WITNESS ~ INSTRUCT ~ NURTURE / Volume 1 Issue 11
May 4, 2005
Hi !
In this issue, you'll read:
THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS - PART ONE
BACK TO THE KINGDOM - PART TEN
WORD FROM THE EDITOR - WEEK ELEVEN This week, we are beginning our study on the Book of Philippians. This is a book of joy and rejoicing. Please pray and ask God to enlighten you with the message that Paul is trying to convey as you study. After all, God's original intent is what we really need to help us apply His Word to our lives. May God richly bless each of you as endeavor to seek out the Truth of His Word. All editions of The W.I.N. E-Mail Newsletter are available on the Internet. To find them, navigate to www.fcgm.org and click on the "Newsletter" link. Feel free to copy as many as you want and pass them out to family and friends. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, send an e-mail containing your name and e-mail address to winsubscribe@fcgm.org. II. Bible Study This week we begin reading the book of Philippians. But before we do, let's first acquaint ourselves a little with the background of the Philippian church. Philippians was written by Paul, addressed to the Christians in Philippi, a major city in Macedonia. Because Philippi was a Roman colony, it appears there were very few Jews living there. There were not even the required number of ten Jewish males to establish a synagogue, thus when Paul first came to Philippi, the few Jews and God-fearing Gentiles were meeting by a river (see Acts 16:13). It is probably for this reason that Philippians contains no Old Testament quotations. As citizens of a Roman colony, Philippians were also citizens of Rome, a highly valued status (see Acts 22:25-29). Culturally, Philippians saw themselves as Romans (see Acts 16:21). This is probably why Paul emphasizes so strongly to the Philippians their citizenship in heaven (read Philippians 3:20-21). Read Acts 16:6-40 III. Memory Verse Here are a few suggestions that may help you to memorize your memory verses: 1. Ask the Lord to help you remember his Word (see John 14:26). 2. Use the version of the Bible you are most familiar with. What you normally read in your Bible is what you need to be memorizing. 3. Don't just memorize the contents of the verse; memorize its “address” (the verse reference) as well. You can do this by following this pattern: Step 1: reference; Step 2: verse content; Step 3: reference. Then repeat steps 1-3. Note that you are quoting the reference twice as many times as you quote the actual verse content. This gives the verse a clear “reference tag.” 4. After you have read your memory verse out aloud several times, try going through your memory verse without reading your computer screen. 5. Look up your memory verse in your Bible. Look at its immediate context and read the verses that come before and after your memory verse. 6. Print out your memory verse or jot it down on a piece of paper. Take this paper with you when you go to work or do other daily activities. Meditate on the meaning of the verse throughout the day. 7. During your noon appointment with the Lord, take out your memory verse and go over it again. Talk to the Lord about what this verse means to you personally. 8. In the evening (at either your evening study or your evening devotions), see if you can quote your memory verse from memory. Then, without looking at the memory verse itself, see if you can find it in your Bible. 9. The next day, before you begin committing a new verse to memory, rehearse your previous day’s memory verse and see if you can remember it (without cheating!). 10. Finally, at the end of the week (possibly on Sunday), collect all your week’s memory verses, rehearse them and see if you can recall them without reading them. Spend a little extra time on any verses you have difficulty recalling. 11. Remember: Don't just memorize a verse. Put it into practice (James 1:22). It is not being able to quote a verse from memory that counts. It is His Word abiding in your heart that counts (John 15:7). When you actually apply a verse consistently to your daily life, that is when you truly know that verse! Acts 2:42-47; " This week we are moving on in our study to the action "they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart." Once again, this week, we will turn to Barnes for help in deciphering this action. "Did eat their meat - Did partake of their food. The word “meat” with us is applied to “flesh.” In the Bible, and in Old English authors, it is applied to “provisions” of any kind. Here it means all kinds of sustenance; what nourished them - trophes - and the use of this word proves that it does not refer to the Lord’s Supper; for that ordinance is nowhere represented as designed for an ordinary meal, or to nourish the body. Compare 1Co_11:33-34. With gladness - With rejoicing. This is one of the effects of religion. It is far from gloom; it diffuses happiness over the mind; it bestows additional joy in the participation of even our ordinary pleasures. Singleness of heart - This means with a sincere and pure heart. They were satisfied and thankful. They were not perplexed or anxious; nor were they solicitous for the luxurious living, or aspiring after the vain objects of the people of the world. Compare Rom_12:8; 2Co_1:12; Col_3:22; Eph_6:5." As we can see, the Christian lifestyle was applied to even the smallest of daily routines. The early Christians did not limit their "religion" to their weekly meeting times, but lived it each day and were continually rejoicing and thanking God in all areas of their lives. Too often in the modern era, we see Christians completely "high" and "praising God" during the Sunday (or other day) service, but after walking out the door of the church building and back into the world arena, they deflate right before our very eyes. The circumstances of life are so overwhelming that away from the group setting with the music and charismatic worship leaders pumping them up and leading them on an emotional roller coaster ride, they don't have the joy or strength to overcome the trials and complexities of life. Could this be because we are no longer thankful in the little things? Could this be because we are too busy with the fast paced lifestyles of the 21st century to stop and "smell the roses?" Perhaps we are running so fast to get away from our circumstances or to "keep up with the Jones" that we are overlooking the joy found in the many blessings of everyday life that God has bestowed upon us. Let's all try an experiment this next week and see if it makes a difference in our lives. Let's each of us make a commitment to take one hour each day this next week to just sit and commune with God. This means turning off the TV, the telephone, etc. and reflecting back on the events of our life, starting with today and then the past week, month, etc. As we are reminded of each blessing, give God the praise and thanks He deserves. Begin to worship Him in the simple things of life and do so on a daily basis. As we begin to "eat our food with gladness and simplicity of heart," always giving thanks to God, we will find ourselves becoming less stressful and overwhelmed. When we go to church service, no one will have to "pump us up," and more importantly, when we leave, we will not deflate. Then we will be heading "Back to the Kingdom." Until next week... Blessings to all, Unless otherwise noted: All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Greetings to all of our readers in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Last week, we finished our Bible study on the Book of Ephesians. It is my prayer that each of you who followed the instructions and completed the study have found yourselves more enlightened and closer to our Lord. For those who have not completed the study, I would encourage you to begin [or continue] to do so today.
Blessings to all,
Rev. Sam T. Leigh
Presiding Bishop
Freedom Covenant Global Ministries
E-mail:
Website: www.fcgm.org
Bishop's eCorner: www.fcgm.org/ecorner/
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THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS - PART ONE
I. Devotional Reading
In your devotions this week, read Psalm 97. As you read, talk to the Lord about the content of this psalm. When you have finished, go back and find one or two verses and meditate prayerfully on them. Repeat this for each day of the coming week.
Now take a quick look at the historical background of Paul's mission to Philippi.
The letter to the Philippians was written as a thank you letter. Paul expresses a father's pride in the Philippians' "partnership in the gospel from the first day until now" (read Philippians 1:4; 4:15-19 and 2 Corinthians 8:1-5). The letter to the Philippians is a letter of joy. As you read Philippians, circle the word "joy" or "rejoice" whenever you see it (if you mark your Bible) and count how many times these words are used throughout the letter. Note also how Paul connects the Philippians with "overflowing joy" in 2 Corinthians 8:2.
So, find yourself a comfortable seat and let's read the book of Philippians right through in one sitting. As you read, keep asking yourself: What is Paul seeking to say to his readers? What is the most important thing on his heart? Try to accomplish this "reading all the way through" at least three times during the next week. And remember, resist the temptation to be drawn aside or distracted in any way while doing your reading.
Philippians 1:6; "...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"
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BACK TO THE KINGDOM - PART TEN
We are examining the twelve actions of the early church listed in Acts 2:42-47 with the goal of establishing, for comparison sake, a pattern of conduct within the early church, then determining how far removed the 21st century church has become from this pattern in order to better understand its present condition. We are working on the premise that "with all things being equal, we can expect the same end result." With that in mind, let's take a moment and read the entire passage again.
Bishop Sam T. Leigh
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