Bible Study With Jairus

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 21 Verses 1-2 – We Should Not Harbor Hatred

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 21 Verses 1-2 – We Should Not Harbor Hatred

 

If in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess someone is found slain, lying in the open country, and it is not known who killed him, then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure the distance to the surrounding cities.

 

In the Old Testament, the way to deal with unsolved murder cases was to find the closest city and bring a heifer to sacrifice in the upper stream near this city. We know that the Old Testament is a picture of the New Testament reality. So how can we apply this passage to our spiritual lives today? God gave Israel these instructions because he knew that an unsolved murder cause would cause ongoing strife, assumptions, and accusations between cities and tribes. In the same way, Christians today often speculate, doubt, and judge each other. There are many unsolved issues in our lives, even though they are not as serious as murder. We are often quick to judge and thus lose the peace and unity among Christians. We should always remember to apply the blood of Christ to our conflicts. Like the heifer who died near the stream, Christ bore our sins on the cross. He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). He has removed the hatred between Jews and Gentiles, as well as the strife and disunity between different denominations and groups in the body of Christ. Revival is coming, and we must maintain the unity of the body of Christ in order to usher in and steward this great revival (Ephesians 4:3). When someone does something that seems hurtful, we should not make assumptions and judge them. We don’t know the full story behind every act. We should forgive and apply the blood of Christ to solve all the conflicts in our lives.

 

 

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 20-1 - Fear hinders our faith in God

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 20-1 - Fear hinders our faith in God

“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

 

Many Christians do not realize that they are in a spiritual war. Every day, our enemy is like a lion who waits to devour us. The business of life will wear out the saints of God (see Daniel 7:25). To win the spiritual war, we must remember that God is with us, as Jesus said. Jesus promises he will be with us until the end of the age. He also promises us that when two or three of us gather, he will be among us. We have to constantly remind ourselves that God is with us and the victory belongs to the Lord. 

But the omnipresence of God won’t guarantee the real, manifested presence of God in our lives. Even though God promised the Israelites that He would be with them, He also clearly told them He would not go with them to battle because they were disobeying Him. We must rid ourselves of any sins or hindrances that keep us from experiencing God’s presence.

Deuteronomy 20:2-9 encourages the Israelites not to fear their enemies. Fear hinders our faith in God and thus our spiritual battles. All fear, including fear of the enemy and fear of man, is not from God. Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:7 that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of courage, love and a sober mind. The Apostle John also says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).  The presence of God and faith in God will bring victory over our spiritual enemies and our circumstances.

 

#Bible Study With #Jairus # Deuteronomy 19 21 - the principle of God and the leading of God

#Bible Study With #Jairus # Deuteronomy 19 21 - the principle of God and the leading of God

21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

 

This verse gives instructions on dealing with false witnesses in the Old Testament. These individuals wanted to hurt their brothers by making false accusations, so God told Moses to punish the false witnesses to the same degree and in the same way that they wanted to hurt their fellow Israelites.

 

This verse illustrates the difference between the principle of God and the leading of God. Some of the instructions in the Bible are universal principles of God. For example, the Ten Commandments and other Old Testament laws reveal eternal principles: do not kill, do not murder, do not bear false witness, etc. However, some of God’s words through the prophets are not universal principles. Instead, they are His leading to people in different times, places, and situations. Differentiating between God’s principles and leading will help us understand the Word of God better. On the one hand, we should not stray from the principles of God.

 

On the other hand, we should not become too rigid in adhering to the leading of God that applies to past situations. Unfortunately, we often make both mistakes. Sometimes we abandon the principles of God and fall into sin. Other times we are too rigid in following the leading of God, and we fall into legalism. Even when following a universal principle of God, we still need to discern the leading of God in each unique situation. When the Pharisees legalized God’s laws and lost the essence of his instructions, which is to love God and man, they received a rebuke from Jesus.

 

Also, when they tried to test Jesus’ adherence to the law by asking Him if they should stone the woman caught in adultery, Jesus still used wisdom and nuance to deal with this situation. The religious leaders wanted to follow the law, which said to stone the woman. But they had lost the essence of law, which says that mercy triumphs over judgement (James 2:13).

 

 

#Bible Study With #Jairus # Deuteronomy 19 8-9 – We Should Continue to Build Our Cities of Refuge

#Bible Study With #Jairus # Deuteronomy 19 8-9 – We Should Continue to Build Our Cities of Refuge

And if the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers— provided you are careful to keep all this commandment, which I command you today, by loving the Lord your God and by walking ever in his ways— then you shall add three other cities to these three,

 

Have you ever wondered why so many prominent Christian leaders fail? Similarly, why do so many Christians stop growing in their spiritual lives and lose their influence? I believe these verses have something very important to teach us.

 

God commanded the Israelites to build cities of refuge. The more they expanded their territory, the more cities of refuge they needed to build. Otherwise, they risked being too far away from the city when they committed an accidental sin.

 

Cities of refuge represent taking refuge in Christ. As fallen human beings, we often sin because of our flesh and the influence of the world. Most of the time, our sins are not intentional choices to live in the indulgence of sin. Instead, they are committed accidentally. Since Christ bore our sins on the cross once for all, our sins can be forgiven if we flee to him for refuge (Hebrews 6:18). When we flee to him for safety from the lust of the world, God will bless us and give us greater influence.

 

However, as God enlarges our territory through ministry success, we must not forget to build more cities of refuge. The more we expand our influence, the more we need to take refuge in Christ. If we fail to run to Him for protection by pursuing deeper fellowship with Him, we will be taken over by the enemy when we commit accidental sins. Just like Noah covered the ark with pitch to protect it from leaking and rotting, we must run to Christ for protection. Otherwise, the invasion of worldly corruption will sink our boat.

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy18 22 – We Should Nurture Our Prophetic Gifts

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy18 22 – We Should Nurture Our Prophetic Gifts

 

When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

 

False prophecies have a negative impact on the reputation of modern prophecy. When many charismatic prophets inaccurately predicted that Trump would win in 2020, it was a slap in the face for the modern prophetic movement. Many people began to accuse this movement of hype and inaccuracy. This kept many people from embracing the modern prophetic movement. In addition, famous prophets said that Los Angeles would sink into the Pacific Ocean, and that never came to pass, either.

 

I still believe that the modern prophetic movement is from God and that God is reintroducing the gift of prophecy to the modern church. But I do agree that we need to examine the movement by the accuracy or inaccuracy of their prophet words. The accuracy of the prophecies given by Brandon Biggs about Trump’s assassination stirred many believers and non-believers alike to listen to his prophecies. Many believers who formerly did not believe in the gift of prophecy became convinced. We need to strive to grow both in our spiritual lives and in the accuracy of our prophetic gifts so we can help the modern prophetic movement gain credence. In this way, we may usher in the great prophets mentioned in the book of Revelation. I don’t believe these prophets will just drop from heaven; they will grow to maturity as the church nurtures their prophetic gifts.

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy18 10-11 - Rebellion is like the sin of divination

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy18 10-11 - Rebellion is like the sin of divination

“There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead.”

 

These practices are not common in the United States, since the gospel has been rooted in society for many years. However, they are widely practiced in idol-worshiping countries such as China, India, and many African and Latin American countries. In either case, there is a universal principle behind this command. We should seek God as the source of our prophetic revelation and guidance instead of seeking evil spirits. Saul, the King of Israel, used divination to speak with the deceased Samuel because the Lord was no longer speaking to him through dreams, prophets, or the Urim.

 

However, Samuel rebuked Saul and told him that “rebellion is like the sin of divination” (1 Samuel 15:23, BSB). Before Saul sinned by seeking evil spirits, he had already broken God’s law in other ways. Today, many Christians may not practice divination outwardly, but they may violate the principle inwardly. If they are disobedient to God in any way, it is as sinful as divination. It shows we have idols in our hearts and are not allowing Christ to rule as King in our hearts. We must learn to be obedient to the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit, so we can hear from God and follow His prophetic guidance in our lives.

 

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 17 18-20 - The Qualities God Required To Be Kings

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 17 18-20  - The Qualities God Required To Be Kings

 

“And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them,  that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.”

 

Long before God used Samuel to select the first king for Israel, God gave Moses the following rules for the kings (Deuteronomy 17). As future rulers in Christ’s kingdom, we can apply these principles to our hearts with the following application questions.

1. The king must be “one of your brothers” from Israel (vs. 15). Jesus is our brother, and he should be our king. Is it true that Jesus is ruling in your heart, or is the world ruling your heart?
2. The king must not go back to Egypt to acquire more horses for himself (vs. 16). Do you feel the pull of the world to go back to your past life instead of allowing your mind to be transformed through your wilderness experiences?
3. The king should not have many wives (vs. 17). Solomon had many wives and that led him to drift away from God and start worshiping idols with his many wives. Do you have idols in your heart?
4. The king should not gather excessive silver and gold (vs. 17). This does not mean we need to have a poverty mindset; it simply means we must not be greedy. We should use our money to make friends for the Kingdom.
5. The king must copy the book of the Law and read it every day so he will continue following God’s commandments and stay humble. How many Christians have a habit of reading God’s word every day?

If we apply these five requirements in our daily lives, we will rule and reign with Christ. We may not be literal kings right now, but we will have a sphere of influence. We can rule our own lives and influence our families. How we behave as kings will impact our children and many others around us.

 

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 17 8-9 -How Should We Make Difficult Decisions?

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 17 8-9 -How Should We Make Difficult Decisions?

“If any case arises requiring a decision between one kind of homicide and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another, any case within your towns that is too difficult for you, then you shall arise and go up to the place that the Lord your God will choose. And you shall come to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall consult them, and they shall declare to you the decision.

 

In the Old Testament, people went to the Levitical priests and the judges to seek answers and guidance in their lives. Today, we have laws and courts that help us make decisions in matters of justice. But who can help us make decisions in other areas of our lives? Here are some principles that will help us understand God’s guidance.

1. Does it violate a basic moral standard? If not, we can proceed to the next point.
2. What does our conscience say? God’s word that God is greater than our conscience. If our conscience does not condemn us, God will not condemn us either (1 John 3:20). For this reason, we should not ignore our conscience.
3. Tune in to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle John says we don't need others to lead us; the anointing of the indwelling Holy Spirit will teach us (1 John 2:27).
4. If we don't have clear guidance from the Holy Spirit, we must check our decision against God’s word and the principles that show the character of God.
5. We can check if we have bad feelings, or “desolations,” in our hearts. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will give us bad feelings to warn us about a certain action. We should never ignore them.
6. If we have no bad feelings, we should check with family, friends and the body of Christ. If they are all against our plan, we'd better think twice. This often means God is trying to speak to us through the body of Christ to bring balance to our lives.
7. Are there obstacles in the environment? God often uses our circumstances to lead us or stop us from doing things.

If we have taken the above precautions, we will avoid most mistakes. We must remember that the Holy Spirit leads, and Satan pushes. We should not make rushed decisions. Instead, we should always wait on the Lord to give us answers. We must have faith that if we have followed the principles above, the peace of the Lord will eventually guide us on the right path.

 

#Bible Study With #Jairus #2Kings 13 19 – We Should Never Give Up

#Bible Study With #Jairus #2Kings 13 19 – We Should Never Give Up

Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.”

 

In this chapter, the prophet Elisha had fallen sick and was about to die. The King of Israel was crying, since he knew he was about to lose the best weapon that Israel had. Elisha asked the King to shoot an arrow out the window. “This is the Lord’s arrow of victory,” Elisha said. After he shot an arrow, Elisha told him to strike the ground with the remaining arrows. Elisha did not tell the king how many times to strike the ground. He stopped at three. Elisha was angry with him not striking the ground five or six times. If he had, he would have completely defeated Syria. But now, he would only strike them three times.

Let’s apply this story to our everyday lives. Imagine you are facing a difficulty, like the king faced the Syrian army. You heard the voice of God, just like the king heard the voice of the prophet. When the Holy Spirit prompts you to do something, you quit when you don’t see a result. Why did the king quit before the prophet asked him to stop? For the same reasons we often give up on the things God asks us to do. Of course, we should make sure that God is really calling us to do something before we start it. But if God has initiated something and he has not asked us to stop, we SHOULD NOT STOP. Sometimes I become discouraged when I do not see immediate results in the ministry God has asked me to do. This verse encourages me to NOT STOP what God has asked me to do. If God has not asked me to stop, I SHOULD NEVER GIVE UP!

 

#Bible Study With #Jairus #2Kings 6:33 – We Should Be Humbled Before God

#Bible Study With #Jairus #2Kings 6:33 – We Should Be Humbled Before God

And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, “This trouble is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”

 

In 2 Kings 6, Elisha saved the king’s life several times by giving him intelligence about the King of Syria. When the Syrian army ambushed Elisha because of his Spirit-directed spy activity, God struck them with blindness. This gave the king of Israel an unexpected opportunity to kill the army of his enemies. However, Elisha asked the king of Israel to spare the Syrian army. Instead of killing them, Elisha prepared a feast for them and allowed them to go home.

Later, Syria came back to attack Israel after a period of peace. The Assyrian king besieged the city, causing a famine in Samaria. The famine was so severe that the people began eating their own children. This greatly angered the king, and he sent a messenger to kill Elisha. Why was he so angry with Elisha? Why did he accuse the Lord of causing this? Perhaps because God did not allow him to kill the Syrian army in the first place. The king thought that if he had killed the Syrians earlier, he could have avoided the current situation.

In the next chapter, God did a miracle. He chased away the Syrian armies, and the Israelites plundered their abandoned camps, solving the problem of famine. However, since the King of Israel did not show genuine repentance, Elisha soon announced a seven-year famine after this rescue.

What can we learn from this story? We can learn from the king’s response. The king’s first reaction to tragedy was to blame the Lord. He said, “This trouble is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” This statement contains a half-truth. God really was using the Syrians as a tool to chastise Israel. However, the king’s focus was off. He should have said, “How have I sinned against the Lord so that he sent the enemy again?”

When we face trouble, we should examine our hearts. Will we blame God? Will we accuse the Lord? Or will we humbly ask God what he wants to teach us? Our reaction to the trouble shows our heart.