2011 January’s Bible Study-- Godly Changes

2011 January’s Bible Study-- Godly Changes

People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3:5-12

This time of year people usually reflect on change; changes coming, changes for themselves or past event’s they wish they could have changed. They have been labeled New Year’s resolutions. Change can be good; for instance bad habits, needing broken is a good thing to strive for change. While I was seeking for a topic for this lesson, Matthew 3 was put in my heart. Everywhere you look is bad news, the headlines read this morning, Flooding of Biblical Proportions in Australia, 2010: The Year Earth Struck Back some very disturbing headlines to say the least. We are bombarded with information, and the fact is the changes of the last few years have been hard on everyone. The change that matters most though is our own walk with God. Are we letting him have control over our life? With headlines like these and many others, I have seen even Christians struggling. Chapter 3 reminds us that the Pharisees and Sadducees thought they deserved to be baptized by John, and what they got was a stern re-proof. “Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?”. He then told them to produce fruit along with repentance. Jesus also said, “This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8. This month as you study Matthew 3, examine what Godly changes might be needed in your own life. Are you allowing God to have control? Are we bearing much fruit? Are we showing ourselves to be his disciples? Are we keeping with repentance?

Listen to Matthew 3 KJV

Listen to John 15 KJV

Reminder of January's Memory Verse

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. Mark 11:22 NIV