Bible Studies Resume! :)

If you haven't noticed our blog's sidebar, we are beginning our Tuesday Night Bible Studies again at the boys' home on the 24th! Please continue to pray that we would be directed in these meetings and that we might be able to secure a more permanent spot. For now though, we praise God for His provision and allowing us to continue meeting in His name and mining for gold in His precious Word! :)

Tuesday Night Bible Studies

Brothers & Sisters,

It seems that we may not be able to continue having our Bible Study at the current location. Please pray about where God would have us in the future. We really hope to continue having studies on Tuesday nights but we are surrendered to the Lord's will in this and simply want to follow His lead. If anyone has any suggestions/encouragements, feel free to speak up! :) We will be sure to update this blog with any news we might have as soon as we have it!

How Kind The Good Samaritan

"How kind the good Samaritan
To him who fell among the thieves!
Thus Jesus pities fallen man,
And heals the wounds the soul receives.

O! I remember well the day,
When sorely wounded, nearly slain;
Like that poor man I bleeding lay,
And groaned for help, but groaned in vain.

Men saw me in this helpless case,
And passed without compassion by;
Each neighbor turned away his face,
Unmoved by my mournful cry.

But he whose name had been my scorn,
As Jews Samaritans despise
Came, when he saw me thus forlorn,
With love and pity in his eyes.

Gently he raised me from the ground,
Pressed me to lean upon his arm;
And into every gaping wound
He poured his own all-healing balm.

Unto his church my steps he led,
The house prepared for sinners lost;
Gave charge I should be clothed and fed;
And took upon him all the cost.

Thus saved from death, from want secured,
I wait till he again shall come,
When I shall be completely cured
And take me to his heav'nly home.

There through eternal boundless days,
When nature's wheel no longer rolls,
How shall I love, adore, and praise,
This good Samaritan to souls!"

~John Newton

Biblical Interpretation of the Bible

Just a few thoughts on Scripture:

Luke 10:25-28:

“And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; “Do this and you will live.”

1) People can have different interpretations of Scripture

• Jesus asks the lawyer how the Law reads to him, as in, what is his interpretation.  

2) People can have wrong interpretations of Scripture

• The lawyer gave his views on Old Testament salvation, in which case he was correct.  This means that he could’ve been incorrect.
• Christ doesn’t say that that’s just his interpretation... As in, “Well good for you, that’s beautiful, but here’s how I read it.”  He says that that’s the correct interpretation!  

John 16:13 - “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

• The Spirit is called the Spirit of truth.  Not a Spirit of uncertainty, not a Spirit of personal revelations, but a Spirit of truth.  
• There is a definite truth, and our Spirit guides us in it.  Our interpretation, if we have the Spirit of truth, will be aligned to the truth and guided into all the truth.  
• There can be false views, or even different convictions on certain passages, but overall we will be guided and led into the truth.  Christians don’t remain in darkness, they dwell in the light!  
• John 10:27 - “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
• Not talking about issues like when to take communion, or how the worship should be arranged, but black and white issues, like how we gain eternal life, or the person of Christ, etc.

Isaiah 55:11 - “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

• God’s word doesn’t return empty.  Every single word in Scripture has a purpose.
• 2 Timothy 3:16 - “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
• God sent His word out for a reason, which means that it was objective, or outside of human interpretation.  There is a truth in every word, and just because we believe that one word means something, doesn’t make it true.  God sent the Word out to accomplish what He desires.  He decided what was true and what wasn’t.

Matthew 22:29 - “But Jesus answered them, ‘You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.”

Do we truly know the Scriptures? Are we correct in them? Are we forming our lives around Scripture or are we forming Scripture around our lives?