The unwritten suggestion here is that we have no clue what it actually means to be a child of God. He prays that the full scale of it might be revealed to us. What? The hope, riches and power…
Paul prays that we would understand what it is to be a child of the Sovereign (all powerful) God. Pick the five greatest demonstrations of God’s power from the scriptures. Make a list. John Piper writes…
“If we believed this, if we really let this truth of God’s omnipotence get hold of us, what a difference it would make in our personal lives and in our ministries! How humble and powerful we would become for the saving purposes of God! The omnipotence of God means refuge for the people of God. And when you really believe that your refuge is the omnipotence of God Almighty, there is a joy and a freedom and a power that spills over in a life of radical obedience to Jesus Christ.
Matt 28:18, Matt 8:26, Jn10:18, Psalm 46
Do you believe God is omnipotent? In control? How does freewill fit into this picture. God is in control, but does not always take control – discuss…. Gen 18:13, Rom 7:19, 2Cor 10:3,
The purpose of these pages is to engage in some group bible-study focussing specifically on the mid-week period of Tuesday to Thursday. We will post some scripture verses, and a few thoughts before throwing the conversation over to you. This is not a teaching session, use the prompts (and Google) to explore scripture and share relevant verses. Log in to the conversation as often or as infrequently as you like and if you wish to join in put your thoughts in the comments box at the bottom of the page.
Before you start to dive into this week’s bible-study, take a few moments to calm your spirit. Get comfortable with your beverage of choice, your Bible and something to write with.
Pray that God would give you the time to study and put to one side the concerns of the day. Breathe deeply for a few seconds and focus on who Jesus said he was…. this weeks study once again picks up on the recurring theme of being a child of God…
Take a few moments and read through Psalm 91. As usual, having read it through, do it again pausing between each phrase to ponder and reflect on the meaning
We heard much from this Psalm during the (Covid-19) season as it contains references to pestilence and plague, but it also contains a beautiful picture of what it is to be a child of God in verse 4. This is then expanded on in the remainder of the Psalm.
This study was inspired by a daily reading from a few days ago where the author wrote…
“Every person who has ever lived has a deep, inner need to be covered. Including me and you.
See, humans were originally created to be covered by God. They didn’t need clothes or houses. They lived in a garden, and they were naked–but not ashamed. They didn’t feel naked.
But when Adam and Eve fell into sin, they lost their covering and suddenly felt ashamed.”
If you have ever watched ducklings when they are very young, they will stand and walk underneath their mother, to the point where you sometimes can’t see them at all. ‘The secret place, or under the shadow’ They take comfort in being covered. Do you ever feel uncovered? Think of situations where you are uncomfortable because you feel/felt ‘uncovered or exposed’. It doesn’t matter whether you have clothes on or not. You can feel naked and uncovered with or without clothes. Maybe you are going through uncertain times, or venturing into the unknown is some way – make a list.
It’s not a nice feeling to be exposed and vulnerable, but the Psalm reassures us that we are protected from all manner of unpleasant circumstances. It is however conditional….
What is meant by verse 1? What does it mean to ‘Dwell in the shadow of the most High’ and say ‘The Lord is my refuge and my fortress’ Rom 10, Mark 16:16, Rom 12:1-2, Nahum 1:7
The salvation purchased for us by Christ’s blood on the cross provides the covering and ensures our final destination. It is sufficient. Having said that, the conditional phrase of this Psalm ‘dwells’ suggests an action on our part. The verse in the King James translation says…
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
We are taken back to the picture of the duckling who is capable of walking out from under the shadow and wandering off. What is it to live – to dwell – under the shadow, permanently? In the secret place. How do you learn to walk under the brooding shadow of the Holy Spirit? Take a few minutes and write down some suggestions. You could even score yourself out of five on each suggestion and come back to them in a month, having made a resolution to improve the scores.
Here are a few suggestions you may have thought of…
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The purpose of these pages is to engage in some group bible-study (This week – “I am the Resurrection and the Life”) focussing specifically on the mid-week period of Tuesday to Thursday. We will post some scripture verses, and a few thoughts before throwing the conversation over to you. This is not a teaching session, use the prompts (and Google) to explore scripture and share relevant verses. Log in to the conversation as often or as infrequently as you like and if you wish to join in put your thoughts in the comments box at the bottom of the page.
Before you start to dive into this week’s bible-study, take a few moments to calm your spirit. Get comfortable with your beverage of choice, your Bible and something to write with. Pray that God would give you the time to study and put to one side the concerns of the day. Breathe deeply for a few seconds and focus on who Jesus said he was….
25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. John 11
This time we are looking at the last of the ‘I am’ statements of Jesus mentioned in John’s Gospel.
Borrowed from the TNBibles website
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Take a few moments and read the full story of Lazarus to put the ‘I am’ in context. Note: Jesus interrupts the ‘ would have’s’ with a statement of fact ‘I am…..’ What is the significance of this in the ‘here and now’? Resurrection is something we tend to associate with the future, whilst life we tend to associate with now. Jesus’ comment to Martha is about power / ability now. Not some promise about future life – He demonstrates the power with a dramatic summoning of Lazarus from the tomb. A contrast to the relatively private and quiet raising of Jairus’ daughter.
A belief in resurrection is critical the the faith of the believer. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians (15:12-14) ties our resurrection to Christ’s. Without one there can’t be the other. It is always a challenge, that faith in the resurrection of the early church was so great that thousands were martyred rather that speak out against Christ.
Jesus finishes the statement with ‘Do you believe this?’ What does this say about the significance of our belief. It is critical to the outcome. Do you believe this—that believing in Jesus with your mind, and trusting Him with your life will allow you to have everlasting life? What difference does it make in your life, now?
Read this passage in conjunction with John 1 – Who is the word?
Through Jesus all things are made and held together. Jesus said ‘I am the life’ – what does this say about our day-to-day lives. Have you ever wondered about your purpose, why am I here? Do you have meaning? What is the significance day-to-day of Jesus getting involved in our lives? Read 1 Cor 15:51-58 – This passage speaks of an end times resurrection, but has clear things to say about our purpose and life today – ‘Always give yourself fully’
Following: It has been said that life is a journey – I am the Way… I am the light – do we detect a recurring theme – Psalm 119 v105 read the verses on either side of 105. What the implications of ‘your word’ in the light of John 1. – If Jesus is the one holding the whole of creation together, what does that suggest about his ability to manage our lives, if we let Him. True meaning in life and divinely appointed purpose comes when we follow and walk with the creator.
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Forest Image by SplitShire
The purpose of these pages is to engage in some group bible-study (This week – “I am the Good Shepherd” and “I am the door of the Sheep”) focussing specifically on the mid-week period of Tuesday to Thursday. We will post some scripture verses, and a few thoughts before throwing the conversation over to you. This is not a teaching session, use the prompts (and Google) to explore scripture and share relevant verses. Log in to the conversation as often or as infrequently as you like and if you wish to join in put your thoughts in the comments box at the bottom of the page.
Before you start to dive into this week’s bible-study, take a few moments to calm your spirit. Get comfortable with your beverage of choice, your Bible and something to write with. Pray that God would give you the time to study and put to one side the concerns of the day. Breathe deeply for a few seconds and focus on who Jesus said he was….
1. The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2. He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3. He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
This time we are looking at two of the ‘I am’ statements of Jesus mentioned in John’s Gospel. Here are the fifth/sixth in the series.
Borrowed from the TNBibles website
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Take a few minutes and read the first half of John 10. Now read it through again pausing between each verse. – In verse 7 Jesus talks about being The Gate ( the Way) and indicates that Salvation is based on coming through/to Him. He suggests that others who claim to have a way to salvation are thieves and robbers.
Verse 10 – what do you think is meant by “I have come that you might have life in all its fulness” write down notes to explain this verse.
Psalm 23 is one that we are no doubt familiar with. We hear it read at funerals and at other time when we need comfort. Take a few moments now to re-read the Psalm and pause every couple of verses to meditate on what David is trying to convey. As you do, bear in mind Jn10:10 and see if you can expand on “life in all its fulness” from above.
Sheep will follow the one who looks after and feeds them… Check out this Youtube video… There are more if you search for them on YT.
The Lord is my Shepherd: David is saying that he belongs to the Lord – a sheep was property that was owned. A Good Shepherd (Jn 10) nurtures His sheep – ‘I shall not want‘ – He will take care of my needs and I will thrive. Isa 40:11, 2Pt 2:25, Heb 13:20-21
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. These images convey a tranquil scene of nurture and peace. Phillip Keller in his book ‘A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23‘ writes…
“The strange thing about sheep is that because of their very make-up, it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met. Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear. Because of the social behaviour within a flock, sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind. If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when free of these pests can they relax. Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food. They must be free from hunger.
It is significant that to be at rest there must be a definite sense of freedom from fear, tension, aggravations and hunger. The unique aspect of the picture is that it is only the sheepman himself who can provide release from these anxieties. It all depends upon the diligence of the owner, whether or not his flock is free of disturbing influences.”
How does this apply to us today?
He restores my soul. Dealing with the above troubles and anxieties creates a rest and healing that gives us peace of mind. Is there more? This may refer to Christ being The Gate, and coming to Him restores our soul to its original pure state – salvation. Following in paths of righteousness and walking in obedience is the result, giving glory to the Shepherd ‘For His names sake’. See also “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Reassurance of companionship? The text taken in a wider context refers to much more than that. The lack of fear is contingent on walking with the shepherd. Following; sometimes where we are fearful to go. Matt 4:16, Psalm 139, What does this suggest about trust, and knowing the sound of the shepherds voice. How do we accomplish this. Looking at what it is to walk in faith, I came across this on the ‘Words of life’ Ministry website… (Series 11 study 5- if you want to look it up)
…four directions of the Christian life:
Downward – “rooted”
Upward – “built up”
Inward – “strengthened”
Outward – “overflowing”
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Here the idea of bountiful provision even in our hardest moments flows from the text.. Mal 3:10, John10:10 Note: not a snack – a prepared table – what does this suggest to you? Identify a few features of a prepared table – what does it say about the experience of the meal?
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.
The ‘table for two’ gives the believer the reassurance of continuing well being; following the shepherd and having goodness and mercy ‘following’
The purpose of these pages is to engage in some group study focussing specifically on the mid-week period of Tuesday to Thursday. We will post some scripture verses, and a few thoughts before throwing the conversation over to you. This is not a teaching session, use the prompts (and Google) to explore scripture and share relevant verses. Log in to the conversation as often or as infrequently as you like and if you wish to join in put your thoughts in the comments box at the bottom of the page.
Before you start to dive into this week’s bible study, take a few moments to calm your spirit. Get comfortable with your beverage of choice, your Bible and something to write with. Pray that God would give you the time to study and put to one side the concerns of the day. Breathe deeply for a few seconds and focus on who Jesus is
8. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9. This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
1Jn4:8-9
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We are going to look at a few verses that are read at every wedding you have ever been to, so you will know them quite well, but have you ever stopped to consider what they actually mean?
Read 1 Cor 13v1-8 Now read it again slowly pausing to consider each verse separately.
We are going to look at two sections – 1-3 and then 4-8.
Verses 1-3 talk about the importance of Love and its position in the scale of things. 1-2 talks about spiritual things and 3 talks about more practical actions. All three verses point out that if we don’t have Love, then all the rest is pointless. The previous chapter talks about Gifts from the Holy Spirit, and five of them are mentioned here. Identify them.
Take a moment to process the last few words of verse 3 – I can have these beautiful, Spirit given gifts, but unless I have Love they are worthless to me.
Let’s also put this into perspective. We marvel when we have the faith to see someone healed, or when a situation works out the way we were praying it would. Faith, Mustard Seed, Mountain, No love, worthless, ‘I am nothing’ …..!!???! How important is Love?
Paul then moves from the spiritual to the practical and makes the point again.
Before we go into the second part, let those thoughts simmer for a few minutes. The Importance of Love. Whilst you are doing that, this video from the Bible Project puts the chapters on Gifts and Love into a broader context of the church in Corinth.
This second section is quite a practical one. Paul tries to define for us what he means by Love. It is a series of “Love is……” statements – 15 or thereabouts. Our response should be equally practical – write down the 15 actions or attributes of Love. Leave some space between each.
Make sure you have enough time for this – if you spent four minutes on each, it will take an hour. It might be better to do a couple now and schedule one a day: complete it over a fortnight. Work through the list and spend some time meditating on each – think of how it relates to you – applies to relationships – How you demonstrate Love in day to day situations.
e.g. Love is patient – When am I impatient? Who do I get impatient with? What can I do to demonstrate patience (Love) in these situations.
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The purpose of these pages is to engage in some group study focussing specifically on the mid-week period of Tuesday to Thursday. We will post some scripture verses, and a few thoughts before throwing the conversation over to you. This is not a teaching session, use the prompts (and Google) to explore scripture and share relevant verses. Log in to the conversation as often or as infrequently as you like and if you wish to join in put your thoughts in the comments box at the bottom of the page.
Before you start to dive into this week’s bible study, take a few moments to calm your spirit. Get comfortable with your beverage of choice, your Bible and something to write with. Pray that God would give you the time to study and put to one side the concerns of the day. Breathe deeply for a few seconds and focus on who Jesus said he was….
9. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12
The New Testament has a lot to say about grace, but before we go there the God of the Old Testament was a gracious God too as testified to by the writers of Psalms. Make a list of the reasons the writers sought the Grace of God
Psalm 30:10
Psalm 86:16
Psalm 6:2
Psalm 9:13
Psalm 25:16
Psalm 31:9
Psalm 41:4
Psalm 67:1–2
You should have a list that looks a little like this – Needing help, weak, needing healing, afflicted by enemies, lonely, grieving, sinning and when longing for God – that missing piece…
The dictionary.com defines Grace as “a manifestation of favour, especially by a superior:”
Ephesians 2:8 – How does this Grace differ from the above. Think of this in terms of the difference between the identity of God and who we are.
Rom 3:23 – Rom 6:23, – Note the use of the word ‘Gift’
work in progress…. more to follow…
The purpose of these pages is to engage in some group study focussing specifically on the mid-week period of Tuesday to Thursday. We will post some scripture verses, and a few thoughts before throwing the conversation over to you. This is not a teaching session, use the prompts (and Google) to explore scripture and share relevant verses. Log in to the conversation as often or as infrequently as you like and if you wish to join in put your thoughts in the comments box at the bottom of the page.
Before you start to dive into this week’s bible study, take a few moments to calm your spirit. Get comfortable with your beverage of choice, your Bible and something to write with. Pray that God would give you the time to study and put to one side the concerns of the day. Breathe deeply for a few seconds and focus on who Jesus said he was….
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was born, I am. John 8:58
When you are ready move on…
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From last week…. Faith and hope are tied together. We see God moving in our lives, answering prayer and we have faith and hope for the future. 1 Peter 1:21 We see and sense the Holy Spirit working, and our faith grows; our hope is a strong and confident expectation that God will do all that He promised. The things unseen.
There are many definitions of faith along the lines of believing in things that don’t exist – Mark Twain remarked “faith is believing in what ain’t so.” – however Scripture defines it as… 1. Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. Heb 11:1
Martin Luther, “…faith is a living unshakable confidence,”
Faith is mysteriously tied up in the core of our being with hope, belief and service to others. Believing in the Lord Jesus is what gives us our salvation; an act of faith. It is also what allows us to see the purposes of God unfolding in our day to day lives. James 1:6, Jn 11:40
What does scripture tell us about the development of faith? Rom 10:17, 1 Cor 2:4-5
Read Ephesians 3:14-21 a couple of times and try to reduce it to just a few words.
Do the same to Galatians 2:16-20 note the comparison to the vine – ‘life in the body’. There are many more verses in scripture that point to life in the spirit being a mixture of hope, faith and belief. The three are intertwined and build each other up. they form the core of our walk with God and allow us to please Him and do things in His name. 2 Cor 5:7, 2 Tim 4:7, 1Cor 16:13, Heb 11:6
Hebrews 11 is the Faith Hall of Fame and contains the stories of some of the great individuals of faith from the Old Testament.
James 1:5-6 comes with a health warning- God often works in the weak and untrained so that the individuals involved know that it could have not been anything else but God working through them.
Faith empowers you…. T / F?
Matt 14:29-31, Matt 17:20, Matt 21:21-22,
The more we practice our faith, the more it grows. Faith give us vision; the ability to believe God for the impossible.
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