2015 – Page 2 – ThrivingBranch

Jesus Has Freed You From Sin-Consciousness

October 18, 2015November 18, 20152 Comments

How aware are you of your sins? You may have been taught in the past that to be more humble you must maintain a constant awareness of your own sins and shortcomings; and that to do otherwise would be a sign of arrogance and pride. I had been taught that before, and that teaching led me down a very dark road of pain and despair, as I would constantly remind myself of how bad I was and all of the ways that I was not measuring-up to God’s perfect standard – all the while thinking that by me doing this, I was pleasing God by staying humble, when in-fact I was actually practicing false-humility.

Today in this study, we are going to be examining this common misconception and wrong belief of remaining sin-conscious, and how Jesus Christ has actually set us free from this bondage; free to be truly humble by exalting Christ instead of our own efforts.

The Love of Jesus in Matthew 18

October 11, 2015July 31, 2015Leave a Comment

You may have heard it before “If your eye offends you, pluck it out! If your hand offends you, cut it off!” These words spoken by Jesus are absolutely true and necessary – however when these verses are quoted, they are unfortunately extolled in a very negative and condemning way which fails to demonstrate the love of Jesus and reveal His heart.

That’s why today we are going to examine these famous words of Jesus, and see the details in what He said which will allow us to see that He was not speaking out of harshness or hardness but that He said these words out of His Perfect Love and care for us.

Jesus Comes to You

October 4, 2015October 3, 2015Leave a Comment

You may have heard it said before that Christianity is different than all the religions of the world. It is a true statement, but do you know why it is true? One of the ways that Christianity is fundamentally different is that in all the religions of the world, man is reaching for God; either through good works, or other forms of self-effort in an attempt to attain an elevated status.

This is not so with Christianity. Now unfortunately, Christianity (and the message of Jesus Christ) has been vastly misrepresented by pastors and leaders who have twisted the message into one of self-effort and works, but this is not the message that God originally gave. So today we will be exploring how in reality, it is not man that reaches for God, but how He actually reaches for us, and as we see this, it will not only strengthen our faith, but draw us closer to Him as well.

The Heart of Jesus in His Resurrection (part 2)

September 27, 2015September 27, 2015Leave a Comment

Last week in part one of this study, we saw how the heart of God is not for religion or even dutiful service, but for genuine intimate relationship. We also saw how this relationship with God is integral and necessary for good service, since without the foundation of receiving love from God, every work is a dead work.

Today as we continue with part two of our study, we are going to see the contrast between the behaviors of different people as they encounter the truth of God. How the truth of Jesus can and should affect us, and we will see what the heart of Jesus for everyone is, even if they do not realize it.

The Heart of Jesus in His Resurrection (part 1)

September 20, 2015September 20, 20151 Comment

When people say “Jesus is Risen.” they are making a statement. They are proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They are testifying to His completed work for their atonement and justification which His resurrection brings. We often proclaim that He is risen with joy as we sing about the truth of this fact. However sometimes, this statement can become so cliché that the details of the events of His resurrection become lost.

That’s why in this study today, we are going to examine the events of His resurrection, and in doing so, we will see a wonderful picture of His heart for us. Even His raising from the dead was done for us, and His love for us never fails.

Jesus: the Way, the Truth and the Life

September 13, 2015July 4, 2015Leave a Comment

In John 14:6, Jesus makes a statement to Thomas that was quite profound and controversial – especially for His primarily Jewish audience at the time. His proclamation that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life is still controversial today, but there is more meaning to what our LORD has said, than only declaring that He alone gives us access to the Father.

So today we will be examining the totality of this statement made by Jesus, to see all of what He meant when He made this bold declaration, and how His statement applies for us as believers.

Where is Jesus?

September 6, 2015September 5, 2015Leave a Comment

The title of today’s study is a question… one of the most important questions to ever be asked. In Christian-circles today, you may find yourself asking this question more often than you might realize at first; but when properly utilized, this question can open our eyes to see truths that we may not otherwise see, and help guide us to where God is leading; allow me to explain…

The question “Where is Jesus?” is not signifying the departure of Jesus, but rather His absence from modern day Christianity, as utterly ironic as that may be. This absence is not because Jesus chooses to be absent, but because believers have removed Him from His role as head and center-focus of the church, and people are for-the-most-part, oblivious to it.

That’s why in this study today, we are going to be examining exactly how this phenomenon is occurring, and how we can re-center and re-focus our lives on Jesus, the one Solid Rock and Foundation upon which everything else can be built, and how this question of “Where is Jesus?” can actually save us a lot of time and problems.

The Enduring Word of God’s Grace

August 30, 2015June 25, 20151 Comment

You probably have heard it shouted from pulpit’s before “The grass withers, the flower fades, but God’s word is forever” – and while that proclamation is absolutely true, the manner in which it is typically spoken, is not. It is usually uttered in a negative way and with the implication of God’s judgment. It may surprise you to learn then that the context in which these words were spoken in the Bible was not the judgment of God, but His promises of redemption and blessing. The enduring word of God is not one of condemnation, but words of restoration and salvation.

In this study today, we will see that what is truly center focus in the Bible is actually a desire of God to redeem and restore that which sin has so utterly corrupted. It is sin that God must judge, not necessarily man. God’s true desire is to punish the sin but spare the sinner… just as our desire is to destroy a cancerous tumor, but spare the one that the cancer is destroying. So if you have been struggling with a wrong idea or belief about the nature and the character of God, then this study will give you a fresh revelation of His grace today.

In Christ There is No Cause For a Curse

August 23, 2015August 23, 2015Leave a Comment

What is a curse? I am not referring to filthy or coarse language as the modern culture defines “cursing”. The Biblical definition of a curse is to “speak down” about a thing or person, and also the Biblical definition of bless is to “speak well” about a thing or person. So with this understanding of what it means to bless and to curse, we realize that most people invoke curses far more often than what is generally thought.

Now we have been studying this month about the authority of the believer in Christ and also about the power of the words that we speak. Today we are going to move beyond our own words and we are going to examine what the Bible says concerning the words that others – including the enemy – tries to speak into our lives, and how in Christ Jesus, we are safe and secure from such attacks.

God’s Will is to Heal

August 16, 2015August 16, 2015Leave a Comment

The will of God, for a believer it should not be a mysterious thing, but over the years I have heard many people, ask and express and pray from a position of uncertainty… “Lord, if it’s your will…” is often a qualification for any prayer, and it often exposes a lack of faith, and ignorance about God’s will regarding things which He has already made known in His Word.

More destructive though, is the effect that this attitude has on those who are honestly in need of and seeking God’s healing. That is why in this study we will be examining both God’s will to heal, and also addressing the common misconceptions and wrong beliefs regarding the healing of God, so that these ideas will not serve as roadblocks that the enemy can use to stumble us any longer.