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MESSAGES FOR FEBRUARY 2018
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Have you ever read through the Bible in one year?
What would be the benefits of reading through the Bible?
Paul states in 1 Corinthians 10:11-12:
11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom
the ends of the ages have come.
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. (NASU)
What Paul was alluding to in 1 Corinthians 10, was the fact that the people of Israel had the cloud of God’s
glory, the prophet of God Moses, and all the miracles of God, and they still were struck down in their rebellion
and idolatry. Paul tells us that God recorded these things that we would receive warnings and instruction as to
what is evil, how do avoid it, and what are the consequences of falling into similar sins as Israel. But how can
we benefit from what God has preserved in the Old Testament and reinforced in the New Testament if we do
not read the word?
Jesus warned the Pharisees and the people of His day that it is easy to conform to traditions of man and yet
fail to obey the commands of God in Mark 7:6-9:
6 And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
7 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'
8 "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men."
9 He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep
your tradition. (NASU)
So how do we know that we have been adhering to traditions of men which may have been passed down from
our church experience rather than obeying the commandments of God? There is only one way, read the
Scriptures and learn God’s will and commandments!
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Here are three schedules that help you to read through the Bible in 2018…
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Messages from the Book of Acts: February 2018:
Objective: In our continuing study of the First Century believers, we will discover that they were
committed to Christ in a variety of means and ministries, but they were primarily motivated by the
presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. We will see how the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the
loves of these believers can be cultivated and experienced by us today.
February 4th: Using Oppression for Transformation: Acts 4:1-14
Objective: The oppression that Peter and John experienced for sharing their faith was
and opportunity for the Holy Spirit to transform their lives. We will look at the lives of Peter and
John and learn how the Holy Spirit used the oppression in their lives to transform them into Christ
like disciples.
February 11th: Turning Obstinacy into Obedience: Acts 5:1-16
Objective: The attempted deception on the part of Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the
church regarding the monies given from the sale of their land to the church was used by the Holy
Spirit to turn their obstinacy into church wide obedience. We will learn that one of the ministries of
the Holy Spirit is to transform our wrongheadedness into obedience.
February 18th: Turning Opposition into Opportunity: Acts 6:1-15
Objective: When the church began to experience opposition from within, the fiasco in
failing to feed the Helenistic widows (Greek speaking Jewish believers), the Holy Spirit stepped up
again and gave the church the wisdom and guidance to choose the right people for the right reasons
to do the right things. We will learn how the Holy Spirit can fill us and prepare us for multiple
ministries.
February 25th: Transforming Opponents into Partners: Acts 8:1-17
Objective: The church experienced the challenge of many opponents and especially those
who were opposed to their Jewish roots and religion, but the Holy Spirit transformed the believers
and the nonbelievers into partners for the spreading of the gospel.
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