Jesus' High Priestly Prayer

Fit for Life: Spiritual Disciplines for Committed Christians

/ Bob
In 1 Timothy 4:7-8 we read that we are to train, that is discipline, ourselves for Godliness. Physical training we are familiar with in our body-image culture, but while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Furthermore, we are told in Philippians 2:12-13 that we are to work out our own salvation knowing that it is God Who is at work in us for our sanctification and for His will.

We are saved not by what we do, but by the One in whom we put of trust.
For by grace have have been saved through faith. And it’s not because of anything we have done; it is the gift of God. So we can’t brag about what we’ve done that’s so good or so important. And we sure can’t count on the good things we’ve done to save us. The deal is that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
That’s where spiritual discipline comes in.

Just like a marathon runner has to train to endure and be successful in the race, so we must train to endure and be successful in the race that we call life.
It is sheer folly to think that we can live as Christ wants us to live by just schlepping through the week and showing up on Sunday to check off the box that says we went to church. But that’s how a lot of Christians approach the Christian life. God wants us to live for Him – every day – in every way.
The Holy Spirit – our personal trainer for this race – will not force us to follow his coaching,
but when we do, we can learn what the abundant life that Jesus promised us is all about.

It’s going to be an exciting time as we learn how to grow in Godliness and grow in our relationship with Jesus.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday,
May 7, 2023. It is part of a series of Bible study sessions entitled Living the Agape Life – a Bible study curriculum developed by
Bob Young with input from the members of the Agape Life Class. Handouts with slide content can be requested at:
fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com . Handouts are also available below.

Website – FromTheBackPorch.org
Twitter – From the Back Porch @ nationalfast
Facebook – From the Back Porch in Texas
Email – fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com
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Calling for Unity in the Church

/ Bob

In his first letter to the Corinthian church he begins with his usual pleasant greetings and fond remembrances, but he then he gets straight to the point that is of foremost importance – division within the church. Satan loves to drive wedges between believers and he will stop at nothing to get a group of Christians to look away from God by focusing on their own opinions and attitudes. And if that misdirection involves the things of the church it is even better.

Paul addresses the issue by reminding the church of what is really at stake. Unity. Jesus in His high priestly prayer asked the Father for His people to be one – even as He and the Father were one. Jesus knew that a church divided against itself could not stand. (Mark 3:25) He also knew that His church would have to be known by the love they shared. (John 13:35) Paul knew this also and he understood fully that the gospel message of Jesus Christ had to spread without hindrances like squabbles over something as insignificant as a personality contest.

The fact is that we must be unified, as Paul instructed the Corinthians, and in order to be unified we must have the same heart and mind as Jesus. If we will but look up and focus on Him, we won’t become preoccupied with the junk around us. Furthermore, we won’t be annoyed by people around us because we are focused not on their idiosyncrasies, but on Jesus. And as the final illustration in this lesson shows, the closer we get to Jesus, the closer we get to our brothers and sisters in Christ and the more we become of one mind and one heart.

The gospel message must be proclaimed but it will only be successfully proclaimed by a united body of Christ.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, August 14, 2022. It is part of a series of Bible study sessions from The Gospel Project – a Bible study curriculum developed by Lifeway Christian Resources. Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com

Website – FromTheBackPorch.org

Twitter – From the Back Porch @ nationalfast

Facebook – From the Back Porch in Texas

Email – fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com

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