Last week we started a discussion of some signpost words to help guide you through your Bible study. We learned to watch for "therefore" and the conclusions or reasons it points to. This week, we have a different kind of concluding signpost: The If – then team.

• [I]f anyone is in Christ, (then) he is a new creation – 2 Corinthians 5:17
• If we confess our sins, (then) He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9
• If anyone thirsts, (then) let him come to Me and drink. John 7:37

At 5 a.m., it's dark. Even after the change back to standard time. So from September to May, my running routes are limited to well-lit streets. (Well-lit, but without heavy traffic- tricky) This helps keep me safe and protects me from a fall or a turned ankle on uneven pavement.

Running (or walking) in the light is key to my Christian life as well. In 1 John 1:7, the apostle cites walking in the light as the mark of a genuine Christian. What does it mean, then to "walk in the light"? Back in verse 5, John says God is light. So walking in the light means to walk "in God", – in His holiness, in obedience, in truth.

Walking in that light of God keeps me safe from the effects of sin, and protects me from hurts that might slow me down or put me out of the race for a time.

It's a dark world out there. Stay in the light.

Study Tip Tuesday is back! Often little words carry great weight, and today's tip looks at some important small words that can be a big help during our study time.

One key to understanding a passage of Scripture is getting a handle on the sequence of events presented. Some signposts to watch for are "now", "then" and "when".

For instance, I flipped open to Matthew chapter 2. Here's a sample of sequence markers (the "trail" markers):
V.1 "Now after"
V.3 "when Herod"
V.4 "when he had gathered"
V.7 "Then Herod"
V.9 "when they heard the king"
V.10 "when they saw the star"
V.11 "when they had come into the house"
"When they opened their treasures"
V.12 "then being divinely warned"

While these sequences are especially important studying the narrative sections of Scripture like the Gospels or some of the Old Testament books, they also figure in other books as well.

1 Corinthians 15:54 "So WHEN this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality, THEN shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

1 John 3:2 "Beloved NOW we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that WHEN He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

Other times they introduce a condition or a contingency:

Jeremiah 29:13 "And you will seek Me and find Me WHEN you search for me with all your heart."

Ezekiel 36:23 "…[A]nd the nations shall know that I am the Lord, WHEN I am hallowed in you before their eyes."

2 Chronicles 7:14 "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.

Watch for these trail markers as you read, and take a moment to consider what truth they are highlighting.

Do you have other examples?

Bible study… Intimidating? Frustrating? Go to the Source.

The Holy Spirit inspired every word written in Scripture.  He is the One who pulls back the curtain revealing new things each time we study Scripture. In fact the Bible itself underscores how necessary the Spirit is for understanding.

1 John 2:27 He teaches us

Isaiah 11:2 He is the source of all wisdom

John 14:26 He will teach us all things and remind us

John 16:13 He guides us into truth

Nehemiah 9:20 God gave the Spirit to instruct us

1 Corinthians 2:10-13 The Spirit searches and reveals the deep things of God, the things only He can know and teach

1 Corinthians 2:14 Learning from the Spirit is the mark of a believer

Seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance as you read and study.  Let this be your prayer. “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your Law.”  Psalm 119:18

After a couple of weeks considering what authentic faith is, here’s my summary – we don’t know.

That’s not a cop-out answer. 1 John 3:2 says “Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

Authentic faith is a humble realization that we have a long way to go, and a lot to learn along the way. Every day and every situation brings the opportunity for a deeper understanding of God and His ways, which we relish. We readily share our insights, rejoice with each other, grieve with and comfort one another. We uphold each other, carry each other to the throne of grace, and lean on each other. All the while we hold on to the hope the assurance that one day we will know, we will understand, we will see.

And we welcome fellow-travelers.

Today starts the second week of camp with the high school kids. We use the same lessons, but try a little more depth and a little more intensity (mess, that is) with the games.

We’ve discussed with the kids that they received superpowers as soon as they were saved, including the indwelling Holy Spirit to help them accomplish the mission God gives us to evangelize the world. We warned them that the Enemy has plenty of weapons of his own to hinder us, including anger. Another huge weapon- the one that works on me- is fear.

We don’t usually think of it this way, but fear is the absence of trust. When we don’t trust the quality of our studying, we are afraid to take a chemistry test. When we don’t trust physics and Boeing, we don’t get on airplanes. When we don’t trust people, we are afraid to invest ourselves in friendships and relationships. When we don’t trust God… nothing else works.

My gracious Father knows that fear is a major issue, so He talks about it a lot in the Bible. There are hundreds of references dealing with fear, worry, anxiety- all different heads of the same monster. Here are a few to implement:

(2 Tim 1:7 – KJV) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Fear NEVER comes from God. He gives us a spirit of power (yes I can do what He gives me to do) a spirit of love (loving others is the key to carrying out the mission) and a sound mind (thinking clearly and truthfully about ourselves and our situation.)

(Psalm 118:6) The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

That’s IS. Present tense. Right now. Count on it. Not “I hope He’s with me”, or “He might be if…” If I get the IS part, the ” I will not be afraid” part is a piece of cake. And that’s GOD with me. What can a man do to frustrate the purposes of Almighty God? Nothing… (Why don’t I remember that?)

(1 John 4:18) There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

GOD IS PERFECT LOVE. He defines it. He loves me perfectly and so seeks only my best interest. Granted His definition of ‘my best interest’ and mine often clash, but that’s my lack of trust popping up again. His perfect love carries an eternal perspective that I can’t always see or wrap my mind around.

This is one of those lessons the teacher needs more than the students. God called me to go forth and conquer, not stay home and whimper.