Benchley, April 4, 2010

• Applications, continued:
  • Don’t (inordinately) covet material good.
    • Acts 20:33-35; I Timothy 6:6; Colossians 3:5; Luke 12:15-21,23,31
  • Fix your mind.
    • Micah 2:1-2; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 1:28-32
• Edification vs. being a stumbling block
  • Definitions
    • Romans 9:30-33; I Peter 2:8; Matthew 16:23
  • Applications
    • Edify through worship
      • I Corinthians 14:2; Hebrews 10:23-25
      • Hypocrisy:  Mark 12:38
    • Don’t make yourself stumble.
      • Matthew 5:29

Benchley, March 31, 2010

By David Watson

Benchley, March 28, 2010

• Historical accuracy
• Prophetic fulfillment
• Scientific foreknowledge
  • the Bible remarks on scientific knowledge before it was discovered by man.
  • Egyptian knowledge of the day (Exodus 15:26)
  • Germs:  Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis
    • Humbers 19:5-22 – God’s laws for washing and handling dead bodies
  • Germs:  quarantine
    • Numbers 5:13; Leviticus 13:1-3,45-54
  • Circumcision on the eighth day
    • Genesis 17:12-14 (Leviticus 12:3)
  • Dietary regulations
    • Leviticus 11 – Moses’ instructions are still useful today.
  • Life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11-12)
  • Ratio for ship building (Genesis 6:15 – ratio was 30:5:3)
  • Water cycle (Ecclesiastes 1:7; 11:3; Amos 9:6)
  • The earth is a “circle” (Isaiah 40:22)
  • Four types of flesh (I Corinthians 15:39)
  • Basic sanitation (Deuteronomy 23:12-14)
  • The earth is wearing out (Isaiah 51:6)
• The Bible:  from God or man?

Benchley, March 24, 2010

Benchley, March 21, 2010

• Isaiah 55:8-9
• Matthew 6:24
• The Word of God is our sole source of authority.  II Timothy 3:16-17
• To supplant God’s Word with your own beliefs is to commit the sin of presumption.
• This disposition was unacceptable in the Old Testament and is still unacceptable today under the New Testament. Deuteronomy 17:12-13
• Salvation
  • Man’s way:  An individual can be saved by a variety of methods and may choose the one that please him the most.
  • God’s way:  It is be baptism (immersion in water) that one gains entrance into a saved relationship with God (John 3:3-5; Galatians 3:26-27; Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:21)
    • There are, however, prerequisites to this immersion.  First, one must believe (i.e., have faith) (Romans 10:9-10,17), repent of his sins (Acts 2:38), and confess Christ as Lord (Romans 10:10).
    • After baptism, the Christian is to press on towards perfection.  Hebrews 6:1; II Peter 1:5-11
• The organization of the church
  • Man’s way:  The church may be organized in any way that is determined best by man.
  • God’s way:  In each local church, there are to be elders who lead the flock in that location (I Peter 5:1-4), deacons who help the elders (I Timothy 3:8-13), and members (Romans 12:4-5).
    • The local church must be organized to the degree to which is can be scripturally organized.
• Controlling one’s thoughts
  • Man’s way:  I can think about whatever I want.  Matthew 15:17-20
  • God’s way:  It is imperative that a Christian control his thoughts and not think about whatever he wants (II Corinthians 10:3-6).
    • Let us remember that all sin develops from desire and a response to temptation (James 1:14-15); therefore, if we control our thoughts (where desire originates and ruminates if uncontrolled), we can effectively control sin.
    • Moreover, in order to better control our thoughts, we must replace evil thoughts with good, wholesome meditation (Philippians 4:8; Psalm 1).

Benchley, March 17, 2010

Benchley, March 14, 2010

• Applications, continued:
  • Covet God’s Word
    • Create interest in God’s Word
    • Ask for help.  Acts 8:26-40
    • Consider the value.  Romans 2:16
  • Covet good works.
    • I Timothy 3:1; Matthew 22:37
  • Don’t covet one who’s not your spouse.
    • Matthew 5:27-28; Exodus 20:14,17; Genesis 12:11; Esther 2:2-4,12-13; II Samuel 11:2; 13:3-4,14; Mark 6:22-23; Proverbs 6:25; I Corinthians 7:8-9 – Warnings and consequences of coveting women.
  • Don’t (inordinately) covet material goods.
    • Deuteronomy 7:25; Joshua 6:16-19; 7:20-21

Benchley, March 10, 2010

Benchley, March 7, 2010

• Applications, continued:
  • Address the causes of pride.
    • Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4) – accomplishments
    • Heritage/ancestry
    • Saul (I Samuel 9:19-10:24; 15:17-19) – power
    • Personality
  • Use strategies to achieve humility.
    • Admit our own pride and be honest with ourselves.  I John 1:8-9
    • Remember and search out our own faults.
    • Remember that we are merely human.
    • Matthew 6:1-4 – Hide your good deeds.
    • Philippians 2:3-4 – Focus on others.
    • Luke 15:15-19 – Let circumstances humble us.  II Corinthians 10:17-18
• Covetousness: good vs. bad
  • Epithumeo:  Luke 15:16; 16:20-21; 22:15
  • Applications
    • Covet God’s Word. – Matthew 13:17; Hebrews 11:13; I Peter 1:10-12; I Peter 2:2