Live the Word Bible Studies

Welcome to Live the Word

I'm happy you have visited this site, where my goal since 2001 has been to help people all over the world understand and then apply the word of God in their lives. If you look on the right hand side of this blog site, you will see the name of each book in the New Testament, where you will find what I call a devotional commentary for every verse in those books. My goal was not to do a technical study, but rather a practical one that presented not only insights, but also questions and recommendations to help you apply or live the word. I have now published those studies in book form, but it's time to expand my work with something new (pictured here are two of my commentary covers, and they are all available in paper or Kindle format through Amazon).

Once I completed the New Testament, I wanted to continue my Live the Word series but wasn't sure how. For several years, I had the idea to develop a Purpose Study Bible, similar to others on the market like The Spirit-Filled Bible, The Leadership Bible, The African Bible, and The Student Bible. Each one of those incorporates insights about a particular topic right in the Bible itself, providing a convenient and easy-to-use commentary. I have been teaching on the topics of purpose, creativity, goal setting, time management, and faith since 1991, and have gained insight and often taught about or written about those topics from a biblical perspective.

For the remainder of my days, I want to share what I have learned with my readers on these five topics I have labeled the five Gold Mine Principles, and this format seems like an economical way to do so (since I'm not ready to undertake publishing a Bible) and a good next step for the Live the Word series. This particular study began with Genesis and is moving in an orderly fashion through the rest of the Old Testament. Should I live long enough, I'll finish the Old Testament and then move on to the New.

I also want to learn from my readers, so I invite you to post comments to supplement, adjust, or augment what I have written. My goal, however, isn't to make us all experts on what the Bible has to say about purpose or creativity or goals or faith, but rather to help us become people of purpose, for as Jesus said, "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them" (John 13:17). That's why my commentaries are called Live the Word, for that is what we are expected to do once we know it.

I hope you enjoy reading these studies as much as I enjoy writing them, and I hope you will be an active participant by sharing your own insight and testimonies. Thank you, and may the Lord bless the reading and study of His word!

Purpose Study Bible 188: Focus

God went into great detail at times when He was instructing the people of what they were to do in the Land. At times He covered weighty matters of national defense, at other times, He went over how to plant their fields:

"Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled. Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together. Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together"(Deuteronomy 22:9-11).

It seems God was quite concerned with their ability to feed themselves which involved bearing fruit in their fields. And we learned from Jesus that God is still interested in how we plant our fields so that we can bear fruit, but this time it's spiritual fruit: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you" (John 15:16).

He is so desirous of us bearing fruit that He promises to give us whatever we need and ask for that will assist us in bearing that fruit. However, if you don't stay focused on what it is you do best and plant seed, so to speak, in those areas, then your efforts will be diluted and ineffective.

Do you have a lot of ideas, so many that you don't know on what you should focus? Are you involved in too many things which is causing you to divert your energy from producing abundant fruit in a specific area of work or ministry? Are you afraid of focusing on too little for fear that it will impact your ability to pay the bills or for fear that you can't really be effective by planting seed for just one 'crop'?

Your point of greatest effectiveness for God will be in the areas where you're most creative and purposeful. Set your focus on those areas and then be about the business of bearing much fruit as Jesus promised you would, which may mean saying no to some things so you can yes to others.

Purpose Study Bible 187: Take Care of Your Fruit Trees

In Deuteronomy 20, God laid out what the people needed to do when they entered the Land and approached a city to offer terms of surrender. If they refused, then they were to lay siege to that town. Yet the Lord felt the need to include this directive that would seem to be common sense:

"When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them? However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls" (Deuteronomy 20:19-20).

It speaks to preserving what it is that bears fruit in your life and that gives you some measure of life, comfort, and peace. If that's a place where you seek the Lord and find Him, then honor and preserve that place. If it's a time of day, month or year, then do all you can to keep that time holy and set apart. If it's an activity that brings you joy, that stimulates your creativity, that refreshes your mind, then by all means engage in that activity as often as possible. If it's recreation, then play hard and without guilt that you are wasting time. For me, it's live sport events, stamp collecting, certain types of movies, and travel. What is it for you?

Have you allowed your fruit trees to be damaged or destroyed? In other words, do you take care of you? If your life's a wreck and you're under siege, can you still preserve some portion of it for yourself, to write, sculpt, think, rhyme, or recreate? If your life isn't spinning out of control, then have you fashioned and shaped your time to be creative to the max? It's important to know what bears fruit and nourishes you as you walk through life, and once you know, it's important to do all you can to protect those things as the gifts from God that they are.

Purpose Study Bible 186: Terrified

This week, we revisit our nemesis that we have discussed on many occasions and that would be fear. Chapter 20 starts off with these verses:

"When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory" (Deuteronomy 20:1-4).

It's been said by many that when God tells you not to fear, it's too late. You're already afraid. You're fearful as you face self-doubt, along with lack of resources as you compare yourself to others who seem to have more money, more talent, and more opportunities. What's more, it's been drilled into your head and heart not to get ahead of the Lord or draw attention to yourself, so your creativity and purpose have to filter through another set of fears before they can come into the light of life. And there's already plenty of other internal enemies to deal with: fear of failure, success, looking stupid, poverty, missing the Lord—just to name a few.

You can quote 2 Timothy 1:7 all day and night and remain in your fears: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Where could you be afraid, terrified even, to step out and do what's in your heart? Where are you holding back because you're afraid of 'missing the Lord'? How are you over-spiritualizing your fear, perhaps blaming your inactivity on God not moving or confirming what you want to do or be?

I've made it a habit to assume there's fear someplace in my thinking and then to go on a search-and-destroy mission to root it out and overcome it with faith actions. I would encourage you to do the same thing, asking the Lord to show you your fear so you'll know the truth and it can set you free.

Purpose Study Bible 185: Justice Wisdom

Earlier in this study, we looked at the need to create justice, which involves taking rules and principles and applying them to unique situations for which there is little precedent to know how to act. The Lord continued to express His concern for justice in Deuteronomy 19:

"This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought. For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life" (Deuteronomy 19:4-5).

The Lord required that the people build cities of refuge, which was in itself a creative act. They had to determine where to build them, what and who would be in those cities, and then had to establish courts of law to hear cases and carry out just decisions for punishment or leniency. All this had to involve creativity in their legal interpretations and not just following of hard and fast rules, which could never cover every possible scenario. This is why we need God's wisdom to dispense His justice in our homes, schools, businesses, churches, and governments.

The good news is that He wants to give us this kind of wisdom: "By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just; by me princes govern, and nobles—all who rule on earth" (Proverbs 8:15-16) and "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you" (James 1:5). Are you seeking God for wisdom as you express your creativity and purpose? Are you asking in faith and then watching for the answer, believing that God isn't trying to trick or mislead you? How can you build a life and work that is a place of refuge for those who have made mistakes or in need of mercy and grace? The Word of God is clear that we all need wisdom to walk out our purpose and that wisdom is accessible to all, even you. All you must do is see the need and ask.

Purpose Study Bible 184: Provision

This Purpose Study Bible series is examining the Old Testament to see where the five Goldmine Principles are discussed or mentioned. Those five principles are purpose, creativity, goal setting, time management, and faith. In this week's lesson, we see faith, principle number five, in Deuteronomy 18:

"The Levitical priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance. They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them" (Deuteronomy 18:1-2).

While all the other tribes received a land grant to distribute among themselves, the Levites who tended the tabernacle and temple received no such allotment. They were to live off the worship offerings the people brought to sacrifice. In other words, they were living by faith in God that He would provide enough for them and their families through the work they did for the Lord.

Now you're part of a kingdom or nation of priests and the same is true for you. While the Lord may use a company or government to pay you, He doesn't need one and you aren't to see them as your source. You're not to give your time and gifts to the highest bidder without considering how God wants you to steward the gifts and time He has given you. Just like the Levites, you're to do God's work and He, who knows what you need, will bring the provision however He chooses to do so—through the place you work or some other means.

Are you following in the steps of the Levites and trusting God for your provision? Are you doing the work for the kingdom of God you need to do or are you saying you're too busy to do that work because you have a "job"? Where have you put your faith in an earthly institution to meet your needs instead of the Lord? (Again, God may use that institution but they are not your source; He is.) God owns the earth with the cattle on a thousand hills and He's capable of meeting your needs as you do His work—if you will simply trust Him to do so.

Purpose Study Bible 183: Your Limitations

Moses explained not only how to handle spiritual matters but also civil matters in his final instructions before the people entered the Land:

“If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgment or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the Lord your God chooses" (Deuteronomy 17:8).

He recognized that there were going to be some matters that were too difficult or complex for local officials to handle and when that happened, they were to go to those with more experience or wisdom. This foreshadowed what Paul wrote about life in Christ's body:

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).

There are limitations to what you can do by God's design, which is why you need to establish relationships with people who can help you do what you can't. That may be teachers, coaches, mentors, or experts and that may involve consulting them not only in person but also through their writings or other published sources--and they may be people who are not people of faith but who have distinguished themselves in your area of expertise or gifting.

Do you recognize your limitations and freely seek the help or input of others? Who speaks into your life? Who have you identified as capable beyond your level of skill, knowledge, or wisdom? Perhaps there are people who simply inspire you and you access them for encouragement or motivation? Whatever the reason, having some "go to" people is a must if you want to be effective and grow, taking into account your God-given potential and limitations.

Purpose Study Bible 182: Excellence

It's easy to get into a mentality that God isn't watching or doesn't care about the quality of work that you do, but this verse proves that's not true:

"Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him" (Deuteronomy 17:1).

This resembles what Paul wrote in one of his letters:

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:22-24).

In place of slaves, insert the words employees, volunteer, artists, ministers, authors or any other role God assigns and then read the passage again. No matter what label you put on your role in life, you're to do your work with all your heart for the Lord and not for human customers, members, or consumers. God is watching and because God gives the very best day in and day out, He requires His people dto o the same—and that includes you.

Are you doing what you do in your purpose or creativity for the Lord or for money? Do you exhibit an 'excellence' mentality even if you're not being paid to do the work you're doing? Do you desire to give God the best or are you content with a half-hearted or flawed offering of your work? This doesn't mean what you do has to be perfect but it should be as good as you can do with an eye toward improving as you continue to minister to and for Him as you express the essence of who He made you to be—with excellence.

Purpose Study Bible 181: A Creative No-No

Israel was warned not to use their collective creativity in the wrong way. They were to build an altar to the Lord; they were not to build or erect a rival altar or worship symbol to another god:

"Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build to the Lord your God, and do not erect a sacred stone, for these the Lord your God hates" (Deuteronomy 16:21-22).

God created us to be creative people and that creativity didn't disappear after Adam and Eve fell. However, now we're like a computer with a virus. Everything remains intact, but a sin virus was introduced that corrupted all the files. The computer still functions but it has a major defect that limits its effectiveness. That's a good analogy for how we now function in our fallen nature, and that includes our creativity.

What's more, if we don't channel our creativity into legitimate and godly expressions, it will tend to "break out" into other areas and that could include worship. We see many such creative "worship" systems today, usually ending in the letters "-ism" that are examples of people's fertile creative minds, but that aren't grounded in God's word or will (socialism, communism, materialism, and a host of cults, which will go unnamed for now).

Yet this creativity-gone-awry doesn't have to be a system; it can be as simple as you using your creativity solely for the purposes of making money or as an outlet to proclaim your own theology and worldview. You're to worship at the altar God prescribes, not one of your own choosing and making.

Are you using your creativity as God intended? Are you submitting it to the Lordship of Christ or is your creativity a renegade or a hibernating talent? How can you utilize your creativity in a way that contributes to your worship of God and not as a creative no-no that hinders or diverts your obedience? In other words, make sure the sin virus isn't affecting your creativity, which God wants you to use and display for His glory.

Purpose Study Bible 180: Creating Justice

After Moses reminded Israel about their obligations to gather regularly for their religious festivals, he inserted some comments that seem out of place:

"Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you" (Deuteronomy 16:18-20).

It sounded like a pretty straightforward job description for these judges: They were to "follow justice and justice alone." Yet, those judges were going to face situations no one had ever encountered before when they and the people entered into the Promised Land. Thus, they were going to have to take the principles Moses had taught through the Law and apply them in new and creative ways in a manner that was pleasing to God.

That would require wisdom, which isn't following a rule book or formula but taking the general rules and interpreting them and prescribing their application in light of specific circumstances and scenarios. Simply put: Justice requires knowledge of the law but also creativity in applying it. Today as never before, the world is clamoring for "justice," but few seem to have the answers. That's because only those who know how to access and utilize godly wisdom can bring about the kind of justice people and society crave.

Are you willing for God to put you in situations for which you don't have the experience but do have the knowledge that you'll have to creatively apply in a new situation? Have you given any thought to how you can produce "justice" through your gifts and purpose? Is biblical or godly justice even a concern for you at this point in your life or career?

Purpose Study Bible 179: God Breaks

Moses took time to go over God's requirements pertaining to the festivals or celebrations He set aside for the people to observe:

"Observe the month of Aviv and celebrate the Passover of the Lord your God, because in the month of Aviv he brought you out of Egypt by night. . . . Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God. . . . Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. . . . . Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles" (Deuteronomy 16:1, 9-10, 13, 16).

Then there were two things that all the festivals had in common, behaviors that God expected the people to have:

"Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns" and "No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you" (Deuteronomy 16:14, 16b-17).

What does this tell us? The Lord expected the people to give themselves to their daily lives and work, raising their families and making a living. However, He also required that they build into their schedules and mindset times that were strictly devoted to the Lord and their own refreshment and rejuvenation. Giving and enjoyment were vital parts of these God breaks.

Travel was also a part of that refreshing process, for the trips would require planning and a major investment of time and money. While the people were to work hard six days a week, their Sabbaths and their feasts were meant to keep them close to the Lord and the mentality that all they did was an expression of their service to God.

What regular God breaks do you take in your annual schedule that are similar to the Jewish festivals? Do you build into your schedule not only weekly times to worship and rest but also longer, extended times that serve the purpose of bringing your mind and focus back on God, the source of your blessing and purpose? Do you invest money and time into your spiritual growth while also strengthening your relationship with the Lord?

Do you plan these activities well in advance to ensure that life's busy-ness doesn't crowd them out? Like Israel, God's people must be proactive in order for these God breaks to serve the purpose in their lives and the life of their family that God intended.