Bible Reading 2013

Heard from many who made good use of the Bible Reading Companion posted here about a year ago.  Hope it was a blessing to all who completed (or are about to complete) the program.  If you happened to keep track of the mistakes and/or keep an answer key, please let me know.

HERE is a copy of the Bible Reading and Scripture Memory Program I designed for the teenagers at THE BIBLE Baptist Church for 2013.  The reading program will take you through the Bible in a year.  Each day includes a reading from the Old Testament and the New Testament.  For each month, there is a set of about 6 scripture passages on a certain topic to be used in witnessing (all have sinned; Jesus died for sin; believe for salvation; etc.).

Feel free to print and/or distribute this, or put it to use in any way.  Just send me an email if you need help figuring out how to print it off, and I'll do my best to walk you through.

Giving Account to God -- Part 3

Romans 14:10 is one of only two verses in scripture to specifically mention the judgment seat of Christ.  The passage's description of that judgment in verse 12 has led us to consider the following points:

I.  EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT

II.  EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF

III.  EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF TO GOD

There are two additional points that we should make along these lines.  In addition to the acknowledgement that we will all give an account TO GOD, there are some scriptures that direct us to the helpful realization that:

IV.  GOD DOES NOT GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF TO US

Why We Do Not Celebrate Halloween

Prepared for distribution at THE BIBLE Baptist Church.  Posted here for your reading enjoyment and thoughtful consideration.

WHY WE DO NOT CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN

1.     While there is some difference of opinion as to the specific origins of the many Halloween traditions (jack-o-lanterns; costumes; trick-or-treating; bobbing for apples; association with ghosts, spirits, witchcraft, and death), it is undeniable and universally agreed that:

Giving Account to God -- Part 2

Romans 14:10-12 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ…So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Let’s break down this statement.

I.  SO THEN EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT

What does it mean to give account?  Consider this example from Luke 16:1-2 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.  And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

Giving Account to God

The first passage we will study that specifically mentions the judgment seat of Christ is Romans 14:7-13.

Romans 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 

I always thought that this verse was speaking to the influence my actions have on those around me.  That’s a valid application of the statement that doesn’t violate the text and is supported by other scriptures, but if you examine the context (2 Peter 1:20), that’s not the meaning here.  Verse 7 is defined by verse 8.

Romans 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 

Eternal Perspective

The objective of entering into a study of the judgment seat of Christ is to influence Christians to live a life now that will matter for eternity; to live a life now that will count for something at the judgment seat of Christ; to approach people and places and situations and decisions with an eternal perspective.  That is the theme of this second introductory lesson.

I.  GOD CALLS US TO AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

The Judgment Seat of Christ: Groundwork

One of the most important, if not the most important event in the future of every believer is an event referred to in the Bible as “the judgment seat of Christ.”  The actual phrase is used only twice in scripture (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10).  A detailed description of the event is found in 1 Corinthians 3.  And as we will see as we study this topic in a series of posts throughout the coming weeks, there are many passages that deal with the various aspects of this final judgment for believers. 

Before we jump into the scripture in search of truth regarding the day when our works as Christians will be judged by the Lord, it is necessary to lay some groundwork.