Empowered Bible Studies: What is Pulling you away from God?

Welcome to Empowered Bible Studies

Bible study is essential to our Christian walk. As we study God's Word, our personal relationship with God grows deeper and deeper. It empowers us to live for the Lord in every aspect of our lives. This is what has inspired me to do an online Bible study.

Many years ago my husband introduced me to a commentary on the book of Colossians and I was so blessed as the Scripture came to life before my very eyes. Since that day we have developed an extensive library and enjoy studying God's Word.

I have prepared some Bible studies that I would like to share with you. My prayer is that they will bless you as much as they have blessed me in preparing them. I pray your life is touched and that it would inspire you to live every moment of every day for Christ.

Please click on the link to the left under 'Empowered Bible Studies' for the Bible Study you would like to view.

Monday, February 27, 2012

What is Pulling you away from God?

Is there something in your life that is pulling you away from God so that you do not grow in your Christian walk? James 1:14 says 'But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.'
Drawn away carries with it the idea of the baiting of a trap; and enticed in the original Greek means 'to bait a hook'. The best illustration for this, when you think of bait and hook, is the analogy of a fisherman luring the fish using a hook with bait. The idea is to hide the trap of the hook with the bait. Temptation always carries with it some bait that appeals to our natural desires; remember Satan is the master deceiver. It is the bait that is the exciting thing but it keeps us from seeing the consequences of sin.

The bait that Satan used with Eve in the Garden of Eden was the fact that the forbidden tree was good and pleasant, and that eating of it would make her wise. She saw the bait and forgot the Lord's warning in Genesis 2:17 'but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'
Eve disobeyed God's command of not eating from the tree of knowledge, she saw the bait set by Satan to drag her down and it looked good. As we see in Genesis 3:6 'So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.' Notice that not only did she eat of the tree but she gave some to her husband Adam, and he ate. You see, when we are not in God's will we can bring those around us down too. This is why we need to be on our guard at all times. Satan is just waiting to lure us in; he is holding the fishing pole with the hook and bait waiting for us to take it and he will reel us in as fast as he can. We need to be in the Word of God every day communicating with God every day to help combat Satan and his lures. When you know the Bible, you can detect the bait and deal with it decisively.