This week we began our journey through the Bible In 3 Years. Already it has been an exciting week as many people have engaged and participated.

As I have been answering the questions that are coming in I found myself figuring out and trying to communicate different levels confidence or belief in the subjects at hand. Some ideas are speculation while others are essential doctrines.

Speculation can be fun and interesting, but those ideas do not hold the weight of other truths. So I put together a Sound Doctrine Scale to easily communicate this when I am answering questions.

You can sign up to receive the questions and answers by e-mail at this link…
The Bible In 3 Years List

The Bible In 3 Years: www.cclivingwater.com/3

Raul Ries

Today there is a lot of compromising going on. Even in this room.

You are either in, or you are out. You have to make up your mind.

Sin separates us from God. God does not compromise when it comes to His holiness and His Word.

Recent talk show – nobody could name the four gospels, but they could name the four Beatles.

Only 16% of Christians say they read the Bible daily.

The knowledge of God is decreasing!

"If you have been in the Lord for five years and you do not know the books of the Bible, something is wrong. If you teach and do not know the books, their author, their background, something is wrong!"

"I go thru Pastor Chuck’s teachings thru the Bible over and over again."

1 Corinthians 8 – Freedoms in Christ

Corinthians worshipped every major god.

They would offer meat to idols continually.

People always ask, can I drink alcohol? If you are in ministry, you should never drink alcohol. One little drink keeps you in bondage.

There is a lot of compromise going on in the church, and there is no fear of God or holiness unto the Lord. Among the leaders.

God sees it, and you will never get away with anything.

v1 – offerings to idols

Not talking to unbelievers, but the church.

If you don’t have love, you will stumble people.

v3 – if you love God, you are known by God.

"I don’t go to movies so that people cannot be stumbled by me. I cannot go anywhere where people do not know me."

You can’t preach powerfully if you are compromising.

The greatest thing is not the congregation that is watching, but God that is watching!

God is always watching and listening.

Your usefulness in the kingdom of God is according to your separateness to God.

v4

If you want your house to be at peace, get rid of all the leaven. Because you are opening the door to oppression, depression and harassment.

v6

One God and One Lord

v7

So many people stumble others because they don’t have true love.

v8 – food does not commend us to God

Your life has to blameless. If it is not blameless you have no business being involved in ministering to people.

People have to see your life, not by preaching but by living.

We have to be men and women of integrity!

This is a chapter of integrity.

Grace – love – mercy – but we do it for love’s sake.

v9 – beware! You can stumble people!

You cannot allow sin in the camp. Especially among elders and leaders.

We cannot have sin here!

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

v9 – there are people who are not as strong as you are.

v10-11

How many people have left the church because they have been stumbled? How many of your neighbors have been stumbled by you?

Because of love, I don’t want to stumble you.

v12

Sin against the brethren is sin against Christ!

v13

Very clear. 

There are some updates on my broken foot that I want to share, but I want to start of this post by first of all saying that God is good, He is on the throne, and He works all things together for good. I am not bummed out or discouraged or worried. On the contrary, I am looking forward to what else God wants to do in this season.

What I take away from all of this is that God is not done with this season of my life. He still wants to do some more work in my heart. He has been working during this down time and slowed down time. And He has much more to do in me.

So my prayer request is not for my foot or knee, it really does not matter either way. My prayer request is for my heart, that I would grow and learn the lessons and hear from the Lord to be the man, husband and pastor that God wants me to be.

Raul Ries

1Cor 7

If you are a pastor you know that the church is in trouble regarding marriage.

“when I was a kid there were no divorces. They stayed together even though they were heathens.”

Divorce destroys the children.

These concerts in Corinth wanted to learn the Word of God and how to live by it.

Immorality today is much like it was in Corinth. But people don’t believe it.

No wonder there is no revival, with so much sin being practiced in the church.

v1-9 – Dealing with single people

Either your wife and you are one in the ministry or you are going to have big problems. Big problems!

v1 – responding to that lost letter that they wrote to Paul

If you touch a woman sexually (besides your wife) you will be disqualified from ministry.

When you get caught, it is not repentance.

Honestly, Biblically, you should not look for a husband or wife. God brought Eve to Adam.

If you are not one with your spouse then how can God use you? He can’t. You’re limiting God.

Touch – Physical relationship

If you are always checking out women you have a problem!!

Stat shared recently: 75% of people in church are looking at pornography.

How can God pour out His Spirit on the church?

v2

The problem is sexual immorality. He is talking to Christians in the church!

Marriage is not easy, there are struggles and stress.

Everyone has to live within their means. Credit cards are hurting a lot of people in the church.

Money problems could be settled if the spending would stop.

v3

Both have to maintain their relationship.

v4

When you got married you became one. It is a union. Dependence of the wife on her husband, and husband on his wife.

v5

Don’t deprive each other. To do so makes you very vulnerable.

Fasting and Prayer – deny yourself so your marriage can work.

If this does not happen you will not have a marriage. Satan will have a field day with you.

Girls – Don’t be the boss. Or you will have problems.

v6-7

Paul says I wish everyone had the gift of singleness.

Married an celibate, each is a gift of God.

v8

It is good not to get married, you can serve the Lord in a greater capacity.

v9

If you can’t be alone, get married.

The idea is having continual sexual desires and then finally give into them.

Yesterday a group of us from CCLW were able to attend a one-day seminar at Calvary Chapel San Bernardino on expository preaching.  It was fantastic!

Expository Preaching is so important, and desperately needed today. You may be asking, “What is Expository Preaching?” If you do not know, you need to find out. Immediately! You need to know so that you can do it when you have opportunity to teach. You also need to know so that you can distinguish between bad, good and better Bible teaching.

Here are my notes from yesterday’s conference to get you started…

Session 1, Skip Heitzig – What Is Expository Preaching?

Session 2, John Miller – Why We Do It

Session 3, Skip Heitzig – How To Do It

Session 4, John Miller – How To Do It

I am sure that the audio and video will be available online at some point, you can also order CDs, MP3s, and DVDs from Calvary Chapel San Bernardino (www.calvarysbd.com).