January 24,08 in the home of Ric and Kathy Fogie
Ric taught and led the discussion. He stressed the Character of Daniel from the time he was deported around the age of 20 till old age, perhaps age 90. The consistent, righteous character of Daniel became clear as we studied the different faith challenges of his life.
1. Daniel refused to be assimilated into the Babalonian culture.
2. His response to the different rulers
3. His consistency in always witnessing for God and extolling Gods sovereignty.
4. The heathen people of that day recognize in Daniel sterling qualities of courage, faithfulness, loyalty to his Hebrew heritage,
and to the true God of the Hebrews, Ch. 6:4-5
Daniel was not a "yes man" but using the truth confronted evil. However this confrontation was done with love and in a respectful manner.
Daniel included the three Hebrew lads and they together represented God faithfully. ( the fiery furnace )
Daniel served under three different rulers and two different cultures. This is unusual. Not only did he serve under the Bablonian kingdoms but also under the Medes and the Persian empire. Therefore Daniel transcended kingdoms and nations.
( in a small sense it brought to my mind Billy Graham who served different presidents of the USA.
Conclusion: an uncompromising testimony for God lived out will influence peoples and rulers.
Ric made an excellent presentation. There was much discussion and imput. We were challenged to apply what we learned about Daniel to our own lives as we live for God in our generation. Wish you could have been with us.
Those present were:
Esther Shirk, David Fry, Daniel Moyer, Myron & Ruth, Rick, Kathy and Nathan Fogie
The next gathering will be at Ric and Kathy's on January, 31. At that time we will watch a DVD on the Character of God.
Come join us.
These brief notes presented by Myron
Friday, January 25, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
Jonah the reluctant Missionary
A Month In the Life of Jonah
Chapter 1:1-
The Word of the Lord “came”….
Q. Has the “Word of the Lord” ever come to you?
Q. Can you think of others who heard the “Word of the Lord” speaking to them
Samuel 3:4,6,8, *10
A. Titus 2:11-12 … Repent!
Vs. 2 … A direct commandment, GO! Not an option, not a choice
God is aware of what is happening on earth, and was aware of the sin in Nineveh.
Q. Can you give another example of God’s awareness of sin in a city?
A. Tower of Babel ( Gen. 11:4-8 )
B. Sodom and Gomorrah ( Gen. 18:20-21 ) .. read
Vs.3. Jonah flees because of disobedience
A. God knows and sees everything
a. Ps. 139 .. we cannot hide our secret sin from God
b. Luke 12:3
Q. Why was Jonah disobedient? ( 4:1-2 )
Vs. 4 Note how God responds to the disobedience of Jonah
Q. Does God always respond immediately to our disobedience?
* Name an example where lying trickery immediately cost disobedient people their lives.
Acts 5:1,5,9 Ananias and Sapphira
Q. Why doesn’t God strike us dead when we disobey? Or does he still do it sometimes?
Vs. 4-17 … Innocent people often suffer because of the sins of others. The storm that arose
Examples: evil rulers in Somalia,
People starve, drug addiction, an elderly lady gets mugged
Drunk driver kills a child riding a bicycle.
Vs. 15 Jonah takes the blame for his disobedience and is thrown overboard
Q. Have any of you almost drown?
Vs. 17 Gods provision, even for a disobedient man
Q. What is the “greatest fish” God has prepared for you?
God’s grace
Jonah Chapter 2 God’s Provision, Man’s Distress
Q. Give an example from your life when God’s Provision seemed to be your Distress.
Vs. 1 Out of the belly of “death” I cried and God heard me!
Q. Can you name a time when you were in the “belly of Gods fish”?
Vs. 3-4 Jonah knows his predicament was caused directly by God/ In his distress he still
hopes in God for deliverance.
Note: Psalm 88:1-18 … just like Jonah’s experience
Turning Point
Vs. 7-9 Key verses ( read them )
"When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple.
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
Vs. 10 Q. Why did God respond to Jonah’s prayer?
Repentance and a Commitment to obey
Chapter 3
Vs. 1-2 NOTE: God’s commandment did not change to accommodate Jonah
The commandment was still GO! --- OBEY ME.
Vs. 3 Jonah Obeys in his Actions … actions speak louder than words
NOTE:
• God knows everything about us
• God knows the intent of our heart
• God cannot be Manipulated
We might lie to get our own way with someone – I promise to _____ if you will_____.
while we have no intention of fulfilling our promise.
Ex. College students borrow money and never pay back their college loan.
Q. What was the message of Jonah to the people of Nineveh?
Vs. 4 Jonah preaches a message of doom
4 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds:
Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!"
Q. How would the people of Lancaster City respond to such a message?
In the USA a message of repentance goes unheard or is ridiculed or the messenger is persecuted.
Jonah 3:5-9 The response of the king Nineveh and his people
• they believed
• they humbled themselves
• they repented and stopped sinning
• Great revival!
We see here that all Jonah preached was repentance. He did not talk about God’s love. He did not talk about God’s grace. He did not talk about some church doctrine. He preached repentance.
Vs. 10 God’s Response
God saw the Act of repentance and obedience of the people of Nineveh
Because the people humbled themselves and repented, God did not destroy them
Eternal principal:
When people obey in Heart and Action God blesses-
When people disobey they receive a curse
Galatians 6:7-8 ( turn to it )
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Scriptures to meditate upon
Psalm 88:1-18, 89:1-18
Ps. 89:15-18 … Read this together
The following people were present:
Ric and Kathy Fogie, Esther Shirk, David and Tina Vanderbosh, David Fry, meeting held in home of Myron and Ruth Hostetter
The next Koinonia Bible Study will be on Thursday, January 24 in the home of Ric and Kathy Fogie. 898-2006
We will be studying the Book of Daniel. Ric will moderate.
Chapter 1:1-
The Word of the Lord “came”….
Q. Has the “Word of the Lord” ever come to you?
Q. Can you think of others who heard the “Word of the Lord” speaking to them
Samuel 3:4,6,8, *10
A. Titus 2:11-12 … Repent!
Vs. 2 … A direct commandment, GO! Not an option, not a choice
God is aware of what is happening on earth, and was aware of the sin in Nineveh.
Q. Can you give another example of God’s awareness of sin in a city?
A. Tower of Babel ( Gen. 11:4-8 )
B. Sodom and Gomorrah ( Gen. 18:20-21 ) .. read
Vs.3. Jonah flees because of disobedience
A. God knows and sees everything
a. Ps. 139 .. we cannot hide our secret sin from God
b. Luke 12:3
Q. Why was Jonah disobedient? ( 4:1-2 )
Vs. 4 Note how God responds to the disobedience of Jonah
Q. Does God always respond immediately to our disobedience?
* Name an example where lying trickery immediately cost disobedient people their lives.
Acts 5:1,5,9 Ananias and Sapphira
Q. Why doesn’t God strike us dead when we disobey? Or does he still do it sometimes?
Vs. 4-17 … Innocent people often suffer because of the sins of others. The storm that arose
Examples: evil rulers in Somalia,
People starve, drug addiction, an elderly lady gets mugged
Drunk driver kills a child riding a bicycle.
Vs. 15 Jonah takes the blame for his disobedience and is thrown overboard
Q. Have any of you almost drown?
Vs. 17 Gods provision, even for a disobedient man
Q. What is the “greatest fish” God has prepared for you?
God’s grace
Jonah Chapter 2 God’s Provision, Man’s Distress
Q. Give an example from your life when God’s Provision seemed to be your Distress.
Vs. 1 Out of the belly of “death” I cried and God heard me!
Q. Can you name a time when you were in the “belly of Gods fish”?
Vs. 3-4 Jonah knows his predicament was caused directly by God/ In his distress he still
hopes in God for deliverance.
Note: Psalm 88:1-18 … just like Jonah’s experience
Turning Point
Vs. 7-9 Key verses ( read them )
"When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple.
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
Vs. 10 Q. Why did God respond to Jonah’s prayer?
Repentance and a Commitment to obey
Chapter 3
Vs. 1-2 NOTE: God’s commandment did not change to accommodate Jonah
The commandment was still GO! --- OBEY ME.
Vs. 3 Jonah Obeys in his Actions … actions speak louder than words
NOTE:
• God knows everything about us
• God knows the intent of our heart
• God cannot be Manipulated
We might lie to get our own way with someone – I promise to _____ if you will_____.
while we have no intention of fulfilling our promise.
Ex. College students borrow money and never pay back their college loan.
Q. What was the message of Jonah to the people of Nineveh?
Vs. 4 Jonah preaches a message of doom
4 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds:
Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!"
Q. How would the people of Lancaster City respond to such a message?
In the USA a message of repentance goes unheard or is ridiculed or the messenger is persecuted.
Jonah 3:5-9 The response of the king Nineveh and his people
• they believed
• they humbled themselves
• they repented and stopped sinning
• Great revival!
We see here that all Jonah preached was repentance. He did not talk about God’s love. He did not talk about God’s grace. He did not talk about some church doctrine. He preached repentance.
Vs. 10 God’s Response
God saw the Act of repentance and obedience of the people of Nineveh
Because the people humbled themselves and repented, God did not destroy them
Eternal principal:
When people obey in Heart and Action God blesses-
When people disobey they receive a curse
Galatians 6:7-8 ( turn to it )
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Scriptures to meditate upon
Psalm 88:1-18, 89:1-18
Ps. 89:15-18 … Read this together
The following people were present:
Ric and Kathy Fogie, Esther Shirk, David and Tina Vanderbosh, David Fry, meeting held in home of Myron and Ruth Hostetter
The next Koinonia Bible Study will be on Thursday, January 24 in the home of Ric and Kathy Fogie. 898-2006
We will be studying the Book of Daniel. Ric will moderate.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
