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

New Focus: God Loves Us (#882)
Today we’re going to start a new series called New Focus. And the purpose of this series is to give us something positive to focus on every week. Because as we go through our weeks, with our various focus and responsibilities, there is so much going on around us, so many people, so many details, so much stuff that we sometimes we get distracted on from simply loving God and knowing He loves us.
Taught by Bruce Mahone 20151004.  All rights reserved.
Verse Listing and Notes
Deut. 7:8           God’s motives
Deut. 23:5         God turned the curse (of Balaam) into a blessing, because He loved
Ps 13:5-6            I have trusted in thy steadfast love
Psa 34:8-10        O taste and see that the Lord is good; they that seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing —
Ps. 36:7-9           How excellent (precious) is thy lovingkindness
Ps 92:1-2            To shew forth (declare) thy lovingkindness in the morning
Ps. 119:165        Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend
Jer. 9:23, 24        He knoweth the Lord which exercises lovingkindness (vs 24)
Jer. 31:3              With lovingkindness He drew us.
Rom. 8:28           All things work together for good
Ro. 8:38, 39        Nothing can separate us
Eph. 1:4-6           Holy and without blame, lovely and acceptable
I Thes. 4:9-12     You are taught of God to love one another (vs. 11 – aspire to lead a quiet life, aspire to live quietly, let it be a point of honor with you to keep calm)
Teaching
882 New Focus: God Loves Us

Persistence (#881)
Today we’re going to talk about persistence. As you know God is very persistent, he never gives up on us and keeps doing all He can to help us and He will faithfully and consistently be there when we need help. He wants us to be faithful and consistent as well. We’ll look at many records today; that will help drive home the fact that we just can’t give up. Let’s start in Luke 18.
Taught by Bruce Mahone 20150927.  All rights reserved.
Verse Listing and Notes
Luke 18:1-8             Men ought always to pray, and not to faint
Gen 18:20-33          Moses reasoned with God about Sodom’s destruction
II Kings 4:18-37       He walked in the house to and fro…child sneezed seven times
I Kings 18:41-45      Elijah prayed, and it rained – James 5:17-18
Mark 8:22-25           Men as trees walking
Rom 1:8-13              I purposed (determined) to come unto you, but was let (forbidden)
Col 4:1-4                   Praying…that God would open unto us a door of utterance (vs. 3)
Rom. 12:10-14         Patient in mental pressure, continuing instant [steadfastly, faithful, persevering, be constant] in prayer (vs. 12)
I Co. 4:1-5                  Required in stewards to be found faithful (vs. 4 – nothing of which I am guilty)
II Tim 4:1-5                Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season (vs. 2)
Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. (NASB)
Teaching
Persistence (#881)

Rejoice in God’s Goodness (#880)
Today we’re going to talk about rejoicing in God’s goodness.  The last time I covered this was about ten years ago.  We’ve covered variations of this, but haven’t covered this topic in a while.  We’ll start in Deuteronomy chapter 18.
Taught by Bruce Mahone 20150823.  All rights reserved.
Verse Listing and Notes
Ex 18:1-12                  Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel (vs 9)
Ps 146                         Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help (vs. 5)
Prov 16:20                  Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he
Deut 16:13-17            The Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase…therefore thou shalt surely rejoice (vs. 15)
Deut 26:1-11              Thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee (vs. 11)
I Chron 16:7-36         Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord (vs. 10)
II Chron 20:27           The Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies
Psalm 5:11-12           Let those that trust thee rejoice, let them ever shout for joy
Psalm 16:11              In thy presence is fullness of joy
Psalm 43:4                God my exceeding joy (NLT: the source of all my joy; NIV: my joy and my delight; lit: gladness of my joy)
Prov 15:13-15           A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance (vs. 13) He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast (vs. 15)
Rom 5:1-8                 Rejoice in hope of the glory of God (vs. 2)
Rom 12:9-21             Rejoicing in hope (vs. 12)
Phil 3:3                      Rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh
Phil 4:4-9                   Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, Rejoice (vs. 4)
I Tim. 6:17                 Trust in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy
 Never give up on God – He has certainly not given up on you!
Teaching
880 – Rejoice in God’s Goodness