Christwalk Bible Study: Seeing What Heaven Sees

An example of faith was found on the wall of a concentration camp. On it a prisoner had carved the words:
I believe in the sun, even though it doesn’t shine,
I believe in love, even when it isn’t shown,
I believe in God, even when he doesn’t speak.
I try to imagine the person who etched those words. What hand could have cut such a conviction? What eyes could have seen good in such horror?
There is only one answer. Eyes that chose to see the unseen.

Seeing What Heaven Sees:

An example of faith was found on the wall of a concentration camp. On it a prisoner had carved the words:

I believe in the sun, even though it doesn’t shine,

I believe in love, even when it isn’t shown,

I believe in God, even when he doesn’t speak.

I try to imagine the person who etched those words. What hand could have cut such a conviction? What eyes could have seen good in such horror?

There is only one answer. Eyes that chose to see the unseen.

Questions to consider.

1.            Who has inspired you to believe in the unseen?

2.     Think of a time when you wanted something so much that you were willing to beg for it. Describe your feelings at that time.

3.      What are the complexities of “believing there is more to life than meets the eye”?

When Jesus went in the boat back to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him there. 22A leader of the synagogue, named Jairus, came there, saw Jesus, and fell at his feet. 23He begged Jesus, saying again and again, “My daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so she will be healed and will live.” 24So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed Jesus and pushed very close around him.

While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of the synagogue leader. They said, “Your daughter is dead. There is no need to bother the teacher anymore.”

36But Jesus paid no attention to what they said. He told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

37Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him. 38When they came to the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus found many people there making lots of noise and crying loudly. 39Jesus entered the house and said to them, “Why are you crying and making so much noise? The child is not dead, only asleep.” 40But they laughed at him. So, after throwing them out of the house, Jesus took the child’s father and mother and his three followers into the room where the child was. 41Taking hold of the girl’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha, koum!” (This means, “Young girl, I tell you to stand up!”) 42At once the girl stood right up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) Everyone was completely amazed. 43Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell people about this. Then he told them to give the girl something to eat.

                Mark 5:21–24; 35–43

               

The Jairus we see in this story is not the clear-sighted, black-frocked, nicely groomed civic leader. He is instead a blind man begging for a gift. He fell at Jesus’ feet, “saying again and again, ‘My daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so she will be healed and will live.’ ” (Mark 5:23).

He doesn’t barter with Jesus. He doesn’t negotiate. He doesn’t make excuses. He just pleads.

There are times in life when everything you have to offer is nothing compared to what you are asking to receive. Jairus is at such a point. What could a man offer in exchange for his child’s life? So there are no games. No haggling. No masquerades. The situation is starkly simple: Jairus is blind to the future and Jesus knows the future. So Jairus asks for his help.

And Jesus, who loves the honest heart, goes to give it.

Jesus compels Jairus to see the unseen. When Jesus says, “Just believe … ,” He is imploring, “Don’t limit your possibilities to the visible. Don’t listen only for the audible. Don’t be controlled by the logical. Believe there is more to life than meets the eye!”

4.     What lesson can you learn from Jairus’ example?

5.     When do the words “Don’t be afraid, just believe” seem like not enough?

6.     What would you say is the single most difficult thing about putting your faith in God?

16So we do not give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. 17We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles. 18We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever.

1We know that our body—the tent we live in here on earth—will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a house for us. It will not be a house made by human hands; instead, it will be a home in heaven that will last forever. 2But now we groan in this tent. We want God to give us our heavenly home, 3because it will clothe us so we will not be naked. 4While we live in this body, we have burdens, and we groan. We do not want to be naked, but we want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then this body that dies will be fully covered with life. 5This is what God made us for, and he has given us the Spirit to be a guarantee for this new life.

6So we always have courage. We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord. 7We live by what we believe, not by what we can see.

2 Corinthians 4:16–5:7

7.     How is your life different when you live by faith rather than sight?

8.     What evidence have you seen that there is a part of us that longs for heaven?

9.     In what ways does a heavenly perspective change the way we look at our earthly circumstances?

Jesus is asking Jairus to see the unseen. To make a choice. Either to live by the facts or to see by faith. When tragedy strikes we, too, are left to choose what we see. We can see either the hurt or the Healer.

The choice is ours.

Mark it down—God knows living by faith and not by sight doesn’t come naturally. And I think that’s one reason he raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead. Not for her sake—she was better off in heaven. But for our sake—to teach us that heaven sees when we trust.

How can I turn my eyes from the hurt in my life to the Healer?

For Further Study

To study more about faith, read Matthew 8:8–10; Matthew 9:20–22; Luke 17:5–6; Romans 1:17; Romans 4:4–6; 2 Cor. 5:7; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:14.

Additional Questions

10.     What are the unseen things that encourage your faith the most?

11.     How can believers help one another to live by faith?

12.     What practical steps can you take to strengthen your faith?

Feel free to print this out and share with you friends, family, small group, and Church. Share the link and discuss   You are welcome to message me of leave a question or comment. Be Blessed

#givetheGospellegs

Parables begins Tomorrow 2-25-2013 Get Ready...

Join me this week as we spend all week exploring  the Parables of Jesus. Live discussions, Bible Studies, Devotionals, Truth, Revelation. Don't miss this...

Walk The Walk ep 2 Faith

ChristWalk Devotional Day 3 Don't Quit

Feeling Overwhelmed by Problems

Lord , answer me because your love is so good.

Because of your great kindness, turn to me.

Do not hide from me, your servant.

I am in trouble. Hurry to help me!

Come near and save me;

rescue me from my enemies.

Psalm 69:16–18

I love the Lord,

because he listens to my prayers for help.

He paid attention to me,

so I will call to him for help as long as I live.

Psalm 116:1–2

I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you.  I will give you hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I  will listen to you. You will search for me. And when you  search for me with all your heart, you will find me!

Jeremiah 29:11–13

Here is another one for good measure..."Until the world ends as we know it...we will go on doing what we have to do until such a time until we can't." Nick Fury-The Avengers

God’s blessings are dispensed according to the riches of his grace, not according to the depth of our faith. “If we are not faithful, he will still be faithful, because he cannot be false to himself” (2 Tim. 2:13).

Why is that important to know? So you won’t get cynical. Look around you. Aren’t there more mouths than bread? Aren’t there more wounds than physicians? Aren’t there more who need the truth than those who tell it?

So what do we do? Throw up our hands and walk away? Tell the world we can’t help them?

No, we don’t give up. We look up. We trust. We believe. And our optimism is not hollow. Christ has proven worthy. He has shown that he never fails. That’s what makes God, God.

Be Encouraged

Purpose Church Walk the Walk series: How to get out

Who me?...Yes You

Who me…Yes You

Paul was something else. Like a lot of people who get caught up in their own righteousness, Paul thought he was doing God’s will. The new movement that was founded on the teachings of a man called Jesus was in Paul’s mind taking away from what was right and just. Paul was known for persecuting Christians; he publicly despised the teachings of Christ. Paul was his own man; he had a good job, was respected by some, and he was feared by many. The way of the world was the road he followed. On the surface you would be hard pressed to  find a more unworthy vessel for bringing the gospel of Christ to the Gentiles. Do you ever feel like Paul? Do people look at you and say you are a waste, or look at you as a liability? Do you feel as if your mistakes outweigh any use God could have for you? Well my brothers and my sisters, you may feel as if you are in Paul’s shoes, but don’t stop reading, and don’t stop believing. Let’s take a look at where those shoes brought Paul, and where they will ultimately bring…you.

The road of life is very much like that road to Damascus, where Paul was stopped by Christ in the form of a bright, blinding vision. You see on that road Paul was confronted with the inescapable truth of life: if you don’t believe in the ministry, the message, and the mission of the Son of God, Jesus Christ you are not supporting the kingdom.

This vision literally blinded Paul to the ways and influences of the world he loved and wholly supported.3 things happened:

It made him rely on Jesus,

It made him forsake tradition, and

It forced him to relinquish control. 

When you and I find ourselves at that point when all of our resources, wit, and worldly influence can not fill that void that is always there, we have to ask ourselves, "Are we on that road to Damascus?" When nothing is ever enough, when we  have all the material trappings, and the social status we want, but late at night we still cry, aren't we on that road to Damascus? Well when, not if, but when, we find ourselves on that road we should take a cue from Paul and have guts! Paul was physically blinded by the truth that he had experienced, and he had to allow himself to be lead by Christ. The only way that Paul could see again was to go to Damascus, seek out a stranger who would certainly not trust him, and humble himself by asking to

be healed in Jesus' name. Understand this was not easy for Paul; here was a man who was in "control" of his life. Now he was subjected to asking someone who he saw as his inferior for help, in the name of one he previously didn’t believe in, Jesus Christ. Paul had to allow

himself to be taught. That can be a challenge for many of us… but remember beloved sometimes one has to abase in self to abound in Christ.

 When Paul accepted God’s chastisement and instruction, he was free. When he abased and asked to be healed in Jesus' name, he left the road of life, and joined the road to salvation. Like the songwriter said, "When we have done all we can--just stand." We must allow God to

transform our roads into journeys for and towards him. When we free ourselves of the enemy's lies and the judgments of the self-righteous we are broken, humbled and most of all receptive, thus we are ready for God to step in.

Now before we go on…lets be real… make no mistake this takes guts. Allowing God to lead our lives may leave us feeling lonely and misunderstood; it may even cause other Christians to

judge us harshly. These things happen, but we must not lose faith, we must look to the Word for some examples

of people who have walked this road before. 

Paul was no longer trusted by his friends and the Christians he now allied himself with, but he stood his ground. 

Jesus was reviled by many in authority, repelled by those who didn’t believe his message, and

ultimately rejected by many of those he came to save. However Jesus stood His ground. Even on the cross he said,

“Father forgive them

for they know not what they do (Luke 23:24).”

As followers and believers in Christ we must have faith and stand our ground  in the face of adversity. Acceptance of Jesus is the paramount decision that we all face…In the wake of that choice HE will give you the strength to Stand

When family doesn’t understand us, we must stand.

When friends abandon us, we must stand.

When Satan attacks us at every turn, we must know that we are making

him mad, and we must continue to Stand.

When tradition and legalism rule, and  the Word of Christ is an

afterthought, take a stand and make changes. Its not easy but Lord GOD it’s Right!!! To Stand on His Word and His Promises.

Remember the promises of the Word of God:

“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age

(Matt. 28:20)." “All that the Father gives Me will come

to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means

cast out (John 6:37)." "And this is the will of Him who

sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in

Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up

at the last day (John 6:40)."

The word of God will never come back void. Brothers and sisters know this, GOD CANNOT

LIE!!!

He will never leave us,

He will never forsake us,

He will always love us,

and

He will always be with us.

But remember You…(Who me…Yes You)  Stand with God never leave Him, He has, He is, and He always will

Stand up for us.Lets make sure we do for and with Him

May God bless you and may God keep you.

Kids...

For the children of Sandy Hook Elementary School...
So wait for us, dear little ones,
Abide awhile, with the Holy One;
We know within His arms you rest,
God knew the place you'd grow the best.
And when our time on Earth is done,
We'll meet you with God's own dear Son
And once again families will be complete,
As face to face again they finally meet.

GOD Speed little ones

Prayer

Prayer
 Sometimes life can be heartbreaking. We ask why but cannot find an answer. We search for a light to see us through the night but are overcome by the darkness. Today was certainly one of those dark days... but in our loss, in our pain, know and remember, somewhere something, that was lost ...was found. Babies, were born, sickness was defeated, somewhere someone accepted Jesus as Lord of their lives. Life happened...and HE is there. It is times like these where we feel...when we say, Where is He??? Jesus, didn't cause this to happen, yet HE is there to help us through it. HE is there , we may may have to look , search, run to HIM...but HE is there!!! Sometimes, the faith that HE is there is all we have. GOD knows this...HE knows, and even then HIS grace is sufficent. When we have a solid faith in Jesus, as the gospel song says, "When answers aren't enough, HE is there!" And this may be all we need to know to keep us from forgetting and giving up.

Dear God, help us never to forget your goodness to us and your everlasting love and grant that, no matter how dark the night, we will never turn from you. And graciously grant that we will turn to and never forget you. In Jesus' name.
Our hearts and prayers are with all the families and friends effected by this, now and in the days to come...know you are not alone...HE is there.

Jesus...Lover of my soul.

Jesus...Lover of my soul
See the people hiding in the house? That’s us. The folks ducking behind the stairwell? That’s you and me. We’re avoiding the bill collectors. This is the eve of eviction. The bank has given us one day to pay the mortgage. Credit-card agents are camped on the front lawn. Loan sharks have our number on speed dial. But we are broke. We’ve peddled our last food stamp. The wate

r is disconnected, the car repossessed, the furniture picked up, and now the IRS agent is knocking on the door. He wants back taxes. “I know you are in there. Open up!”
So we do. He tells us how much we owe; we remind him that turnips give no blood. He mentions jail, and at this point a warm bed out of the reach of creditors doesn’t sound half bad.
Just as he motions for the sheriff, his cell phone rings. It’s Washington. The president wants a word with us, an explanation from us. We have none. No defense. Only a plea for patience. He listens in silence and asks to speak with the agent again. As the president speaks, the suit nods and says, “Yessir … Yessir … Yessir.” He closes his phone and looks first at you and then at me. “I don’t know who you know, but your debt is paid,” he says, tearing up the papers and letting the pieces fall.
Maybe you didn’t know God did that for us.
Never forget of take for granted the gift of GOD'S love and patience. Make it a point to practice love and patience with others daily.

ChristWalk: steps in Grace Devotional Day 2

Judge not what you see in others until you have truly looked within.

Questions to address:

1. Is there any unconfessed sin in my life?

“There was a time when I wouldn’t admit what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration. . . . My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted al

l my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them” (Ps. 32:3–5 tlb).
(Confession is telling God you did the thing HE saw you do. He doesn’t need to hear it as much as you need to say it. Whether it’s too small to be mentioned or too big to be forgiven isn’t yours to decide. Your task is to be honest.)

2. Are there any unresolved conflicts in my world?

“If you enter a place of worship and, about to make an offering, suddenly remember a grudge that a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God” (Matt. 5:23–24 the message).
(As far as I know, this is the only time God tells you to slip out of church early. Apparently, HE’d rather have you give your olive branch than your tithe. If you are worshiping and remember that your mom is angry at you for forgetting her birthday, then get off the pew and find a phone. Maybe she’ll forgive you; maybe she won’t. But at least you can return to your pew with a clean conscience.)

3. Are there any unsurrendered worries in my heart?

“Give all your worries to HIM, because HE cares about you” (1 Pet. 5:7).
(The German word for worry means “to strangle.” The Greek word means “to divide the mind.” Both are accurate. Worry is a noose on the neck and a distraction of the mind, neither of which is befitting for joy.)
Alarms serve a purpose. They signal a problem. Sometimes the problem is out there. More often it’s in here. So before you peek outside, take a good look inside.

Be Blessed

ChristWalk Steps in Grace Devotional Day 1

ChristWalk Steps in Grace Daily Devotional: ( My new devotional series)

Don't be rude...avoid it. It is poison that strikes both ways. It hurts the target and sours the soul of the one who is being it. Avoid it. Jesus Did...

Love is not rude.
1 Corinthians 13:5

Jesus always knocks before entering. He doesn’t have to. He owns your heart. If anyone has the right to barge in, Christ does. But he doesn’t. That gentle tap you hear? It’s Christ. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock” (Rev. 3:20 nasb). And when you answer, HE awaits your invitation to cross the threshold.

Be Blessed and tremendous today

Read the story...

Read the story(The Bible) and remember, their story is yours!

The challenge too great? Read the story. That’s you crossing the Red Sea with Moses.

Too many worries? Read the story. That’s you receiving heavenly food with the Israelites.

Your wounds too deep? Read the story. That’s you, Joseph, forgiving your brothers for betraying you.

Your enemies too mighty? Read the story. That’s you march

ing with Jehoshaphat into a battle already won.

Your disappointments too heavy? Read the story of the Emmaus-bound disciples. The Savior they thought was dead now walked beside them. He entered their house and sat at their table. And something happened in their hearts. “It felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us” (v. 31).

Next time you’re disappointed, don’t panic. Don’t jump out. Don’t give up. Just be patient and let God remind you he’s still in control. It ain’t over till it’s over.