Who are you? ______
There is one thing I know, and this is it: ______
I doubt or I often wonder about ______
I can count on ______
I am loved because ______

How do you define “truth”?
By example, by what it’s not…
Truths are either temporary or positional (permanent).

Ephesians 1:4
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Ephesians 1:5
he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
Ephesians 1:13
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
Ephesians 2:6
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
Ephesians 2:19-22
¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 4:13-15
¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

How do we find truth? By maturing, growing in Christ. By pursuing learning and “attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Review your answers.

Does who you are change?
Does who you count on change?

Consider this, because of your acceptance of Christ as your Savior, your positional truth does not change. Christ will always be the same. As you live, this truth will be challenged, but His truth will remain.

Where you are and who your are may change temporally, but your positional existence will always be as a believer seated with God.

Read from:
Genesis 1, verses 1 and 2
John 1, verses 1 and 2
John 3, verses 16 and 17
Romans 10, verses 9 and 10

Write down your answers to these questions.
Who is God?
Who is Jesus?
How are you saved?
What happens when you die?
What is the church?
What do the communion elements (the bread and cup of grape juice/wine) represent?
What do you believe about scripture?

You have just documented your personal doctrine. Every religion and denomination, Christians and otherwise, follow a doctrine – a set of beliefs that define how its followers live and view the universe and spirituality. You have now defined your spiritual view, and should strive to confirm that what you believe matches God’s teachings in His Word. You can compare your views with those of your own denomination and with other major denominations online. This is important in discovering whether you are really following a teaching that you believe and one that obeys God’s Word.

This week’s Bible Study was held at Senor Toro’s restaurant in Buna, as Mr. and Mrs. Hargrove were away on vacation in celebration of their 30th wedding anniversary. The Bible Study gang wishes them the very best on their trip and thanks Senor Toro’s for hosting our meeting.

Thankfulness

Each year we start off with big plans and big resolutions for accomplishing big things. Losing weight, reading more, spending time with family and friends, and getting finances in order are just a few. We enjoy the winter months and try to get started on losing all of those holiday pounds we put on and maybe get to spend some time with our families at home since it’s too cold to get outside. The dieting dies off a couple months into the new year, especially when the Easter candy comes around, long after we’ve forgotten our commitments to bonding with our families. Summer rolls around and time at the lake and beach, along with other various vacations, replaces all of those year-end appreciations of what life has offered, and this state of oblivous continues until November’s Turkey Day arrives again.

Where does this leave our culture? Wallowing in a carelessness that shrugs off a beautiful world granted each human being to enjoy for his short existence here on Earth.

What gives?

In an environment of fast food, impulse buying, text messaging, and on-again off-again relationships, accepting life for what it’s worth and showing simple thankfulness is becoming a thing of the past.