LHIM Weekly Bible Teaching LHIM

God invites us to join him in the work he is doing in the world. He equips us for good works by bestowing God-given talents, resources, and a heart to serve. Paul encouraged Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6 ESV). What gifts has God entrusted you with? How can you use them for his glory?
Ephesians 2:10 We aren’t saved by works, but we are saved for works. God invites us to join him in the work he is doing to repair the world.
Matthew 25:13-30 Like the master in the parable, one day Jesus will return to rule the world. When he comes, he will reward or reprimand his servants based on what they did with the resources entrusted to them.
Exodus 35:10, 30-35 and 1 Chronicles 15:22 God gave talent in art, music, or craftmanship to specific individuals so they could do work related to the Tabernacle. Throughout scripture, God entrusted people with God-given talents. God did this for a purpose − so they would be equipped for the work he called them to do.
Psalm 37:4; Philippians 2:13 God helps us to do the work he calls us to do. Not only that, but he helps us to have the desire to do it. He changes our hearts and gives us the desire to do his will.
1 Corinthians 12:4-20, 27-31 and 1 Peter 4:10-11 Christ has ascended into heaven. Metaphorically speaking, we are his hands and feet in the world today. We are the instruments he works through. We are each gifted with unique talents, entrusted with different resources, and blessed with different life experiences. Do not compare yourself to someone else. Each individual has his/her own role in the body of Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 We comfort others with the comfort we received from God. God redeems our life experiences for his glory. What experiences have you gone through that God can use to bring deliverance, healing, and hope to another person going through the same thing?
2 Timothy 1:6-7 Fan into flames the gift of God. Prayerfully consider what God may be calling you to do in this season.The post Fan into Flames the Gift of God first appeared on Living Hope.

We want to join God in what He is doing in the world and not expect Him to join us in our plans. To participate in His work we must have an awareness of Him and expectations based upon His Words.

God is at work in the world.
Awareness of God’s presence
Expectation based upon His Words

Acts 1:4-5; Luke 24:49   Expectations based upon God’s Word
Hebrews 10:36; Psalm 27:14; 62:5-6   Waiting is not passive.
Acts 2:1-4, 37   As they were doing God-centered things
Acts 3:1-12   They were looking to see where God was working, aware of His presence, and expecting results based upon His words. John 14:12-14; 15:26-27
Acts 4:1-13, 18-21
Matthew 10:19-20   Expectations based upon God’s Word
Acts 5:16-42; Luke 6:22-23
Dangerously placed expectations:

What people promise
Wrong doctrine, Romans 8:18
Self nonbiblical desires

Expectations that do not become a reality then diminish confidence and faith.
Acts 10:1-20   God is at work in the world. Join Him in what He is doing, not the opposite.
Build the habit of acknowledging the presences of God.
God will enable you to do His work.
Philippians 2:13
Hebrews 13:5-6, 20-21
Romans 8:31
Psalm 118:6
 The post Confident Expectations first appeared on Living Hope.

Acts 16:1   Paul embarked on his second missionary journey from Antioch in Syria to Derbe and Lystra, travelling over land.
Acts 16:6-8   As they travelled, God kept dissuading them from going to Asia Minor or Bithynia—places that were obvious choices for missionary work. Instead, they kept travelling. It took them 350 miles to get from Antioch in Pisidia to Troas.
Acts 16:9-12   Sleeping on the west coast of the continent of Asia, Paul’s dream convinced him they should cross the Aegean Sea into Macedonia.
Acts 16:13-15   Lydia was a merchant of purple cloth from Thyatira. After she believed in Christ, she invited Paul, Silas, Timothy, and probably Luke.
Acts 16:16-24   Paul cast the spirit of a python out of a fortune-telling slave girl, resulting in the city government beating him and Silas with rods and throwing them in jail.
Acts 16:40   After Paul and Silas had caused a riot, suffered a public beating, and spent a night in jail, Lydia still received them back into her house.
Lydia and the Philippians sent Paul money twice while he was in Thessalonica (Phil 4:15-16), when he was in Corinth (2 Cor 11:9), and when he was imprisoned in Rome (Phil 4:18). Because of these gifts, Paul could focus on evangelism, teaching, and writing his epistles instead of making tents.
 The post Lydia of Thyatira first appeared on Living Hope.

People are “filled” with holy spirit when they believe in Jesus Christ and confess him as their Lord. But, a believer doesn’t receive only a portion or part of the spirit or even just most of the spirit—they are filled with the spirit to the fullest measure. There is no lack or deficiency. They are filled completely with the gift of the spirit.
Acts 9:17
Paul was “filled with the spirit” when Ananias laid hands on him, and he was delivered of his temporary blindness.
Paul received the gift of the spirit here when Ananias laid hands on him, but there are other ways that the phrase “filled with the spirit” is used that involve a believer experiencing the power of the spirit in various ways.
Acts 2:4
Being filled with the spirit led to speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 4:8, 31
Being filled with the spirit led to speaking boldly and proclaiming the good news.
Acts 13:9, 52
Being “filled with the spirit” led to condemning a “son of the devil” and denouncing his evil and wickedness. And being “filled with joy and the holy spirit” provided supernatural comfort and encouragement in the face of rejection.
Ephesians 5:18
Being filled with the spirit is accompanied by singing, praising, and giving thanks.The post Filled With the Spirit first appeared on Living Hope.

Acts 1:1-11   Jesus stated the mission and purpose of the church.
Matthew 5-7   Jesus elaborated on how we become his witnesses.
Matthew 5:13-16   The beatitudes prepare disciples to be salt and light.
These beatitudes are intended to yield at least three significant outcomes: 1) glory to God, 2) blessedness (holiness and happiness) for the disciple, and 3) godly influence in the world.
We are different – different from both religious and the nonreligious, from the Pharisees (Matthew 6:1-18) and the Gentiles (Matthew 6:24-34).
Matthew 5:13   Salt was used as a preservative and a disinfectant.
Prayers, visibility, and sharing are all part of being salt. We are different (but not separate) from the world.
We are not to peacefully coexist and acquiesce to the world’s insanity. Christ’s disciples follow his example. He was continually out in the community modeling holiness, confronting evil, and speaking the truth.
Salt represented qualities like loyalty, fidelity, commitment, purity, integrity, and protection. Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; Ezekiel 16:4; 2 Kings 2:20-22; and Judges 9:45
Mark 9:50; Luke 14:33-35   The effect of Christians in and on society depends on our being distinct, not identical.
Matthew 5:14-16   We are the lights of the world.
John 8:12; 9:5   Jesus called himself the light of the world and light of life. We are the lights of the world because he lives in us.
Ephesians 5:8-9; Philippians 2:15-16The post Salt and Light first appeared on Living Hope.

Looking at various incidents in the life of Christ, we can appreciate how courageously and admirably he lived. Comparing him to heroes of old or those we laud in our own time, we see that Jesus comes out as the most impressive person to ever live. Thankfully, Jesus’ righteous life and heroic death were not the end, for God raised him from the dead!
Mark 3:1-6   When he healed the man with the withered hand, Jesus courageously prioritized the hurting man over the risk to himself and the inevitable consequences.
Matthew 4:1-11   When the devil tempted Jesus, again and again he heroically resisted the challenge to prove his identity as God’s Son.
Mark 14:32-36   Before he was arrested, Jesus had to stay at Gethsemane, knowing the grisly fate that awaited him if he did not flee.
Luke 22:54-62   Peter provides a contrast to Jesus’ heroism. Rather than fessing up, Peter repeatedly denies his association with Jesus.
Mark 14:55-56, 62-64   When standing before the high priest, Jesus had to decide to own his identity as the Messiah or find a way out of his predicament. He boldly chose truth over safety.
Seeing Jesus’ heroic acts, we are helped to appreciate how valuable the salvation was that he purchased for us with his blood. His death was no quick and clean matter, but a bloody, ugly, and protracted affair. However, when God raised him from the dead, everything changed, making it possible for all who trust in him to likewise leave the grave behind.The post My Hero first appeared on Living Hope.