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By Danny Lackey

Benchley, October 27, 2010

• Our study of God’s word
  • Reading God’s word
    • I Timothy 4:13-15; II Timothy 2:15
    • Nehemiah 8:1-9 – Ezra reads the law in public to the Israelites.
  • Meditating on God’s word
    • Psalm 10; 119:99; I Timothy 4:15
  • Studying God’s word
    • I Peter 3:15; Philippians 2:12; II Timothy 2:15; I Thessalonians 5:21; Acts 17:11; Matthew 13:22
    • We must be careful to always study the word of God directly and not be lead astray by the writings of men.

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, October 24, 2010

• Passages that people have assumed are speaking about benevolent work of the church:
  • Matthew 5:44-47
    • This is talking about the work of individuals, not a local church.
  • Luke 10:30-35
    • This is a single man taking compassion on another.  This is not talking about a local church.  It is talking about an obligation that each man has to other men as children of Adam.
  • Galatians 6:1-10
    • Two different words for burden are used in the Greek.  The passage is saying that each person must take care of his own responsibilities.  If he has more than he can bear (an overload – the second Greek word for burden), others should step in and help.
    • This is talking about individuals – not local churches.  The passage does not make sense if you replace “we” and “us” with “local churches”.
    • Also, this passage is speaking about spiritual things, not physical needs.
  • James 1:19-27
    • Again, this is specifically directed at individuals.

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By David Watson

Benchley, October 24, 2010

• Arguments and questions:
  • Harps are used in heaven (Revelation 5:8; 14:2; 15:2; 18:21-22)
    • You can’t prove that these are literal harps.
    • Why stop with the harps?
    • If these passages are indeed describing the worship of God with harps in Heaven, the fact remains that the nature and objects of Heaven don’t regulate the worship of the New Testament church.
    • Why didn’t the apostles teach New Testament Christians to worship with harps?
  • We should use our God-given talents to worship Him.
    • What passage teaches us this?
    • Where does it stop?
    • God wants us to follow His instructions in worship (John 4:24; Matthew 15:9; Genesis 4:2-5; Hebrews 11:4; Leviticus 10:1-2).
  • The Bible doesn’t say not to.
    • The silence of the Scripture does not give authority (Colossians 3:17; II John 9; I Corinthians 4:6; Acts 15:24; Jeremiah 19:5; Numbers 20:7-12; Leviticus 10:1-2).
    • Would we treat our family the same way?
    • Take it to the absurd.
  • The Bible doesn’t say “sing ONLY”.
    • That’s right (Numbers 10:10; I Chronicles 16)
    • II Chronicles 29:25-28 – Instrumental music was commanded in the Old Testament.
    • We follow the New Covenant, not the Old Covenant (Hebrews 8:7-8,13; Galatians 5:1-3).
• The argument that can’t be made:
  • No one can argue that we should use instruments because they are authorized as acceptable worship in the New Testament.

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By Caleb Westbrook

Benchley, October 24, 2010

• The Greek word for spirit is pneuma:  breath, breeze, a spirit, the spirit of God, or mind.
• When the word spirit is capitalized in modern translations, it is a decision of the translators and is not a reliable indication that it is talking about the Holy Spirit.
• Romans 8:15
  • The first use of spirit in this verse referes to a disposition.  The second use must also be a disposition in order to make the comparison between slaves and children work.
• Philippians 2:1
  • There is no definite article before spirit in the Greek, which indicates that this is talking about a mindset of fellowship, not the Holy Spirit.

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By Danny Lackey

Benchley, October 20, 2010

• What is necessary for a prayer to be acceptible?
  • Belief/faith – Mark 11:24
  • Obedience – James 5:16; I John 3:22
  • According to God’s will – I John 5:14
  • Humility – II Chronicles 7:14
  • Whole-heartedness – Jeremiah 29:13
  • With right motives – James 4:3
  • Ask in Jesus’ name – John 14:13; Ephesians 5:20
  • Pray with thanksgiving – Philippians 4:6
• What must be the characteristics of the one praying?
  • Faith – Mark 11:24
  • Humility – II Chronicles 7:14; Luke 18:9-14
  • Whole-heartedness – Jeremiah 29:13
  • Right motives – James 4:3
  • Righteous – James 5:16
  • Must ask according to God’s will – I John 5:14-15
  • Must be obedient to God – I John 3:22
  • Must forgive others – Matthew 18:21-35
  • Abide in Jesus – John 15:7
  • Pure – James 4:8
• What can hinder our prayers?
  • Sin – James 5:16; I John 3:22; Psalms 66:18
  • Pride – II Chronicles 7:14; Luke 18:9-14
  • Lack of faith – Mark 11:24; James 1:5-8
  • Wrong motives – James 4:3
  • Prayer is against God’s will – I John 5:14
  • Praying vainly or just for show – Matthew 6:7; 23:14
  • Not treating your mate right – I Peter 3:7
  • Not hearing the cry of the poor – Proverbs 21:13
  • Hypocrisy – Matthew 6:5-6
• How can we know if a thing is appropriate to pray for?
  • If we have a command or example in the Bible (i.e. the principle is shown as being approved by God), it is okay to pray for it as long as we are praying according to God’s will.
• Can we pray for things that we want but don’t need?
  • Yes, to a certain extent, but we have to be careful of praying with wrong motives (James 4:3).

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By Joel Moore

Benchley, October 17, 2010

• Psalms 32:1-2
• What is forgiveness?
  • Hebrews 8:12; Romans 6:22-23; James 1:15
  • Mercy acting to remove the guilt of sins in one’s life.
• Who is forgiven?
  • Acts 2:38
  • Forgiveness occurs at the point of baptism.
  • Acts 8:9-13,17-24 – If we sin after baptism, we must repent and pray to be forgiven.
  • I John 1:8,10
• How and when are Christians forgiven?
  • Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 10:10
  • When we confess and repent of our sins and pray for forgiveness, we are forgiven.
  • Luke 17:3-4 – What about when one Christian sins against another?
    • The one sinned against should rebuke the one who sinned.
    • If the one who sinned repents, the one sinned against must forgive him.
  • What about when one sins against many people?
    • The one who sinned must repent, confess, and ask forgiveness of those sinned against.
• Why are Christians forgiven?
  • I John 4:9-11; Romans 5:8-10
  • We are forgiven because God loved us.

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, October 17, 2010

• “We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.”
• Nine scriptures deal with benevolence in the New Testament:
  • Acts 2:44-45
  • Acts 4:32-35
  • Acts 6:1-6
  • Acts 11:27-30
  • Romans 15:25-31
  • I Corinthians 16:1-3
  • II Corinthians 8:1-14
  • II Corinthians 9:1-14
  • I Timothy 5:16
• In all of these scriptures, it is a local church relieving needy saints.
• We must always be careful with what we do with the Lord’s money.  It’s not wrong to help the secular poor.  It’s just not the responsibility of the church to do so.

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By Caleb Westbrook

Benchley, October 17, 2010

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

• Can we worship the Holy Spirit directly?
• All three persons of deity were involved in creation.
  • Genesis 1:2,26
  • The Holy Spirit adorned the heavens (Job 26:13).
  • Man was created in the image of the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:26).
• The Holy Spirit directed mankind in the antediluvian (pre-flood) period by speaking directly to men.
• The premier work of the Holy spirit in the Old Testament was revealing God’s word to man.  Genesis 41:16; Numbers 24:2-9; I Samuel 10:10-11; Isaiah 61:1; Ezra 11:1-2,5
• The Holy spirit moved men to speak the will of God (II Peter 1:20-21).
• What was the promise of the Holy Spirit as mentioned in Acts 2:33?
• The Holy Spirit empowered people to perform wondrous events.  I Samuel 11:6,11; Judges 14:19; 15:14
• The Old Testament reveals that the Holy Spirit is a distinct person of deity.  Psalms 139:7-12; Genesis 1:2; II Peter 1:21
• Who is speaking in Psalms 95:7-11?
  • The Holy Spirit  (Hebrews 3:7-11)

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By Danny Lackey

Benchley, October 13, 2010

• Christian graces, continued:
  • Brotherly kindness – Proverbs 31:26
  • Love – what should we love?
    • God – Matthew 22:37
    • Our spouse – Ephesians 5:25
    • Our brethren – Galatians 5:13; I Thessalonians 4:9; Hebrews 13:1; I Peter 1:22
    • Our children – Titus 2:3-5
    • Our parents – Ephesians 6:1-2
    • Not the world – I John 2:15
    • Wisdom:  Proverbs 4:6
    • Truth – Proverbs 23:23
    • Enemies:  Matthew 5:44
    • Not money:  I Timothy 6:10
• Prayer
  • What prayer is
  • How often to pray – Luke 18:1-8; I Thessalonians 5:17
  • Example of those who prayed
    • Abraham – Genesis 12:7-8
    • Jacob – Genesis 32:9-12
    • Moses – Exodus 32:11-13
    • Jesus – Matthew 14:23
    • Paul – Ephesians 3:14-21
    • Peter – Acts 9:40
    • Cornelius – Acts 10:1-2
  • Who should we pray for?
    • Elders
    • Enemies – Matthew 5:44
    • Civil authorities – I timothy 2:1-3
    • Those who preach the gospel – Acts 12:5
    • The church – James 5:16; Colossians 1:3
  • What should we pray for?
    • Food/necessities – Matthew 6:11
    • Spiritual strength in others – Ephesians 3:14-19
    • Forgiveness of sins – Matthew 6:12
    • Deliverance from temptation – Matthew 6:13
    • To ease suffering – James 5:13
    • Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding – James 1:5-7; Colossians 1:9
    • Unity
    • Peace – I Timothy 2:1-2
    • Laborers in God’s harvest – Matthew 9:38
  • To whom are we to pray?
    • God – John 16:23; Matthew 6:9; Ephesians 5:20
  • To whom do we not pray?
    • Anyone else (Mary, angels, dead saints, etc.)!
    • We can pray to Jesus:  Acts 7:59; I John 5:11-14

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By Jesse Jenkins