This includes gambling and playing the lottery. Today we talk to new believers, and its an email from an anonymous listener, a new believer himself. so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine. Trust God by giving off the top of your paycheck, not giving if theres something left over at the end of the month. His son is killed. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. You could probably add more questions. We get cynical or discouraged in Bible reading in part because we forget what it means to be human, but also because we often forget that the Bible is Gods book. Blog, A I admit that it can be tempting when the Powerball gets into hundreds of millions, but gambling is poor stewardship of the Lords resources. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 14:10, 12). (Num 16:32). Thats my own definition. All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. Hebrews 12:14 says, Strive . 7 Best Bible Study Apps for Christian Women All Free! Labs We dont like this. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2, Be alert and of sober mind. If you say, If I just made more, Id give more, youre probably fooling yourself. (Matthew 4:4). The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. Ask questions and get honest feedback. -. G He told them that they must put to death their sinful nature with regard to greed, which amounts to idolatry (Col. 3:5). And other news briefs from Christians around the world. Would I spend what I spend on entertainment? V well, is it any surprise then that youre distracted? Still, these examples reveal such a feature of current church culture that we might want to question ourselves. TopicalBible You have to find something that works with you and your real life, or youre not going to be able to stick with it. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. I don't know. The frustrations of our present limitations of understanding and enjoyment will be removed. Are things like insurance, savings, and investments opposed to trusting God and seeking first His kingdom? Also, to rid yourself of greed, make a faith commitment to give generously to the Lords work. And if you are refusing to listen to God well, why would He keep talking? But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.. We dont become perfect in this life, but we do become holy. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. If so, something as simple as choosing a different time and place can really make a huge difference whether youre learning how to read the Bible for the first time or youre ready to dive deep and learn how to study the Bible for yourself. ), Reading the Bible for Beginners - A Women After God's Own Heart. He almost gets killed. Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author of Fall in Love with Gods Word and Follow Gods Will and the founder of EquippingGodlyWomen.com, a popular Christian-living website dedicated to helping busy Christian moms find practical ways to go "all in" in faith and family. Its the story of a happy, but poor, pearl diver who dreams of finding the perfect pearl. And certain seasons of life are going to be more difficult to focus in than others thats not a bad thing, thats just life. It is a precious thing to be assigned to do a very important task, and then to find the master worker approving of what hes asked you to do. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Copyright 2009 Christianity Today. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us. and we cant keep our focus. The Bible is help, not oppression. But, we are responsible to do it! He has spent his entire personal fortune to bribe German officials in order to save these people from the death chambers. The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And his disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We ALL get distracted sometimesmyself very much included! If you constantly find yourself distracted during prayer and Bible study, why not grab a friend to pray and read with? Biblical support. Don't spend a lot of time in the Bible, we tell our preachers, but be sure to get to personal illustrations, examples from daily life, and most importantly, an application that we can use. For my final column, I would like to share my favorite Bible verse: The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus If your distractions are simply run-of-the-mill annoyances caused by tiredness or boredom, the four suggestions above should take care of the problem. Y I have never met a mature, fruitful, strong, spiritually discerning Christian who is not full of Scripture, devoted to regular meditation on Scripture, and given to storing it in the heart through Bible memorization and thats not a coincidence. You may say, That sounds rather unpleasant! It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. The Bible doesnt make sense. But this is more about swallowing than yawning (and you cant do both at once). 3) Why do I want He means that those whose lives are characterized by greed are not true believers and they will go to hell. A non-denominational subreddit for the encouragement of Bible-believing Christians, to the glory of God. He is a thousand times stronger than you are. The Bible views wealth as good, but dangerous. (Ephesians 4:1314). No one comes to the Father except through me. 6:17-18): Instruct those who are rich in this present world [we are rich in comparison to most] not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Some things ought to count far more than making money: Gods reputation through my testimony as a Christian; my relationship with Jesus Christ; a clear conscience; my relationship with my wife, my children, and other people. your brain is slowing down, causing its temperature to drop. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. The Christian life is a life of many afflictions. Experience fresh spiritual growth and passion for Gods Word. Pauls counsel applies to us (1 Tim. Schindler was not a Christian and he was not saving souls for eternity. Whenever the Bible is read, a hush should come over us. When you get an increase in income, ask God where He wants you to direct it, rather than automatically spending it on more stuff. But if we take the trouble to listen, really listen, to that Word, we'll discover something else marvelous: that the One being revealed is as patient with us as we are impatient with his Word, and as enamored with us as we are bored with him. This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared? Jesus concluded (Luke 12:21), So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. The man wasnt content, even though he had plenty. Do you ONLY talk to them when all of you have an uninterrupted 30 minutes to set aside? 1. When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. Do you ever find yourself distracted during prayer and Bible study? But, in fact, we could die today or all our things could be taken from us instantly. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, For by grace you have been saved through faith. Peter denounces such false teachers by comparing them to Balaam and saying that their hearts are trained in greed (2 Pet. And the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. As he was greedily scanning the stock prices, drooling over the killing he would make on his investments, his eye glanced across the page to the obituaries where he saw his own name. Its common to yawn several times a day, typically when you wake up and head to bed. The One who can answer our deepest questions but could remain The Question, the One who can restore our broken humanity, but could remain a vague Hypothesisthis One has revealed himself in Law, Prophets, and Gospelin the words of a collection we now call Holy Scripture. S If I care more about making money than about being a witness for Jesus Christ, Im being greedy. Leave your Bible somewhere youll see it (for example, on the kitchen counter Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. With kingdom priorities and careful stewardship we can give far more. (Harvest House) You can follow him on Twitter @byronyawn . Our retinas saw everything they see now, and yet, nothing. Now, these Scriptures on distractions are NOT meant to make you feel guilt or shame if you struggle to maintain focus. The best sermon Ive ever read on greed was by a non-Christian! Visit the Bible online to search for words if you dont know the specific passage yourre looking for. If this is the case, the yawning isn't what's distracting you; it's your response to the distraction. So we need to ask ourselves, In light of eternity and the brevity and uncertainty of this life, am I managing what God has entrusted to me so as to be rich toward God?. Get rid of all the needless stuff you can and then to seek to live as simply as possible. Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. But if were deceived by our wealth (Matt. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Rather than reading Genesis 1 and just waxing eloquent from that point on, the teacher patiently read passage after passage to demonstrate how central creation is in the Bible even after Genesis, especially in the covenant God made with his people. (2 Timothy 2:15). Its actually the medium through which God speaks to us. What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? We tend to shrug off greed by comparing ourselves with those who are richer than we are and thinking that greed is their problem. Why not make it FUN, meaningful, enjoyable, and interesting?? It is through the Bible that we learn that God is our loving creator and constant wooer. Were all assigned in some measure to handle the word of God. Not because it gains us brownie points, but because it gives strength and depth to our relationship with God. Comment policy: All opinions are welcome here and friendly, edifying debates are encouraged. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. Thank you for helping me grow spiritually For example, you could choose to read your Bible: It doesnt matter when as long as its a time that works well for you that you can stick to consistently enough to read the Bible daily and make it a habit. All the demands have been placed on the shoulders of the preacher, so anxious are we to meet needs and stay relevant. I have been slowly reintroducing myself to Christ and tonight I prayed to him for guidance on a personal issue. Thats found in one place: the Scriptures. Learn to walk in the Spirit so that His fruit of self-control governs your impulses. Drowsy ( 2 instances) Gape ( 3 instances) Yawning. Doesn't this person have anything original to say? Your email address will not be shared publicly. Here at Equipping Godly Women, I have a TON of resources to help you learn how to read the Bible more effectively. We do not like it when a teacher uses up the whole class time presenting her material, even if it is material from the Word of God. That's not listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. Insomnia, a condition We so often treat this with a yawn, as something simply to be expected of God as an owed right. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. How should Christians view greed and wealth?