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Bible studies |
| As simple and silly as it may seem, I literally just realized that I have not been writing a prayer at the beginning of my Bible studies. So today is time to change that. Although, believe me when I say a lot of prayer and study goes into putting these together. Dear Heavenly Father, Forgive me for not including a written prayer. Help me to remember to do it from here on out. Thank you for allowing this Bible study group to come together. I hope it eventually grows and more people will comment and interact as we go along. Please give me wisdom as to what activities and reward system to include here. Let this all be pleasing to you. I pray that this will help people grow in their faith and relationship with you. I pray that this gives them tools and skills to apply your word to their lives. Let people share you with others and may others accept you as their personal Saviour. In Jesus’s Holy name, Amen I want to thank Jay O'Toole   for the additional study, comments, and poem written for last week’s study and the Armor of God.Here is a poem he has written on the subject. "Beyond the Eyes"  For those of you who want a scripture memory plan for the week, here is the suggested passage of scripture. It goes along with our topic this week. Romans 6:15-23 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Monday-verse 15 Tuesday-verse 16 Wednesday-verses 17-18 Thursday-verse 19 Friday-verses 20-21 Saturday-verses 22-23 Sunday-review This is just a suggestion. If you do try these plans I am laying out, please let me know how they work for you. Do they need to be easier? What do you think? I hope they will help you in becoming more familiar with the scriptures. Armor of God - Breastplate of Righteousness  Additional resources of information on the Breastplate of Righteousness: https://www.gotquestions.org/breastplate-of-righteousness.html https://vimeo.com/50499350 🪔🕯🪔🕯🪔🕯🪔🕯🪔🕯🪔🕯🪔🕯 Before I get into the breastplate, I want to talk a little about justification and sanctification. I believe it ties into what we are studying. Here is an external article explaining sanctification. https://equip.sbts.edu/article/6-things-every-christian-needs-know-sanctificatio... sanc·ti·fi·ca·tion noun noun: sanctification; plural noun: sanctifications the action of making or declaring something holy. the action or process of being freed from sin or purified. the action of causing something to be or seem morally right or acceptable. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/justification From this link to the definition of justification, I was led to defense. I find this to be interesting since we are studying the armor and it has to do with defense. Justification - The act or an illustration justifying something: vindication. Vindication - an act of vindicating : the state of being vindicated specifically : justification against denial or censure : DEFENSE Definition of defense (Entry 1 of 2) 1a : the act or action of defending the defense of our country speak out in defense of justice quickly jumped to her friend's defense b law : the denial, answer, or plea (see PLEA sense 2b) of one against whom a criminal or civil action is brought : a defendant 's denial, answer, or plea 2a : capability of resisting attack the body's defense against disease b sports : ability to keep an opponent from scoring in a game or contest : defensive play or ability a player known for good defense 3a : means or method of defending or protecting oneself, one's team, or another the nation's air and ground defenses Big shells are an effective defense against these predators as well. — Gregory P. Dietl also : a defensive structure b : an argument in support or justification offered no defense of his actions c law : the collected facts and method adopted by a defendant to protect and defend against a plaintiff's action His lawyers used an insanity defense. d chess : a sequence of moves available to the second player in the opening (see OPENING sense 3a) 4a law : a defending party or group (as in a court of law) The defense rests. b sports : a defensive team He was the linchpin of one of the league's stoutest defenses … — Sarah Kwak 5 government : the military and industrial aggregate that authorizes and supervises arms production appropriations for defense defense contract defense verb defensed; defensing Definition of defense (Entry 2 of 2) transitive verb sports : to take specific defensive action against (an opposing team or player or an offensive play) : to attempt to keep (an opponent or play) from scoring in a game or contest This link explains the difference in detail between justification and sanctification. https://www.gotquestions.org/justification-vs-sanctification.html The moment you are truly saved, you are justified. Sanctification is a life long process. Putting on the belt of truth is associated with justification. Putting on the breastplate of righteousness is associated with sanctification. We must have a firm foundation of truth for our righteousness. I wrote this pertaining to a horrible experience I had to show how all things work together for my good. However, I wanted to share this here because I want to say something about the angel experience I had in this story. The Angel showed me how God sees me.
I had a revelation as I was studying this and I want to share it with you. In the story above, I saw myself covered in the blood of Christ completely, and I was wearing a white robe. We often hear of the saints being clothed in white robes. We are justified by being covered in the blood of Christ. We are declared righteous the moment we are saved. Because we are first justified by his sacrifice on the cross for our sins, we can then be clothed in his righteousness. In Revelation 19:8, The Lamb’s wife (we are the bride of Christ) is made ready in white by the righteousness of the saints. Could the white robe we wear be the righteousness we put on because of Christ? Wow! What a beautiful picture and deep truth! Revelation 19:7-8 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. What truths can you think of for a solid foundation for our righteousness? (Room for discussion here) Notes ▼ Look in these notes for possible answers. What is righteousness? https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/righteous Definition of righteous 1 : acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin 2a : morally right or justifiable a righteous decision b : arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality righteous indignation A closer look at a soldier’s Breastplate: The Soldier’s breastplate covered his body from his neck to his waist, front and back. It was made of medal plates or chains sometimes with leather underneath so no sword or arrow could pass through it even from behind. The shoulder prices buckled together so the soldier could move freely. The breastplate was designed to protect the entire torso. It protected the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and other vital organs in that area. The most vital organ protected was the heart. Guard Your Heart! As Christians we must guard the heart. The breastplate protects the soldier against the deadly pierce of sin. A believer who has unrepentant sin will become the target of Satan's attack. Satan likes to place doubt in our heart and discourage us from doing what is right. He causes anger, hate, resentment, bitterness, strife, confusion, and depression. He is an accuser (Revelation 12:10). He will then make you feel guilt about the feelings he caused. He makes you feel like you aren’t good enough. He entices us to look at our problems rather than God's solutions. Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. ❤️ Everything comes from the heart ❤️ Matthew 15:18-19 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: The Belt of Truth and Breastplate of Righteousness are mentioned together because they work together to protect our heart and emotions. Proverbs 13:6 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner. We can only ascribe righteousness to our maker. Job 36:3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. All of our righteousness is like filthy rags. We have all sinned. No one is righteous, not one person. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:10-12 (see also Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3) 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. The solution? Romans 3:19-26 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Righteousness is received by faith. We trust in the blood of Christ and walk in repentance. We must desire to protect our relationship with the Lord, be righteous, not tainted by sin, with righteous acts. Remaining in sin hinder us from drawing near to God in true worship and service. Sin discourages and prevents spiritual advancements. The only defense against sinfulness is the imputed righteousness of God. When we trust Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, God justifies us and sanctifies us by putting his imputed righteousness upon us. God declares us no longer guilty of sin, and gives us the power through the Holy Spirit to live right. God gives you the righteousness of Jesus. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We will fight sin as long as we live on this Earth. We must confess our sin immediately and ask God's forgiveness. The kind of life we choose to live can make it easier for Satan to attack us or harder for him to defeat us. Ephesians 4:27-32 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. How do we put on the breastplate of righteousness? We put on the breastplate of righteousness by simply doing what is right in God's eyes. We put on his righteousness in Christ Jesus. It is a daily decision we make to put on the breastplate of righteousness or not. Job 29:12-17 12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. 13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. 15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. 16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. 17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. Romans 4:3-5 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Other Scriptures about God's righteousness: 1 Corinthians 1:27-31 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Psalm 5:8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. Psalm 36:6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. Romans 1:16-17 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:18 (of interest to me) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Romans 5:18-21 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Philippians 3:8-11 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Galatians 2:19-21 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Other things righteousness does for us: It makes us shine bright as the stars. Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Matthew 5:14-16 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. It's end result is quietness and peace. Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Psalm 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. It gives hope in death. Proverbs 14:32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. It delivers from death. Proverbs 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death. Proverbs 21:21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. God's right hand is full of righteousness. Psalm 48:10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. God's righteousness endures forever. Psalm 111:3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. It exalts nations. Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. It is a gift of God. Romans 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) The kingdom of God is Righteousness. Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. The fruit of righteousness is sewn in peace. James 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. Righteousness produces a good conscience. 1 Peter 3:13-22 13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. When we put on the breastplate of righteousness, we announce God has set all things right for us and all things are being made new. We are born again (John 3). Our breastplate is visible to the world. It guards your heart. It protects your personal integrity: sincerity, truth, and without hypocrisy. Keep righteousness close to your heart. Remain aware of the righteousness of Christ at all times and in every circumstance and environment. We obviously can't be good all the time. We already tried that. It didn't work. We must keep ourselves in God's expansive goodness. We must allow His perfection, His wholeness, and his righteousness to rule our heart. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Fight the good fight, and keep pressing towards the righteousness of God! Jesus is my permanent anchor!  |
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