Lord, Help Me Do Better

 

A family bible study by Keith M. Craddock

"Lord, Help Me Do Better"

Have you ever felt like you're not living up to your full potential? Like you're stuck and can't seem to make progress? The truth is, we all struggle with feelings of inadequacy and frustration at times. But the good news is that God is always willing to help us do better.

Following Jesus Requires Sacrifice

In Luke 9:57-58, we read:

"As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' Jesus replied, 'Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.'"

This passage reminds us that following Jesus requires sacrifice. We can't just follow Him when it's convenient or easy; we have to be willing to give up our own desires and plans in order to follow Him.

Serving Two Masters

In Matthew 6:24, we read:

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

This verse reminds us that we can't serve two masters. We have to choose between serving God and serving our own desires and interests.

The World is Passing Away

In 1 John 2:17, we read:

"The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

This passage reminds us that the world and its desires are temporary, but doing the will of God is eternal. We should focus on living for God, rather than trying to fit in with the world.

Living as Foreigners

In 1 Peter 2:15-17, we read:

"For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor."

This passage reminds us that as Christians, we are living as foreigners in a world that is not our home. We should live in such a way that we honor God and show respect to everyone around us.

Taking Up Our Cross

In Matthew 16:24-25, we read:

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.'"

This passage reminds us that following Jesus requires us to take up our cross and deny ourselves. We have to be willing to give up our own desires and plans in order to follow Him.

Spiritual Warfare

In 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, we read:

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

This passage reminds us that as Christians, we are in a spiritual battle. We need to use the weapons of spiritual warfare, such as prayer and Scripture, to demolish strongholds and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Conclusion

Living for God is not always easy, but it's worth it. When we surrender our lives to Him and ask for His help, He will give us the strength and wisdom we need to do better. Let us pray, "Lord, help me do better."

Reflection Questions

What areas of your life do you feel like you're not doing well in?
How can you surrender those areas to God and ask for His help?
What does it mean to you to take up your cross and follow Jesus?

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to do better. Give us the strength and wisdom we need to live for You. Help us to surrender our lives to You and to follow You, no matter what the cost. In Jesus' name, Amen

Failure

A family bible study by Keith M. Craddock

Failure is a universal human experience. We all fail at some point in our lives, and it can be a painful and discouraging experience. But what does the Bible say about failure?

The Righteous Fall Seven Times

In Proverbs 24:16, we read:

"For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again."

This verse reminds us that even the righteous, those who are living according to God's ways, will experience failure. But the key is that they get back up again. They don't let failure define them.

God's Mercy and Compassion

In Psalm 78:38-39, we read:

"Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return."

This psalm reminds us that God is merciful and compassionate, even when we fail. He remembers that we are human and prone to weakness.

Satan's Schemes and God's Redemption

In Luke 22:31-32, we read:

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

This passage reminds us that Satan wants to destroy us, but God wants to redeem us. Even when we fail, God is working to restore us and use us for His purposes.

Failure and Restoration

In John 21:3-4, we read:

"Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 'I'm going out to fish,' Simon Peter told them, and they said, 'We'll go with you.' So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing."

This passage reminds us that even after a significant failure, like Peter's denial of Jesus, we can still experience restoration. Peter and the other disciples went back to fishing, but Jesus met them on the beach and gave them a new commission.

Feed My Sheep

In John 21:17, we read:

"Jesus said, 'Feed my sheep.'"

This verse reminds us that even after we fail, God can still use us for His purposes. Peter, who had failed so spectacularly, was given a new commission to feed Jesus' sheep.

Conclusion

Failure is not the end. It's a stepping stone to success. God is merciful and compassionate, and He wants to redeem us, even when we fail. Let us remember that failure is not defining, and that God can use us for His purposes, even after we fail.

Reflection Questions

What are some areas of your life where you've experienced failure?
How has God redeemed you in those areas?
What does it mean to you to be restored by God?

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy and compassion. Help us to see failure as a stepping stone to success, and to trust in Your redemption. Give us wisdom and guidance as we navigate the ups and downs of life. In Jesus' name, Amen

Call on God

 Call on God

A Family Bible Study By: Keith M. Craddock

Have you ever felt like you're facing a difficult situation, and you don't know where to turn? Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or uncertain about the future. In times like these, it's easy to feel like we're alone, like we're facing our challenges without any help or support.

But the Truth Is, We're Not Alone

In 2 Timothy 4:16-18, the apostle Paul writes:

"At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it."

Even when everyone else deserted Paul, the Lord stood by him, giving him strength and enabling him to fulfill his mission.

Calling on God in Prayer

In Psalm 5:1-12, King David writes:

"Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."

David's psalm reminds us that we can call on God in prayer, laying our requests before Him and waiting expectantly for His answer.

God Is Near to Those Who Call on Him

In Psalm 145:18-21, we read:

"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy."

This psalm reminds us that God is near to those who call on Him, that He hears our cries and saves us, and that He watches over all who love Him.

Conclusion

When we're facing difficult situations, it's easy to feel like we're alone. But the truth is, we're not alone. We can call on God, laying our requests before Him and waiting expectantly for His answer. Let us remember that God is near to those who call on Him, that He hears our cries and saves us, and that He watches over all who love Him.

Reflection Questions

What difficult situation are you facing right now?
How can you call on God in prayer, laying your requests before Him?
What does it mean to you that God is near to those who call on Him?

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you in prayer, calling on your name and laying our requests before you. We know that you are near to those who call on you, that you hear our cries and save us, and that you watch over all who love you. Help us to trust in your goodness and your love, and to wait expectantly for your answer. In Jesus' name, Amen.