THOUGHT: The B-I-B-L-E

Why do we think the Bible is so important? I mean, what's the purpose of this thing anyway? Well, here's what its Author said.

Luke 1:3-4 (New Living Translation)

3 Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4 so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.

1 John 5:13 (NLT)

13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.

Revelation 1:1 (NLT)

1 This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place.

Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Psalm 119:9 (NLT)

9 How can a young person stay pure?
By obeying your word.


The Bible: it's what God wants you to know--about everything!

411God.net

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THOUGHT: Some Tongue Action

You know, there's something in your head that causes tons of problems. No, it's not your obdula oblongata, it's your tongue. Here's what James 3 says:

James 3:2, 5-8 (New Living Translation)

2 For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

...

5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.

But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue.

You can tame a lion and, if you can find one, even a velociraptor, but the tongue? Tough stuff. Need help? Listen to this:

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.

Self-control doesn't come in a can. But you can pray and ask for some--for free too!

411God.net

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THOUGHT: So You're Dead...Now What? 03 Heaven Follow Up

The series continues with the third installment focusing on heaven. What is heaven like? Who goes to heaven? Is heaven going to live up to the hype? Listen to the podcast then work through these thoughts and questions. Or just use the questions as a study aid by themselves.

Ice Breaker:

What activities (hiking, biking, golf, etc.) do you enjoy here on earth that you hope you’ll also get to do in heaven? How might the experience be even better in heaven?

In the book of Matthew Jesus says this about heaven:

You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way.
Matthew 7:13 (NLT)

This passage says that the gate to heaven is narrow. How could someone who is choosing the easy way be deceived into believing they were going to heaven?

What do you think are some common misconceptions about heaven?

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him
1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)

How does this verse affect your ideas of what heaven will be like?

READ: Revelation 21:4-5
What pain are you experiencing today that will be absent in heaven? Does that help you in dealing with the pain? Why or why not?

How does your understanding of what heaven will be like affect your life right now?
Life Support Group Questions - Week 3

For Further Study

2 Corinthians 5:1-10 Open

What do you imagine heaven will be like? What common cliches do you frequently hear when people talk about heaven?

Explore
What can Christians look forward to? (5:1) How could Paul feel confident in the face of ill health and death? (5:1-10) Why did Paul long for heaven? (5:2-3) For what purpose has God made us? (5:4-5) How does the Spirit guarantee what is to come? (5:5) What is true as long as we are alive on this earth? (5:6) How is the Christian life lived? (5:7) What should be the believer's goal? (5:9) Who will be judged by Christ? (5:10) Why must we all appear before the judgment seat of Christ? (5:10) What will people receive at the judgment seat of Christ? (5:10)

Reflect
How can Christ be glorified through the weaknesses of men and women? What does it mean to live by faith and not by sight? What comfort or satisfaction can we derive from knowing that the Holy Spirit guarantees our future in heaven? How should we regard death?

Apply
In what small way can you detach yourself from worldly things? What things do you need to leave behind today instead of waiting until the end?

Keep at it and don't give up. Heaven's waiting.

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THOUGHT: Connections

Can you browse the Internet without a connection?

Can you make a phone call without a phone?

Can you find a friend's party without a GPS mapping unit?

Well...yes...probably.

But, how does someone find out about God without the Bible or someone to tell them about God?

Paul brings this up in Romans.

Romans 10:14-17 (New Living Translation) 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” 16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

Beautiful feet eh? Why the feet compliment? It's a cultural thing. But yeah, if you want to have really, really good looking feet, go tell people about Jesus.

411God.net

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THOUGHT: Backpack 03 Followup 07

Read Psalm 103:13-22 today.

Psalm 103:13-22 (New International Version)

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;

¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-

¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

¹⁹ The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.

²¹ Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.

²² Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Meditate on it.

See you @ QU tonight for part 02 of Spiritual Gifts!

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THOUGHT: Backpack 03 Followup 06

Here’s a really good psalm about how good God is to free us from our guilt and shame. Read the first half, Psalm 103:1-12, and think about what it means.

Psalm 103

Of David.

¹ Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

² Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

⁶ The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:

⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.

⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;

¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

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THOUGHT: Babbling

Have you ever had to listen to someone babble? You know, talking without meaning or direction about whatever--politics, psychology, the Twilight series? The bottom line is that babble is boring. Babble is boring because it has no substance.
Jesus warns against praying in such a meaningless way, and offers an alternative.

Matthew 6:7-13 (New Living Translation)

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.”

Prayer can take many forms, but should be intentional and filled with meaning. Meaningful prayer helps to strengthen your relationship with God, and communicates respect to God whose value is infinite.

411God.net

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THOUGHT: Backpack 03 Followup 05

Check out what Jesus says in Luke 9:57-62.

Luke 9:57-62 (New International Version)

The Cost of Following Jesus

⁵⁷As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

⁵⁸Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

⁵⁹He said to another man, "Follow me."
But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

⁶⁰Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

⁶¹ Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."

⁶²Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

How can we live up to this kind of commitment to God? How can we follow Christ without looking back at our past?

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THOUGHT: Adopted

Hey, did you know that if you are a Christian, you've been adopted spiritually? Into God's family! He took you in, and made you His own. Paul explores this in his letter to the church in Ephesus, a city in Asia Minor.

Ephesians 2:19-22 (New Living Translation)

19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

As part of God's family, we're joined together--to serve as a light and a source of love to the world. Together we become God's dwelling place in the world today.

411God.net

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THOUGHT: Backpack 03 Followup 04

Read Luke 14:26-27.

Luke 14:26-27 (New International Version)

²⁶"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

How do Jesus’ words challenge you to love Him more by comparison to your other relationships?

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THOUGHT: Represent

Hey, we've got a couple verses for you today:

Colossians 3:15-17 (New Living Translation)

15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

To the people around you, you represent Jesus. Not your parents and friends, you! How you act, how you live, how you treat them. You.

411God.net

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THOUGHT: Backpack 03 Followup 03

Here’s a verse about why we need to get rid of the things that weigh us down. Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-25.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (New International Version)

²⁴Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

²⁵Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Does that inspire you?

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THOUGHT: Forgiveness

A quick thought about forgiveness. God offered it to you before you even knew you needed it. So now it's your turn to offer it to others.
Ephesians 4:32 (New Living Translation)
32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Here's another reminder to forgive.

Colossians 3:13 (NLT)

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Did you hear that? You gotta forgive others. Jesus put it this way.

Mark 11:25 (NLT)

25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
Matthew 6:14 (NLT)

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you."

You know what? Get past the grudge. We know it's hard, but take a chance and live in the freedom of forgiveness.

411God.net

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THOUGHT: Backpack 03 Followup 02

Read Galatians 1:10.

Galatians 1:10 (New International Version)

¹⁰Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

According to this, are you a servant of Christ?

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THOUGHT: It'll Do A Life Good

Why do we think the Bible is so important? I mean, what's the purpose of this thing anyway? Well, here's what its Author said.

Luke 1:3-4 (New Living Translation)
3 Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4 so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
1 John 5:13 (NLT)

13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.
Revelation 1:1 (NLT)

1 This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place.
Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
Psalm 119:9 (NLT)

9 How can a young person stay pure?
By obeying your word.


The Bible: it's what God wants you to know--about everything!

411God.net

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THOUGHT: Backpack 03 Followup 01

Read Proverbs 12:26.

Proverbs 12:26 (New International Version)

26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray

Will you be cautious with your friendships this week?

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THOUGHT: Self-control

You know, there's something in your head that causes tons of problems. No, it's not your obdula oblongata, it's your tongue. Here's what James 3 says:
James 3:2, 5-8 (New Living Translation)
2 For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
...
5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue.

You can tame a lion and, if you can find one, even a velociraptor, but the tongue? Tough stuff. Need help? Listen to this:

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.

Self-control doesn't come in a can. But you can pray and ask for some--for free too!

411God.net

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THOUGHT: Grace

In the book of Second Corinthians, Paul is like a kid, all excited to tell his big news. But it's not about a new toy or an "A" in spelling. He's excited to tell the church about grace. Imagine hearing about grace for the first time.

2 Corinthians 3:7-9 (New Living Translation)

7 The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses' face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn't we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!

That's glorious! Sometimes our lives--not so glorious. But 2 Corinthians 3:7-9 is a great reminder that the old way, living under all those laws from the first few books of the Bible wasn't good enough.
It's hard to get the Bible's big picture all the time, but, give it a shot.

411God.net

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THOUGHT: Swagger

A message about swagger! No, it doesn't come from your yo-yo skills, or from the size of your paycheck, or even from your deodorant. Ok. Here's what that guy Paul, who actually wrote 2 Corinthians as a letter to some friends, here's what he had to say.

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 (New Living Translation)

4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

Confidence is like fruitcake: You have it because someone gave it to you, not because of your effort to get it. More from the second letter to Corinthians chapter 3 tomorrow.

411God.net

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THOUGHT: So You're Dead...Now What? 01: HELL Follow-Up

Here are some additional thoughts and questions to help you work through and consider Hell and its significance in your world. Listen to the podcast and then move on to the questions. Or, you know what? Read the questions and then listen to the podcast, either way, try it out.

Then we will see you Sunday October 25th for part 3: HEAVEN. So, yeah, that'll be awesome.

Ice Breaker: If you were to bring up the subject of “hell” to friends or co-workers who are not Christ followers, what kinds of reactions might you experience?

In the book of Matthew Jesus says this about hell:

So if your eye – even if it is your good eye – causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5:29 (NLT)

From what Jesus says here, hell is very real and something to be avoided at all costs. So, why is it difficult for many of us to talk about hell?

They will be punished with everlasting destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NLT)

What would it be like to be “forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power”?

READ: 2 Peter 3:9

As those who are already Christ followers, what opportunity does God’s patience give us to share His love with others?

In addition to the reality of hell, what reality of hope can we share with those who don’t know Christ?

Who will you reach out to this week, that might otherwise be “forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power”?

.

For Further Study

Luke 16:19-31

Open

What do you imagine heaven and hell will be like?

What do your friends and coworkers imagine heaven and hell will be like?

Explore

How did Jesus describe the rich man in the story? (16:19)

What does the story tell us about Lazarus? (16:20)

What role did angels play in this story? (16:22)

Where did the angels take Lazarus? (16:22)

What difference did the rich man's wealth make in his eternal destiny? (16:22-23)

What does this parable reveal about heaven and hell? (16:22-31)

What did the rich man see from his place in hell? (16:23)

How did Abraham respond to the request of the rich man? (16:25)

Why did the rich man want Lazarus to go to his father's house on earth? (16:27-28)

What did the rich man think was necessary to convince his brothers to believe? (16:30)

Reflect

How does this story affect your understanding of the afterlife?

What have you learned from this parable about the eternal value of material possessions?

What things do you think have eternal value?

Why does God not always provide miracles to help people believe in Him?

Apply

In the next few days, how can you demonstrate your thankfulness to the Lord for His provision of eternal life?

How many people like Lazarus do you know who could benefit from your compassion today?

Hope this helps. If you have any more questions don't be afraid to ask.

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