Marriage 1 – companionship

The aim of this devotional study series is to reflect on the nature and original intent of marriage.

Scripture

Genesis 2:15-24

15  The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

18  Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”  19  Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20  The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.

21  So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22  And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23  Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” 24  Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Observations and reflections

1. Who was the first person to realize Adam needs a mate? (v18)
   1. Why is this significant? [hint: the Garden of Eden, no flaws, God Himself walked with Adam…]
   2. When did God express the need for Adam to find a mate?
   3. When did Adam realize the need for a mate? (v19b-20)
   4. When did God start making a mate for Adam? (v21)
2. What does the writer call Adam’s mate? (v18, 20b)
   1. What was the need that Adam’s mate had to fulfill? (v18) [hint: “it is not good that man should be…”]
   2. Considering this, what was the core responsibility of Adam’s mate? What did she have to “help” Adam with?

Application, personal reflection and prayer

God made Adam and gave him a job. Before Adam realize his need for companionship God said “it is not good for man to be alone” and made him a helper, a mate to rid him of his loneliness. So Essentially your marriage vow is a promise to be a companion, to help the other not feel alone again.

1. When did you realize you need for companionship? How did it happen?
2. When you think about marriage, what stands out most for you?
3. If you are married: Talk to your spouse honestly and ask him/her whether he/she feels lonely at times in the marriage. Discuss your needs for intimacy and how you can better fulfill the other’s emotional needs.
   1. Pray that God will help you to selflessly fulfill the emotional needs of your spouse.
4. If you are unmarried: We all have ideals about our future marriage partners, some valid and some silly. Taking today’s Biblical lesson into account, what is the most prominent thing your spouse ought to fulfill in you, and you in him/her?  How dis this affect your search for a mate? (i.e. appearance, education, financial acumen, abilities etc).
   1. Ask God for a companion, a mate, so that you may not walk alone. And ask Him to rid you of any silly ideas about such a person.

 

 

 

Stewardship 1

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect on the Biblical principle of ownership and evaluate one’s heart towards material possessions.

Scripture

Hebrews 13:5-6

5  Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

6  So we may boldly say: “the Lord is my Helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Observations and reflections

Note: the letter to the Hebrews was written during a period of mounting persecution (probably that of Nero), which lead to the Christian’s loss of jobs and plundering of their possessions, even imprisonment at that stage.

1. In the first half of verse 5 the author opposes two issues of the heart; what words does he use? Explain your understanding of these two words.
2. From verse 5, what does the author say the persecuted church should be content with?
   1. Why do you think the author should say that is enough?
   2. How do you feel about that? Or, what would you feel like when your pastor says that to you today?
3. What promises for provision do you read in these verses?
4. What do you understand the author means by inserting verse 6 (a quotation from Psalm 118:6)? What does he try to say to the persecuted, impoverished church?
   1. How do you feel about this attitude of the writer about people wronging us, leaving us suffering?

Application and Prayer

1. Considering material possessions, do you recognize a longing for more things (i.e. covetousness)? Or are you discontent about your current salary, house, clothing, car, holidays etc?  Then confess you feelings to God and repent of a heart that is covetousness for earthly things.  [Take your time here, and don’t justify anything – just bring your heart attitude to God in light of the truth].
2. Is your heart content with Christ only? Is He your greatest “Treasure”, your “Pearl of great price” (Matthew 13:44-46)? Like the recipients of the Letter to the Hebrews, are you content to lose all that you may keep Jesus only?  Honestly search your heart and confess your heart attitude to Jesus, asking Him for grace.
3. On a day-to-day pace, how much are you concerned with temporal things and concerns, and how much with eternal things and spiritual concerns? Give a rough percentage of each.  Pray about this, and ask God to help you “set your heart… and mind on things above” (Colossians 3:1-2)
4. What one thing you can do today to indicate Jesus is more important that worldly things?

Motivational Gifts 3 – the servant

The aim of the devotional bible study is to grow in the understanding and appreciation of motivational gift of the servant (also called “helper”).

Scripture

Luke 10:38-42

38  Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.  39  And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.  40  But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

41  But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42  but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Observations

Note: in the reading of today’s Text we will focus on the character and motives of Martha the sister of Lazarus to better understand the motivational gifts of the servant / helper. This is one of the seven motivational gifts (also called “the gifts of the Father” according to 1 Corinthians 12:4-6) that each person is born with which drives his/her actions throughout his/her life.

1. Servant/ helper motivated people generally have the following characteristics. Can you recognize them in this example of Martha?  Comment and give verse references from the Scripture above.
   1. They demonstrate love by meeting practical needs.
   2. The can easily identify what needs to be done to make things work.
   3. They find fulfilment in working with their hands.
   4. They enjoy showing hospitality.
   5. They thrive in short term tasks such as meetings or events.
   6. Servers prefer completing tasks by themselves rather than delegating it to others.
   7. They are good followers of leaders and good supporters of a vision.
   8. They are selfless and will adapt their schedules to better serve someone.

2. In this account Martha was frustrated with her sister (and even with the Lord himself) – why?  What does that suggest of a potential weakness in server motivated people?

Reflections:

1. Looking at Martha as an example of a server / helper gifted person – what should a person with this motivational gift be cautious of before taking on another serving opportunity? What would you counsel such a person on a regular basis?
2. Considering the characteristics listed in Observation question 1 above, why do we consider servant motivated people as “gifts from God the Father”? i.e. how do they benefit me, you and the world around us?

Application and Prayer

Note: If you have not completed the free online motivational gift test, do so now: www.gifttest.org

1. Are you a strong server/ helper motivated person? Considering this example of Martha:
   1. What are you grateful for about your gift, which you must cherish?
   2. What must you be cautious about in your interactions with others? [hint: have you learned to say “no”?]
   3. Thank God for how he made you, and pray that you may not grow weary in doing good, that he would strengthen and remind you to do what you do joyfully, and that he will help you to maintain your priorities and not live as a man-pleaser seeking applause, but one who serves Christ expecting his reward.
2. Who do you know that are strongly servant / helper motivated?
   1. Thank them for their good influence in your life – for their selfless service and hospitality, challenging you to be more like Christ.
   2. Thank God for them and their influence for the good in your life. Pray that God will bless with even greater humility and endurance to serve well, and that God will build a hedge around them and their family and devotional times so that they may not be burned out in their serving.

Holy Spirit 6

The aim of this devotional study is to appreciate the work of the Holy Spirit on earth.

Scripture

John 16:7-14

7  Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

8  And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9  concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10  concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11  concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

12  “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13  When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

14  He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Observations and reflection

Note: This is part of the last conversation that Jesus had with his disciples on the evening of his arrest, and referred to the sending of the Spirit as teacher and helper in order to comfort his disciples.

1. What names are attributed to the Holy Spirit in this teaching of Jesus?
2. Jesus said it is better for his disciples that he leaves so that the Spirit would come to them. What is the advantage that the Spirit has over Jesus (for his disciples)? (v7)
3. What activities/ helps are attributed to the Spirit in v8-11?
   1. Who gets “convicted of sin” – and how? (v8-9)
   2. Who gets convicted “righteousness” – and how? (v8, 10) [think and look carefully oat these verses…]
   3. Who gets convicted of pending judgment? (v8,11)
4. What activities/ helps are attributed to the Spirit in v12-14?
5. How does the Spirit relate to us? What can we expect as normative? (

Application and Prayer

Consider “The Spirit will convict [the believer] of righteousness”

• What “righteousness” did Jesus refer to?
• Have you experienced the Holy Spirit convicting you of righteousness before? How and where?
• Thank God for the Spirit’s leading into Truth and leading into understanding of our righteousness in Christ.  Read through the list of your identity in Christ, and see what the Holy Spirit leads you to focus on, and mediate on that.

[With whom can your share this truth to encourage them today?]