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Loving God with Our Soul was Alan’s fourth part of his continuing series on Living the Great Commandment. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. Also included are Alan’s outline and links to Bible Gateway for the Scriptures he references. Enjoy!

Living the Great Commandment (Part 4)

Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:36-40; Luke 10:25-28; Mark 12:28-34

Loving God with Our Soul

1. Defining the Soul:
   • The word translated soul is the Hebrew word Nephesh, meaning “breath of life” (Genesis 2:7).
     • The idea is our life as it is connected to the creator God. The concept of the soul as something separate from the body is more of a Greek philosophical concept and would have been foreign to the Hebrew mindset.
     • When the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) is translated, in the majority of English translations, as “love God with all your soul,” it is saying love God with the whole of your being, as it is connected to your Creator. He is the breath of life in your throat and lungs, so love Him completely.
2. Soul Satisfaction (Psalm 42:1-2; Psalm 23:3)
   • What we look to for satisfaction in our lives exhibits where our love allegiance lies. The soul is always seeking satisfaction.
   • “God is most satisfied in us when we are satisfied in Him.” -John Piper
   • If we say we love God, our lives must be shown to be satisfied in God.
3. A Soul Story (Luke 7:31-48)
   • This story is a great picture of love allegiance defined by what a person treasures.
   • What do you really treasure?
4. The Soul and Emotions
   • The soul and sorrow:
     • St. John of the Cross – “the dark night of the soul”
     • Jesus was called “a Man of sorrows” (Isaiah 53:3)
     • John 12:27
     • Psalm 42:3-5
   • The soul’s delight and joy:
     • Psalm 35:9
     • Psalm 63:5
     • Psalm 94:19
5. The Soul and Eternal Life
   • Luke 10:25-28
   • Luke 12:13-21
   • 1 Corinthians 15:42-58
   • Proverbs 19:16
6. Conclusion
   • Our lives have an eternal dynamic. If our lives demonstrate a love for God and others, that is evidence we are in right relation to God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. To be in relation to God the Father and His Son through the Spirit is to have eternal life.

Alan continued his series on Living the Great Commandment by teaching us about “The Mind and Loving God and Our Neighbor.”

Living the Great Commandment, pt. 3

Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:36-40

The Mind of God and Loving God and Your Neighbor

1. Big Starting Point
   • Our love for God is based on His first loving us. His love has flowed to us to flow out of us. Our love for God involves seeing His mercy and lovingkindness to us (Psalm 51:1, John 17:26). God demonstrates His love in giving His Son (John 3:16).
2. How do we use our mind for loving God?
   • Have a mindset that thinks upon God & the things of God and see life from a Christ-minded perspective.
   • You become what you think (Matthew 12:34).
     • 2 Corinthians 10:3-7
       • Having a mindset on God requires more than just human effort. Foremost, it requires the Spirit.
       • Having a mindset on God makes you aware of arguments and obstacles against God (Ephesians 6:10-18).
       • Having a mindset on God involves a knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:15-23).
       • Having a mindset on God requires obedience (2 Corinthians 10:5).
   • What you should think upon (Philippians 4:1-9)
   • Two kinds of mindsets (Romans 8:5-11; Galatians 5:13-26)
     • A mind that is set on the flesh has 4 characteristics:
       • The end is death (meaning the absence of the Spirit)
       • Hostile to God
       • Doesn’t submit to God
       • Cannot please God
     • A mind that is set on the Spirit has 2 main characteristics:
       • Life alive in Christ
       • Life lived in peace
   • A mindset on Christ looks after others, not just one’s own needs (Philippians 2:1-11)
3. Conclusion: The only life that was ever lived as God intended mankind to live was lived by Christ. Our obedience is found in being Christ-like. We bring Him glory by loving Him and loving others.

Last Sunday, Alan gave his last message on the book of Proverbs by taking us through Proverbs 31. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included Alan’s outline with some notes and links to verses her references. Enjoy!

The Praise of Wise and Godly Women

Proverbs 31

Big Theme: Wisdom is personified as a woman in Proverbs. Three significant passages in Proverbs give the full picture of Lady Wisdom (1:8-33; 8:1-36; 9:1-12). Lady Wisdom was even present at Creation (Proverbs 8:22). When you look at creation, you can see the wisdom of God.

Proverbs closes with an exhortation to praise wise and godly women, specifically wives. So the overall thrust is to give godly women the respect and authority they are due. This would involve respecting their gifts, wisdom, and voices. This is the overarching theme of scripture in relation to women. One of the things Jesus obviously stood against was the oppression of women by the male-dominated religious structures of the day.

1. An Old Testament and New Testament Review of Women in Ministry
   • Old Testament
     • Two books named after (and centered around) women:
       • Ruth
       • Esther (who saved her nation)
     • Three Prophetesses
       • Miriam (Moses’ sister)
       • Deborah (one of Israel’s judges)
       • Huldah (2 Kings 22)
     • Women were privy to angelic visitations
     • Women could take a Nazarite vow & offer the appropriate sacrifices for it (Numbers 6:1-21)
     • Women could minister at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting
     • Women could participate in music and processionals
     • The prophet Joel envisioned a time when God’s Spirit would pour out on all people, irrespective of gender and class (Joel 2:28-29).
   • New Testament
     • Acts 2 – correlates Joel’s vision with the coming of the Holy Spirit
     • Women who were followers of Jesus were engaged in both serving and speaking
       • In the book of Acts:
         • Dorcas
         • Lydia
         • Priscilla
         • Philip’s four daughters
       • Luke gives attention to several women who were important in Jesus’ ministry, including:
         • Mary, the mother of Jesus
         • Anna, the prophetess
         • A circle of women who served alongside and supported Jesus and the twelve
         • Mary, the sister of Martha
       • Paul notes a number of women who had roles in the work and ministry of the Apostle Paul:
         • Lydia and Priscilla (Acts)
         • Phoebe & Junia (Romans)
         • Chloe (Corinthians)
         • Euodia & Syntyche (Philippians)
         • Nympha (Colossians)
         • Lois & Eunice (Timothy)
         • Apphia (Philemon)
         • And others…
2. Attributes (not all) of Godly Women/Wives
   • Her Value (Proverbs 31:10-12)
     • The scarcity of competent strength (valor, noble character), trust, and seeking others’ good makes them valuable.
     • It’s a unique thing to find an excellent, godly woman.
     • A husband finds his reward in a godly wife.
   • Her Activities (Proverbs 31:13-20)
     • The picture of an industrious woman who makes things happen (v. 13-14)
     • She can be a lioness of provision and protection (v. 15)
     • She plans and executes her plan (v. 16-17)
     • She saves accordingly so as not to run out of necessities (v. 18)
     • She is philanthropic with her revenue (v. 19-20)
   • Her Achievements (Proverbs 31:21-27)
     • She is successful – richly supplies her household (v. 21-22, 24-25)
     • She is a driving force behind her husbands success (v. 23)
     • She speaks wisdom coupled with love and is continually diligent (v. 26-27)
   • Her Praiseworthiness (Proverbs 31:28-31)
     • She earns her family’s praise for her competent strength [hayil in Hebrew] (v. 28-29)
     • She has earned and deserves the praise of all because she knows the principle characteristic of wisdom (v. 30-31)
3. Practical Application to Decide Upon
   • How can a community of faith show the honor and respect that is due women is an important question to answer, not only in theory but in actual practice of the church.
   • The right for women to teach, to vote, to serve communion, what about women pastors? Are our views on these questions in line with Jesus’ treatment and respect of women?
     • The Woman at the Well (John 4:1-26)
     • The Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8:2-11)
     • Jesus recognized the dignity of women
   • Or are our views based on misinterpretations of a very few Pauline scriptures and our own cultural biases?
     • Women are to be silent (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)
       • Paul wrote this to a specific church, at a specific time, for a specific reason – those women were causing dissension in their church. Paul didn’t write that admonition because they were women, but because they were causing problems in their sin.
   • It is a question worth thinking upon and answering.

Good afternoon! A few weeks ago, Terry stepped in when Alan wasn’t feeling well to teach about Christian giving. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included some notes with links to Bible Gateway for verses he referenced. Enjoy and be blessed!

Giving

• Everything we have belongs to the Lord.
• In the OT, 10% of the peoples’ increase was to go to the Lord (Deuteronomy 14:22-23)
• Psalm 24:1
• Proverbs 11:24-25 explains what God says about giving
  • When we step out in obedience, something supernatural happens.
  • disperse (by the guidance of the Holy Spirit) to/for God & we will have increase
  • withhold from God & live in want
• We can’t out-give the Lord, but we must remember to give wisely.
• God wants us to be a conduit – He will bless us, so that we can turn around and bless others
• Proverbs 19:17 – the economy of how God works is opposite of the way the world works
• Luke 21:1-4 – giving from the heart
• Matthew 6:1-4 – be more concerned with helping than with how much you’re giving
• Malachi 3:8-10 – only time God tells Israel to test Him (in regards to giving to the Lord and being blessed in return)
• Exodus 16:14-20 – manna was not to be stored, only for meeting the needs of the day
• 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 – no longer are we under the 10% tithe (that was the Old Covenant)
  • v. 6 – reap what you sow
  • v. 7 – give from your heart (not grudgingly)