NJ Bible Study, Hudson County, Union City, NJ (2026)

10/31/2023

Can I Trust My Bible? From What Was Written to What I'm Reading? Tim Bunting

I highly recommend this series of pod casts by my son, Tim Bunting. If you search the above title with his name you should find this quality series. It is widely available.
Tim takes a complicated topic and makes it easy to understand. This is an excellent introduction to Biblical Criticism. The specific question for investigation is whether our modern copy of the Bible is an accurate representation of the original writing. Many have accused the Bible of being unreliable because it has been copied and translated so many times. This presentation gives you strong reasons for confidence in our Bible.

10/24/2023

"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"

These are words Jesus spoke while on the cross shortly before His death. These are also the words of Psalm 22:1 written roughly 1,000 years before Jesus' birth.

The words of the Psalm are written for their prophetic value as they speak of the messianic suffering servant. They are also the expression of every suffering servant of God that feels alone in his misery.

David is presumably crying out to the Lord during his years of exile while King Saul seeks to kill him. Scrounging for food, sleeping in caves, living among the pagans and enduring the scorn of many of his own people brought him to a state of desperation.

It is appropriate for the people of God to cry out to Him over the loneliness and misery they endure. Sometimes we feel forsaken. However, our complaint to Him must be a call for His help with the expectation that He will, ultimately, deliver. Take Psalm 22 as a pattern for your cry of misery to the Lord. Do not overlook the humility, hope and faithful expectation of one who trusts the Lord.

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NJBibleStudy.org

10/17/2023

Jesus' Great Prayer for His Apostles and Disciples

On the night of Jesus' last Passover, betrayal and arrest, Jesus prayed an emotional prayer to the Father for his apostles and disciples. That prayer is found in John 17. Note Jesus' emphasis on the word of God through this chapter.

John 17:1-5 -- In this prayer, Jesus reveals His loyalty and devotion to the Father. Jesus willed to do the will of the Father and thereby to glorify Him.

John 17:6-19 -- Jesus prayed for the apostles that God had given Him. The one strong desire he expressed for them was that they be one, united. Evidently, that was not only a great desire but a great concern. His concern was justified by the division in the Christian Religious world. The means by which God would bring about unity was by God's word, God's truth.

John 17:20-23 -- Jesus goes on to pray for all those who would believe because of the work of the apostles. Jesus repeats over and over again in verses 21-23 that they would all be one, united in Him through the word of God.

John 17:24-26 -- Jesus closes His prayer with a prayer for that which such unity in Christ on earth would produce: unity, glory and love together in heaven.

Only in the word of the Lord can we be one.

NJBibleStudy.org
HudsonHeightsChurch.com

10/13/2023

How can I know that I know God?

A lot of people are confident in their relationship with God. How does the Bible answer this question?

3 "And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." 1 John 2:3-6.

Maybe it is time to know God's commandments. Let me know if I can help you find them in His word.

212-729-8356

09/27/2023

When will the things written in the Book of Revelation happen?

When will the things in the Book of Revelation happen? Guess what! The book tells us when these things will happen, at least generally. Let's read:

At the beginning of the book: "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near" (Revelation 1:1-3).

At the end of the book: " And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”
“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” ...
And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.

Would you like some help reading this book?

09/12/2023

Is the New Testament Gospel settled and final?

The New Testament scriptures have been undermined and dismissed for a variety of reasons, none of which are legitimate in my opinion. One such claim is that more or different revelation is needed with the passing of time and changes in the world. That is not how the New Testament scriptures speak. Please notice the timeless finality of what is written in the following scriptures:

Jude 3 -- Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Galatians 1:6-9 -- I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

John 12:48 -- The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

Hebrews 1:1 -- Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.

1 Peter 1:23-25 -- since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

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HudsonHeightsChurch.com

09/08/2023

You cannot know the will God!

For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11).
Unless we read the revelation God has made to us by His Spirit, we cannot know the will of God. Start reading! Otherwise, we cannot know. Read all of it. Let me know if you need help!
NJBibleStudy.org
HudsonHeightsChurch.com

08/29/2023

You Cannot Serve Two Masters.

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money)." Matthew 6:24.

The second half of Matthew chapter 6 (v.19-34) is about attitudes toward and the pursuit of money. Jesus knows and tells us that materialism, a love for and focus on the material things of this world, is a huge threat to our relationship with God. No one can serve God and money. We cannot forget this!

However, there is a spiritual principle that may be more widely applied: No one can serve two masters. One of the two will always take precedence and the other will be set aside. We must not deceive ourselves. We must accept this truth.

What other masters are competing with God for our attention? Family? Politics? Lust? Friends? Recreation? A master is one to whom we are loyal, one we pursue and serve, one that affects the decisions we make about life. We cannot serve two masters. Choose this day whom you will serve. Let us know if we can help.

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HudsonHeightsChurch.com

08/22/2023

The first gospel sermon -- all about EVIDENCE.

The fundamental requirement of the gospel is faith. One cannot please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). The first sermon preached that included the offer of complete forgiveness of sins is recorded in Acts 2:14-39. It concludes by giving answer to their question: "What shall we do?" (v.37) That question is the result of their conviction. They believed! The sermon was designed to produce that faith by supplying strong evidence - reasons to believe. What evidence did Peter supply?
prophecy about the events that were occurring on that day (v.17-21).
miracles, signs and wonders openly done by Jesus (v. 22).
the public life of Jesus known to multitudes of people (v. 22).
the unique and unprecedented death of Jesus, an innocent man (v. 23).
The Resurrection -- the ultimate proof ... for which there must be further proof (v.24).
David's prophecy about the resurrection (v. 25-27, 30-31).
David's body still in the tomb vs. the empty tomb of Jesus (v. 29).
testimony of many eye witnesses who saw Jesus alive after the crucifixion (v. 32).
the outpouring of miracles (v.1-12) on this Pentecost in Jerusalem (33).
Peter's conclusion: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ" (v. 36). Many who heard were "cut to the heart." They believed. Their faith caused them to ask: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (v. 37).
Faith is not spiritual wishful thinking. Bible faith is a conviction of truth on the basis of incontrovertible evidence.
Do you believe? Then you should be asking: "What shall we do?"
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HudsonHeightsChurch.com

08/15/2023

Are you looking for purpose in your life?

No person is complete without a proper relationship with God. This is the purpose for which we are created. We can use ourselves in other ways but to what end? For what lasting purpose? Find your way back to God through His word. Find and fulfill the purpose for which you were created.
"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."
Let me know if you think I can help!
HudsonHeightsChurch.com
NJBibleStudy.org

07/25/2023

Where did sin come from?

The Bible answers the question in two texts. The first scripture makes a definitive statement about the origin of sin. The second scripture confirms that in an historical account.

James 1:14-15: "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Evil desire conceived in my heart produces sin.

Genesis 3:1-6: "Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate."

There is nobody to blame but ourselves. The rest of the Bible is God's effort to get us out of our self-induced condemnation.

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07/21/2023

Walking By the Spirit. How?

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh: (Galatians 5:16).

What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? The context helps us answer the question. "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish" (Galatians 5:17). We see here two influences battling for our allegiance. It is a discussion of our behavior and what will determine what we will do. The Spirit of God is telling us what to do. The flesh is telling us what to do. These two are opposed to one another and we cannot follow both at the same time. We cannot obey the Spirit and yield to the inclinations of the flesh.

The word flesh could refer to the desires of our own physical body. That would leave out the evil inclinations of our heart and mind, including many things listed verse twenty. As the Spirit refers to the Spirit of God (an outside influence), I believe the flesh refers to the world, worldliness and the realm of Satan (another outside influence).

The text clearly indicates we have the power to choose which influence we will follow:
v. 13 calls for good conduct
v. 14 "love your neighbor"
v. 15 "if you bite and devour"
v. 16 commanded to "walk in"
v. 18 one is "led by the Spirit"

The Spirit leads and guides primarily by His word. We can know where the Spirit leads and what He calls for by reading the word. The flesh influences us by deceit and lies found in every place in this world. These are two forces, one opposed to the other. We will choose. May God help us choose well.

Read the text and meditate carefully. Let me know if you think I can help to understand and follow God's way.
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