7d • General discussion
Todays Bible Study
Good morning, Team, V,
Been up since 1:42 This morning. Did two stretches, my sit-ups, push-ups and walked a little over a mile this morning. After that I spent some time with the Lord and prayed for you.
I had an amazing Bible study this morning and just wanted to share.
BE WARNED IT IS NOT SHORT.
But it is good and I needed to hear it so I thought I would share with you to admonish and encourage you. I have been reading the book of 1 Corinthians line by line, precept upon precept and Chapter 10 just this part hit like a ton of bricks but encouraged me as well. So here we go!
1 Corinthians 10:4-13 (NKJV)
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us [a]tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now [b]all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our [c]admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to [d]bear it.
So lets break this down:
1) They drank from a spiritual rock that followed them in the wilderness and that rock was Christ - So the example here is that Christ is with us everywhere we go! Are we drinking from Him by spending time with Him in the Word, Prayer and worship. The rock provided the Israelites with fresh water! The Word says that from your bellies will flow rivers of living water! That's a whole teaching by itself for another time. But we need to drink of Christ daily which is the word of God so that we will be full of Him wherever we go! This will allow us to be full of Him and to minister to others as we do.
2)It says that with most of them God was not well pleased! This hit like a hammer! Is God pleased with you and I and our time with him and with our obedience to him? Spend some time with Him and ask Him to show you if He is pleased with you and if you have peace about this question when you ask him or do you feel uneasy and know there are things to change? I certainly have things in my life that need to change. This monthly challenge has shown me that for sure!
3)These things were written for as examples, so we should not lust after evil things as they did. Ask God if there are any lustful areas in your life. They could be food, TV, Guns, Shooting, Sex, etc. In my humble opinion anything we go after more than God is an area we need to deal with. I realize we have lives Paul the Apostle speaks about this in the previous chapter of this book.
4)We should not be idolaters. I think this goes along with the previous verse and on the same lines. What are we putting before God. The things we lust for or you could say want more than we want God are idol's as much as they are lusts. He says they sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. That one should hit all of us hard. Think about what we do every day more than we go after God.
5)He then talks about sexual immorality. This one is tough I believe. Especially with men. Not that women can't have this issue to but me are design by God I believe to multiply their seed. But only through marriage and in covenant with God and your wife. Many today see masterbation and porn as simple release and entertainment. You and I know as believers this is incorrect. I heard somewhere that over 80%. That's 8 out of 10 men in the church are addicted to porn. I have been multiple times in my life and to masturbation. Gratefully I don't deal with this anymore. Having been sexually abused by several people in my life both men and women this is something I have to fight of thoughts of regularly. But God has set me free and taught me how to deal with it so it doesn't overcome me and cause me to go back to it.
6)He said not to tempt Christ! One of the definitions for this is "to risk provoking a deity, usually with undesirable consequences" Are we provoking Him with the undesirable things we do? I will leave that one up to you to decide. What undesirable things do we do in opposition to His word and therefore prove Him and then wonder why we have terrible circumstances happen in our lives. I have been here more times than I can ever say here.
7)Nor complain! Boy this is a tough one. How many times have we asked God WHY? When the real question should be WHAT! Where did I complain and not trust God! Why do they get what they want but I don't? Why am I going through this struggle, I pray, worship, read the Bible, and go to church and they don't? Hard pill to swallow here!
8)All of these things happen to them as examples for us and for our admonition. For our counsel and warning!
9)Let him who stands take heed lest he fall! We should be humble and thankful for what God has done for us and for the places and promotions He gives us. Because all promotion comes from God. It's in your Bible, look it up. Jesus grew in favor and stature with man and with God. If we let pride in, we will fall.
Now for the Good News:
1)God is faithful to us and will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear!
2)And with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
If you are like me you are being stretched in every direction and it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you are struggling with finances, family, your job, anything putting pressure on you really. Know this! GOD HAS ALREADY MADE A WAY OF ESCAPE FOR YOU. SO THAT YOU CAN BEAR IT!
As we are going through this Teams Challenge it is my hope that you will not just do the things required in our challenge but that through this challenge you will spend time with God and allow him to stretch you, to look at where you and I are and help us to make the necessary adjustments in our lives to live for Him with all our hearts. And secondly encourages you and I that Christ is with us and has already made a way of escape for whatever you are going through.
I will finish with this! John 10:10 The devil comes to steal and destroy, But Christ has come that you might have life and life more abundantly!
Have a great Friday and a Great weekend. I love you all like brothers and can't wait for when we can get together and break bread, shoot and talk about the lord together. Much Love, Howard
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Todays Bible Study
