Book Review: One to One Bible Reading

Bible reading made simple! That’s another title for an excellent little book that is actually called One to One Bible Reading. The subtitle says it well: a simple guide for every Christian. That is exactly what you will find as you read it. By the way, it’s also an easy read. You will finish it in one sitting! The author is David Helm, a pastor in Chicago, and what you will read is the result of his own personal ministry of Bible reading with others.

The basic message of the book is that every Christian can read the Bible with another person and gain understanding of God’s message. The early part of the book establishes the purposes of reading one to one: evangelism, discipleship, training, and relationship. You can do your reading with someone who is not a Christian, someone who is a new Christian, someone who needs training for ministry, or someone with whom you wish to strengthen your relationship. The focus is on God’s Word.

Helm then gives two different approaches to studying the Bible with the other person. One approach, the Swedish Bible Study approach, using simple diagrams of a light bulb, question mark and an arrow to highlight areas where a person is either impressed by something in the passage (a light bulb), has a question about something he/she does not understand (a question mark), or sees a specific application to their life (an arrow). These items are then discussed between the people involved.

The second approach uses COMA questions, where the readers focus on specific questions relating to Context, Observation, Meaning, or Application. This approach is a more advanced and in-depth way of studying the Bible.

The appendix of the book gives you some general questions to ask for the various genres that you find in the Bible (narrative, poetry, expository, prophesy, etc.). These questions are also available through the publishers website for free to be printed as needed (much better than copying the pages from the book!). The questions are based on the COMA Bible study method.

Allow me to share with you my own personal experience using the One to One Bible Reading approach. I have used it in small groups as well as one to one. I have used it with my wife. Though I have tried both approaches to studying the Bible with someone else, the COMA method has been particularly effective in getting to the meaning and application of the passage after determining context and doing the important work of observation.

I have been blessed by the insights I have gained as I shared thoughts with those who are reading with me. It does not require a great deal of preparation (you can do all the work when you are together or in advance, your choice!), nor does it require one person to be the teacher and the other a student (both are students, learning together!). Yes, there will be times when you will want go deeper by studying other resources (commentaries come to mind), but there is plenty of “gold” to mine right there in your Bible.

This book is an excellent tool to be used for evangelism and discipleship. I cannot give it any higher recommendation. Get a hold of a couple of the books and share it someone else so that you can begin the life-changing process of allowing God’s Word transform your life and the life of someone important to you.

What? Me, A Counselor? Part 1

Yes, you a counselor! But not just any kind of counselor. A Biblical Counselor.

Consider Colossians 3:12-17 and look at the relationships that we are to have with other Christians, particularly when the other Christians have not been very “Christian”. They have been sinning, and sometimes their sins have been hurtful to us. We have some direction given to us in these verses, with the one over-all principle being love. After describing the various character qualities to be found in the life of every believer, Paul says this: Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.(verse 14). 

That love was modeled for us in Christ, who has forgiven us, it was modeled in God who showed forbearance toward our sins. We should not forget the gospel. What Paul is teaching in these verses is based on the gospel. Go back and review what Paul taught the Colossians thus far in this letter. See Colossians 1:13-23; 2:13-14, 20,21;3:1.

So because of the gospel, we should be living in right relationships with other Christians, bearing with their sins, forgiving their sins, and then sometimes actually confronting their sin and admonishing them. That’s what we want to look at in our study today. Notice the words found in verse 16: Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. It is the admonishing word that speaks directly to this subject of being a counselor.

Let’s now ask and answer some important questions that will challenge us to fulfill our fellowship responsibilities as it relates to admonishing other Christians.

What does it mean to admonish someone? The word literally means to put something into someone’s mind. It can be understood as giving someone a warning about wrong behavior. But more than just warning, it also will include positive instruction to correct the wrong behavior. This is something that we frequently had to do with our children as they grew up in our homes. But it is something that we all need from time to time because we all continue to engage in wrong behavior. In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 we see Paul commanding those Christians to admonish their “unruly” members. That would be Christians who were not being submissive to the Word of God (unruly being the military word for a soldier submitting to those who are over him). But be careful not to think that admonish is an attitude of criticism and judging. It is to be done because you care.

By the way, there are two passages where Paul lays out this requirement to admonish one another. Besides this verse in Colossians we also find it in Romans 15:14. It is interesting to note that Paul has not been to either one of these churches, meaning that he does not know very many of the people. Yet he expects them to do it.

How should we admonish one another? We will look at specific situations in our next question, but there are some suggestions from how Paul speaks to this admonishment ministry. First, we should be willing to admonish one another constantly. Both passages where it is mentioned has this verb being used in the present tense which suggests continual admonishment, whenever the need arises.

Second, we should be willing to admonish one another biblically. By that, I mean we need to know the Word of God because that is the basis of our admonition. It does not come from our experience, our environment, our feeling, or anything else from within us, except the indwelling Holy Spirit who teaches us and fills with knowledge from the Word. But that doesn’t mean we can use lack of knowledge of the Bible as an excuse. It is expected that we will “filled with knowledge” (Romans 15:14), and have the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:16). So we need to get on that job continually so we are prepared.

When should we be willing to admonish another Christian? The process of bringing scriptural admonition to another Christian depends upon the situation. Here are two possible scenarios where you will need to fulfill your God-given responsibility to admonish.

First, when admonishment is needed because there is a problem between two Christians, then we need to work toward reconciliation. Paul says in Colossians 3:15 that we are to Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. Peacemakers, an organization is dedicated to helping Christians make peace with one another (visit http://www.peacemaker.net for more information). Its founder, Ken Sande, has also written an excellent book called The Peacemaker. Sometimes making peace with a fellow believer will require admonishment. Sande describes four main principles involved in the peacemaking process with 4 Gs . Here they are:

Glorify God: Our life is not about us. It’s not about you. It’s about God. His glory is what needs to be our focus.

Get the log out of Your Eye:  We need to take care of our own sin first. It is not practical to be admonishing other Christians when we are a part of the problem.

Gently Restore: Here is the actual admonishment part. If forbearance is not a realistic solution to the problem, if the other person is not acknowledging the existence of a problem, then we should be ready to speak with them, following instruction given in scripture (Galatians 6:1-2).

Go and be reconciled: That is exactly what God has done for us in Christ. He reconciled us to Himself. We were His enemies (Romans 5:10), but now we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Second, when admonishment is needed in the life of a Christian due to wrong behavior, then out of love and concern for their spiritual growth, we need to be prepared to speak the Word of God into their life. Notice the command that begins Colossians 3:16 out of which admonishment is built. We are to “let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly.” Obviously, then, we need to know God’s Word.

There is a term that is now used more and more widely called Biblical Counseling. It has also been given the term Nouthetic Counseling (nouthetic coming from the Greek word for admonish). In fact, the Biblical Counseling movement is based strongly on Romans 15:14 where we read ” And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.” This is our nouthetic word being used again. This is not a message given to a select few, to some gifted individuals. It is something that every Christian needs to be ready to do.

Of course, there is certainly a great deal of value to training for Biblical counseling. This does not mean that everyone should be doing it as a regular ministry. Some would certainly be more gifted and equipped than others. But we all should be ready to step up to help another Christian who is clearly showing unbiblical actions. Here is a helpful resource, both for the person who is involved in the counseling ministry, as well as the average Christian who needs help finding scripture to address specific sinful behaviors. It’s a book called Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling by John Kruis.

There are many other resources available that will help to train you for the ministry of Biblical counseling (think Biblical admonition here). It would be wise for us to know where we can go to find the information we need as situations arise. Here are some websites that may help:

www.ibcd.org 

www.nanc.org 

http://biblicalcounselingcoalition.org 

http://www.ccef.org/ 

www.counselingoneanother.com 

Praying For Others More and More

How often do you pray? Is it a struggle for you like it is for me? Christians know they are supposed to pray, but we know we don't do it often enough. I would guess that no one will come to the end of their life and say "I wish I had spent less time praying." For most of us, it will be the opposite. More time praying. And much of that time should be spent praying for others (not ourselves). 

The book of James is a letter written to Jewish believers who have been persecuted, resulting in them being scattered throughout the Roman Empire. James writes to them to help them understand their faith and how it should be worked out in daily living. As he closes the letter, he turns to the suffering that many of them have experienced. A large part of the answer to their suffering is their need for dependence on God in prayer, and in particular, to be praying for each other during such difficult times.

In verses 13-15, James begins to ask some questions about their personal experiences of suffering (the same word used in verse 10 concerning the prophets) and weakness, which is a more accurate translation of the word sick in verse 13.The answer to such problems is prayer because God hears and answers the prayers of His people.

Though there is much more that can be said about the verses before, our primary focus in verse 16, we will give attention to our responsibility or praying for one another and what that looks like in the Christian life.

This idea of praying for one another assumes that certain things are happening in the lives of Christians. For example, if we want others to pray for us, we must be willing to share our needs with them. People need to know what is happening in your life if you expect them to pray for you. Along with that, we must be involved in other people’s lives in order to know their needs so that we can be specific in our prayer. Also, it is helpful and encouraging for others to know that we are praying for them. And they will know about your prayer for them when you ask them questions and stay in contact. The personal touch through phone calls and visits are an encouragement to people who are having such struggles.

Let’s now ask and answer some important questions that will challenge us to fulfill our fellowship responsibilities as it relates to praying for one another.

First, when should we be praying for one another? Should this happen when we are together with one another, or when we are apart from one another? Answer: Both! The command is in the plural, so there is a definite expectation that we are to pray for one another when we are together. But we also know that Paul prayed for people in the churches that he planted while he was away from them. So certainly we should be praying for one another when we are apart.

This command is also in the present tense, so it is a continual praying, not just a once–in-a-while event. You will notice that Paul was constantly in prayer for the people in the churches he had planted (1 Thessalonians 3:9-10; Philippians 1:3-4), even churches that he had not planted (Colossians 1:9-12). So pray constantly for one another, both when you are with one another and when you are away from one another. Have a continual ministry in the life of your spiritual family through the privilege of prayer.

Second, why should we pray for others? We can find several reasons here and throughout scripture about why we should pray.

1.      In this particular verse, we find that we should pray for one another because prayer is effective. It works! Prayer has some energy to it. This is made clear by the example given of Elijah, found in 1 Kings 17-18.

2.      We are praying “for” one another, on behalf of one another, bringing their needs before the throne of God. That little preposition “for” is the same word used frequently in scripture when it says that Christ died “for” our sins. He died as our substitute. He died on our behalf.  We pray on behalf of those Christians who are struggling in their life. We pray to protect them, to surround them with prayer to our loving Father who is able.

3.      Also, our act of praying for one another shows that we care, just as our heavenly Father cares for us (1 Peter 5:7), a responsibility we accept when we join with others in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:25). If we really do care (and we usually say that we do!), then we will pray for the needs of other Christians.

Third, what should we be praying? The context of this passage suggests that the praying would be about spiritual weakness. It might be discouragement, depression, apathy, or some other attitude that keeps us from loving God with all our heart, soul, mind or strength. And it certainly could come about as a result of some physical suffering. It may or may not be connected to sin in the life of the one for whom we are praying. When the Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He gave them six areas of prayer. Let’s see how they apply to our need for praying on behalf of one another.

1.      Hallowed be Thy Name: Praying for God to be honored. For the person who is struggling, pray they would bring glory to God through this time of suffering.

2.      Thy kingdom come: Praying for Jesus to come again. For the person struggling, pray that they would find hope in the coming glory (Romans 8:18).

3.      Thy will be done: Pray that there would be obedience to the Word of God. For the struggling Christian, pray that they would submit to God’s sovereign will and look for His hand in their time of suffering. See Colossians 1:9-12.

4.      Give us this day our daily bread: praying for physical needs (finances, jobs, illness, etc.). For the person who is struggling, pray that their physical needs would be met and that they would submit to God’s will and trust in His goodness, love, and mercy.

5.      Forgiveness of sins: Praying for spiritual renewal and repentance through confession of sin. For struggling believers, pray that they would use this time of suffering for self-examination.

6.      Deliverance from evil: Pray that Satan will not have control in the struggle. Satan has a team, an army, at his disposal. When we pray for one another, so do we!

Did you notice that all of these prayer requests are in the plural, beginning with “Our” Father. Its says give “us”, forgive “our”, deliver “us”. There is no “I” or “me” or “mine” in this prayer. We need to be praying for our spiritual family.

A great example of praying for one another comes in the person of Epaphras, as Paul describes in Colossians 4:12,13. Some of the very things we have discussed have been practiced by him. First, he is one of them. Second, he is praying “always” for them. Third, he is praying on their behalf (“for you”). Fourth, he is laboring (literally, agonizing) in his prayer for them. Fifth, he is in pain, his concern for them is so great (verse 13). Is this how you picture your prayer life as you consider the responsibility to be praying for one another?

After Paul describes the armor of God (another plural context, suggesting it is something we do together), he concludes with an exhortation to be praying for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18-19). We are in a battle with Satan and all the power he can bring against us. Prayer is needed! Let's get it going, and remind ourselves that we need one another in many ways, not the least of which is praying for one another.

Book Review: How to Finish the Christian Life

Here is a book that is written by a son (Donald Sweeting) who is in his 50s, and his father (George Sweeting), who is in his 80s. It is entitled How to Finish the Christ Life. They offer wisdom for those who are approaching their senior years, or who have already entered those senior years. Both men have been in ministry for their entire careers, George as a pastor, evangelist, and past president of Moody Bible Institute, and Donald as a pastor and President of Reformed Theological Seminary. Their wisdom is based on both scripture and their own pastoral experience. It is wisdom that is to be highly regarded.

The fifteen chapters are short and practical. It would be difficult to cover everything in a short review, so let me mention what I found most helpful. First, I loved the emphasis on the gospel. Much is written in recent years about preaching the gospel to yourself, and the authors include that emphasis in the second chapter, showing how important the gospel is to those in the  “second half” of their life. They need to share it with others regularly, explore it deeply, and preach to themselves continually.

Another highlight is in the fifth chapter (You Can’t Run This Race Alone) where they emphasize a need for having a mentor and also being mentored. There is an overall theme of our lives being a marathon (starting with chapter one), but it is so important that we remember that the race is a team effort. Towards the end of the chapter it is stated that leaders “forget that the younger generation needs to see a living curriculum!” We can’t stop learning, but we also can’t stop showing others the Christlike life. That would be a great book in itself!

Other chapters deal with suffering, funerals, finances, finishing well, facing death, and many others. They’re all good! We need information like this. We would do well to give serious thought to what our lives will be like as we come to our second half of life. This book gives us much to consider.

I did find one weakness in the book. There were so many excellent ideas, surely too many to address with specific recommendations. I think it would have been helpful to include some suggested resources that would guide the reader in implementing the ideas.  

For example, when talking about how to handle your finances in chapter eight (“You Can’t Take It With You”), the authors might have provided some books or other places the reader might go that would guide them in the right direction. This was done in a couple of chapters, but I found myself asking “How do I do that?” so many times throughout the book. How do I mentor someone else? How do I restore relationships with people?

If you are approaching those senior years (I would call you a Senior in Training!), please get this book and prepare to live many more productive years for the purpose of bringing glory to our Savior. If you have already arrived at those golden years, read this book and make some adjustments as needed. God will be pleased. I highly recommend it!

I received this book from Moody Publishers and in return I am submitting a review of this book. My review of this book is my honest opinion.

Book Review: The Cross of Christ

Can you ever get enough of the gospel? Hopefully your answer is a loud NO! Every believer should spend the rest of their life thinking through the gospel. We will never fully understand everything that God has done. But here is a book that will help. The Cross of Christ, written by John Stott (who just went to be with the Lord at the age of 90 this past July), is a superb presentation of what Christ has done for us on the cross.

This work deserves careful study, with the promise of great reward by way of increased awe and wonder at the Cross of Christ. The author has taken biblical words and passages, given them careful study, and then communicated exactly what we need to know to comprehend the wonder of the cross. The book is divided into four parts, with an outstanding concluding chapter that takes you through the book of Galatians and its emphasis on the cross.

The first part, Approaching the Cross, sets the scene for the entire book. After showing the centrality of the cross throughout scripture and the history of the church, Stott answers the question in chapter 2 “Why did Christ die?” More specifically, who was responsible? He traces the answer from the Roman soldiers, to Pilate, to the Jewish leaders, to Pilate. But that is looking at the reason from a human level. From the divine level, it was the Father who gave Him up, and He gave Himself up. “He went to the cross voluntarily, even deliberately. From the beginning of his public ministry he consecrated himself to this destiny.” Amazing, isn’t it?

The second part, The Heart of the Cross, we see the problem that people have with forgiveness through the cross due to their lack of understanding of both the seriousness of sin and the majesty of God. The high point of this part of the book comes in chapter 9 where he proves the necessity of the only possible substitute: Himself. “The biblical gospel of atonement is of God satisfying himself by substituting himself for us.”  This goes against what men want: they want to “insist on paying for what we have done. We cannot stand the humiliation of acknowledging our bankruptcy and allowing someone else to pay for us.” Yet that is what must be done.

The third part, The Achievement of the Cross, is probably my favorite, especially Chapter 7. What makes it especially powerful is the full and clear descriptions of the biblical words propitiation, redemption, justification, and reconciliation. You would do well to spend a lot of time in this chapter as Stott teaches from Romans 5 and 2 Corinthians 5 what these words mean and how the Cross has accomplished each of them. Besides these great words, there are two other chapters which show that the Cross has revealed God’s love and justice, and that it has conquered evil.

The fourth part, Living Under the Cross, is where Stott shows how the Cross should impact our daily life. Here we find the importance of the new community created by the Cross, which is celebrated together in worship at the Lord’s Table. Also, there is an interesting chapter on Self-Understanding and Self-Giving. He states, “Christians can longer think of themselves only as created and fallen, but rather as created, fallen and redeemed.” This should result in both self-affirmation and self-denial, resulting in self-sacrificial love for God and for others. Including our enemies! The final chapter of this part of the book deals with suffering and how it relates to the Cross. This chapter will be especially helpful as we experience pain in our lives.

I mentioned earlier that there was a concluding chapter to the whole book. I found it to be a real inspiration and encouragement as Stott goes through the book of Galatians to see the emphasis of the Cross in the Christian life. You will appreciate more than ever the great verse in Galatians 2:20 where Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." And then there is great help in applying the 24th verse of chapter 5 where Paul writes, "Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Taking what he has said about the Cross earlier in the book, Stott shows how the believer needs to do the same thing in his own life. A real challenging chapter, not to be missed or dismissed.

Every chapter is full of Bible exposition to show the supremacy of the Cross of Christ. Do not let the size of the book scare you (that’s what it did to me at first!). Read it in small chunks. You will find many quotes like this final one that will make you stop and think, then love and praise God:

The concept of substitution may be said, then, to lie at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man.  Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices himself for man and puts himself where only man deserves to be. Man claims prerogatives that belong to God alone; God accepts penalties that belong to man alone.