Assignment:
Starting Chapter 6 - God's Grace:
- Read the chapter on God's Grace - pp. 97-117.
- Read the study guide section (Session 7), Personal Study section - pp. 53-63.
Geneva Christian Fellowship Men's Ministry |
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Men's Discipleship, Saturday, April 1st at 7:30am
Assignment: Starting Chapter 6 - God's Grace:
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Men's Discipleship, Saturday, March 18th at 7:30am
Assignment: (1) We're going to review God's mercy in light of Psalm 103:
(2) Starting Chapter 6 - God's Grace:
Men's Discipleship, Saturday, March 4th at 7:30am, 2023 Assignment: Continuing Chapter 5 of the Attributes book:
Challenge:
The last time we were together we talked about a challenge: How am I doing at answering the calling of God on my life? And how am I doing at shielding myself and putting on God's armor and protecting myself (my heart and mind) from those things that distract me? The distractions will always be there - they aren't just going to go away. But the way we handle these things and the way we combat these things must be internal, meaning the Spirit of God (who is indwelling us), and the empowering of God is the One who protects us and gives us the wisdom we need to navigate those things that distract us. And in the context of this chapter, He continues to compassionate us, even while He waits patiently for us to expend ALL of our own power, until we remember that we were never meant to do or fix things on our own, but simply to live in His mercy and grace and power. I did my best to remember what the challenge was, but I didn't write it down, so please review and see if it sounds like what we discusssed - and maybe comment on anything I missed. Men's Discipleship, Saturday, February 18th at 7:30am, 2023
Assignment: Continuing Chapter 5 of the Attributes book.
During our study, we'll pick up where we left off last time in the book, on page 85, 2nd paragraph, at the section, The Operation of God's Mercy. We'll also discuss what the Lord has shown us about His Mercy. Men's Discipleship, Saturday, February 4th at 7:30am, 2023 Assignment: Continuing Chapter 5 of the Attributes book.
We'll start together on page 81 (where we left off the last time), at the bottom of the page, last paragraph that starts with "Scientists tell us that...". Hope to see you there. As you prepare, consider Tozer's words on Page 82, second paragraph:
And consider Ephesians 2:4-7:
I really love that God's attributes are not created things. They're... Well, they're attributes! They're a part of God that cannot be separated from Him. Therefore, like God, His mercy doesn't ebb and flow like our emotions! And it cannot be separated from who God IS! So just like HE IS, so is His mercy, in that the mercy OF God will never change; and it will NEVER diminish, Just like our God! Men's Discipleship, Saturday, January 7th at 7:30am, 2023.
A new year, a new start, as they say. Right? I say no. I say, a new day, a new start - if you truly desire it. Isn't that what God's mercy offers us? Isn't that what Jeremiah was referring to when he wrote in Lamentations 3: 21 This I call to mind, therefore have I hope. 22 [It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 [They are] new every morning: great [is] Thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. 25 The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul [that] seeketh Him. So even as the world suggests that a new year gives new hope, we who know the LORD personally, as our Father, strive to share and remind them that it is not a new year that brings hope - it's the faithfulness and steadfastness of the LORD who patiently waits for us to turn back to Him (while we wait in patience of hope for His return for us (1 Thes. 1:3)). So what Jeremiah brought to mind, and we do too, is that because the LORD's mercies are new every morning, and they keep us from being consumed, because of His sure and endless compassions, we are moved to renew our resolution (a fitting term for the new year) that the LORD IS my portion, and my hope is in Him, not in a new year; because we know that the LORD is good to all who wait for Him and seek Him!! Assignment: We'll start Chapter 5 of the Attributes book on January 7th.
As you prepare, remember that the 2022 celebration of our Lord's 1st advent may be over for another year, but our expectation of His 2nd advent is continual, until he comes AGAIN, maybe this year! Maranatha! Men's Discipleship, Saturday, December 10th at 7:30am.
We finished Section 2, The Passion of Christ, through page 72 the last time we met. We'll be completing the chapter and section 3, The Unchanging God, pages 72-74. We talked about this assignment last time:
Hope to see you on Saturday! Men's Discipleship, Saturday, November 26th at 7:30am. Assignment and prep for our study together:
Plan for our study time together:
Hope to see you on Saturday! A thought about the attribute of God, called "Justice":
Writing this on Thanksgiving! There are so many reasons to be thankful, biblically and spiritually, including our salvation! But what about this attribute; as in, God IS "justice"? It's not exactly one of the top few things I find myself thanking God for. Think about it. We say, thank you for salvation, which requires his "justice-ness", in that He it (His "justice-ness") was exercised in His wrath being turned from us, who believe, onto His Son, in whom we have faith. But imagine if we existed with Justice that was outside of God! Where would its origin have come from? From another human being - A fallen human being? Or worse yet, what if it came from Satan, being the accuser of the brethren? How miserable would either of those two options be! Yet the enduring Truth of the Word of God says it originates with our God, who created us, and we not ourselves (Psalm 100:3)! There is something comforting about knowing that I came from the one who is also justice - He's not only "just", but "justice" itself! It means that He has no problem extending mercy, and even righteousness to me or anyone else who will receive it in accordance with His own prescribed way of life, which endures forever. Yes, Jesus Christ lives forevermore - being the the truth, the way, and the life endures forever. And THAT way is the way of life in Him! We usually (I usually do) focus on the fact that God is love (Agape) and wants us to experience His love, which is true. But at the same time as He demonstrates His love, He allows us to experience His justice, which is tied to His righteousness, which He imputes to us, who believe on Him! And there's no race between that Love and Justice, both attributes of our LORD, God. To that I say, "thank You, O my father, for giving us Your Son, and leaving Your Spirit until the work on earth is done". Thank You, God, for Your Justice! Men's Discipleship, Saturday, November 12th at 7:30am.
From the Attributes book by Tozer: "Justice is not something God has. Justice is something God is." And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous [are] thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true [are] thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for [thou] only [art] holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. --Revelation 15:3-4 The last time we met, we started going through Chapter 4, God's Justice. Assignment and prep for our study together:
Plan for our study time together:
End note and thought: I suspect you guys, my brothers in Christ, are like me in that you long for the time when we will fully experience what it is like to be wholly holy and righteous! To have a justice about us that is unshakable! And integrity that is above reproach. Biblically, we are righteous NOW, based on our believe and acceptance of the finished work of Christ. But one day, when we've finished this race, we'll be righteous without the continuous battle with the carnal nature! That day is approaching, men. Keep looking up and keep running the race. Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave like men, be strong! --1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. --Hebrews 12:1-2 Hope to see you on Saturday! Men's Discipleship, Saturday, October 15th Assignment: 1. We'll continue in the Attributes book by Tozer:
2. Word study:
* Be careful to no get caught up in the atrocities in the world; instead try to just consider the contrast between God's goodness and what the world system says is "good".
Men's Discipleship, Saturday, September 17th Continuing in the Attributes book by Tozer, Chapter 3, God's Goodness. We'll continue in Chapter 3, God's Goodness, on page 51, at the section "We Can Boldly Approach Him". Assignment:
What we will cover together:
Challenge:
It’s funny how our doubts about God’s goodness seem to center on ourselves—”How could God be good to me, as bad as I am?” Some would say we are suffering from low self-esteem and we need to pump ourselves up until we think we deserve His goodness! But instead of magnifying ourselves—trying to believe the lie that we are bigger than we really are—we should magnify God. We should strive to see Him as big as He is, as good as He is—so good that He loves us even in our wretchedness. Think of all the effort God has gone through—and continues to go through—to take us out of our wretchedness and prepare us to be with Him in heaven. It's never to late to start this study! The great thing about it it, is that every chapter is a different attribute! We still have books available.
Men's Discipleship, Saturday, September 3rd Continuing in the Attributes book by Tozer, Chapter 3, God's Goodness. This Saturday, we'll continue in Chapter 3, God's Goodness. On or around page 45 at the Section, "Our Reason For Living". So our assignment:
What we will cover together:
It's never to late to start this study! The great thing about it it, is that every chapter is a different attribute! We still have books available.
Men's Discipleship, Saturday, August 20th Continuing in the Attributes book by Tozer, Chapter 3, God's Goodness. This Saturday, we'll continue where we left off on Page 41, starting in the 3rd paragraph, leading with, "The psalmist said..." So our assignment is pretty simple this time:
It's never to late to start this study! The great thing about it it, is that every chapter is a different attribute! We still have books available.Men's Discipleship, Saturday, August 6th We started Chapter 3, God's Goodness last time we met. This Saturday, we'll continue where we left off on Page 41, starting in the 3rd paragraph, leading with, "The psalmist said..." So our assignment is pretty simple this time:
CHALLENGE: From Chapter 3, page 42, at the end of second paragraph, Tozer challenges us to: Take a concordance and look up the word "good" or the word "lovingkindness" and see how much the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, has to say about God being kindhearted. It's never to late to start this study! The great thing about it it, is that every chapter is a different attribute! We still have books available.
Men's Discipleship, Saturday, July 23rd
Last time we met, we finished reading the section "Hunger for God", pages 32-35. On July 23rd, we'll start by looking at the question in the study guide, page 25, for that section, where the question is asked (paraphrasing), "Has anyone in the group experienced the heart-felt hunger for God that Tozer describes." I would go further with the challenging question we should ask ourselves: Knowing what we know about God and eternity, and the promises and the battle between the Spirit and the flesh, how is it I can go days or weeks without that heartfelt hunger? Think about the statement by Tozer on page 33: As the song says it, 'Take the world but give me Jesus.' We can have all the world and have not Jesus, and there will be a cry from deep within, 'Ever me wanteth'" So here's our assignment:
It's never to late to start this study! The great thing about it it, is that every chapter is a different attribute! We still have books available. Men's Discipleship, Saturday, July 9th
NOTE: We will begin the study at 7:30 am prompt since we'll be finishing at 8:30 to work on the playground at the church. Bagels, donuts and coffee will be ready to go prior to 7:30. Last time we met, we finished the section "Why Are We Not Happy?", ending on Page 31. On July 9th, we'll pick up on Page 31 with the section, "God's Enthusiasm". Here's our assignment:
We'll continue reviewing the entire chapter, a section at a time, including discussing the Group Study portion of each section together. A Challenge to consider: I wonder if anyone else struggles with their perception of God, in thinking He's "out to get me", or that He's always "trying to make wrong things right", in some sort of perpetual corrective way? But part of the enthusiasm of God is that He really and truly desires fellowship with us, whom He created in His own likeness. In other words, correction isn't necessarily the end that God is trying to get to; He wants something more, something deeper: He wants me, and He wants me to want Him in the context of a relationship. And somehow all of that seems to be tied to the Joy of the Lord that He speaks of. So how about it? Am I truly joyful and enthusiastic about God in my life? Or is my relationship obligatory? Never to late to start this study! The great thing about it it, is that every chapter is a different attribute! We still have 9 books up for grabs also. Men's Discipleship, Saturday, June 25th
Last time we met, we got through page 26, having just started the section called, "God Holds What He Loves". We'll pick up on page 27, continuing that section. It reminds me of the first section where Tozer wrote about how God takes pleasure in His work, which includes His chosen - US who have answered His glorious call to grace! Why would God create anything that He didn't want to "survive"? Colossians 1:15-18 says it best: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Our Assignment for June 25th (if you haven't already):
We'll continue reviewing the entire chapter, a section at a time, including discussing the Group Study portion of each section together. Never to late to start this study! The great thing about it it, is that every chapter is a different attribute! We still have 9 books up for grabs also. Men's Discipleship, Saturday, Jun11th
Last time we met, we finished through the section titled, "The Size of Things". We'll pick up on page 22, with the section titled, "The immanence of God". It's a short section but very important to understanding the nature of our God. Tozer says, "It's impossible to think of a place where God is not." To that I add, it's impossible for there to BE a place where God is not." Assignment (if you haven't already):
We'll continue reviewing the entire chapter, a section at a time, including discussing the Group Study portion of each section together, for as far as we get for our time together. It's never to late to start this study! The great thing about it it, is that every chapter is a different attribute! We still have 9 books up for grabs also. Men's Discipleship, Saturday, May 28th
Assignment:
We'll discuss the entire chapter a section at a time, followed by discussion of the Group Study portion together. It's never to late to start this study! The great thing about it it, is that every chapter is a different attribute! We still have 9 book up for grabs also. Men's Discipleship, Saturday, April 30th
We're continuing our study in Chapter 1 about God's infinitude. We'll be picking up our study where we left off last time, in the Section "God Takes Pleasure In His Work" on Page 11, the third paragraph, "Some people are afraid of color." We'll continue to the end of the chapter and we'll discuss the questions for that section, "God Takes Pleasure In His Work" on page 16, and through the rest of that lesson of the Study Guide. Please read ahead in case we have time to start Discussing Chapter 2, "God's Immensity". See the blog post dated 3/26/2022 for further details. Also a reminder that the books are in! See me (Bruce) or Pastor Mark at the church to get your copy. Men's Discipleship, Saturday, April 16th
. We're continuing our study in Chapter 1 about God's infinitude. We left off at the Section "God Takes Pleasure In Himself" on Page 8. We'll cover that to the end of the chapter. See the previous blog post here for further details. Also, the books are in!! They're at the church so you can grab yours there. Men's Discipleship, Saturday, April 2nd
Assignment:
Some quotes that caught my attention: From Chapter 1, Page 5: "There is nothing boundless but God and nothing infinite but God. God is self-existent and absolute; everything else is contingent and relative" From Chapter 1, Page 3: "The Church will come out of her doldrums when we find out that salvation is not a lightbulb only, that it is not an insurance policy against hell only, but that it is a gateway into God and that God is all that we would have and desire." From the Personal Study section of the study guide, Page 14: "He invites us into relationship with Him. He is the God with whom we will never become bored, the God whom we can know, but will never reach the end of. This is the God we worship." If you don't have the book yet, I will have copies of Chapter 1 and the accompanying Session 2 of the study guide at church service Sunday, March 17th. For Saturday, March 19th Men's Discipleship Bible Study
We're between main book studies (Bible books), having completed 1 & 2 Thessalonians study, using the Be Ready commentary by Warren Wiersbe. Before we begin another (lengthier) study, we will take a look at some of the attributes of God using A. W. Tozer book, The Attributes of God Volume One, WingSpread Publishers, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, 2007, subtitled, A Journey Into the Father's Heart. This book also contains a study guide, which we'll use. If you don't have the book, no worries. I'll provide a printed copy of Lesson 1 for anyone who needs one at the time of our study. This first lesson is an Introduction to God's Attributes and the author, A. W. Tozer. It's short enough that I think we can get through it in one session, and we won't even require any prep work ahead of time. If you DO have this book, then take a look at the study guide for Lesson 1. We'll start there. I'll also have copies printed and available for pickup at Sunday Worship Service on March 13th, if you would like to read the lesson ahead of time. One last thing: Please read the quote found on right sidebar of this page, under the heading "Between Book Studies". These are Tozer's words, which I am personally grateful for the way they stirred and provoked me to not settle for mediocre Christianity. I want nothing less than to absorb all that God is willing to reveal to me about Himself! I hope it does the same for all of the men at Geneva Christian Fellowship. For we are in need of the God of men, to strengthen the men of God, more than ever in this world that is spiraling out of control! |
Book Study: "The Attributes of God"While we prepare to start another book study (TBD), we'll looking some of the attributes of God. Archives
March 2024
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