New Focus: Be Still and Know (#891)
Today we’ll continue our series on having a New Focus and the stayed-mind and the peace of God.  The title of what we’ll cover today is Be Still and Know.  Just to be able to be still, to be quiet in our hearts, and not be overly worked up is a great, great quality to have.
Taught by Bruce Mahone, 20160221. All rights reserved.
Verses and Notes
Exodus 14:9-14             Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord
Ruth 3:18                       Sit still until you know how the matter will fall
I Samuel 9:27                Stand thou still a while
I Samuel 12:7                Stand still that I may reason of the righteous acts of the Lord
II Chronicles 20:17       Stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord
Psalms 4:4 (5-8)            Stand in awe and be still
Psalms 37:7                   Rest in the Lord [be still, silent before the Lord]; Wait patiently for him
Psalms. 46:1-2,10-11    God is a very present help; be still and know that He is God (vs. 1)
Teaching
891 New Focus: Be Still and Know

New Focus: Giving Thanks Always (#889)

We’ll continue our series today on having a new focus in life. We’ve been working through a class I’ve taught before, the Stayed Mind and the Peace of God class, which I believe has eight main topics which we’ve been recently covering in our weekly teachings. I should note that we skipped the Secret of Radiant Living — and although it is one of my favorite topics, we covered it in July so we didn’t cover it in this series. You are more than welcome to review that materiel, it is available in the class and in our teaching in July. Today we’re onto Giving Thanks Always. I feel thankfulness is greatly under appreciated for what it has to offer in our lives. Often there is so much focus on setting goals, a vision, charging ahead, and accomplishing things. These are themes in the Bible, sports and business and these things are good, but if you don’t have some thankfulness mixed in you’re just never satisfied, you’re always worrying about the next project and you will forget to just step back and remember all the great things God has already done for you. Having a vision, settings goals, praying for others, and moving ahead are all great things, but as we are doing that, if we take some time to remember what He has already done, not only will our lives be much more peaceful and more content, but we’ll have much more confidence that God will help us with that next problem, because we’ll remember what He has already done. Let’s start in Philippians 1.
Taught by Bruce Mahone, 20160131. All rights reserved.
Verse Listing and Notes
Phil. 1:3-6          Be thankful when we pray for one another
Phil. 4:6-9          Let your own requests be made known to God with thanksgiving
Eph. 5:18-20     Giving thanks always for all things
Col. 1:12-13       Giving thanks unto the father…partakers of the inheritance of the saints
Col. 2:6,7            Abounding with thanksgiving (overflowing with gratitude)
Col. 3:15-17       Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, and be ye thankful
Col. 4:2-4            Pray with thanksgiving for a door of utterance to open
I Thes. 5:16-18   In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God
I Tim. 1:12-15     Paul called to ministry
I Tim. 2:1-6          Give thanks for all men…for all that are in authority
Phm 4-6               I thank my God, making mention of thee in my prayers
Teaching
889 – New Focus – Give Thanks Always

New Focus: Patiently Determined (#888)
We’ll continue our series today on having a new focus in life. The last several sessions we’ve covered sections of the class I taught several years ago called the Stayed Mind and the Peace of God. So every topic in that class deals with that theme: that we want to have our minds stayed on God’s Word, so it is fixed, it is focused on God; and that leads to having the peace of God. One portion of that class that we’ll cover here today, is what I call patiently determined. Because God wants us to be very patient and yet he wants us to be very determined to move ahead with the things of God and not get discouraged, not get side-tracked, and not get upset about things. Let’s start in Psalm 37:7…
Taught by Bruce Mahone, 20160117. All rights reserved.
Verse Listing and Notes
Ps 37:7           Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him
Ps 40:1           I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry
Luke 8:15       Having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience
Luke 21:19     In your patience possess ye your souls (NASB: by your endurance you will gain your lives)
Rom 5:3-5       Knowing that tribulation worketh patience
This doesn’t mean, of course, that we have only a hope of future joys – we can be full of joy here and now even in our trials and troubles. Taken in the right spirit these very things will give us a patient endurance; this in turn will develop a mature character, and a character of this sort produces a steady hope, a hope that will never disappoint us. (JB Phillips)
Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation (thlipsis – mental pressure), continuing instant (continuing steadfast, faithful, to persevere and not to faint, to show one’s self courageous for) in prayer
Col 1:9-11      All patience and longsuffering with joyfulness
II Thes 1:1-4  Your patience (perseverance, steadfastness) and faith
Teaching
New Focus: Patiently Determined (#888)

 New Focus: Peace of God (#887)
So here we are at our last fellowship of the year.  Well Jesus Christ is referred to by many, many fine titles in the scriptures and one of them is the Prince of Peace.   And since we are coming up on the time of year when many celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, I thought why not talk about the peace of God.  Some have stated that all that I teach about is the peace of God.  I do teach on a variety of topics, but they generally do come back at some point to the peace of God.  I have found that when I’m trusting and reliant on God, I’m very peaceful.  And if I’m upset, worried, stressed out, etc.; it usually is because I’ve forgotten to focus on God and aren’t peaceful.  Let’s start in Psalm 4.  And, for those that are interested in learning more on this subject there is a class on the website, entitled The Stayed Mind and Peace of God that covers this topic in more detail.

Taught by Bruce Mahone 20151220, all rights reserved.
Verse Listing and Notes
Psalm 4:5-8                   Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety
Psalm 37:7-11               The meek shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace
Psalm 37:34-40             The end of the perfect man is peace (vs. 34 – wait = expect)
Psalm 119:165              Great peace have they which love thy law
Proverbs 3:1-6              God’s commandments add peace (vs. 2)
Proverbs 3:13-18          All the paths of wisdom are peace
Isaiah 26:3-4                  Perfect peace whose mind is stayed (steadfast, steady)
Isaiah 32:17                   The work (achievement) of righteousness shall be peace
Isaiah 48:18                   Peace like a river
Philippians 4:4-9           Peace will guard your hearts
Teaching
887 – New Focus – Peace of God

New Focus: Always Rejoice (#886)
Today we are going to continue our series on having a new focus in life with looking a little bit more at rejoicing, we’ve looked at this just recently in September, but there is so much on this topic that we are going cover some things we didn’t cover previously. Let’s start in the book of Nehemiah…
Taught by Bruce Mahone 20151206, all rights reserved.
Verse Listing and Notes
Neh. 8:8-12               They rejoiced because they understood the word of the Lord
The joy of the Lord is your strength (vs. 10)
Psalm 21:1                 The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord, he shall greatly rejoice
Ps. 38:12-16 (ff)         Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me when my foot slippeth
Ps. 63:1-8                   Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice (vs. 7)
Psalm 119:162          Rejoice at God’s Word
Eccl. 9:4-10                Eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart
Jer. 15:16                   Thy word was the joy and rejoicing of mine heart
Luke 2:10                  I bring you good tidings of great joy
Mat. 13:44-46           For joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath
John 15:9-12             That my join might remain in you, and that your joy might be full
I Thes. 5:16-18         Rejoice evermore
I John 1:3-4               That your joy may be full
Teaching
886 New Focus: Always Rejoice

New Focus: Steadfast (#885)
Today we’re are going to continue our series having a new focus in life, we’re going to focus on being steadfast.  Let’s start with the book of Ruth, we won’t read the whole book, but we’re all familiar with this record where the family left Bethlehem in Judah to go to the land of Moab were there wasn’t a famine; there was a famine in Bethlehem, but for some reason there wasn’t a famine in Moab so the family traveled there.   While there the two sons married Moabite women.  And after some more time the father died and the two sons also died.  Leaving three widows. Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah.  Let’s look at the record…
Taught by Bruce Mahone 20151115, all rights reserved.
Verse Listing and Notes
Ruth                               She was steadfastly minded (determined) [1:18]
Psalm 13:5-6                 I have trusted in thy steadfast love
Psalm 18:46-50            God shows steadfast love to his anointed, and to his seed forevermore
Psalm 23:6                    Surely goodness and steadfast love shall follow me
Psalm 107:1                  O give to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy (steadfast love) endures forever
Psalm 108:1-6, 12-13  Your mercy (steadfast love, lovingkindness) is great above (higher than) the heavens and thy truth (faithfulness) reaches to the clouds (skies) (vs. 4)
Psalm 136                     Mercy: love (NIV), lovingkindness (ASV), steadfast love (NRSV)
Psalm 112:1, 7-8          His heart is fixed (vs 7 – steadfast), his heart is established (vs 8 – steady)
Isaiah 26:3-4                 stayed on thee – steadfast (Expositors Bible Commentary), well stayed, steady (ICC)
Daniel 6:26                  He is the living God, and steadfast for ever (vs. 26)
Luke 8:15                     Fruit with patience (steadfast perseverance) [by persevering]
Rom. 12:10-14            Patient in mental pressure [continuing steadfast, faithful, persevering in prayer]
I Cor. 15:58                  Be ye steadfast unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord
I Peter 5:6-9                 Whom resist, steadfast in the faith
II Thes. 3:5                   Love of God & Patient (steadfast) waiting
Additional Verses:
II Thes. 3:3                   The Lord is faithful, who will stablish you and keep you from evil
II Tim. 2:13                   If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful
Titus 1:9                       Holding fast the faithful word
I John 1:9                      He is faithful and just to forgive
Teaching
885 New Focus – Steadfast

New Focus: Keep Seeking (#884)
Today we’re are going to continue a series we started a few weeks ago on having a new focus in life; trying to raise your vision of what you focus on and look at. Today we’ll talk today about the importance of seeking the Lord. Let’s start in Deuteronomy chapter 4.
Taught by Bruce Mahone 20151101, all rights reserved.
Verse Listing and Notes
Deut 4:23-31               If you seek the Lord, you will find him (vs. 29)
I Chron 16:10-12        Seek the LORD and his strength
Psalm 9:9-10               Thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee
Psalm 34:10                The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing
Psalm 34:22                None of them that trust [Heb. Chasa: seek refuge, flee for protection, put trust in, confide or hope in] in him shall be desolate [guilty, offended]
Psalm 63                     Early [diligently] will I seek thee (vs. 1).
Marrow & fatness (vs. 5): the richest of foods (NIV), a rich feast (NRSV)
A portion for foxes (vs. 10): food for jackals
Prov. 8:12-21              Those that seek me (wisdom) early [diligently] shall find me (vs. 17)
Jer. 29:10-14               Ye shall seek me and find me (vs. 13)
Mat. 7:7-8                    Seek, and ye shall find (vs. 7)
Col. 3:1-3                     Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth (vs. 1)
Heb. 13:14                  Here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come
Teaching
884 New Focus – Keep Seeking

New Focus: Love Others (#883)
Today we will continue our series on the love of God.  Several sessions ago we looked at the importance of loving God, last session we looked at the great truth that God Loves us, and today we’ll look at loving others.  None of this is very radical and you’ve probably read these verses at least tens times, but these are things we should have fresh in our minds.
Taught by Bruce Mahone 20151018, all rights reserved.
Verse Listing and Notes
Prov. 15:17              Better is a dinner of herbs than a stalled ox
Prov. 17:9                He that covereth a transgression seeketh love
Prov. 17:17              A friend loveth at all times
Mat. 5:43-46            Bless them that curse you
Mat. 18:21-22          Forgive seventy times seven
Mat. 22:37-40          Love thy neighbor as thyself
Mark 12:28-34        More than all whole burnt offerings
Luke 6:27-38           Be ye therefore mericful, as your Father also
Luke 7:36-50           To whom little is forgiven, loveth little
John 13:34-35         By this shall all know that ye are my disciples
John 15:9-13 (-19)   If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love – greater love hath no man than that he lay down his life for his friends
Teaching
883 New Focus: Love Others