WINTER 2016-17 PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE RONNIE FLOYD GENERAL EDITOR SPOKEN: THE RHYTHM OF GOD S WORD THRIVE: LIVING IN REAL JOY
Contents Spoken: The Rhythm of God s Word SUGGESTED FOR THE WEEK OF Introduction... 10... December 4 Session 1 God s Word Delights... 13 December 11 Session 2 God s Word Fills My Heart... 21 December 18 Session 3 God s Word Gives Courage... 29 December 25 Session 4 God s Living Word Saves... 37 January 1 Session 5 God s Word is Always Relevant... 45 January 8 Session 6 God s Word is Truth... 53 Article Hearing God in Your Quiet Time... 61 Created for a Purpose January 15 Special Focus Created for a Purpose... 64 Article Our Debt, Our Worship... 75 Thrive: Living in Real Joy... Introduction... 78 January 22 Session 1 Praying with Joy... 81 January 29 Session 2 Sharing with Joy... 89 February 5 Session 3 Following with Joy... 97 February 12 Session 4 Growing with Joy... 105 February 19 Session 5 Practicing Joy.... 113 February 26 Session 6 Giving with Joy... 121 Coming in Spring.................................................................................................................. 130 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 3
WINTER 2016-17 PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE RONNIE FLOYD GENERAL EDITOR SPOKEN: THE RHYTHM OF GOD S WORD THRIVE: LIVING IN REAL JOY Don t miss this! Social Media The App Connect with a community of Bible Studies for Life users. Post responses to questions, share teaching ideas, and link to great blog content. Facebook.com/BibleStudiesForLife Get instant updates about new articles, giveaways, and more. @BibleMeetsLife Bible Studies for Life is also available as an ebook. The ebook is opened and read with the Bible Studies for Life App, which is free from the ios App Store and the Google Play Store. Commentary Dig deeper into Scripture with the Bible Studies for Life: Advanced Bible Study. This resource features in-depth Bible exposition on the passages studied in this book. ADVANCED Bible Study SPOKEN: THE RHYTHM OF GOD S WORD THRIVE: LIVING IN REAL JOY Winter 2016-17 Bible Studies for Life: Adult Personal Study Guide Volume 4, Number 2 Winter 2016-17 Eric Geiger Vice President, LifeWay Resources Ronnie Floyd General Editor Lynn H. Pryor Team Leader Sam O Neal Content Editor Ken Braddy Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies Michael Kelley Director, Groups Ministry Send questions/comments to: Content Editor, Bible Studies for Life: Adults, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0175; or make comments on the Web at BibleStudiesforLife.com Printed in the United States of America Bible Studies for Life: Personal Study Guide (ISSN: 2330-1988; Item 005562227) is published quarterly by LifeWay, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. 2016 LifeWay. For ordering or inquiries, visit lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, e-mail subscribe@ lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, email orderentry@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5933, or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay s doctrinal guideline, please visit lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. HCSB All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. NIV Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.(R) ESV Scriptures taken from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible Studies for Life: Adults often lists websites that may be helpful to our readers. Our staff verifies each site s usefulness and appropriateness prior to publication. However, website content changes quickly so we encourage you to approach all websites with caution. Make sure sites are still appropriate before sharing them with students, friends, and family. 4 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
A Word from Ronnie I ve had the privilege of reading through the entire Bible at least once during each of the past 25 years. Each time, I am amazed at the depth and power of God s Word. This is why I am so excited about our studies this quarter. For one thing, you re about to engage in a Bible study about the Bible itself! God s Word is so rich, and in his study Spoken: The Rhythm of God s Word, H. B. Charles Jr. takes us into Psalm 119 the longest psalm and chapter in the Bible. In it, you ll discover the beauty of this book that brings us together for study. God gave us His word to reveal Himself to us and to show us who we can be when our lives are fully devoted to Christ. God calls us to a life of abundant joy. In our second study, we will learn all about that joy. Tony Merida takes us into the Book of Philippians through his study Thrive: Living in Real Joy. Set a spiritual goal: Read through the Bible in one year. Study this amazing book God s Word together, and in the process you will discover the great joy we can have in and through Him. Talk about it together. Ask questions. Learn together. I am confident you will fall in love with God s Word and walk in the joy of Christ. General Editor @RonnieFloyd RonnieFloyd.com BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 5
My g roup's prayer requests 6 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
My g roup's prayer requests BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 7
My g roup's prayer requests 8 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
My g roup's prayer requests BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 9
SPOKEN: THE RHYTHM OF GOD S WORD 10 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
Listen up! God has spoken. Our lives are filled with words: Direct conversations, overheard conversations, the non-stop drone of the TV. Words spill at us through emails, blogs, and social media. It seems like everyone has something to say. Unfortunately, this ceaseless flow of words often brings mixed messages. It s like the cacophony of an orchestra warming up for a concert. Each musician plays what he or she wants, and the combined sounds can be downright unpleasant. The noise has no rhyme or reason. The word God has spoken to us the Bible is different. Far different. Even though more than 40 separate people were used by God to write His Word over a period of 1,500 years, we hear the steady rhythm of God s heart throughout the Scriptures. Regardless of the time period, the style, and the purpose of each book in God s Word, He has spoken clearly and consistently. And His words still speak. Psalm 119 has a single focus: to make known the beauty and power of God s Word and highlight its authority to speak into our lives. In this study, we ll take a deeper look at the ways God has spoken through Scripture. We ll see that, when we listen to what the text is telling us, the rhythm of God s Word becomes the rhythm of our own lives. H. B. Charles, Jr. H. B. Charles, Jr. is the pastor-teacher at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida. He and his wife, Crystal, have three children. He is the author of several books, including It Happens After Prayer. He blogs about life at hbcharlesjr.com. 11
Spoken: The Rhythm of God s Word Session 1 God s Word Delights Psalm 119:1-8 Session 2 God s Word Fills My Heart Psalm 119:9-16 Session 3 God s Word Gives Courage Psalm 119:17-24 Session 4 God s Living Word Saves Psalm 119:41; Luke 1:30-35 Session 5 God s Word is Always Relevant Psalm 119:89-96 Session 6 God s Word is Truth Psalm 119:153-160 12
1 GOD S WORD DELIGHTS What s the longest book you ve ever enjoyed? QUESTION #1 #BSFLspoken BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 13
THE POINT We experience joy as we follow God s Word. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE Ever tried to decide as a group where to eat? Someone wants to go for sushi, but others would rather starve than eat raw fish. Another person wants something exotic with lots of spices, while others want hamburgers. Finding a consensus can be far from easy. There are some things, however, that everyone seems to enjoy. A conversation with an old friend. A glass of cold water on a hot day. A good night s sleep. Here s an interesting question: where does God s Word fall in your list of preferences? The Bible is a delightful book and Psalm 119 shows us just how delightful it is. The whole chapter, containing 176 verses, is the longest of the psalms. In fact, Psalm 119 is longer than 30 other entire books of the Bible! Each stanza uses one of the 22 Hebrew letters to form an acrostic that extols the value of (and expresses delight in) God s Word. Psalm 119 celebrates the total sufficiency of the Word of God to meet every need in your life. And that is a great cause for joy and delight. 14 SESSION 1
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? Psalm 119:1-3 1 How happy are those whose way is blameless, who live according to the LORD s instruction! 2 Happy are those who keep His decrees and seek Him with all their heart. 3 They do nothing wrong; they follow His ways. Psalm 119 begins with a beatitude, which is a statement of blessing and happiness. The word happy speaks of true happiness the surpassing joy, full contentment, perfect peace, and complete satisfaction found only in God. This was the perfect way for the psalmist to start, because all 176 verses of the psalm affirm that God blesses those who live in devotion to His Word. In other words, if you want true joy, give yourself truly to God and His Word. Must we be blameless in order to experience this joy? Must we do nothing wrong? Thankfully, no. Jesus is the only person who ever lived in sinless perfection, and He s the only one who can. The psalmist was simply calling for people to strive for an ever-increasing obedience to God s Word. That s what it means to live according to the LORD s instruction. Make a note of this: the Lord s instruction in His Word is not negative, restrictive, or oppressive. God s Word is not a weapon wielded by a cruel taskmaster. (Nor should it be a weapon wielded by us against our brothers and sisters.) Instead, the Scriptures are a tool in the hands of our loving Father. Our devotion to God s Word must be steadfast. It must also be sincere. In verse 1, the psalmist focused more on our actions (the external), while in verse 2 he turned the focus to our heart (the internal). Happy people are devoted to God s Word because they seek Him with all their heart. And when we seek God through His Word, we will find Him. Scripture will always bring you to God. As God Himself said to the Israelites in exile: You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart (Jer. 29:13). How would you describe your relationship with the Bible over the years? QUESTION #2 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 15
THE POINT We experience joy as we follow God s Word. Verse 3 isn t so much about the blessed person as much as it is about the Word of God. God s Word will always lead us into righteousness so that we can follow His ways. The Scriptures will never lead us into wrongdoing or sin. When has God s Word brought happiness into your life? Psalm 119:4-6 QUESTION #3 4 You have commanded that Your precepts be diligently kept. 5 If only my ways were committed to keeping Your statutes! 6 Then I would not be ashamed when I think about all Your commands. Don t miss that word commanded in verse 4. We ve seen that we experience joy when we obey God s Word. And verse 4 reminds us that we re commanded to obey God s Word. Therefore, joy should not be considered optional for followers of God! Our obedience to God s Word includes an acknowledgment of God s authority. Verse 4 assumes God s sovereign authority over all people: You have commanded that Your precepts be diligently kept. This same command makes a powerful statement about the authority of Scripture. The word precepts is a synonym for God s Word one of many the psalmist used throughout Psalm 119. This particular term refers to the covenant regulations God laid down for His people, and that which a master may rightly demand of his servants. God doesn t give suggestions, recommendations, or helpful hints. So, we must acknowledge His authority. How can we avoid treating God s Word like helpful hints rather than commands to be diligently kept? QUESTION #4 16 SESSION 1
Our obedience to God s Word must also include the confession of our shortcomings: If only my ways were committed to keeping Your statutes! The psalmist knew that joy comes from obeying God, yet he acknowledged his failure to do that as he should. We see three important elements in his confession: 1. Honesty. The psalmist was open about his shortcomings. He was a godly man you only have to read through Psalm 119 in its entirely to see that yet he confessed his failure to remain steadfast in keeping God s statutes. 2. Repentance. The psalmist wasn t content with where he was. He desired to change and that desire was explicit: If only my ways were committed to keeping Your statutes! 3. Petition. Implicit in the psalmist s statement is a recognition that he needed help. On our own, we cannot change our sinful attitudes, subdue our sinful thoughts, overcome our sinful habits, tame our sinful tongues, or break our sinful relationships. We can only keep God s statutes by depending on Christ to help us resist temptation, live obediently, and endure hardship. God has provided a way to avoid the shame of sin that tortures the mind, reddens the cheeks, hangs our head, burdens our hearts, droops our shoulders, ruins our reputations, and troubles our steps. We will not be put to shame when our minds are focused and our eyes are fixed on God s Word. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 17
THE POINT We experience joy as we follow God s Word. Psalm 119:7-8 7 I will praise You with a sincere heart when I learn Your righteous judgments. 8 I will keep Your statutes; never abandon me. How can you identify those who are devoted to God s Word? Such people depend on God. They lean on Him because they know they cannot fully obey in their own power. Verses 7-8 teach us two ways to lean on God s presence as we seek to obey His Word. First, we lean on God s presence through praise. Verse 7 makes it clear that you can only praise God properly if you know His Word. We see this truth revealed all throughout Psalm 119. For example: LORD, please accept my willing offerings of praise, and teach me Your judgments (v. 108). I praise You seven times a day for Your righteous judgments (v. 164). My lips pour out praise, for You teach me Your statutes (v. 171). Knowing the Word of God and worshiping God go hand in hand. We will praise God more often and more sincerely as we deepen our understanding of His word. Second, we lean on God s presence through prayer. The first part of verse 8 is a vow: I will keep Your statutes. The psalmist had made a personal decision and was absolutely determined to live in obedience to God s Word. As we embrace that same resolve, we should simultaneously affirm the second part of the verse: never abandon me. The psalmist admitted he cannot obey in his own strength, power, or resources, so he prayed that God s dynamic presence would faithfully support him and strengthen him in the process. The psalmist didn t think his faithful God would truly abandon him (see Heb. 13:5), but he expressed his dependence on God s presence to live obediently. What specific steps can you take to increase the influence of God s Word in your life? QUESTION #5 18 SESSION 1
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES Circle any of the following obstacles that have hindered or delayed you from obeying God s Word in recent months. No time to read Finances Apathy It s uncomfortable Fear Uncertainty Peer pressure Priorities Not sure how to obey Anxiety No time to obey Ignorance Other: Who can you speak with that can help you better understand how to experience joy through obeying the Scriptures? BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 19
THE POINT We experience joy as we follow God s Word. LIVE IT OUT How will you seek joy through God s Word in the week to come? Consider the following suggestions: Read the Bible daily. Many Bible reading plans are available visit DevoHub.com, for example, to find several options. Pick one and begin a daily quiet time of prayer and Scripture intake. It s okay to start small, but get started. Dig deeper for personal growth. Is there a specific area where you need to change or grow? Dig deeper into God s Word in that specific area. Then submit yourself to the truth of God s Word. Obey His commands. Trust His promises. Disciple a new believer. One way to discipline yourself to read and study God s Word is to invest in someone else. You may feel you don t know much, but you can learn as you walk alongside someone and help him or her learn more. It may be strange to think of the Bible as a source of delight stranger still to think of obedience as a pathway to joy. But the author of Psalm 119 knew the truth of those statements. So can you. My thoughts Share with others how you will live out this study: #BSFLspoken 20 SESSION 1