2022 . . . Twenty-Twenty-Two . . . The fact that in just a few days, we will ring in the year 2022 is almost unbelievable, especially for someone like me who was born in 1969.  Wow, that makes me feel so old.  I'm looking forward to the new year though.  The past two years have taken their toll on all of us in one way or another.  When we rang in the year 2020, most of us had no idea what the next few months would bring.  When we realized we were in a global pandemic, most of us had no idea it would last 6 months, let alone years.  Yet here we are, still in it.  It has been tough.  Some of us have lost loved ones.  Some have lost jobs.  If we all think about it, we have probably all lost something due to the global pandemic of the past two years.  But, we have also gained.  We have spent more time at home with our families.  Many have found a faith in God that they didn't have before the 2020 pandemic.  COVID19 will forever be a word or term that will usher up all sorts of emotions in all of us.  But there is another Word that will always speak truth to our hearts, God's Word.  Let's take a look at the truth found in the Bible and keep in our hearts these Bible verses for the new year, 2022.

Bible Verses for the New Year, 2022 - Image Credit:  Ben White - Public Domain Image via Freely Photos

Bible Verses for the New Year, 2022

1.  So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  Psalm 90:12

2.  Seek the Lord and His strength.  Seek His face continually.  Remember His wonderful deeds that He has done, His marvels and the judgements from His mouth.  1 Chronicles 16:11-12

3.  That in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit, and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.  Ephesians 4:22-24

4.  The Lord's acts of mercy indeed do not end for His compassions do not fail.  They are new every morning.  Great is Thy faithfulness.  The Lord is my portion says my soul.  Therefore I wait for Him.  Lamentations 3:22-24

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5.  Certainly there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.  Proverbs 23:18

6.  Do not call to mind the former things or consider things of the past.  Behold, I am going to do something new.  Now, it will spring up.  Will you not be aware of it?  I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.  Isaiah 43:18-19

7.  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  1 Peter 1:3

8.  Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation.  Old things have passed away.  Behold, new things have come.  2 Corinthians 5:17

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9.  And hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  Romans 5:5

10.  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord; plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  Jeremiah 29:11

11.  But as for me, I will be on the watch for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation.  My God will hear me.  Micah 7:7

12.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

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13.  Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.  They will mount up with wings like eagles.  They will run and not get tired.  They will walk and not become weary.  Isaiah 40:31

14.  Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.  Colossians 3:17

15.  Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.  I will press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14

16.  There is an appointed time for everything .  And there is a time for every matter under Heaven.  Ecclesiastes 3:1

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17.  Sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord, all the earth.  Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.  Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.  Psalm 96:1-3

18.  Look among the nations!  Watch!  Be horrified!  Be frightened and speechless!  For I am accomplishing a work in your days - You would not believe it even if you were told.  Habakkuk 1:5

19.  For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.  Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more important than they?  Matthew 6:25-26

20.  Know that Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves: We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.  Give thanks to Him, bless his name.  Psalm 100:3-4

21.  Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.  James 1:17

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22.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these thins.  Philippians 4:6-8

I hope these verses will get you off to a great new beginning for a great new year.  Happy New Year everyone.  May many blessings come your way from January all the way into December in 2022.

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Confession:  Is there something you need to confess?

The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon titled "Need to Confess?"  You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.

Need To Confess | March 15, 2020 | Pastor Jeff Crook from Christ Place Church on Vimeo.

Confession:  Is there something you need to confess?

Why do people practice death bed confessions?  Perhaps it is because people don't want to die feeling guilty.  On the other hand, why do people want to live with guilt?  Truth be told, there are numerous reasons people live with a heavy heart filled with guilt, but what are the consequences of living with guilt?  Let's consider Psalm 32.

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long. 

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you. 

Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart. - Psalm 32:1-6

No one is exempt from messing up.  David messed up.  He messed up big and tried to cover it up.  

Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table by Louie Giglio is available here.

3 Words for Disobedience

Transgression

Sin.  Sin means "to miss the mark."

Inequity.  Inequity means to twist and pervert.

When we disobey God, we commit a transgression.  We sin.  We rebel.  If David could mess up, then so can you and so can I.  Sin grows and spreads through secrecy.  Once you confess your sin, you are on your way to freedom.  No one is exempt.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. - 1 John 1:8

The confession of bad works is the beginning of good works?  No one had to teach us how to cover up sin.  It's our default pattern.  After Adam and Eve committed the first sin, the first thing they did was try to cover it up.

But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. - Numbers 32:23

When we have unconfessed sin in our lives, it will drain us.  Sin is a heavy load to carry.  Sin can affect us physically.  Have you ever read "The Tale Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe?  The weight of what he had done was too much for him.  

Whatever we cover up will eventually be found out.

Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops. - Luke 12:1-3

David though he had gotten away with his sin, but he didn't.  God always knows.

When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord. - 2 Samuel 11:27

David was confronted.  When we cover our sin, God will uncover it.  When we uncover it, God will cover it.

What if God is using COVID19 to get our attention?

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. - Proverbs 28:13

I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. - Psalm 32:5

God Never Gives Up on You by Max Lucado is available here.

Confession sets us free. 

But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:7-9

Confession brings freedom, but the consequences of our sin are not erased.  Still, God doesn't turn His back on us.  When we try to cover our sin, it is exhausting.  We can't cover all of it up all the time.  Walking in openness brings freedom.  What do you need to confess?

Do you need a relationship with God?  No matter what you have done, God can forgive it.  What are the guidelines for confessing?  Prayer

Confess to God.

Confess to the right person at the right time.  

If you have committed a public sin, confess publicly.  If you have committed a private sin, confess privately.

God makes no mistakes.  His timing is perfect.

Our current COVID19 crisis is giving us a lot of time to be with God.  This is a moment when He has our attention.

Bring your wounds to Jesus.

Use your scars for Jesus.

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Read all posts in my pastor's series on "Confession" here.

10 Ways to Recognize and Celebrate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday takes place this year on January 19, 2020.  This is a day set aside to celebrate the value of human life.  Traditionally, people focus on the value of the life of the unborn child but we must also remember our elderly and our special needs children and adults.  This is a day to hone in on the meaning of Psalm 139:13-14.

10 Ways to Recognize and Celebrate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

 Ways to Recognize and Celebrate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well. - Psalm 139:13-14

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made:  This item is available here.

Think about that for a minute.  God formed our inward parts.  We were woven in our mothers' wombs.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made by the One who works wonders and miracles.  Isn't that awesome?  

Years ago, when we first began to celebrate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, many Christians and others who believe in life at conception would gather on the side of sidewalks and hold signs silently.  The signs would usually say something like "Abortion Kills Children" or "Abortion is Murder."  Some of the signs would simply display the Bible verse above.  Regardless of what was printed or written on the sign, there was to be no loud protesting or unruly behavior.  People just stood silently holding signs.  I participated a time or two.  This type of celebration or silent protest is well taken in my generally conservative community.  

Last year, I noticed that there are still people who recognize Sanctity of Human Life Sunday by holding signs on sidewalks and that is fine because we do need to boldly defend the lives of unborn children but there are several other ways to recognize and celebrate this important day as well.  Here are several ways you can recognize the value of human life while taking action that benefits your community.

1.  Volunteer at your local pregnancy care center.  

Several months ago, I began volunteering at my local pregnancy care center.  If you feel comfortable doing so, you can volunteer to speak with patients.  Not everyone who comes to our center is a female seeking abortion.  We also see women and men who come in for STD testing.  Of course, we help pregnant women understand the value of the life they carry.  For those who come in for STD testing, we talk to them about their sexual behavior and God's design for intimacy, abstinence, and marriage.  Most pregnancy care centers require training for patient advocates.

If you want to volunteer at your local pregnancy care center but you are not comfortable speaking with patients, you can volunteer for other needs.  If your center offers support for women and children, perhaps you can help organize baby clothing, diapers, bottles, and the many other things babies need.  If your center offers educational materials, perhaps you can organize the training materials and keep folders stocked with appropriate materials so they are ready when the women come in.

2.  Host a baby shower for your pregnancy care center.  

My Bible Fellowship Class recently hosted a baby shower for the center where I volunteer.  Class members brought in both new and gently used baby clothes, diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, strollers, portable cribs, bottles, pacifiers, crib sheets, burp cloths, a few toys - anything you would take to a baby shower for a friend would be a great contribution.

Noah's Ark Baby Gift Set:  This item is available here.

3.  Host a fund raiser for your pregnancy care center.  

Pregnancy care centers provide so much support for patients that there are always needs.  Hosting a fundraiser will give the center the funds they need to supply any need.  Sometimes they need a new printer or other clerical supplies for the center's office.  Perhaps the nurses need to replace medical supplies.  General funds will give the center the opportunity to purchase needs the the general public might not know about.

4.  Support a young mother who has opted to keep her baby or complete her pregnancy.  

If you know a woman who has chosen to not have an abortion, offer her support.  Pay for her doctor appointments.  Provide here with transportation.  Take her nutritious grocery items to help keep her and her baby healthy.  Pay her utility bills.  Provide her with gas cards and other gift cards so that she can purchase needed items.  Offer to babysit after the baby is born.
If the mother has chosen adoption, offer to provide any needs she might have during her pregnancy and the adoption process.

5.  Hose a showing of the movie, Unplanned.  

Show the movie at your church or in your home.  Invite everyone you know to come see the movie with you.  I have personally seen this movie.  In my opinion, every person on the planet should see it.  It is eye opening in so many ways and on so many levels.  I really don't have the words to describe how important it is for you and everyone you know to see this movie.  Just get it and show it.

 

Unplanned Movie:  This item is available here.

6.  Host a viewing of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.

Answers in Genesis has recently updated a DVD by Dr. David Menton.  It is called Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.  I have not personally seen this movie but according to Answers in Genesis, viewers get a peek into the stages of human development, particularly the very early stages.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made:  This item is available here.

7.  Plan a trip to the Creation Museum.  

My family has visited the Creation Museum twice and it is a site to see.  Everyone should go at least once, but multiple trips are recommended because they are always updating and adding features and exhibits.  This summer, they will open up their new exhibit called the Sanctity of Life Exhibit.  

8.  Help with the elderly.

Remember that all life is precious in the site of God.  Volunteer at a nursing home or rehabilitation center in your area.  Many elderly men and women can no longer drive.  Offer to take an elderly person to the grocery store, to a doctor's appointment, or to church.  Take an elderly neighbor a meal.  If you know an elderly person who is lonely, set aside a regular time to sit with him or her.  Sometimes, just sitting with someone and talking with him or her for a little while can greatly improve his or her quality of life.

9.  Start a respite program or something similar in your church.

Some churches have a respite program.  The one we have at our church meets once per month.  A respite program provides a safe place for families to leave their special needs children in well trained hands while they run errands or take care of other family needs.  Sometimes Mom and Dad need a few hours to take a break or go on a date.  This service has been helpful to families in my church for many years.  If you have a special needs loved one, then you already know how important this time is for families.  If you have never been exposed to special needs families, then trust me.  This is huge.  Contact your church administration to see if your church offers respite care for special needs families.  If not, then maybe you can start one.  If your church already has one, then go hang out with them for a while and offer to help.  Depending on the needs of the families taking advantage of this time, you might need additional training, but there are always things you can do without the need for training.

10.  Keep helping all year long.

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is recognized annually, but all the needs listed above are year long needs.  The things I've listed here are only of few of the things I know about.  I'm sure there are mountains of things we can do all year long to minister to parents of unborn children, young families, adoptive families, special needs children, special needs adults, and the elderly members of our communities.  Get plugged in somewhere whether it be your church, a pregnancy center, a community center, a nursing home, a rehab center, or any other place where volunteers are needed to serve your community.  

Of course, pray.  Pray for the people God places in your path.  Many of them do not have a relationship with Jesus and you are someone who can present the gospel to them.

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10 Ways to Recognize and Celebrate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

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Don't Miss Christmas: Focus on Jesus

Don't Miss Christmas:  Focus on Jesus

It seems like we just finished Thanksgiving dinner.  Now here we are, just days before Christmas.  I have not posted a blog post until now.  I have not worked either of my online stores.  I did have a few local orders to fill, but it seems like I have spent every waking moment trying to make sure all the decorations are out, all the gifts are bought (and wrapped or bagged), and all the Christmas parties and meals are planned.  Just moments before I began this post, I wrapped my last gift and placed it snuggly under my Christmas tree.  I have not stopped since Thanksgiving Day.  I have felt incredibly rushed and overwhelmed this year and I don't really know why.  Tomorrow, I'll go to the grocery store to purchase all the ingredients for all the family Christmas meals.  When I get home, I'll start preparing a few food items with only hours to spare before we begin the annual Christmas parade of family fun gatherings.  I love every minute I get to spend with family and friends this time of year but it is also very easy to get all bogged down in the "to do" list and miss Christmas.  We like to think that Christmas is a time for family and parties, but it really isn't.  Christmas is about the birth of Jesus and nothing else.  Everything else is just a bonus.  If we aren't careful, we can do all the preparing and make it to every single Christmas party but still miss Christmas.  Our pastor has been taking us through a series of Bible studies that teach us how to not miss Christmas and his messages could not possibly have been more timely.

The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon titled "Don't Miss Christmas:  Focus on Jesus."

You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.

Focus on Jesus. | December 1, 2019 | Pastor Jeff Crook from Christ Place Church on Vimeo.

Don't Miss Christmas

Focus on Jesus

Our Bible study text for today is found in Isaiah 9:6-7.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. - Isaiah 9:6-7

The holiday season can bring stress and even depression into our homes.  Many are dealing with loss of life, broken relationships, financial issues, etc which make the holidays less enjoyable and sometimes hard.  How about changing the focus?  Don't just turn on the lights.  BE the light.  Give less presents and more presence.  Gifts come and go but investing in someone has long term and sometimes eternal effects.  

Focus on Jesus

During the Christmas season, let's fix our thoughts on Jesus.

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. - Hebrews 3:1

Distractions make us lose focus.  Seek Jesus first.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  Matthew 6:33

To miss Christ is to miss Christmas.

View Christmas as a promise, a snapshot of things to come.  Think about Heaven.  All the things we expect to be perfect about Christmas should remind us of what Heaven will be like.  Think about the names of Jesus.

The Names of Jesus

1.  Wonderful

Jesus is wonderful.  He is awesome!

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. - Luke 1:32

Don't forget how wonderful it is to be forgiven with an eternity in Heaven.

2.  Counselor

We all need direction in decision-making.  Have you made poor decisions in the past?  Don't let those decisions define you.  Let them refine you.  Think about how much better we would be if we allow our Wonderful Counselor to guide our decisions. He knows what we need.  He is free.  He is a counselor for everybody.  He is a safe vault.  He won't tell everyone else your business.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you. - Psalm 32:8

Take everything to God.  Take to Him your Christmas budget and anything else that troubles you.  Train your heart to listen to God.

3.  Mighty God

We have at our disposal a mighty, powerful God.

For nothing will be impossible with God. - Luke 1:37

4.  Everlasting Father

God is my Father.  My relationship with my Jesus ensures me an eternity with my father.  Do you have a relationship with Jesus?

We never have to walk alone.  

5.  Prince of Peace

This is the kind of peace that is not because of the absence of problems, but rather in the presence of Jesus in our lives.  It has everything to do with relationship, nothing else.

And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in Heaven. - Colossians 1:20

Peace is not free.  It is paid for by the cross of Jesus. 

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Don't Miss Christmas:  Focus on Jesus

Read other posts in the Don't Miss Christmas Series here.

Way too many people feel like their lives are meaningless and the suicide rate is alarming.

Do you feel like your life is meaningless?  I'm here to tell you that your life has meaning.

The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon titled "The Meaning of Life."  You are invited to watch, listen and worship with us here.

 

The Meaning Of Life. | September 1, 2019 | Pastor Jeff Crook from Christ Place Church on Vimeo.

The Meaning of Life

Many circumstances might cause you to begin to question the meaning of life, the brevity of it.  Birth, marriage, a stillborn child, loss of a child, a milestone birthday, something else you experience that leaves a huge impact on your life whether it be positive or negative - all of those things (and many others) could cause a person to question the meaning of life.

When we look at the Scriptures, we will find that we inherit meaning and purpose.

What is our aim in life as believers in Jesus?  To glorify God and enjoy Him.

Those who do not have a relationship with Jesus often find themselves asking what more is there to life.  There must be something more.

There is nothing more outside of God.  Nothing makes sense apart from God.

Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good besides You.”
As for the saints who are in the earth,
They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied;
I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
Nor will I take their names upon my lips.

The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You support my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

I will bless the Lord who has counseled me;
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. - Psalm 16

We tend to measure our worth based on the people and things around us or a position we hold at work on in our communities.  However, our meaning, our purpose, is nothing apart from God.

As a child of God, every relationship I have is tied to my relationship with the Lord.

We were made by God and for God.

Life is not random.

Life is no accident.

We have purpose and meaning in the Lord.

We usually want these things:

1.  We want to choose the right path in life.

2.  We want to find what makes us happy.

3.  We want the path we are on an the happiness we feel to last.  Take another look at Psalm 16:11

We want joy instead of happiness.  Happiness is circumstantial.  Joy is not. Even when your circumstances are not good, you can still have joy.

Joy in the Lord lasts forever.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. - John 10:10

For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ - Acts 17:28

View all posts in this View-master Series here.

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A God Centered Worldview Based on the Scriptures

A God centered worldview is centered in the person of Jesus Christ and through the scriptures.

The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon titled A God Centered Worldview.  You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.

The Scripture. | August 25, 2019 | Pastor Jeff Crook from Christ Place Church on Vimeo.

A God Centered Worldview

We must be confident in the scriptures for our worldview to be right.  Scripture is self authenticating by history, geography, and the spiritual fruit in life when scriptural truths are applied.

Scripture is self testifying.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. - 2 Timothy 3:16

The scriptures are breathed out by God.

So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. - 2 Peter 1:19-21

  The Scripture is God's Word to us.  It must meet certain criteria.  It must be:

*divinely inspired.
*infallible.
*authoritative.
*truthful.
*foundational to right belief.

Did Jesus believe all Scripture was divinely inspired?  Jesus quoted scripture Matthew 22.

He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, 

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet”’? - Matthew 22:43-44

Did Jesus believe Scripture was infallible?

Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? - John 10:34

Did Jesus believe Scripture was authoritative?

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” - Matthew 4:4

Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” - Matthew 4:7

Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” - Matthew 4:10

Did Jesus believe Scripture was truthful?

Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. - John 17:17

Did Jesus believe Scripture was foundational? 

And you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. - John 5:40

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. - John 14:26

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. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.  All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you. - John 16:13-15

Why do we have the Holy Spirit?  The Holy Spirit:

*reminds us of the things God tells us.
*teaches us.
*tells us what is yet to come.

When we can see how the Old Testament and the New Testament compliment each other, we see the credibility of Scripture and we begin to see the world through the Master's view.

For our worldview to be right, we must stay in Scripture. 

Don't let a personal situation be the foundation for your worldview.  For example, don't let the fact that you have a homosexual loved one be the foundation for what you believe about homosexuality.  Our worldview must be rooted and grounded in the truth of Scripture, not our personal circumstances.

We must not compromise.

What we are exposed to affects our worldview.  As a people, we are addicted to the media.  We tend to blame young teens for spending too much time on their electronic devices.  However, people between the ages of 25-60 are the most frequent checkers of media devices. 

Our pastor notes John Piper's 6 Reasons We Check Media More Than Scripture:

1.  Novel candy.  We love to see what's new.
2.  Ego candy.  We like to know what people are saying about us (likes, shares, etc.)
3.  Entertainment.  We like cute quotes, etc.
4.  Boredom.
5.  Responsibility avoidance.  Spending more time on our phones means we spend less time in our real world circumstances.
6.  Hardship avoidance.

We get into mega-trouble when we seek to avoid our responsibilities and hardships.  This is one reason so many believers are caving.

People who are not reading Scripture are reading YOU.

Be confident in your Bible.



Regarding Scripture, be careful saying it if you are not staying in it.

Read all posts in this View-master Series here.

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