Our Verse: 2 Tim 2:15 Study to show yourself approved to God...rightly dividing the word of truth.

Christians tend to be a bit shaky about this term Bible Study. Many people have a Bible, but don't know how to crack the Book. You can “crack the code” in the greatest book ever written. Let't figure out how!

Our goal as Jesus' followers is to really know our Bibles. Not just head knowledge, but genuine heart knowledge about God. Bible Study is the way this happens.

First, a simple definition- Bible Study is a mental spiritual process in 2 parts- regular reading and comparing different verses.

“Regular reading” is the download. “Comparing different verses” is the analysis. Since His comms are supernatural, God's help, His mind, is required to understand His words.

Let's start with “Regular reading”. This simply means getting God's data in your mind and heart. You read, He helps, and you grasp and understand His message. It's the “study” part of our verse above.

This data capture means you read or listen to a part of the Bible each day. In daily pieces, you “install” God's instructions inside you.

This spiritual download takes time. Be patient and be diligent. Our verse above says you should “Study to be approved” You will be working and applying yourself to get the data about God. Jesus explained the Father would send the Holy Spirit “teaching you everything and reminding you of everything I have told you.” John 14:26

There is not limit on how much you can download, except maybe your eyes and ears! Plow right through the New Testament than jam on through the Old. As you read, God helps with the next part of Bible Study, “comparing different verses”.

All about that next time in Bible Study part 2.

Our Verse: 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance ASV

All is an interesting word in the Bible. It is a small word with a big meaning for every person. Let's see how that little word applies to you, me and eternity!

A popular idea is that God will choose some people and reject others. This makes some people prideful, thinking they are better, but others become terribly afraid, thinking God will never choose them.

Both kinds of people suffer from a critical lack of information!
The proud religious person is mistaken about God's selection process for eternity! They think that by doing good things, God will owe them Heaven. However, it is “not by works of righteousness we have done, but by His mercy He has saved us” There just is no earning Heaven.

At the other end of the spectrum are folks that live in absolute panic they won't be chosen. They see God as angry, like an impossible to please father, just waiting to squash them. They feel hopeless.

But... There's really great news! And it's about our little big word...ALL!!

When you read what God says, you will not be mistaken with the proud, the self-righteous or discouraged with those afraid of God.

The Bible says- “The Lord is longsuffering (patient) toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance.”
This means- He is patiently waiting for every person to turn to Him.

He actually wants every person with Him in His coming Kingdom.

Let's believe what He said. It is the most important decision we will ever make.

Our Verse: 1Timothy 2:8 I would that men would pray always!

How about an amazing statistic?
A person we know has been conducting a experiment for over 15 years
and the results are almost unbelieveable.

Here's the experiment:
Ask any person, no matter where they are, no matter who they are- one of these two questions:

“Can I pray for you?” or “Can I say a prayer for you?”

In 15+ years of asking, our friend has a conservative 98% of people saying “Yes”. A person's social and economic position doesn't matter, almost everyone wants to pray.

There are a few who refuse, but given all the strange circumstances of life, that's to be expected. God still has a plan for the “No” folks.
If 2% or less say “No”, we all have a truly historic opportunity. We can bring a huge number of people before God for His help.

So why isnt EVERYONE asking? Fear. Uncertainty. A fear of rejection!
So... let's find a way to overcome that fear so we can start asking!

First, see the needs of people around you. Our world is full of fear, uncertainty and death! People are afraid. You see it in their eyes and their words.

Second, recognize the willingness of people to talk to God with a little help!
(Our friend's experiment is proof of the target rich environment of willing people.)

Third, Practice! Strike up a conversation and Ask! Here are the two questions again:

“Can I pray for you?” or “Can I say a prayer for you?

God will give you insight from the conversation to know which question to use.

Here's why two different questions.
Some folks come from a more formal tradition of prayer. These people are comfortable with “Saying a prayer”
Others are more casual and they're comfortable with the idea of “praying”. The more you practice with conversations, the more you will know which question works best.

God will give you courage and you will help many hurting people!

Our Verse: John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.'

A powerful statement by Jesus Christ- He says He is the Light. Following Him gives us light to live the best kind of life.

Imagine a blind person, one who has never seen anything. Ask him, “What's it like to be blind?” He can't tell you. Having never seen, he has no contrast to his darkness. This is the way of humans who have not experienced the light of Christ.

Here's a definition: Unbelief is a state of mind and heart where God is refused and spiritual blindness results.

The person who has yet to experience this light of Jesus walks in darkness and uncertainty. The Psalms calls this “slippery places”. That means dangerous places. Walking through life in the dark, putting your confidence in yourself and on things can lead you and others to disaster.

An unbelieving person chooses to refuse. “I don't believe in God.”

This can happen in spite of conspicuous God evidence all around.

Thankfully unbelief doesn't have to win. Jesus opens eyes, just like those 2 blind men. He opens them every day and around the world.

Us blind guys who get to “see” Jesus are thrilled. As we look back, we “see” that He was there all the time, leading, protecting and even speaking to us.

Unbelief is spiritual blindness. Jesus heals that blindness. Our part is to humbly ask.
He will do the rest!

In Matt 19:28 Our Lord Jesus spoke of “the age when all things are renewed and He, the Son of Man, would sit on his glorious throne.”

It was a sad moment. The first man and his wife slowly walked away. Their beautiful safe home, the Garden, was no longer theirs. A mighty angel was stationed at the east side of the Garden. A flaming sword flashed back and forth guarding the way to the tree of life.
Paradise was lost to them, lost for ages to come. Read it in Genesis 3.

But...God promised a day of restoration. Our verse above says, “all things will be restored. There would be a very long time of sadness and hardship, but finally Eve's faraway descendants would reenter Paradise.

Today, God's plan for the eventual restoration is underway. He is now giving all living people an opportunity to be part of the future Garden. By studying the Scriptures, you can understand this truth.

Revelation 21 describes not just a Garden, but an immense city where many of the features of the original Eden will be present. There will be many trees, some of them healing sources for the nations of the earth. There will be much fruit on the trees with different crops ripening constantly. The writer, John, describes the River of Life, a surging abundant flow that benefits all in the great city.

All who are followers of Jesus will live in this city. He will sit on a glorious throne in the midst of it all. He will be coronated King of all Kings!

You will be a citizen of the city, it's name- New Jerusalem.
Enjoy many of the details in Revelation chapter 21. It is coming! Paradise will be restored and you will live there!

Our Verse: Rev 19:16 “On his robe at his thigh was written this title: KING OF ALL KINGS AND LORD OF ALL LORDS.”

In past episodes, we considered two titles of Jesus- “Son of Man” and “Lamb of God” Now we consider His greatest titles- King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords.

You might have a different idea about this word Lord. It is widely used in movies and media. You might have heard of the Lords of Flatbush or Lord of the Rings, but our term- Lord of Lords, is different. It means He is the ultimate Authority. Jesus Christ will be the Ruler over every tribe, language, people group and nation!

At God's exact time, Jesus will depart from Heaven. Here it is from the New Testament- “...at just the right time, Christ will be revealed from heaven...”. I Timothy 6:15. He will place His foot on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, proceed thru the Golden Gate on the east side of the Temple mount, and take His place as King of all Kings.

So we see He will carry 2 titles- King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords.
As King of Kings, He will take His rightful seat as ruler of Planet Earth.
As Lord of Lords, He will take total and final authority over every person.

These things are clearly stated in the Bible.

We don't know when this will happen, but His coming is absolutely sure.
That Day will arrive and Jesus will take His rightful place.
Many false christs will appear before His return, but when that moment comes, every person on earth will know! Luke 17:24

Let's be ready for that Day, by recognizing His Lordship now.
His coming and coronation will be a Day of joy, huge smiles and wild cheering!

Come Lord Jesus!

Our Verse: John 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
...He is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven Heb 7:26

Last time we discussed the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man, a title He affirmed. This title explained His mission role as one like us.

But He had another mission role, “set apart from sinners”, as The Lamb of God.

John the Baptist, like an announcer today, proclaimed on seeing Jesus, “ Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”

John pointed to the special sacrificial role that Jesus came to fulfill. People all over the world understand the concept of blood sacrifice. The animal takes the guilt of the one making the sacrifice. This has been true since the days of Abraham, our ancient ancestor. Even today blood sacrifices remain in many nations.

Jesus did something shocking. Instead of sacrificing an animal for sin, He offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice. His destiny? To be a Holy blood sacrifice for us!

Jesus bled on a terrible execution device, a Roman cross. God accepted Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. Our part is to accept what He did.

People have a hard time accepting that another would bear the punishment of their sins. This is a supernatural transaction between you and God. He set it up this way and we must accept His wisdom.

Do you accept what Jesus, the Lamb of God, did for you?

Next...Lamb of God as Lord of Lords in Heaven!

Our Verse: Heb 4:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.

So...how is it that Jesus is like me?

When you think of Jesus Christ, what comes to mind? Kind, Supernatural, wise?
We often see him smiling, helping, in every sense a divine person, unlike us humans.

But the Bible has interesting things to say in describing Jesus as He really is, His real character and his real mission.

Knowing what the Bible says helps because many popular descriptions of Jesus are tinged with imagination and fiction. (wander off into myths 2 Tim 4:4) God's Word, the Bible, is the true record of His life and personality.

Let's consider some Jesus likenesses. Likeness to us and our struggles.
He experienced sadness, the death of friends, and betrayal by a close friend.
He experienced physical pain- He was hungry, cold, beaten and brutally executed.
He was rejected by those He came to help- his own people.
His family called Him crazy and didn't believe in His mission. Mark 3:21 John 7:5
He was tempted in all the ways we are with one great difference- He never fell to any sin.

So in every way, Jesus can feel what we feel and truly understand us.

This likeness to us helps us relate to Him and He to us. When we pray, Jesus Christ hears us and understands us... He has been where we are. Because He has all knowledge (omniscient) He instantly knows the best solution to help us. His answers to our prayers are wise and always work out for our ultimate good.

Jesus came as the Son of Man, relating to each of us. He is our High Priest in Heaven.
You can go to Him knowing He will understand your every need and desire!

Next- Part 2- Jesus- Lamb of God!

Our Verse: Daniel 2:35 The rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.

Mountains are often mentioned in the Bible. Mt Sinai is the place God gave us the Ten Commandments. Jesus prepared for His ministry on a mountain Mt 4:8, and He returned to Heaven from a mountain. Mt 28:16

There are 2 pictures God shows us through mountains- First, a visual image of His coming Kingdom. Second, places where God speaks to us.

Mountains offer a powerful picture of God, describing His power, His place above all human history, and His worldwide Kingdom coming someday.

Daniel the prophet describes a dream in which a stone transforms into a mountain which covers the earth. This world encompassing mountain represents the kingdom of God that will one day cover the entire world. The Lord Jesus is the stone. (Romans 9:33) He will dramatically return to Earth and end all human kingdoms. More about this prophecy in Daniel chapter 2!

While God has big plans for the world, He still wants to talk to us! This is a second purpose of mountains and why we designed The Mountain program.

God chooses quiet remote places to talk to us. Big events happen on mountains. Big events are foretold on mountains. He leads us away from the noise of daily life to instruct us and let us share our troubles. Jesus slipped away from the crowds to talk to His Father and share quiet time with His students, the disciples. Our Mountain episodes are a way to escape the flood of input and contemplate the things of God and our souls. If you get to meet with God on a high mountain, great, but its not required, you can to meet with God anywhere, even on this screen! Any quiet spot, even your closet, will do! You can get instructions and tell Him your troubles.
Taking the spiritual climb toward God is the only way to prepare for life's challenges. You might not be able to physically climb to solitude, but God makes a lofty spiritual retreat with Him wherever you are. Prayer takes us to a place high above the struggles of life.
So join us on The Mountain. We'll share a quiet thoughtful place where we learn to spend time with God. He is willing and available. Let's trek there together!

Our Verse: John 8:11 Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you, Go and sin no more.”

Her hair messed up, maybe her dress torn, the woman was pushed to the center of the crowd. Her captors despised her. They were clean upstanding citizens, she was trash. She should die!

While the story of those guys dragging her is interesting, this one is about the girl.
We don't know her name, but we know her story. She was caught in the act of adultery, and was about to be executed by stones being thrown at her body. Thats the way they executed people in the first century.

However, Jesus was also in the Temple that day and something historic happened!

He knew everyone's story in the crowd around Him. He could look into their very souls. As He looked into her soul He saw the truth- she was ready to receive His help. He knew she could change so He told her- “I don't condemn you, go and sin no more.” From that point, she disappears from Scripture as far as we know. But the powerful lesson between her and Jesus remains.

Jesus forgave her. He told her to change. He saw her whole life, the good and the bad and said, “I don't condemn you.” The crowd wanted blood, Jesus gave mercy!

This same mercy she received can be ours. It comes with a command to live a new life with His help. Help us Lord to turn around and live for You!

Read this story for yourself in the Gospel of John Chapter 8 Look closely... the woman called Jesus “Lord”!