We were made to enjoy God for ever Q1PT5 – BTEP010

We were made to enjoy God for ever Q1PT5 – BTEP010

We enjoy God as a consequence of glorifying Him. Amazingly, God has joined together his glory and our good. His glory is absolutely the most supremely important goal there is. When we aim at his glory, we won’t fail to enjoy him for ever more. We conclude our reflections on Question 1 of the Shorter Catechism by see how it draws from passages like Psalm 16:11 which speak of everlasting enjoyment of God.

In this podcast we will give some short reflections on the meaning of the Shorter Catechism. These short episodes may be especially helpful for older children and young people. They can be used in conjunction with specially prepared worksheets and the Bible Truth Explored book.

We were made to enjoy God for ever Q1PT5 – BTEP010

Glorify God by doing what pleases him Q1PT4 – BTEP009

What can I do to glorify God, in practical specific terms? Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:16. As we explore this we discover another facet of Question 1 of the Shorter Catechism and how it reflects the teaching of Scripture. We glorify God by doing good works. Good works are the various things God commands in the Bible. This in turn is a prompt and an invitation to those who see this to glorify God themselves

In this podcast we will give some short reflections on the meaning of the Shorter Catechism. These short episodes may be especially helpful for older children and young people. They can be used in conjunction with specially prepared worksheets and the Bible Truth Explored book.

We were made to enjoy God for ever Q1PT5 – BTEP010

Glorify God in everything Q1PT3 – BTEP008

1 Corinthians 10:31 shows us that glorifying God enters into the most basic and ordinary activities of our everyday lives. Whatever we do, we should do it to God’s glory. That is exactly what Question 1 of the Shorter Catechism teaches too. We should give glory to the Lord. There is nothing more important for us. God’s glory should be our overriding consideration in every aspect of our lives.

In this podcast we will give some short reflections on the meaning of the Shorter Catechism. These short episodes may be especially helpful for older children and young people. They can be used in conjunction with specially prepared worksheets and the Bible Truth Explored book.

We were made to enjoy God for ever Q1PT5 – BTEP010

We were made to glorify God Q1PT2 – BTEP007

Dwelling on Psalm 29:2 we can understand another facet of Question 1 of the Shorter Catechism and how it reflects the teaching of Scripture. We should give glory to the Lord. There is nothing more important for us. One way of glorifying God is to worship Him.

In this podcast we will give some short reflections on the meaning of the Shorter Catechism. These short episodes may be especially helpful for older children and young people. They can be used in conjunction with specially prepared worksheets and the Bible Truth Explored book.

Pleasing God: How Important is Pleasing God? – Episode 1

Pleasing God: How Important is Pleasing God? – Episode 1

Pleasing God is supremely important. It’s the most beautiful and impressive honour we can have. This episode explores what the Bible has to say about this and draws from insights by Hugh Binning on why we should seek God’s glory above everything else.

In these episodes we take a long look at what it means to reform our lives according to God’s revealed will and why that is so important. As you explore further the issues we address you can use some questions provided to help delve into the meaning and application of key Bible passages. Further reading material drawn from a rich past heritage of spiritual wisdom will also help you to continue to think about the points raised.

Please subscribe to the podcast to stay with the conversation and explore these questions with us.

Bible Study Questions

Hebrews 11:1-6

1. Verse 1 gives a description of what faith is. Use your own words to name the following three things about faith. (a) Instead of things in the here-and-now, what does faith deal with? (b) Instead of things we see, what does faith deal with? (c) Instead of being airy-fairy, insubstantial, or doubtful, what is faith like?

2. According to verse 2, God’s people since long ago have been commended. Who gave them their good report, or commendation? What are they commended for? What does this mean for us, if we want God to be pleased with us and give us a good report?

3. Verse 3 tells us a bit about what God has done. (a) What do God’s works reveal about what God is like? (b) There is plenty of evidence and revelation about what God is like, both generally in

creation and specially in the Bible. Can people interpret the available evidence just using their own powers of reason, or do we need something else?

4. Verse 4 gives a historical example of faith in action. (a) What did Abel do by faith? (b) God accepted Abel’s offering and testified that he was pleased with it. Would Abel’s offering have been acceptable to God if Abel himself was not a person who God accepted? (c) What made Abel, and therefore the things he did, pleasing to God?

5. (a) Let’s assume that Cain wanted to please God, brought him the best he could lay his hands on, and sincerely thought his idea for an offering was a good one. Why was God nevertheless not pleased with Cain’s offering? (b) Unbelievers can sometimes do very impressive things as offerings to God, whether charitable work, using their gifts for music, etc. What does Cain show us about God’s view of the performance of the work compared to the principle that motivates what we do?

6. Verse 5 gives another example of faith in action. One of the very few things we know about Enoch is that ‘he walked with God’ for many years in his long life (see Genesis 5:21-24). What does it say about your relationship with someone when you are happy to keep walking a long distance with them? From this description of Enoch’s relationship with God, what can we conclude about (a) how pleasing Enoch was to God and (b) how pleasing God was to Enoch?

7. Faith characterised not only Enoch’s life but also the way he departed from this life to go to heaven. (a) What was unique about Enoch at the end of his life? (b) How does the same faith also characterise the experience of death for believers who die in the ordinary way? Think of verses such as Psalm 48:14, Psalm 56:13, etc. (c) Whatever way the end of our life comes, what testimony or commendation do we need to have beforehand?

8. Looking at verse 6, what makes it impossible to please God? If someone spends their life failing to please God, what are the consequences (a) for their life? (b) for after their death?

9. Still looking at verse 6, there are two things that we must believe if we are going to please God. (a) Believing that God is, doesn’t just mean believing that a God exists. It means believing in the one God who truly does exist. Who is this God? (b) What kind of reward(s) does he give? (c) Seeking him doesn’t just mean finding out facts about him. It means seeking himself personally until we find him. In what ways is the reward a good match with the seeking

An Inclusive Pitfall

An Inclusive Pitfall

EPISODE 12

An Inclusive Pitfall

What should you do in a situation where the choice is between causing stumbling, and being a good employee? Hannah gets into a complex situation with some innocuous words. She is ensnared by the inclusive agenda being pushed in the workplace. It seems like she either has upset or will upset the people around her by addressing and by not addressing the situation. Is it possible to resolve the situation?

What can be done in this very awkward situation, with a view to promoting edification rather than causing any further stumbling? If we can learn how to handle this situation, it will guide us when similar things happen in our own experience.

The Concerning Scandal podcast applies the biblical principles of avoiding spiritual harm by looking at the real-life scenarios in which stumbling blocks arise. We can use the spiritual wisdom of James Durham’s classic book in situations we are all too familiar with.

To find out more, visit www.concerningscandal.com

FURTHER HELP

In the Bible offence not the same as making someone displeased. Rather it is something that causes them to stumble in their spiritual progress or offend against God’s Word. We can do this without meaning to do it. It also happens when we do and say the right things in the wrong way or at the wrong time and so turn people against what is right. To explore this issue further, you may find it helpful to read the article The Worst Kind of Offence in an “I’m Offended” Culture.  George Gillespie describes as briefly as possible the various dimensions of the biblical principle of not causing others to offend against God’s Word.
 

 

 

 GET THE BOOK

In The Scandal of Stumbling Blocks, James Durham helps us to consider this vital issue deeply by defining the nature of stumbling as well as showing its serious consequences. He looks in considerable detail at different kinds of stumbling and identifies the ways that people can stumble and be stumbled. Durham provides practical advice for avoiding and preventing offence.

Now edited in modern English, Durham’s classic treatment on considerate Christianity can be used to edify a new generation.

We were made to enjoy God for ever Q1PT5 – BTEP010

God is glorious Q1Pt1 – BTEP006

In this podcast we will give some short reflections on the meaning of the Shorter Catechism. Each question will have its own five part series beginning with Question 1. These short episodes may be especially helpful for older children and young people. They can be used in conjunction with specially prepared worksheets and the Bible Truth Explored book.

Pleasing God: How Important is Pleasing God? – Episode 1

Pleasing God: An Introduction – Episode 0

Welcome to the Pleasing God series in the Reforming Yourself podcast from Reformation Scotland. In these episodes we take a long look at what it means to reform our lives according to God’s revealed will and why that is so important. As you explore further the issues we address you can use some questions provided to help delve into the meaning and application of key Bible passages. Further reading material drawn from a rich past heritage of spiritual wisdom will also help you to continue to think about the points raised.

We begin with an introduction that gives a little insight into just how important and far reaching the matter of pleasing God is. It focuses on Colossians 1:9-14 and reflects insights from James Fergusson on this passage.

But there are still more questions for us to ponder. What exactly is pleasing God and just how important is it? What do we need to please God and how do we find out what is acceptable to him? If we are putting God first then how do we relate to others? What does it mean for my life, my work, my family and my church and much more?

Please subscribe to the podcast to stay with the conversation and explore these questions with us.

Bible Study Questions

Colossians 1:9-14

  1. What do Paul’s prayers teach us about the kind of things we should ask God for, both in relation to ourselves and others?
  2. What does it mean to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will? How can we receive more of His revealed will? What is included in all kinds of wisdom and spiritual understanding (1:9) and how should we seek to have more of it?
  3. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 shows that walking worthy is the response to God’s grace not the way we enter God’s kingdom. How does Paul define in Colossians 1:10 what it means to walk in a manner worthy of what God has done for us if we are true believers?
  4. How does increasing in knowledge help to please God in everything? Where could you start in each area of your life in knowing and then doing what pleases God?
  5. What makes a good work good? How does this relate to pleasing God?
  6. What resources are available to help us to please God (Colossians 1:11). Why is it important to have a Christ-centred view of pleasing God (see Philippians 4:13)?
  7. Look at verses 13-14, we live in a dark world (John 1:5, Acts 26:18, Luke 1:79, 1 Thessalonians 5:5), how does this further underline the importance of pleasing God?