Apologies!

I've started a master's degree program which has comsumed quite a bit of time, energy, and creativity. I've got myself back into functional routine that will help maintain my blogs. So, I look forward to new post, but for time being post will consist of a verse with commentary from at least two different sources. Thank you for your patience and support. With renewed interest, please spread the blog and keep reading. Blessing, Scott.

His Will

Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
1.) Why is it so important to submit ourselves to God's will?

2.) Why is it that when we follow our own ambitions we hurt ourselves, others, or both?

Did you pray today? If you haven't, now is as good a time as any. Pray and pray continually.

Deception

Leviticus 19:11
Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.

1.) Most people are not con men. However, how are we deceptive to each other on a smaller scale? 

2.) Do you genuinely treat other people as God would want you to every day?

3.) Is it impossible for us to always treat others as we should or is just difficult for us to remain consistent?

If you breathing then you could be praying. Pray and pray continually. Make it as natural to pray as it is to breathe and I pray God blesses you tonight.

Love

John 17: 26

Jesus said,

"I have made you known to them, and will contnue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

1.) How often do you we fail to love everyday?

Make prayer in your life as natural as breathing. Pray and pray continually.

Counted Faithful

1Timothy 1:12

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.

* I really don't even know what to say or write to be honest. I read this and was just in awe.

1.) Why does he count us faithful?

2.) Are we all put into the ministry?

This looks like another verse that beckons one to his knees in prayer.

Godliness

1 Timothy 4:8

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

1.) Why is physical training only of some value?

2.) What give godliness value for all things?

Pray and pray continually. Make praying as natural as breathing. I pray God blesses you tonight and keep in mind those in Japan that need our prayers.

Sunday

Sunday

• It's Sunday.
• No study today.
• Spend time in prayer.
• Talk to God, submit yourself in prayer.
• spend more than just a few moments.
• Make a list of things to pray about.
• Make a list of people to pray for
• If you started keeping a log of our scripture studies that would be a great place to keep your prayer list.
• You don't have to be a pro.
• The more you do something, the better you will get.
• James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

If you recently started following this blog, please take today to look at the previous post and offer your comments and insights. Have a restful evening and I look forward to posting more scriptures starting tomorrow. May God bless you tonight.

A Heart of God

Psalms 119: 10-11 (NIV)

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

What can you do to hide God's word in your heart?

Pray and pray continually. I pray that God blesses you tonight.

Gathered in Jesus' Name

Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

1.) Have you ever considered Jesus being this close to us?

2.) Have you ever thought about Jesus being close to you when talking about him?

Pray and pray continually especially for the people of Japan. May God bless them tonight.

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight oh lord, my rock and my redeemer.

1.) What do think "meditation of my heart" is?

2.) Reflect on what this verse speaks to you.

This verse sound like it could be a prayer. I encourage you to actually use this verse as a part of your prayers to God. Pray and pray continually. Seek God's guidance and may He bless you tonight.

God's Supply

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

1.) If we are living a Christ like life, do we have any reason to believe that God wouldn't supply all our needs?

2.) What needs has God suppled you with already?

Great time for comments! Pray and pray continually. I pray that God blesses you tonight!

Lent

If Lent is not something that you take part of then I encourage you to give a chance. It's a way to express your love and worship of God.

If Lent is something that you are taking a part of then ask yourself the following:

"Am I giving this up to better myself or is it truthfully for Christ?"
"Am I truthfully giving up anything at all?"
"Is this really going to be a struggle for me?"
Bottom line, "Am I truthfully doing this out of love for Christ or out of love for myself?"

God is speaking if your ready to listen. Don't take the easy route. Let this be an experience that truthfully brings you closer to Christ. Otherwise, what's the point?

Leave a comment or two or three. Let's share thoughts, concerns, and grow spiritually from this experience. Pray and pray continually. Remember, don't short your Lent experience.

Spiritual Gifts

Keep a record
Keep a prayer list with it
Keeping praying and pray continually

1 Conrinthians 12:7

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
(NIV)

At the beginning fo 1 Conrinthians 12, Paul is talking about the recieving of spiritual gifts for the born again. We all recieve different gifts, but they are all gifts of the same spirit. Gifts are given to us to be used for others.

1.) Do you honestly know what your spiritual gift/gifts are?

2.) Does God "zap" us with abilities, do we have to harness them over time, or both?

I know this has got to topic on everyones mind. Leave a comment and share you questions or insights. Let's talk about God instead of Charlie Sheen.

Refreshed, Renewed, & Refocused

Sorry for the lull in post. Daily posting resumes Monday 3/7/11 refreshed, renewed, & refocused. Pray for me and I will pray for you! Leave a comment and others will pray for as well! Have blessed night and I look forward to posting tomorrow.

Friday 2/25/11

Matthew 6: 10

your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

1.) Whose kingdom? Whose will?

2.) What are you doing to make His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven?

3.) Can God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven if we do not take action when he calls?

Keep a log, keep a prayer list, and keep praying continually. Create a Gmail account on GOOGLE. Sign in and leave comments. Let's communicate about scripture and God's will. Let's make His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

(Thursday 2/24/11)

Esther 4: 14

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?

1.) Have you ever experienced God's call to action?

2.) What did or does it feel-look-sound like?

3.) Did you take action or sit idly and loose a kingdom building oppurtunity?

This is an important issue. I know there are people out there that understand when God is calling them to action. I also know that there are people out there being called by God, but do not understand that it is God calling them. Leave your comments and share your insights into this.

Go to GOOGLE and click on Gmail at the top. Open a Gmail account so you comment. Pray and pray continually, keep a record of your studies, and maintain a prayer list. May God bless you today.

Overcome Evil

Romans 12: 21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1.) When have you ever been overcome by evil?

2.) Have ever overcome evil with good?

3.) If you have, reflect on the experience. If not, then what can believer in Christ do to overcome evil with good?

Remember to keep a record of your studies. You'll be glad you did. It's a great reference and it will only make you stronger. Pray and pray continually. I'm praying for you and you pray for me. Please leave some comments and may God bless you tonight!

Living Sacrifices

Keep a:

1. Notebook
2. include the scripture, questions, and answers
3. Prayer list

Remember to pray and pray continually. Pray before you begin. Pray during your study. Pray after your study. Make it as natural to pray as it is to breathe.

Romans 12: 1 -2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1.) What does it mean to give yourself as a living sacrifice?

2.) What is the pattern of this world?

3.) What does it mean to be transformed by the renewing of your mind?

4.) What are you going to do right now, not tomorrow, to be a living sacrifice?

This a great post for the comments to begin coming in. Let's talk about God's will for our lives instead of what we watched on TV last night. Don't forget to pray. Pray right now. Why wait? I pray that God blesses you and motivates you to fullfill your Christ like potential.

Persecution for Christ

Before you begin to disect the following scripture I encourage you to keep a log in a notebook. Include the scripture, questions, and your answers. Also, don't forget to pray for God's guidance before you study and let His will direct your path.

Matthew 5: 10

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
1.) Have ever honestly been persecuted for Christ?

2.) What can you do to overcome the fear of persecution or even death for Christ?

Remember to pray and pray continually. Keep a prayer list and practice making prayer as natural as breathing. I pray God blesses you tonight.

Sunday

• It's Sunday.
• No study today.
• Spend time in prayer.
• Talk to God, submit yourself in prayer.
• spend more than just a few moments.
• Make a list of things to pray about.
• Make a list of people to pray for
• If you started keeping a log of our scripture studies that would be a great place to keep your prayer list.
• You don't have to a pro.
• The more you do something, the better you will get.
• James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

If you recently started following this blog, please take today to look at the previous post and offer your comments and insights. Have a restful evening and I look forward to posting more scriptures starting tomorrow. May God bless you tonight.

Trim down to fit through the Narrow Gate

(Saturday, 2/20/11)

Don't forget to pray before you begin.

Matthew 7: 13-14

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

1.) What does the wide gate represent?

2.) What does the narrow gate represent?

3.) Why is it that only a few find it?

Remember to keep a notebook with scriptures, questions, and your responses. If you haven't been commenting, I encourage you to do so. Let's get some good conversations about scripture going. Pray and pray continually and I'm praying for you.

For the Strong

This is Friday's (2/18/11) Post:

Romans 15:1

We who are strong ought to bear with the failing of the weak.

1.) In Romans, Paul is speaking about the people in Rome. However, in 2011 and using a Christ like perspective, who is weak and who is strong?

2.) Why should the strong bear with the failings of the weak?

Did you pray before you began tonight?

3.) What can you do right now, don't wait for tomorrow, to be strong in Christ?

Remember to make a habit of engaging in pray before begin to study. Keep an entry log in a notebook including scriptures, questions, responses, and prayer list/s. It will always be a good reference for yourself or someone else when they need a reminder to stay on the narrow path. Pray and pray continually. May God bless you tonight.

We Are Kingdom Builders

I feel compelled to double up tonight in order to make up for missing yesterday. So, here's a double dose of the Holy Ghost.

Peter 4: 10

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

1.) What are your gifts or gift and how are you serving others with it? If you don't have a gift then make an effort to find one and serve others with it.

Make sure you record the verse, question, and your response. I have a feeling that as time elapses and you look back at this entry, it will really remind you the path that your supposed to be on. Pray, pray continually, and I am praying for you.

God's Will

We'll the blog is not even a week old and I've already missed a day! However, I can't help but be joyful anyway..... let me show you what God showed me.

1 Thessalonians 5: 23

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1.) Despite any negativity in your life take a moment to be joyful and record what you did to show/express your joy.

• Call a friend or family member and just say hi
• Bring your neighbor their newspaper and say hi
• Write a poem and share it with someone
• Offer to cook dinner for someone
• Offer to take someone to lunch tomorrow
• Just sit where you are and thank God for what you do have
• Do whatever God presses you to do

Remember to keep a log of your studies. It will be great to look back at your entries as time goes. Keep a prayer list. Keep praying and live rightously. Your prayers will be answered. I pray God blesses you with the joy I'm feeling tonight.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

If you are new to the blog I encourage the following:

• Keep a notebook log of the scriptures, questions, and your answers
• This is a great place to keep your prayer list as well
• Always pray and ask for God's guidance and direction as you study
• Pray and pray continually

Say a prayer and lets begin....

Matthew 7: 26 - 27

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose , and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

1.) What are some actions you've taken in your life that have placed you and sandy soil?

2.) Reflect on verse 27, "The rain came down, the streams rose, and..." What does this mean to you? How is it relevant to your life? Has the rain ever came down on you, streams rose, winds blew, and you fell with a great crash?

3.) When we inevitably foul and step ourselves onto sand, how do get back to the rock that Jesus spoke of?

Share your comments, reponses, or questions. Lets grow together and live like a wise builder. I pray that God blesses you tonight.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

As we continue to study out of Matthew's Gospel, remember that it's a great idea to keep a log in a notebook. Record the verses, questions, your answers, reflections, prayer list and anything else that pertains to your walk with Christ. Also, before you do anything pray for the holy spirit to open your mind and heart as you work through today's study.

Matthew 7:24 - 25

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

1.) Reflect on the this: What words are we to put into practice?

2.) Why does Jesus want us to put them into practice?

3.) What are you going to do right now to put them into practice?

I encourage you once again to leave comments and share with one another. Let's put into practice talking about scripture with each other. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day and may God each of you today!

Prayer

• It's Sunday.
• No study today.
• Spend time in prayer.
• Talk to God, submit yourself in prayer.
• spend more than just a few moments.
• Make a list of things to pray about.
• Make a list of people to pray for
• If you started keeping a log of our scripture studies that would be a great place to keep your prayer list.
• You don't have to a pro.
• The more you do something, the better you will get.
• James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

A Tree and Its Fruit

Before you begin to disect the following scripture I encourage you to keep a log in a notebook. Include the scripture, questions, and your answers. Also, don't forget to pray for God's guidance before you study and let His will direct your path.

Matthew 7: 18 - 20
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

1.) How does the symbolism of a tree bearing fruit relate to Christian living in 2011?

2.) Give examples of both good and bad fruit as it relates to your personal life.

3.) Open your Bible to the above passage. In verse 20, who is "their" refering to?
     You'll have to back up and read from verse 15 to find your answer.

4.) Finally, write a personal reflection on the impression that God has laid on heart as you have studied Matthew 7: 15 - 20.

5.) This is optional, but I do encourage you to post your responses to the questions by adding comments below and feel free to include any prayer requests or whatever is on your mind. Thanks for visiting and may God bless you today!