Ronnie Floyd

Archive for the 'Bible Studies for Life' Category

August 19th, 2014

Betrayal is Not the End

Have you ever been betrayed? Has a friend ever promised one thing but done another? Married to a spouse who violated your wedding vows? Experienced a business partner who took your idea and pushed you out of the business?

Many people will experience betrayal at some point in their lives. In the Old Testament, Joseph was betrayed by his brothers. He was then sold into slavery. In the New Testament, Jesus was betrayed by one of His disciples, Judas. He was eventually crucified.

The Hurt of Betrayal is Like No Other

The hurt of betrayal is like no other hurt because it involves taking advantage of trust. That’s why only those close to another can betray. As Michael Card sings, “Only a friend can betray a friend. A stranger has nothing to gain.”¹

There are times we may feel abandoned by family or friends. Sometimes we may even feel betrayed by God. It might be great things we want to do for Him, faith in asking Him for an answered prayer, or feeling alone in times of great need. Emotions well up and we feel as if God has not kept His promises to us.

But, this is not true. God has never and will never betray us. His character will not allow it.

Everything Lost

Job is a man whose story is captured in the Old Testament book bearing his name. As wealthy as anyone around him, he enjoyed immense ownership of livestock and a large family. Then, seemingly in an instant, it was gone. Everything except his wife was lost via weather related accidents or murder and plunder from marauders. In the midst of his mourning Job cried out, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”²

Three of Job’s friends came by to mourn with him, then to question why these awful things had happened to one who claimed to fear God. Eventually, they were joined by a fourth. In all the questions (which must have felt like a cross-examination at times), Job held fast to the belief he had done nothing wrong to bring God’s judgment on himself. Finally, Job gives one of the greatest confessions in the entire Bible: “If I go east, He is not there, and if I go west, I cannot perceive Him. When He is at work to the north, I cannot see Him; when He turns south, I cannot find Him. Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.” (23:8-10)

God Never Betrays You

God will never abandon His children, even when others do. God will never betray His children, even when others have. God will never forget His children, no matter how rocky their way or how dark the valley of the shadow of death. “For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!”³

You can count on God!

Yours for the Great Commission,

Ronnie W. Floyd

Senior Pastor, Cross Church
General Editor, Bible Studies for Life
President, Southern Baptist Convention

¹– “Why?“ by Michael Card, EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
²– Job 1:21 English Standard Version
³-Romans 8:38, 39 Holman Christian Standard Bible

Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.

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August 12th, 2014

Connecting to God and Each Other Through Prayer

Bible Studies for Life

Think about when someone comes to you with a prayer request. Perhaps it concerns health, a job, or a family member. Often such requests come at inconvenient times – times when we are distracted or hurried. Too often our “I’ll pray about it” is forgotten as soon as we turn away. It isn’t intentional, but it does happen.

Prayer is Central Personally

Prayer is a central component in the life of any growing Christian. If fact, it is probably impossible to grow without prayer. Prayer is to the spiritual life what breathing is to the physical life. We must commune with God in prayer. To ignore prayer in a real way is to ignore God.

The scripture is filled with teaching on prayer. Here are a few examples:

“Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18

“Pray constantly.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44

“Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:38

“Then He [Jesus] told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged.” Luke 18:1

“Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.” 1 Timothy 2:8¹

Over and over again, we are exhorted to pray.

Prayer is Central Corporately

We are given examples of believers praying together in both the Old and New Testaments. Prayer is central not only to individual Christians, but to gatherings of believers, also. “If our purpose as a church were simply to socialize, we could thrive on our own steam. But the church is the body of Christ on assignment to accomplish the greatest mission the world has ever known. Plus, we have a vicious enemy trying to defeat us at every turn…For these reasons and more, we need prayer.”²

It is important that churches organize for prayer. Church leadership cannot leave prayer to chance. Those things that are emphasized by leaders are considered important to those in the church. Prayer cannot be overlooked.

This is why I am encouraging churches to turn one entire Sunday morning service into a prayer gathering. We did this last fall at Cross Church and it was powerful. I know many churches have done the same. Consider doing the same and if interested, take a minute to read these suggestions I wrote earlier about this very thing.

As we gather to pray, our hearts are drawn together in pursuit of God. Few times do we bear each other’s burdens more frequently or more purposefully than when we pray together. Calling out to God, hearing the passion in each other’s voice, rejoicing in prayers answered; all of these are benefits of praying together.

Prayer is Central Continuously

When we gather and hear the words, “Let us pray,” we should allow them to remind us of all included in that simple phrase. God is with us when we pray and we are, in deep abiding ways, with each other.

This is why we must move into a season of practicing extraordinary prayer. Please consider this in your life and fellowship. Extraordinary prayer is essential to the next Great Awakening.

I am so convinced of this, that as President of the Southern Baptist Convention, I am calling us to JOIN THE MOVEMENT and become intentional daily praying for the next Great Awakening to happen across America and for the world to be reached for Christ. Please join us in this movement that was launched yesterday and share it with others.