Opened Scriptures Bible Studies

We have been studying about thanksgiving from a Biblical perspective. We want to know what it means to give thanks to God and we are learning many wonderful truths that must impact us.    Rejoicing in the Lord is an expression of thanksgiving.  Philippians 4:4   Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.  True joy and a rejoicing heart comes from a consistent focus upon Jehovah. How could it be otherwise?  Jehovah is the covenant keeping God who always does what He promises to do for us. He is the God of lovingkindness and His heart of love and patience for us will never change.  He is the omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent God of eternity. Yet, He will dwell with those who have humble hearts and contrite spirits (Isaiah 57:15). To rejoice is to have a heart that overflows with happiness and gladness because of knowing Jesus Christ and loving Him. Rejoicing often accompanies spiritual growth, for the more we learn about all that Jes...

Psalm 119:41-44  VAU. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.  42)  So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.  43)  And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.  44)  So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.  The "VAU" section of Psalm 119 makes much of God's word and so should all believers. We learn of God's infinite mercy for us from His Word. We learn about His great salvation from His Word.  The scriptures are our resource to answer all who say that God does not exist, or who say that He offers no help. We trust His Word and derive hope from what He says to us.  His promises are sure and certain and we can rejoice in them. Our desire is to live according to the righteous standard that God established in His law. The indwelling Spirit of God puts this desire in us and He will help us ob...

We are in John 17, studying the longest recorded prayer of Jesus Christ. His prayer is referred to as a high priestly prayer of intercession, because His atoning sacrifice is viewed as completed, even though it was hours away.  Jesus prayed about glorifying the Father through His work on earth, and His sacrifice on the cross. He spoke of having that pre-incarnate glory with the Father restored. He prayed about having manifested the Father's name to all the world through the words, works and heart of Jesus shown in His dealings with men.  Jesus' disciples were convinced that the Father sent Him into the world.   John 17:7,8  Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.  8)  For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.   Jesus summarized His ministry to His disciples. Mere hours befo...

  We have been studying the topic of "thanksgiving" this month. It is a broad subject and we learn much about how the child of God should be when it comes to giving thanks to God. In this post, we will look at a New Testament text and see the connection between freely giving our tithes and offerings to God, and having thankful hearts. Thanksgiving flows from our cheerful tithing.  2 Corinthians 9:6,7  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  7)  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  The Apostle Paul gave us a very good principle for giving an offering to God. This principle contains both a blessing and a warning.  Giving an offering to support local church ministries was established in the book of Acts. Here, it is pictured as sowing and reaping beca...

God's will? That His children praise Him with all our hearts. Psalm 9:1,2  I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.  2)  I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.  Jesus rebuked the worldly church at Laodicea for being lukewarm. God detests our efforts to serve Him if we are only going through the motions of serving and loving Him. We cannot fool God, for He sees our hearts and knows when our worship is tepid or when our service is halfhearted, at best.  Thus, we are called to praise Jehovah with our whole hearts engaged. This means that our minds, hearts and souls are focused upon our wonderful God, not upon ourselves. This is a challenge for believers because we naturally want to focus on what is going on in our lives.  The Psalmist tells us what it will look like when we worship Jehovah with our whole heart.  We will be enthralled with His mighty works of...

  We are taking time studying the topic of "thanksgiving." Thanksgiving is more than a national holiday where everyone gathers to eat on Thursday, and then prepares to shop like maniacs on Black Friday.  "Thanksgiving" from a Biblical perspective, is a holy day set apart by all the people of God, to give thanks to Him for His bountiful provision and providential care of us.  Thanksgiving has a long history among the people of God. Several times each year, Israel was commanded to cease from work and come to Jerusalem for a feast and time of reflecting on God's goodness. Thanksgiving is a notable element of Christian worship, where believers in Christ gather to give thanks to God for all the spiritual blessings He gave us in Christ. Thanksgiving and blessing go together.  Psalm 128:1-6  Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.  2)  For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well wi...

Psalm 119:41-43  VAU. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.  42)  So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.  43)  And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.  This eight verse section of Psalm 119 begins with a prayer for the mercies of Jehovah to come flowing into the Psalmist's heart. Whatever his situation was, he needed deliverance from Jehovah, and eternal life for his soul.  His petition of prayer was based upon what God said in His Word. He trusted the scriptures and this was his source of hope. He encountered those who mocked his faith and who scorned God by saying that He offered no help to anyone.  The Psalmist wanted to speak God's truth to those who reproached Him, and he trusted that the living God would prick their evil hearts.  The Psalmist's prayer then broadened to plead that the prec...