GOD’S RECIPE FOR LIVING

Our God has showed us what is good, and what of us He does require:
His Word, His Spirit rightly should be followed with sincere desire.

Do justly! Follow what is shown to be well-pleasing in His sight.
In righteousness He makes it known: the Holy Bible is the Light!

Love mercy! Praise God, ‘tis from Him; His goodness we can well receive.
But then show mercy never dim, and help your fellowman believe.

And then, walk humbly with thy God: forsake all pride and vanity.
No longer walk with selfish rod, but kind and gentle strive to be.

God showed His goodness through his Son, Who came our sins to well- atone;
And paid the debt, the victory won; no longer need we walk alone.

Oh, what a bright life we can live if we fulfill this recipe;
To God obedience to give; to mankind, merciful to be!

So here it is, set down before; well-proven through all time to be;
The recipe for boundless store of God’s sweet love and victory!

Take hold, O man, of all this good; reap the reward it has for thee;
Do what with joy you really should, and love and happiness you’ll see!

—Bro. Leslie Busbee

BIBLE LESSONS FIRST QUARTER, 2016

Theme for the First Quarter
“WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE?”

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” —Micah 6:8

 

We often come before the Lord seeking answers for everyday living. How should we address this problem? What should we do about this situation? What are the boundaries, ranges and guidelines for this issue?

In seeking the Lord for His direction for the next series of lessons, an in-depth study addressing this question, “What does the Lord require?” was impressed upon my heart. It is my prayer that the studies will bring lasting good and profitable instruction to all who partake of them.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

JANUARY 3, 2016

HE HATH SHEWED THEE, O MAN
Part One

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8

 

By the Creation:

Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

Psalm 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

By Conscience:

Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.

By Dreams:

Job 33:14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction.

By Mercy and Grace:

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world;

Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

 

MEMORY VERSE: That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. —John 1:9

 

CENTRAL THOUGHT: God begins to introduce and reveal Himself to mankind through the wonders of creation, man’s conscience, visions and dreams, and favors of mercy and grace. If people would diligently consider the daily messages given them, and seek to find out more, God would visit them and lead them to repentance and faith in Him.

WORD DEFINITIONS

 

Romans 1:19, “manifest”: apparent, clear, visible.

Romans 1:20, “Godhead”: Divinity; Divine nature.

Romans 2:15, “conscience”: innate discernment; self-judging consciousness; a God-given capacity to know right from wrong.

Job 33:16, “he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction”: “Literally, ‘sealeth (their ears) to Himself by warnings,’ that is, with the sureness and secrecy of a seal He reveals His warnings [Umbreit]. To seal up securely (Job 37:7).”—Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary. “He opens the internal ears, sends home the instruction, and imprints it upon the mind.”

Titus 2:11, “grace”: a word that contains the idea of kindness which bestows upon one what he has not deserved; graciousness of manner or act; especially the Divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life. “The merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.”

Titus 2:12 “soberly”: with sound mind; in moderation; prudently.

LESSON BACKGROUND

 

Around 750 years before Christ, and during the nearly sixty years’ combined reign of kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, the prophet Micah preached and exhorted to Judah and Samaria, foretelling the captivity, then return, of the ten tribes. He was contemporary with Isaiah; several of their messages are very similar.

Later, when Jeremiah was arrested by the priests and prophets after warning them of the coming destruction and captivity, and nearly put to death, the elders of the land reminded them of Micah’s similar prophesy during the reign of Hezekiah. That king, they pointed out, had humbled himself, and God had not brought upon him the great evil in his day. Micah’s prophecy essentially saved Jeremiah from certain death (Jeremiah 26).

Micah also prophesied of the birth and accurate birthplace of Jesus Christ and the establishing of His church.
Chapter 6, where the verse beginning our study is found, seems to be a dialogue between God and His people. God sends judgment and conviction of sin; the people answer, seeking to appease God’s judgments. God’s reply in verse 8 spells out the way to meet His requirements, after which He continues to cry out against the wickedness of the people and plead with them to return to God.

Our study today focuses on the first four of seven different ways by which God has shown Himself and what He requires of mankind. In the Old Testament, David speaks of the gospel message revealed in creation and Paul alluded to this in his letter to the Romans. In the book of Job, Elihu explains how God deals with man through visions and dreams. Paul writes to the Ephesians and to Titus about how God’s merciful kindness and grace has “appeared” and been shown to man, even while he is lost in sin.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

DISCUSSION:

 

1. The character of God: Share what may be learned about Him by observing His creation.

2. The nature of man: Explain how God uses a person’s conscience to deal with him and bring him to repentance and faith.

3. The amazing grace: Give examples of the mercy and kindness God shows to people every day.

4. The purpose of dreams and visions: How has God used them to deal with you or someone you know?

 

COMMENTS AND APPLICATION

 

God protested to His people, “I have shown you!” Yet even His chosen ones, and humans in general, tried to excuse their sin and folly by saying, “Well, we didn’t know.” Certainly Israel had no excuse. They had God’s written law, priests who were supposed to teach and interpret it, and prophets who would give them current messages from God, meaningful to their peculiar situations.

But what about the millions of people who had no written law, priest or prophet? God still showed His light to them—to “every man that cometh into the world,” John said. Peter later reminded us that God will accept ANYONE from ANY nation who meets two requirements: Fears Him and works righteousness (Acts 10:35).

If a man, woman or child, looking up at the stars or out at the great ocean, or seeing a newborn, or observing the flowers, would begin to wonder and seek for understanding of these things, God would begin a work in that person.

If an individual begins to feel condemnation about certain evil acts in his or her life, or feels a sense of peace and approbation about doing a kindness or abstaining from a dishonest act, and seeks to know more, God will begin to lead that person on a journey toward truth.

Dreams aren’t very often reliable sources of action. But there are many testimonies of people who began to seek after God because of a divinely-sent dream.

Then there are the small—and not so small—everyday miracles, instances of divine protection, “coincidences.” Even the strokes of grief, sorrow, or pain are mercies in disguise, sent from God as He knocks on man’s heart’s door.

God introduces: man responds. God continues: man seeks further. God presents a mystery: man searches for the answer. God reveals: man obeys. And on and on, until, as many stories down through the ages spell out, God leads a human from darkness into marvelous light.

Therefore, as Paul pointed out to the Romans, mankind is without excuse.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

 

REFLECTIONS

God has special ways to show us things. “For God speaketh once, yea twice. . . .” (Job 33:14-17). “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Isa 30:21).
God’s voice is special. He speaks to us in various ways, but it is always still and soft. Many times it is through a song in the night or just Scripture “out of the blue”; a dream or a vision, an impression, an idea or a deep conviction. When guiding us in major decisions He confirms His voice and often speaks twice.

Before we moved to Springfield, Missouri in 1981 to pastor the church there, we were needing God to direct us and show us clearly what to do before we left our secure job, family, new home, and friends. We wanted to do His will. The need was there. We visited the congregation frequently for a year. Bro. Murphy Allen, the former pastor there, and our pastor, Brother Richard Madden, were also praying for us to hear His voice clearly even though we had said nothing to them. After many weeks of praying and one day that we set aside to fast, pray and listen all day, we saw God directing us in Scripture and song.

When the Word and the Spirit come together and reaffirm our convictions He will also give us the grace and the desire to do His will. His leadings don’t often come alone. He confirms His leadings in different ways and also helps our authorities to know what God is showing us. We can always tell if the Spirit leading us is of God or not because we can go to the Word and check for the blending of the Spirit. “If ye be willing and obedient. . . “ When God’s Word is in agreement with His Spirit there is nothing confusing about it. His person, His character, His Spirit, His Word, His people, His cause, and His glory will blend with what he is showing you.

—Bro. James Bell