Faith Bible Blog

Information and Reflections for the FBC Family

December 3, 2012
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Posts: 26

The Facebook Facade

Her family is perfect! Four beautiful, always-coordinating, perfectly well-behaved children and a husband who adores her. She’s a size “0” who dresses like a magazine ad and cares for her perfectly spotless home… Who is she? Every friend you have on Facebook!

It can be overwhelming when we start comparing our lives to others, but social media has put that process into hyper mode. Instead of just comparing ourselves to women we see all the time and actually have a possibility of seeing their faults, we start to compare ourselves to the social site facade. Have you ever seen a post and thought, “how does she do it? I could never be like that!” Continue Reading →

November 27, 2012
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Posts: 46

Preparing for Sunday: Mark 6:1-6

  1. Did you struggle with unbelief before you came to Christ? If so, what changed?

  2. How do you deal with family who express unbelief in Christ? Friends? Coworkers?  Do you react to those who mock you, dismiss you or ignore you?

  3. Many have heard the idiom “familiarity breeds contempt.” How was this true in the life of Christ? How has this been true in your life?

  4. How has God or His Church become too familiar or routine for you? Are you as passionate about Christ and serving Him as you were at first? If not, what are ways to combat your tendency to drift?

  5. Have you ever been frustrated at your inability to talk a friend or family member out of their unbelief? How does the story of Christ in Mark 6 give you perspective and hope?

  6. If unbelief DOESN’T come from a lack of evidence or truth, why do people reject Jesus?

  7. Are you ever tempted to use “small issues” you see in other Christians or the church as excuses for unbelief?  Since your sins are real and undeniable, do you point people to Christ when others point to your sins as reasons for their unbelief? Why isn’t this a guaranteed way to turn an unbeliever into a believer?

  8. If you have not surrendered your life to Christ, will you own that you are CHOOSING unbelief and repent?

November 21, 2012
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Posts: 46

Preparing For Sunday: Mark 5:21-24 & 35-43

  1. When you think of death, what comes to mind? How were these thoughts the same or different before you were a believer?

  2. Are you convinced that God cares deeply about those suffering from infirmities? Why or why not? Does your evidence come from scripture, personal experience or both?

  3. If Jesus’ compassion for the hurting wasn’t his ONLY motivation for healing, what else was driving Him?

  4. Tragedy often shows the inability of status, wealth, connections, etc. to save us and drives us to the only Person who does. Did tragedy bring you to the cross? When you were remembering your blessings at Thanksgiving, did you thank God for HOWEVER He drew you to Himself?

  5. Where do you run when faced with a hopeless situation? Is Christ your first reaction or your last resort?

  6. Do you ever feel the need to hurry God along? What does that reveal about your understanding of God’s character?

  7. Be honest: when the counsel of friends makes logical sense and the Word of God is hard to understand, what most influences your decisions?

  8. If the above questions reveal any lack of trust in Christ, confess that. In what ways can you show your confidence is only in Christ and His ability?

  9. Look back to your answer to question #1. Did you mention fear? Since Christ’s work on the cross frees Christians from the fear of death, what needs to change in your thinking so that you see death as, as Chris will say, waking up at home?

November 21, 2012
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Posts: 26

Only in America

With the upcoming Christmas season, one would think gratitude, generosity and contentment would flow easily from the life of a Christian. And yet, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior, I find the opposite to be true for many of us. I find myself thinking about the things I want and need to do instead of gratefulness for all God has done. I find my motivation for generosity to be rooted in teaching my children a lesson as opposed to an outpouring of Christ’s love in my life. And as far as contentment goes, I’m not usually drawn to buy things for myself, but Pinterest blew the lid off my contentment with Christmas decorations this year. Continue Reading →

November 14, 2012
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Posts: 46

Preparing for Sunday: Mark 5:21-34

  1. What is your first reaction when you are sick or someone else is?  Do you tend to be wrapped up in the circumstances? Why?

  2. How is Jesus’ heart towards his opposition different than your own? Can you give examples from scripture to show this?

  3. If you have ever been in a desperate place, what was your experience with Christ at that time? Now, does desperation drive you to the feet of the One who saves, or do you try to do it on your own first?

  4. Does God’s power in the midst of your circumstances and conditions drive you to tell others of His work? If not, ask God for boldness in proclaiming the gospel’s work in your life to those around you.

  5. When your faith is or was—as Chris will say—“imperfect, flawed and weak,” do/did you believe that disqualifies you from the Kingdom of God? From where does faith come?

  6. What evidence in your own life proves that Christ is not just a great teacher, a miracle worker or a prophet, but the GOD MAN, fully God and fully man?

  7. Have you accepted that faith in Christ is the ONLY way to be saved? Or are you still trying to earn God’s favor by being good, religious or generous?