What The Bible Says.

Fortnightly bible study.

Episode 65 - 25/10/24

This week we look at "The Heart of God".

Topic and Purpose: Tonight, we are studying the heart of God as revealed in the Bible, inspired by the book Gentle and Lowly, which draws insights from 17th-century Puritan writings. Our focus is on understanding God’s heart through His Word, particularly His love and compassion (Matthew 11:28-30).

Approach to Study: We approach this study by bringing together scriptures without a specific agenda, allowing us to explore openly and without bias what the Bible reveals about God's heart. This method emphasizes the richness and depth of God’s Word (Jeremiah 31:20).

God’s Goodness in Creation: In Genesis 1:31, we see that everything God created was “very good,” showing His delight and generosity in sharing the goodness of creation with humanity, especially before the fall. This highlights God’s benevolent heart toward us and His desire for us to enjoy His gifts (Psalm 103:13).

Mercy and Justice: God's character is balanced between mercy and justice. In Exodus 34:6-7, God describes Himself as “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Yet, He also affirms that He does not leave the guilty unpunished. This reveals the necessity of repentance and trust in His grace for true restoration (Isaiah 55:6-9).

God’s Invitation: God invites us to seek Him while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6). His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), yet His forgiveness is abundant, and His mercy is vast. He calls us to turn from our ways and return to Him, demonstrating His desire for relationship and reconciliation.

Jesus’ Gentle and Lowly Heart: Jesus describes His own heart in Matthew 11:28-30 as “gentle and lowly.” He invites us to come to Him with our burdens, assuring us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. This shows that He walks alongside us, guiding us with compassion, patience, and humility.

Encouragement in God’s Faithfulness: Despite our failures, God remains patient and faithful. Lamentations 3:31-33 reminds us that God “does not willingly bring affliction” and that His compassion is unfailing. This encourages us to return to Him, as His heart is always inclined toward mercy and restoration.

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What The Bible Says.

Fortnightly bible study.

Episode 64 - 11/10/24

This week we tackle the second session on forgiveness.

We began with a prayer, asking for guidance and wisdom to understand God's Word, particularly on the topic of forgiveness.

Last time, we examined forgiveness in the Old Testament, focusing on God's mercy towards Israel and individual stories like Joseph and David.

Tonight, we are exploring New Testament teachings on forgiveness, starting with Matthew 18:21-35, where Jesus tells the parable of the unforgiving servant.

The parable highlights how much we've been forgiven by God, and how that should compel us to forgive others, even when it feels difficult.

We reflected on the challenge of forgiving from the heart, acknowledging that it is not just a verbal act, but one that requires a true change in our inner spirit.

Jesus' command to forgive from the heart emphasizes that forgiveness is essential for maintaining our relationship with God, and unforgiveness can create a barrier between us and God.

We concluded by discussing the transformative power of forgiveness, how it frees us, and how we are called to forgive as God has forgiven us, inspired by Christ’s example on the cross.

DOWNLOAD STUDY NOTES

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VfB3y3qVI1v42UhnAOV_laU9x-nnDrGq/view?usp=drive_link

What The Bible Says.

Fortnightly bible study.

Episode 63 - 27/09/24

This week we tackle the first session on forgiveness.

We start by acknowledging God's sovereignty and thank Him for bringing us together. We commit this meeting to Him, praying for His guidance and healing, especially for those among us who are struggling, like Tim with his injury.

We reflect on how, despite our many Bible studies, we’ve surprisingly never focused on forgiveness as its own topic. Although we’ve touched on it through other discussions, it’s clear that this is a crucial subject we need to explore more deeply.

We dive into Joseph’s story and the profound forgiveness he showed his brothers after their betrayal. We realize that Joseph’s example teaches us how God can bring good from bad, even when we face painful conflicts, especially within our families.

We discuss the emotional and spiritual struggles we all face when it comes to forgiveness, acknowledging how difficult it can be when deeply hurt. Yet, we recognize that as Christians, we are called to forgive unconditionally, just as God forgives us.

We consider whether forgiveness sometimes feels conditional, but ultimately, we know that it shouldn't be. The Bible reminds us to forgive as the Lord has forgiven us, which challenges us to practice unconditional forgiveness in our own lives.

We explore the parallels between Joseph’s experience and Jesus’ forgiveness, recognizing how Joseph’s life prefigures the Messiah. Like Jesus, Joseph extended grace and mercy even to those who had wronged him, showing us how central forgiveness is to God's plan.

As we conclude, we are reminded that forgiveness is about more than just resolving conflicts in the moment. It’s about understanding God’s larger, redemptive plan. Even through our trials and betrayals, God can bring about good, and forgiveness helps us align ourselves with His greater purpose.

DOWNLOAD STUDY NOTES

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VfB3y3qVI1v42UhnAOV_laU9x-nnDrGq/view?usp=drive_link