BOOK REVIEW - "JAMES: FAITH/WORKS" BY MATT CHANDLER

I was in a Sunday School class where we went through this workbook. It is a 13 week expository series by Matt Chandler through the book of James.

This was a very good study. Besides discussion questions for the class, there is a pair of studies to do at home for each week. The book has a password so you can view videos for the lesson.

Differences between this and other studies I've done: 

1. The others were shorter, no more than 10 lessons; this had 13.
2. The videos were of Chandler preaching sermons. The others I've seen look like they're filmed at a stage and gave the impression that he was addressing a small group (maybe even the individual viewer); this study gave us the impression we were part of the congregation.
3. The videos are longer. Other series have videos that are about 20 minutes or less; Chandler's sermons were between 30 and 40 minutes.
4. If you're looking for an expository series, I would recommend this one. Our class also used J.D. Greaer's study on Daniel: Faithful in the Fire, but that one was more focused on Daniel's standing up in a hostile society and thus focused on the passages that fit the theme. Chandler's on James covered the whole book.

I would definitely recommend this book for a Bible study, either by yourself, or in a class.

BOOK REVIEW - "THE TITUS TEN BIBLE STUDY: FOUNDATIONS FOR GODLY MANHOOD" BY J. JOSH SMITH

 

The men's Bible study class I'm in at my church just finished going through "The Titus Ten Bible Study: Foundations for Godly Manhood". J. Josh Smith does an excellent job in covering ten sometimes overlap principles on being a godly man. Each of those points are taken from the pastoral epistle Titus. 

This review is concerning the workbook for the study. It is designed to have a group discussion, followed by five short personal Bible studies for that week. There is an access code where you can get to see Smith's video lectures.

I would describe this more as a topical study with Titus being a launching pad than a study of the book of Titus. The development of the study is laying "foundations for godly manhood," as opposed to going through the book. The ten studies are focused on the ten foundations and go through various Scriptures establishing his theme; Titus is included but not always the foundational point.

If you'd like a book for a men's study dealing with our role in the family, the church, and society, I highly recommend this book. 

SUNDAY PSALMS PART 29 OF 48 - PSALM 119:17-24

Log Church, Turkey Run State Park, Marshall, IN

 17     Deal bountifully with Your servant,
        That I may live and keep Your word.
18     Open my eyes, that I may see
        Wondrous things from Your law.
19     I am a stranger in the earth;
        Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20  My soul breaks with longing
        For Your judgments at all times.
21     You rebuke the proud--the cursed,
        Who stray from Your commandments.
22   Remove from me reproach and contempt,
        For I have kept Your testimonies.
23  Princes also sit and speak against me,
        But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
24  Your testimonies also are my delight
       And my counselors.
                    Psalm 119:17-24, New King James Version

Isn't verse 18 a wonderful prayer to say before you do your Bible reading?

How about verse 19? Do you feel like a stranger on earth? If so, good for you, and you need to as a result grow more familiar with God's word. If you're a Christian who doesn't feel like a stranger on this depraved planet, then something's wrong!

You notice who's called "the cursed?" Yep, the proud. God doesn't think much of pride, does he? Pride is at the root of all rebellion against God, the source of all our disobedience.

Finally, is God's testimony our delight and our counselor? Or are we trusting in princes who sit and speak against God's people?

 

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY AS PART OF WHAT SHOULD BE A NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE - A STUDY ON ROMANS 14 PART 11 OF 11

Righteous Living Christian Church Indianapolis (Irvington)

 

Thank you very much to all of you who have followed this series. Hopefully it has given you things to think about. And PLEASE let me know your thoughts in a comment.

Allow me to debrief in this blog in three parts. 

1. A return to context, particularly what follows Romans 14.
2. How does Christian Liberty fit in with Christian life as a whole?
3. What is the point of Romans 14 and Christian Liberty?

You ready? I am.

CONTEXT

Chapter 14 ends with a statement that what isn't of faith is sin. It goes right into Chapter 15 (remember there are no chapter and verse divisions in the original, and that they're added for reference), which states we ought to bear with the scruples of the weak and please others, not ourselves, according to Christ's example and be granted one mind with each other so as one we can praise and glorify God. Romans 15:7 repeats the theme of Romans 14:1, stating, "Receive one another as Christ as received you."

CHRISTIAN LIFE

Is Christian Liberty something that stands by itself? Let me give a list of important aspects of our everyday Christian life, and see if it fits.

Bible reading/study? Actually, it does. Each one reading Scripture comes with presuppositions, biases, opinions, traditions, knowledge (and lack thereof), and life experiences. Will they all be the same? Nope. Should they be? Only if God made us all identical. In other words, Nope. Thus, Christian Liberty is not only a part of group Bible studies but enables us to challenge our thoughts and grow as we listen to each other as equals.

Prayer? This one is tougher because prayer usually is between one and God, as well as agreeing with each other in prayer. If you want to say it doesn't fit here, I'll permit that. On the other hand, when we pray about struggles with other believers or learning to love them more, I believe there is a connection.

Fellowship? Does this question need to be asked? Clearly, Christian Liberty is a part of fellowship with fellow believers, especially when seen as a manifestation of loving one another.

Evangelism? I personally believe that Christian Liberty is designed for evangelism no less than for fellowship. Why? Because we have the freedom to go where God calls us. I know some friends who were in a Christian band. They arrived at the church they thought they were booked at and found an empty parking lot. They called their contact, and found out they were booked at a bar. Would your band play at a bar? Well, this one told the owner they sang Christian songs, shared between songs, and gave an altar call. The bar owner shrugged and said he needed a band. To make a long story short, a half dozen came to the band's church the next morning, got saved, and became active church members. This band exercised Christian Liberty by following Jesus into that bar. 

Righteousness/Holiness? A person acting in Christian liberty properly will be living righteously and holy; he/she won't be using it as a license to sin. However, do we agree what holiness/righteousness looks like? Uh, what about us all looking at things differently? Christian liberty discourages us from judging others when their view of holiness and ours differs.

WHAT IS THE POINT?

One weakness of the church (and human nature) is that we expect others to conform to our standards. Romans 14, as the rest of Scripture, teaches we should instead focus on others, letting them be themselves and be more concerned about us offending them than them offending us.

Okay. Series done. Your comments?

 

 I've recently started reading Tozer, and I noticed this title as I was in a Bible study going through First Peter.

This is not a commentary. My impression is that it was a collection of seventeen sermons, sixteen of which were from First Peter (the last touched on Jude). This still gives insights on certain issues through Peter's first Epistle.

This is not in the category of his classics "Pursuit of God" or "Knowledge of the Holy". However, this is a very useful and instructive book.

Have you read any Tozer books? Have you studied 1 Peter recently?