Bible Study Notes 9/24/2024

Word Alive! Bible Study ©2024

Fall Series: Experiencing The Holy Spirit In & With Us © 2024

Concord Baptist Church of Boston in Milton

Conley Hughes, Jr., Senior Pastor

Tu., 24 Sept., 2024 Lesson 8, Part 1, pp. 112-127

Quiet Time: H&M Blackaby, Experiencing the Holy Spirit

Talented Or Gifted? – We humans place a great deal of value on our natural talents and innate abilities. There’s nothing inherently wrong in doing so; except, when we attribute our successes to human effort alone. Our Christian faith points to God, our Creator as the source of our abilities and achievements. While many people achieve great things and never attribute their success to God, this does not mean God is absent and far removed from their engagements. Jesus said the evil and good benefit from what God provides. He said, “That you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to shine on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (See, Matthew 5:45, NIV). The fact that someone is neither knowledgeable nor convinced of God operating in our world, does not cancel nor dimmish God’s presence. It is what and whom we choose to believe and accept that determines our spiritual life and destiny. The Apostle Paul encountered much arrogance among many of the people in Corinth where he had resided for a year and a half. Paul established a church there, where many believers came to know and accept Jesus as Lord and Christ. However, after Paul left, even some of the believers began to accept and reject others based on their natural talents and abilities.  Paul warned Christians in Corinth, it was God’s power; the power and presence of the Holy Spirit that validated his work, among them, as well as the ministry of others. Here’s Paul describes evidence of the Holy Spirit as the display of Christian’s character and spiritual maturity. (Read, 1 Corinthians 4:19-21, NLT). In sending the Holy Spirit, Jesus promised believers would be endued; covered, with special abilities from the Holy Spirit. (Read, Luke 24:49, NIV). From a practical point, Henry and Melvin Blackaby, in Experiencing the Holy Spirit, comment: “Success in the world doesn’t equate with success in the Kingdom of God. In fact, it can often divert our praise away from God and onto the achievements of people. Every person who serves in the power of the Spirit will at the same time build up the body and bring glory to God.”  From the 1 Century, A.D., the message of redemption we’ve proclaimed has been criticized and rejected. But what the world calls foolish is wiser than all the world’s wisdom. What the Spirit reveals is truth, for which there is no equal in the world’s wisdom. (Read, 1 Corinthians 1:18-21; 24-25, NLT). God speaking in the prophecy of Isaiah, says He is creator heaven and earth, and will bless the humble and contrite who reverence His word. (Read, Isaiah 66:2, NLT). There is no doubt God uses people of great talents and abilities; however, these temporal gifts must first be placed before God is a spirit of humility and reverence. David as a younger shepherd, had some admirable qualities, but it was his humility that caused the Spirit to direct Samuel to him to be anointed as the future king of Israel. (Read, 1 Samuel 16:12-13, NLT).  In our study book, Experiencing the Holy Spirit, we find this good perspective: “God is using men and women of great talent and ability, but when He does, the first assignment of the Holy Spirit is to bring humility. They must cease to compare themselves to others…”  All of who we are and what we do in life, is about God’s plan for us. God is intimately concerned about shaping the interior of our lives, so that our outward expression will reveal His purpose for us in the world. (See, 1 Samuel 16:7b, NLT).

Key Idea:

What We Believe!

1. “The Holy Spirit is in you and accompanies you!”

Key Verses:

1 Corinthians 4:19-21, NLT

“But I will come - and soon – if the Lord lets me, then I will find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk, it is living by God’s power. Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?”

Luke 24:49, NIV

“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.””

1 Cor. 1:18-21;24-25, NLT

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction. But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars. And the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in His wisdom saw to it that the world would never know Him through wisdom, He has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. … But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.”

Isaiah 66:2, NLT

“My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts. Who tremble at my word.”