It’s no wonder you’re here.  God has been blessing and it’s just plain hard to not be excited and drawn to what the Lord is doing.  And if you’ve heard Brother Doug Nobles teach, you know you’d be missing out on a lot if you leave now.

So it was a good decision, clicking on this post today.  Brother Nobles has been giving Bible studies in Bobby and Deborah’s home, and Brother Bobby is sharing some of his notes and filling us in on exactly how great these house meetings have been.

The Wadleighs graciously open their home on many Tuesday nights inviting people to come by for Bible study and get refreshed in the Lord.  We all leave from the weekend services renewed, but give Monday morning just 15 minutes, and it can suck the hope right out of your veins and zap all the positive energy from Saturday and Sunday.  Dramatic, but you know it’s true.

The Word of God holds power and light, and Brother Nobles is shining that light for safe navigation to stay on the right course.  He’s giving the spiritual man extra exposure during the week—not only to hear the Word, but to also experience it in a smaller group setting where that dynamic has its own advantages–including building stronger ties in the church.

Elder LaFleur worked many years growing and reinforcing the church through meeting in homes where he would teach the Bible freely to those who were hungry and seeking—just like the Early Church grew from the apostles breaking bread as they went house-to-house teaching.  Remember when Peter went to see Cornelius?  People were already gathered inside the house waiting to hear Peter when he got there. 

We worship in a place rich in the Word of God where we hear the Early Church teachings from Jesus, Peter, Paul, and the others.  We’re learning God’s plan from the Old to the New Testament and everything about ourselves in the process.

Brother Bobby is opening his heart, his notebook, and his house—buuutt… there’s one thing he is not giving.

Go on and see for yourself.

(From Brother Bobby’s Notebook)

As 2015 concluded, Elder LaFleur challenged some of the ministers to go out into houses and hold Bible studies.  Picking up that charge, Brother Nobles began holding a series of life-changing messages that are still ongoing.  Throughout these clinics, Bother Nobles has remained on the foundation that was laid by Christ for the Early Rain Church, restored by Brother William Sowders, passed down to Brother Nick, and carried to us by Elder LaFleur in a living example.  What follows is a brief recap of the Bible studies Brother Nobles held in the first three months of 2016.

SEASON OF GATHERING

This is our season of gathering.  That was the direction God gave Elder LaFleur as 2015 closed.  Brother Nobles used that simple phrase to launch a series of messages that have continued for three months.  Using this as his mantra, he has shown us that our season of gathering means so much more than just drawing new people.  He explained that in order to gather and help develop others, we have to gather things to ourselves.  The things we gather to ourselves must cause us to have the heartbeat of the assembly.  This heartbeat will surround new people with love and cause them to stay long enough to hear the Word and feel the Spirit of God.

In order to be successful in what Brother Nobles has been talking about, we need to be excited and engaged.  This excitement has to been tempered with wisdom so as to not overwhelm new people with our zeal.  We must be rooted and willing to act on the things we have been taught.  We must establish a positive mindset.  In simple terms, we have to develop a confidence in the Holy Ghost and allow God’s ministry to lead us.

LOVE GOD’S PEOPLE

This instruction seems like a lot, but it’s really pretty simple.  In order to love God’s people correctly, all we need to do is remember how we were treated when we were new.  Don’t judge.  Remember, people that don’t have the truth are just doing what comes naturally.  They are doing what you would be doing if God hadn’t opened your eyes.  Come out of the fortress you have created for yourself, and let your light shine.

CONSCIOUS VS. SUBCONSCIOUS

So, it still seems like a lot… that’s because there is an ongoing battle in your mind.  Those that have been around a while will immediately think I am talking about the battle between the carnal nature and spiritual seed that has been planted in us, and I am, but Brother Nobles has helped us to see another layer in this battle.  He explains it by talking about the conscious and subconscious mind.  You see, in the conscious mind are the things that you are aware of, the things you actually think about, and make decisions to do or to avoid.  The subconscious is more instinctual.  This governs how you act without thinking when faced with a situation.

The subconscious is completely natural and can only behave naturally,  but it can be rewritten.  It’s all about the decisions you make at the conscious level.  If we feed the subconscious natural things, then it will remain carnal, but with we begin to train the subconscious to react with a spiritual mindset, we can begin to do natural things spiritually.  Where have we heard that before?  Hmmm…

OVERRIDE THE CARNAL NATURE

Think about the natural world and science.  There are laws that govern this world such as gravity.  Gravity causes things that weigh more than air to fall to the ground.  This law operates consistently and without preparation, but there are laws that can override gravity.  For example, aerodynamics and speed can negate gravity’s influence for a time.  Likewise, spiritual thinking can overrule carnal thinking if we begin to consistently and effectively apply that mindset.  Romans 8:2

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD

Consistent and effective—that’s where we prove ourselves.  When fighting an enemy that is as committed as the old man is, we have to be even more committed.  We don’t necessarily have to spend more time, but our effort must be consistent and effective.  Although these strategies aren’t complicated, our subconscious tries to make them appear that way.  We are only talking about prayer, meditation, and reading.

ARE YOU LISTENING?

Prayer is talking to God, while meditation is listening to God.  Listening to God, you say?  I know you think God doesn’t talk to you, but have you listened for Him?  Have you ever heard him answer a question that has been lingering in the back of your mind through the ministry?  Through a scripture?  A testimony?  Or maybe a thought popped into your head on your way to work that somehow made everything better.  Maybe God does “talk” to you.

Now we’re getting somewhere.  Consistency.  Effective prayer.  Reading.  Meditation.  We’re changing the way our subconscious mind reacts when facing the enemy.  Let’s also not forget about resolve, commitment, and conviction.

 

HOW TO WIN THE BATTLE

To succeed in this battle we are engaged in, we must be resolute in our determination to overcome.  It boils down to what we value more.  Whatever we place more value on will win—there are no ties in this game.  If we put equal effort into the natural and the spiritual, the spiritual will lose, but if we endure until the end, we will be saved.

By now you’re thinking, “this was a brief recap?”  Yes.  Brother Nobles has covered a lot of ground, and I left a whole bunch out, but if this got your curiosity going and you think you’ve missed your opportunity, don’t worry.  More Bible studies are planned.

I hope to see you there, but you can’t have my seat.