iSee: Build Your Life

iSee: short videos to build your faith!

Do you only have a few minutes for Bible Study today? Or do you have a few extra minutes to feed your soul? Try one of our new iSee videos! Three minutes is all you need to receive a little encouragement and refreshment from the Word of God!

Is God building something new in your life? Sometimes he must tear down in order to build up!

Let me know what you think of this new Bible study format by leaving me comment in the Comment Section below!

Take 5!: How to Know God

” as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”

2 Peter 1:3-7

Please take a moment to empty your heart of sin and self and ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. If you haven’t already, please read 2 Peter 1:3-7.

According to verse 3, what has God given us?

Did you notice that God has given us everything we need to live a highly effective successful Christian life? Have you ever thought you were unable to bring a certain area of your life under the control of the Holy Spirit? I know I have. But, God has given us divine power to overcome our flesh and live by the Spirit. An untamed area of sin is no match for the power of God.

How can we begin to unleash the divine power God made available to us (verse 3)?

By knowing God. The original Greek word for knowing used in this verse is epignosis which means precise and correct knowledge, to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know accurately, to know thoroughly, to perceive, ascertain, to understand (BLB). How do we acquire this kind of knowledge of God? By studying His holy word; a cursory glance at a few verses each day won’t cut it. We need to dig in deep, investing our time and ourselves in order to know God.

What else has been given to us (verse 4)?

“Exceedingly great and precious promises” have been given to us, which are recorded in the Bible, enable us to partake of the divine nature of God.

Please list everything we are to add to our faith mentioned in verses 5-7.

Now let’s take a quick at what each of these concepts mean in the original language.

Virtue: a course of thought, feeling and actions concerning modesty, purity and moral excellence.

Knowledge: knowledge of lawful and unlawful things for Christians, right living.

Self-control: “the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites” (BLB).

Perseverance: the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.

Godliness: reverence, respect, to be well off, to prosper, acting well, to revere, to worship.

Brotherly kindness: love or affection between friends

Love: the love of God, love that always acts for the best interest of the recipient.

Which of the above virtues do you need God to develop in your life?

If you feel discouraged by lack of progress in one of the above areas, remember you have access to His divine power. And He is greater than your sin. Power up and press on!

Take 5!: 5 Minutes to a Better Life

Take 5!

5 Verses, 5 Questions, 5 Minutes

Before we start our study time today, please take a minute and go before our Lord in prayer.

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For

“He who would love life

And see good days,

Let him refrain his tongue from evil,

And his lips from speaking deceit.

11 Let him turn away from evil and do good;

Let him seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,

And His ears are open to their prayers;

But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”

1 Peter 3:8-12

In verses 8-9, we are given several commands. Which is the hardest for you?

I must confess, at times I have trouble with all of them. My biggest challenge, however, is in verse 9 not returning reviling for reviling (insult for insult). Instead of repaying insult with insult, we are to repay insult with blessing. I imagine this practice would bring a quick end to most arguments. Though I have been a Christian for many years, I have never employed this technique, nor have I ever heard anyone else. Dare we give it a try? Consider the following conversation:

“You are a stubborn, opinionated woman!”

“Oh, yeah? Well, you are a hard-working, caring man and I appreciate you.”

Blessing for insult.

.

What happens as a result of returning blessing for insult (vs. 9)?

God’s word says we will receive a blessing. We will also spare ourselves the angst of a long drawn out argument.

**Besides speaking blessings to those who insult us, how else might we bless them?**

We could do something kind or pray for those who hate us. (Confession #2: I have often heard people say, it’s hard to hate someone you’re praying for. I struggle with this. Sigh.)

If we want to have a better life (who doesn’t?) and see good days, what must we do (10-12)?

Do you need a little help with this blessing for insult thing? God sees you and hears you (vs. 12) so we can cry out to Him in prayer. Ask Him to help you be of one mind, to love others, and to humble yourself and bless others when they insult you.

**Is blessing for insult just a suggestion? What does verse 9 say?**

I never saw this part of the verse before — it is our CALLING. It is part of who we are and what we do in Christ Jesus. This one is going to be hard, so let me pray for you.

Dear Father,

Thank You that because You bless us, You call us to bless others. Help us to stop basing our treatment of others on how they treat us but on how You treat us. We can bless others because we have already been blessed by You. Help us to stop and think before we speak. There is no room for insults in the mouth of a Christ follower. May the words we speak be the words You would speak.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Go out and find someone to bless and you will have a better life.

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Take 5!: A Stronger You

A Stronger You

6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11 These things command and teach. 1 Timothy 6:6-11

Thank you for returning for another Take 5! Bible Study.

Before we begin our study time today, please take a moment to pray. Ask God to ready your heart, mind and spirit to receive from His Holy Word.

If you haven’t already, read the verses above.

Name two things from verse 6 which nourish us.

We are nourished by words of faith and good doctrine. The word nourish transliterates as entreph. Entreph and its derivatives mean “to nourish or fatten a person, to educate the mind, to bring up, to nurture.” The truth of God’s Word is the only thing we should feed our heart. It enriches the mind, body and spirit.

Two types of exercise are mentioned in verses 7 and 8, godly and bodily exercise.

While we are all very familiar with bodily exercise, what does exercise in godliness consist of?

Matthew Henry states exercising godliness is “ceasing to do evil and learning to do well.” We must stop living to gratify our own desires and learn what God wants us to do by studying, praying and meditating on His Word.

The Greek word for exercise is gymnazo. Gym—exercise. Very fitting. Its definition is rather … huh … interesting. Gymnaz0 means “to vigorously exercise the body or the mind, to exercise naked.” We come before God with souls uncovered (naked), admitting our sin and our need for Him. That’s exercising godliness in the raw.

Why is exercise in godliness more beneficial than bodily exercise?

Bodily exercise gives us life. Exercising godliness gives us life and eternal life. Life for the here and now and life for forever.

What words come to mind when you think of exercise?

Blood, sweat, tears, pain, perseverance — words that also speak of the Cross. The Cross is an exercise of love and grace. Like all exercise, exercise in godliness is painful, critical and beneficial. Without it we may exist, but we will never flourish.

What are we to do after we have suffered and labored to exercise godliness (verse 11)?

We turn and teach others what we have learned. Just as we love to exercise with a friend, we ask others to join us in the journey.

Thank you for studying with me today. Be strong in the Lord.

Please comment below and let me know how you will exercise godliness today.

Take 5! Fear and Faith

Take 5!

Fear and Faith

Please Take 5! minutes and go before God in prayer. Confess to Him any sin and ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit. Please read John 20:18-22.

18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. 19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Prior to this portion of Scripture, Jesus had just risen from the dead. Early resurrection morning, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb to be with her Lord. Finding the tomb empty, Mary stood outside the tomb and wept. Suddenly, Jesus appeared to Mary and spoke to her.

What did Jesus tell Mary to do?

He sent her on her first missionary journey—to tell the disciples He had risen! Jesus gives us the same instructions—tell others we have seen the Lord and He has spoken great things to us.

Name something God has spoken to your heart.

Later that day, the disciples gathered together (because of fear and because of faith), perhaps to pray and to discuss the earthshaking, stone-rolling events that had recently occurred.

Read verse 19 and record the word used to describe the doors.

Why were the doors locked?

They were locked because of fear. All the disciples were gathered in one small room. Locked in. Locked down.

That’s what fear does; it entraps us and keeps us small.

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Fear locks us in and prevents us from fulfilling God’s calling on our lives. Fear kills joy. Fear steals purpose. Fear destroys ministry. Kills … steals … destroys. Satan’s calling card. But suddenly—Jesus appears. He meets us in the middle of our fear … and everything changes. Doors unlock. Windows open. Prisoners freed.

Faith frees.

What does Jesus tell the disciples (verse 21)?

Draw close to Jesus and receive a fresh breathe of the Spirit and go. He is sending you.

Antidote for fear …

1. Remember Jesus is with you in your fear, amid the flames, and among the waters; bringing down walls and giants.
2. Meet with Jesus. It will turn your fear to joy.
3. Receive the spirit. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, sound mind and love.
4. Continue to do God’s work. Do it afraid.

Remember,

fear traps, faith frees.

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Have a blessed day.

Mary Kane

Take 5!: Perfected by Mary Kane

Please take 5 minutes and go before God in prayer. Confess to Him any sin and ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit. Please read 1 Peter 5:6-10.

What does God ask us to do in verse 6?

In the original Greek, the word humble transliterates as tapeinoo, which means “to make low, to bring down one’s pride, to confess one’s spiritual littleness and need for God, to submit one’s self to the power and will of God.”

What is a sign that we have humbled ourselves to God (verse 7)?

When we have truly humbled ourselves before God, peace will result. We will no longer strive and labor to solve our own problems according to our will ( we are perfected by peace). Having cast our cares upon God, we will wait in peace for Him to act on our behalf.

According to verse 8, we are to be ______________ and ______________.

The word sober means to be calm and collected. Vigilant means to be watchful. Once we have cast our cares upon God, it is possible to calmly shift our attention to carefully watch for the attacks of Satan.

How are we to combat the attacks of the evil one (verse 9)?

We are to resist him by standing resolutely by faith; not faith in our faith, but faith in our Savior (we are perfected by faith). One of the best ways to resist Satan is the Word of God. Satan speaks lies, we speak truths.

If we stand fast, steadfast in the faith, what will be the final outcome (verse 10)?

God will use the suffering to perfect us in Christ Jesus. Suffering doesn’t destroy our faith, God uses it to perfect our faith. As we struggle and persevere, we are perfected. To God be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Thank you for joining me today for Bible study.

By Mary Kane
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