Featured Photo: The Church of Christ in Ivano-Frankivsk assembles to study the Bible’s teaching on Satan’s strategies for destroying local congregations.
An inconvenient and uncomfortable thought
We are very eager to talk to God via prayer, but sadly we lack that eagerness for God to talk to us via the Bible! We are committed to prayer, but indifferent to Bible study! Many pray often; few study the Bible regularly. Why do we NOT have time on earth for God to talk to us via the Bible, but we think we will enjoy an eternity of God talking to us in Heaven?
Biblical Exhortation
Many texts emphasize the obligation of Bible study. Here is a sampling: 1 Peter 2:1-3; Psalm 42:1; 119; etc. Scriptures mandate that Christians have a strong desire, a craving, a longing, and a compelling desire to read the Bible. This desire is likened to an insatiable thirst that the animal has only one thought in its mind—to get to the thirst satisfied by the brook!
Bible study/reading is to be a passion. It is a deep longing and a craving. It is strong and intense.
Biblical Illustration
The Church of Christ in Ivano-Frankivsk illustrates this “panting” for the Word of God. We have been assembling during the week and studying how Satan manipulates Christians to follow a man, which leads to the destruction of that congregation. The cunning Devil can bring destruction in congregations by those who appear to be “angels of light” but are “inwardly ravening wolves”! The scriptures are clear on what must be done to such men.
The classes have been attentive, disappointed when the class must conclude, and eagerly await the next gathering.
Their eagerness is exposed as they ask for Bible topics to be discussed during my next visit. These are significant topics, and I’m certain that Gif will be able to discuss them.
After last night’s class, we had a Q&A session. Among the questions asked was one just returning from a retreat. She said that she had a troubling problem. She asked, “Why do those stand up when prayers are made?” Is this a command of God? The answer is simple in that most there have backgrounds in the East and were conditioned by the Orthodox Church. As Scripture teaches, there are multiple postures for praying, and to insist upon only one way is to bind where God has not bound and to give credibility to the Orthodox heresy; plus it binds a cultural act as an inspired action. Proper teaching, study, and application answer this perplexity.
The class discussion was wonderful. The sincerity was commendable. The desire to know a book-chapter-verse for our actions in response to God is delightful!
Following the study period, we enjoyed “leftovers” from the fellowship meal Sunday afternoon. Natasha and Vova prepared the leftovers, and it was a tasty meal of fresh garden vegetable salad and a stew-type mix of other leftovers.
A “hunger for the Scriptures” is a yearning to understand, internalize, and consistently apply God’s Word. Perhaps Job’s declaration epitomizes this hunger best: “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12).
NOTE: The photos shown in this report (and all other communications) are NOT to be forwarded or published in any way! The environment and censorship requirements mandate that I make this point.
The slideshow of tonight’s Bible study is below. Please reread the above warning regarding forwarding posted photos without permission.
Again, I ask you to remember my trip in prayer with the Apostle’s request in Ephesians 6:19, “(O)n my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.”
John L. Kachelman, Jr., UKRAINE MISSIONS, Dalraida Church of Christ, P.O. Box 3085, Montgomery, AL 36109
