Bible Study - Class meets on Thursday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM CST.

[cali_lady]

Thank you Cali_Lady ... the more you practice, the easier it will become.

Thank you to Yajmafia for doing the opening prayer and for all the contributors. 

Please feel free to come back and share any stories, insight, or questions you have about Chapters 1 through 4.  We will be discussing these 4 chapters from now until next Wednesday. 

Thursday - January 19th, we will be discussing Mark 5 through 8.  See you all then.  Same place, same time... and perhaps more and more people...

you're welcome...i'm on chapter 8 and I'm having a hard time trying to understand that chapter...

but i'll go back and reread the previous chapters to get a better understanding. ..thanks for setting this up ladylioness... and for those who's given their insights...tha nks too...

i'm still learning so everything is gradually sinking as it comes in...

[LadyLionness]

you're welcome...i'm on chapter 8 and I'm having a hard time trying to understand that chapter...

but i'll go back and reread the previous chapters to get a better understanding. ..thanks for setting this up ladylioness... and for those who's given their insights...tha nks too...

i'm still learning so everything is gradually sinking as it comes in...

Let me know if you want to discuss Chapter 8 over the phone... I have a couple of really good resources (my hubby if it's life application and a good friend of his if it's theology).

[LadyLionness]

Where have I been all these time! I want in too!

No problem... I will add you to the list... it's fairly new.  This is only our second meeting.

A quick recap:

Goal is to do a Bible Study using the Bible itself as our text.  Some of the people are fairly new Christians, so we have decided to start with Mark - to get an overview of the basics.  Next, we will read the Book of James.  Then we will go back to Matthew and read it forward... all the way to Revelation.

Finally, we will go to Genesis and read all of the Old Testament in order.

Last week was on Mark 1.

This week was on Mark 2, 3, and 4.

Next week, we will be reading Mark 5, 6, 7, and 8... with the discussion on Thursday 12:00 CST.



Last thought... discussion is to go on all week long... Mark 2, 3, and 4... until Wednesday of next week.

[Renaissance]

side comment/thought xwb....kind of like a farmer =jesus and our hurdles are the weeds that grows along the way...right?

right, but there is more.  the seed is the word of God (not just the Bible and the contents of the Bible).  the word of God is about Jesus, which is the good news of salvation.  the seed ( which is Jesus or the good news) has been planted.  we (our hearts) are like the soil.  some of us is like the path that the seed fell upon.  because a path has no place for a seed to take root, birds can pick up the seed easily.  this represents the people who's heart have only heard about the good news (or Jesus) but have not opened to Him.  Satan (the crow) can pick up these seeds easily because they have not taken root (meaning that because they have not accepted Jesus into their lives, Satan can take them as his own easily).  The second group is like the rocky area that the seed fell on.  This represents the people who hear of Jesus and have accepted Jesus, but do not fully have faith in Jesus (or the word).  when everyday hardships fall upon these people, they lose their faith quickly.  the third group is like the area with thorns.  these are people who have heard about Jesus and have accepted him into their lives.  they have faith in Him, but they still are concerned about worldly things.  when worldy hardships and worldly temptations come into their lives, they put Jesus second.  The last group is like the fertile ground that the seed fell on.  they hear the good news, accepts Jesus into their lives, trusts/have faith in Him, and live their lives according to the good news.

[LadyLionness]

OFF TOPIC: my daughters wanted me to share this with you guys...

http://www.pretribulation.com/signs.htm

[yajmafia]

OFF TOPIC: my daughters wanted me to share this with you guys...

http://www.pretribulation.com/signs.htm

Very Interesting.

[BoyRescue]

Hope you all don't mind, but I'd like to dig deeper into this parable.

Notice often times that with many believers and not just new believers, but after reading the word of God they often forget what they have just read.  For some it may not be immediately afterwards, but maybe within the next day or so.  Or how about when they listen to a sermon during Sunday service and they zone out during the sermon or they fall asleep.  Then when asked what they learn they can only recall bits and pieces of the sermon.  Why is this so?

Mark 4:15 explains why.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. (Mark 4:15).

What happens when the word of God is being sown and people take the word of God lightly with carelessness?  Satan comes!  When does he come?  He comes IMMEDIATELY! He just stole someone's healing, their calling, their favor, or maybe even their life.  You see, why so many Christians are hurting because they let Satan steal away the word that God has sown in their life.  Don't let this be you.

Now to put this in perspective for each of us, how many of you have forgotten what you have read thus far in the book of Mark.  I'm not talking about memorizing what you have read, but about how much the WORD OF GOD has influenced your life to make a change.  If the word of God is not convicting you to change and your still complacent then Satan has stolen the words sown in your life.  Now, I'm not saying changes happen over night, but the word of God is suppose to stir something within your Spirit to bring forth fruit.

[WindComeWindBlow]

I have a question but will come back later with the verse from Mark.  Just bumping this for now. 

[WindComeWindBlow]

Mark 3: 31-35  "Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived.  Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him.  A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."

"Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. 

Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."


My best friend brought a scenerio up this past weekend and quickly my mind went to this verse in Mark.  My best friend's sister is very active in the church and she seems very nice to everyone else but acts different when she's at home.  There are many girls who are going through this now where they get along with the church people but have a hard time getting along with family members at home. 

I'm not really sure what my question is but I hope you know where I'm going with this. 

I have some understanding of my own but would like some of your thoughts. 

[LadyLionness]

Are you asking if this lady is thinking that she is following in Jesus' footsteps? 

I can find some verses if you like, but from my understanding, if you win the world, but lose those closest to you... you have not gained very much.  Take the prophet Samuel, he did so much and made such a big impact on the world, but what I remember him most for was that at the end, he lost all his children, they did not follow in his righteousness.  He was able to affect the world, but failed with his own children.  In the end, he lost everything.

Even in the New Testament, Paul taught that a leader should be one that has his home under control, for if he/ or she cannot control his/ or her own household, how do they expect to make an impact to those on the outside.

[WindComeWindBlow]

Ladylionness, Jesus turned his mother and brothers away.  Jesus set the example for us to walk like Christians but shouldn't our family come first?  Or shouldn't his family come first?

[LadyLionness]

Ladylionness, Jesus turned his mother and brothers away.  Jesus set the example for us to walk like Christians but shouldn't our family come first?  Or shouldn't his family come first?

Wind, he didn't exactly turned them away.  His point was that anyone who is willing to accept the will of God and work to bring forth the kingdom of God is a brother, sister, mother, father to him... meaning that they have been adopted into God's family and is of equal status of those who share blood.

Also, remember their reason for coming to get him... it was to take him home or something to that order b/c they felt shame that he was causing a lot of commotion.  They didn't understand him and believe him... so they sought him out to hush him.  Out of respect for his family, he choose not to confront them, for he knew exactly what he was doing.

I read that James, his brother - the author of the book of James- did not believe in him until much later in his ministry...

And the example in regards to family in this matter is that if you are doing the will of God and your family is against you, it's ok to keep following God's will, but to do it in such a way that you are not confronting, arguing, fighting and dishonoring your parents...

I think your friend is not following in Jesus' example, she is following Samuel the prophet's example....

This is coming from my understanding only, I will look it up at noon and explain more...

[LadyLionness]

Ladylionness, Jesus turned his mother and brothers away.  Jesus set the example for us to walk like Christians but shouldn't our family come first?  Or shouldn't his family come first?

God comes first.  Always.

Took me a long time to understand this too b/c I have always thought that my husband should come first.

I have learned over the years that when you have learned to submit your whole self to God and put him first, everything else fall into place... how?

In regards to family... what did God teach us?  Love your neighbor as you love yourself... who is your neighbor?  Anyone standing next to you... be it your family, friends, co-worker, stranger as in the parable of the Good Samaritan...

In regards to parents... the Bilbe teach that we are to honor our parents... and here is the kicker... this is the only commandment that has a promise attach to it... that if you honor your parents, you will live a long life.

In regards to husbands, the Bible is adamant that wives are to submit themselves to their husband... regardless of the husband's actions or lack therefore... that the wife cannot wait until the husband is doing his husbandly role before she give him the respect...

In regards to wives, husbands are to love their wives as they love their own bodies.... how do they love their bodies?  They don't go around punching themselves (unless they are truly crazy), the don't starve their bodies, the hardest thing for a human being to do is to take his or her own life... self-perservation... and that is how he is to love his wife... and he is to do it b/c it is a commandment from God... not b/c his wife is being respectful and submissive but b/c God says so.

And you can go down the line, through all your relationships. ..

As for children, the book of Proverbs says for parents to love their kids and not provoke them to anger...

[BoyRescue]

Did anybody catch the hidden revelation in the Parable of the Sower?

[cali_lady]

God comes first.  Always.

Took me a long time to understand this too b/c I have always thought that my husband should come first.

I have learned over the years that when you have learned to submit your whole self to God and put him first, everything else fall into place... how?

In regards to family... what did God teach us?  Love your neighbor as you love yourself... who is your neighbor?  Anyone standing next to you... be it your family, friends, co-worker, stranger as in the parable of the Good Samaritan...

In regards to parents... the Bilbe teach that we are to honor our parents... and here is the kicker... this is the only commandment that has a promise attach to it... that if you honor your parents, you will live a long life.

In regards to husbands, the Bible is adamant that wives are to submit themselves to their husband... regardless of the husband's actions or lack therefore... that the wife cannot wait until the husband is doing his husbandly role before she give him the respect...

In regards to wives, husbands are to love their wives as they love their own bodies.... how do they love their bodies?  They don't go around punching themselves (unless they are truly crazy), the don't starve their bodies, the hardest thing for a human being to do is to take his or her own life... self-perservation... and that is how he is to love his wife... and he is to do it b/c it is a commandment from God... not b/c his wife is being respectful and submissive but b/c God says so.

And you can go down the line, through all your relationships. ..

As for children, the book of Proverbs says for parents to love their kids and not provoke them to anger...

good analogy Ladylioness...