Pastor's Bible Study

The disciplines of silence and solitude go hand in hand together, and when practiced help us to actually be more effective in other disciplines like prayer, bible intake, fasting, worship, etc.

When it comes to time we wish for more, but there isn’t more. It just comes down to how we use what we’ve been given, hence the exhortation from Paul to make the most of our time. This lesson is going to focus on time in the context of spiritual disciplines. Time is required in order to participate in any spiritual discipline. Because this is true, we must make the most of the time afforded to us....

Giving and acts of generosity allow us to look like Jesus because when we give financially we do some of the very things Jesus did: give, love, sacrifice, and serve. In this lesson we look at 8 principles for giving financially. In end, Jesus only asks us to give what He is already willing to give us. Take a listen to this lesson and be encouraged to steward well and look like Jesus.  

Jesus didn’t say “if you fast” but “when you fast.” Implied in Christ’s teaching is that we would fast and should fast. It's not a matter of if but when.  Charles Stanley said, "Fasting is the abstinence of anything that hinders our communion with God. In particular, fasting is the abstinence of food for the purpose of seeking God in prayer." It is this spiritual discipline that goes hand in hand...

When we serve with a smile, God smiles. Serving is expected and results in growth, glory, gratefulness, and godlness.

Praying is one thing. Being disciplined in our praying, that is another. We can grow in our consistency and fervor in our praying over time just like we can physically grow in our strength and stamina over time, if we are disciplined. This lesson looks to answer questions like: Why pray? How do we develop discipline? And, what is our motivation?

The bible is a fruit bearing tree from which we eat when we listen to it, read it, and study it. We increase our harvest from God's Word when we memorize it, meditate upon it, and apply it to our lives.

The Christian life isn’t just about knowing a certain set of doctrines. It is more than knowing. It is believing. But it is more than believing. The Christian life is also about doing. It is doing what we believe. But to truly do what we believe is going to require some discipline, disciplines, habits, spiritual activities to be engaged in. If we never engage in spiritual activity, then we’re just...

Self-control is the last quality of the Fruit of the Spirit listed by Paul, but there can be no doubt about its importance to Christian living. Can we truly be in a place of pleasing God if we're not living in a way that we exercise self-control? We are to live controlled lives; lives in balance and in the boundaries of God's Word, will, and desire. Self-control in the physical realm may happen by...

The world may view meekness as weakness in a person's make-up, but in reality, meekness is not weakness. It is strength under control. It is a quality we very much need on display in God's people. We especially need it as we increase in power and authority. It is meekness that keeps us from being abusive or overbearing with our authority.

Faith is the intrinsic link in the Christian experience. Faith is not optional. It is a must. Without it we can’t be saved; we can’t serve; we can’t please God; we have no joy. The basis of our faith, as it relates to our Christian experience, embraces two objects: 1) Faith in the faithfulness of God, and 2) Faith in the faithful sayings of God (i.e. His Word). God is faithful to us in all things....

In 2 Tim. 3:1-4 Paul gives us the key to cherishing good. He contrasts those who love themselves, their money and pleasure with those who are lovers of God (philotheos). It is this love for God that keeps everything in proper perspective.  Loving what is good is the outflow of loving God. Since God is clearly the source of good, how can a man begin to become good like God is?  1) DISCOVER what God...

We can never truly extend kindness to others until we realize and know just how much kindness we've received from God. Kindness is His nature. He is good and kind to the just and the unjust. It is His kindness that leads us to repentance. The Greek word "chrestotes" is translated “good,” “kindness,” “gentleness.” Kindness (gentleness) is the grace which pervades the whole nature, mellowing all whi...

 There are two words in Greek that are translated as either “longsuffering,” “endurance,” “perseverance” or “patience” in the Bible: makrothumia and hupomone.  Makrothumia is patience in respect to persons, while hupomone, endurance, is putting up with things or circumstances. Longsuffering is a characteristic of the character of Jesus and a quality of the Fruit of Spirit that we can demonstrate i...

The author of our joy is God. The avenue through which God brings joy into our lives is Jesus. The agent that makes it possible is the Spirit. And it is our faith that activates the process which brings about the fruit of joy in our lives.

Others will know that we are the disciples of Christ when we love the way Christ loves. What kind of love is this? And who do we do it? This lesson focuses on love as a fruit of the Spirit and how we can express love to others in our actions and behaviors.

It is important that disciples in a church participate in the observance of the Lord’s Supper. Why? Because we are commanded to do it. Remembrance brings reflection, appreciation, communion, adoration, proclamation, and confession.

Baptism is a public declaration of our faith and trust in Christ, and it is vitally important to being a disciple, a follower of Jesus. Baptism doesn't save us. Baptism is a testimony of the reality that Jesus has saved us. In terms of being a believer in Christ, our very first act of obedience to Jesus is to follow His example and be baptized. We’ll have a tough time truly following Jesus persona...

Jesus didn’t come to call us simply as individual, private, personal disciples of Himself. He calls us collectively, corporately to follow Him as a part of a local church. A local church is a called out assembly of believers covenanted together to carry out the great commission. Faithfulness to one another in the context of a local church is vitally important to our being faithful to Jesus as disc...

Hell is real. It is as real as Heaven. If we can believe what Jesus spoke about the reality of heaven, the we can trust what he spoke about the reality of hell. Hell is a real place where real people spend an eternity when they refuse to accept the grace of God offered to them through the finished work of Jesus.

The truth of the Second Coming of Jesus should influence our lives and behavior greatly. The King is coming. Will we be ready? Let us be loving His appearing, looking for His appearing, labor until He appears, and live like He could appear at any moment.

Jesus was raised from the dead, and because He was, every believer will be too. Our resurrection is assured by His resurrection. He is the first to be raised to never die again. He is not the only one to be raised and never die again. The truth of His resurrection is vitally important to how we live. Because He lives, we can live with peace, power, purpose, praise, etc.

The thrust of this truth for believers is that our Savior not only delivered us from sin and its judgment, but also delivers us from uncertainty and doubt about the deliverance. If God has already made sure our rescue from sin, death, and future judgment, how could our present spiritual life possibly be in jeopardy? How can a Christian, whose past and future salvation are secured by God, be insecu...

Salvation is wholly by grace. What do we mean when we say that salvation is wholly by grace? We might say it this way – salvation is only by grace. You cannot earn it, work for it, deserve it, or be worthy of it. There is nothing that you can add to the grace of God or else God’s grace wouldn’t be grace. The bottom line is that salvation is a gift that we receive when we put our faith and trust in...

Jesus, was selected, appointed, chosen, and anointed by God to become the sacrifice for the sin of the whole human race.