[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] FW: Better Bible Study

Thu Dec 2 04:55:35 UTC 2021

From: Larry Perry [mailto:larryperry at performancepress.ccsend.com] On Behalf Of Larry Perry
Sent: Wednesday, December 1, 2021 8:11 AM
To: mmoore11 at kent.edu
Subject: EXT: Better Bible Study

  <https://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?ca=eb80bf90-3bb1-485b-b2c3-71837e8bdb6c&a=1103316066373&c=6f49fc70-74b9-11eb-9d75-fa163e24df6a&ch=6f4b0606-74b9-11eb-9d75-fa163e24df6a> 

Letter from Larry

Wednesday

December 1, 2021

Good morning Everyone:

BETTER BIBLE STUDY

One day, I did something very unusual. I sat in a cafeteria while 5th and

6th grade students were eating lunch and cried. I didn't care who saw. I 

was upset about something, but it took more than that to make me cry. In

fact, I did exactly what I always advise other people not to do. I thought

about one problem and let it remind me of a lot of other problems, things

in the past. I sat there and thought about every person I'd ever known 

who went through some traumatic thing that I thought there was some 

possibility I could have prevented if only I had done something a little 

differently.

There was dropping out of school, becoming drug addicts, getting evicted

from houses, shooting up, getting pregnant before finishing high school,

getting diseases, quitting church, getting involved in prostitution, 

suffering physical abuse, and going to prison for selling crack. All 

these things have happened to people I've known, people I had a chance

to influence.

As if that wasn't enough, I didn't stop there. Then, I thought about people

I don't even know. Starving kids in foreign countries, people who get

murdered, abused, raped. People whose loved ones die. Persecuted 

Christians. Little kids who get cancer. All the ugly things that happen

to people in the world. And so yeah, I was crying, and I didn't care

who saw. I was crying for everything and everybody, even the kids 

in that cafeteria, knowing some of their stories were sad or would be.

Yeah, this world's really messed up. So I asked, "God...can't You...

do better than this?"

His answer was this. First, He reminded me that all those people I know, 

His love for them is infinitely greater than mine could ever be, so His 

heart is infinitely more broken than mine for them... Then, He reminded

How can He handle so much heartbreak...?) Next, He gave us all a 

wonderful world to live in. Everything in this world that's wonderful, 

every happy memory we've ever had...it's all from Him. Not only that,

but He gave us everything we need to know to keep our lives happy 

and everything we need to know so that after this life, we can live a 

perfect life with Him forever. It's all right here (in the Bible). If only 

we'd read it, if only we'd listen...

If we ever doubted that anything He told us to do or anything He told

us to NOT do was in our best interest, if we ever thought that maybe

He just wanted to waste our time or ruin our fun, He proved He loved

us too much to ever do that to us. HE DIED FOR US. He is smarter 

than all of us put together. He has more love for us than all of us put

together. Everything He tells us to do is for our benefit, our peace, 

our joy, our fulfillment. Everything He tells us not to do will only bring

us sorrow and pain. Yet, so many ignore His loving commands, choosing

instead to follow our own ideas, the world's ideas about what will

make us happy... So many people doing that, each of us doing that

sometimes, that's what makes this world messed up. So God's question

back to me, back to everyone: "Can't you...do better than this?"

"But I'm only one person. What can I do?"

That's the question that we each need to ask ourselves.

Here's what I can came up with. In a world of great darkness, I can be

a small light when I reflect His light. Jesus said, I am the Light. When

I feel discouraged, I can push forward, relying on Him, so that somehow,

in my own unique way, I can bring God's love to a world that so 

desperately needs it.

"To all the ones I've wanted to save from sorrow but couldn't: I'm

thinking of you tonight. I still love you, and I'm sorry. By trying to

help, I have taken your burdens into my heart, and now a portion of

them weighs on my shoulders as well as your own, but I don't regret

trying..."

Scripture References:

God's Love:

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuyc2D4bsNVdJcTzMVlpbiSwHqG3vXkCZQgWimUX6fEdTEGNidROxZWdRD0brOUZOaFfF8cqcLfS6j3UuLaUyL804QK_U475ycgwKvcbk5MKQLiqp4uEommHeEc6D-znLO6YyW-NVAPconAFPjxZlgqoudsBU8HMrRsCZHKpBj5J6E=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> Psalm 34:18 - The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those 

who are crushed in spirit.

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuyZF33_xhYaCBCQ22pbypxr6fMpzH16xmrUNQb0bmyqB63hx0MSXgOz8ClETkMlDJwFtCzXkdQSMSyI6PEQqc1k-yratW6dxs8468CK5NUh8l2wKIstvJjmxNDYfXUANMBv28yPfgfIKm6FilO3LWmHiCF6zG6QL4bIYdUYJjZKLo=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> Jeremiah 31:3 - The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have 

loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing 

kindness."

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuykHjwNVmBkTtU3x9_6vSZl0WAMQ0nOZYrbWJN8atyyBphZyF-HTkSteXwfICNtX5kKF1Xd-f0GWgTiEQqozCZ9lkZCsqg_iXXazyNlbwaUBHIAvyBUGjnjjb2qV0CuklGQYXO3y7Bq_AJV6HDeaL_be8Fr7INFOEXx5ICY8QdL1o=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> Zephaniah 3:17 - The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior 

who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no

longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuy32nogFBkoWafQmGrwNsej9eiyXaGLD6NeTa56u0XWbarr9qPs-_nQ-l2AhOmgxAo-UDGoUl2XUArFXKmi7wyGecCN1UOaawpxEWjvFrD6Mr6IPxz9zI9ZhXD4Hpb1IbYqUa8Z2XbWVxnSjbNLp6o6ZqfcJTeKdPYLupXYPXJpYgZYZ08MZ_qtw==&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord 

Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 

who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in 

any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuyzfnQyCvZOzt-WMhYwjeWhfmfyyiI9hRdqWPwuklgCbF87LlDD5FhDJEFsi2LmMacRQlBrhMRjQnrZHROAnVjH-XxMiKGdAAl9A1tSntXua_NgBtyFITky-jDjoyGdAvlxcWGiEzD-3uA80CVhWspMrbcTliHOVuXE7HnCYq15Lc=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> Isaiah 40:11 - He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs 

in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those 

that have young.

Good Things:

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuyAmV1ZE0LjTsYn4xVD2LbsJ3aB-Kjy-V7D3blqKNOnj2s9Udh6K0zgYb4plSodLou1drD7B-jC8omp14y3Tgux-Meox9M783h6_Z_NX7wKV78sFXvPOAI9BUa7CBww3KfQ6KA0RMRM7U1TInbfFC-tvkmt3sxel-Mcc8vdhPHDXc=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> Genesis 1:31 - God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. 

And there was evening, and there was morning - the sixth day.

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuyBesWZ2lRyvPuvRmgziIZ0_Zt2khuDr5RwwzAfuU-0EtJ2y9MRAwL1AhybRSCaVnFwve1yQqbM8CEK06gpjceVDg6apBYrpyM9ZLeramQjRNjC241T_JEnhO1dKSc4vWbj-p-hGYjW2TbjIflxlgDZJG_BdxDE_MMu98-wsiUjWk=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> James 1:17 - Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down 

from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like 

shifting shadows.

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuy2QUisJXgMo6_GQrP6q5O-zcgCJAYkbip6CdtC2qppAo7RID96bSVM8ss4lcpuhiKxgr50P7ZgGygvs4S66OfTDzMtxoT8GpnI6eYu8voX31m-bUOwOCUiDfVduxJ2eTEcB7hWSh7hLDURFvljAOp2ohcA_oz3qwgJl3yWeMMnis=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> Matthew 6:31-33 - So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 

'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run

after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need

them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these

things will be given to you as well.

God's Law:

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuyOs-dnkeqmeFEEolnXCSCXwxThhGOAMvZRIYJ75aRC2yrTYbhezucPNMjHXEuSNvOD233MEuEqUKUvzL8gb0lZ0e9MKZM-7Mc3noFnKxLDZ01bOQ48yWjmjoyykuSfmfeQvyGt6lM47lt90KNtFuKGUT3kh1gcKqTiFjfSgwAFww=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> Psalm 119:165 - Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing 

can make them stumble.

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuy90RN07JaokE1Z_Rdxm4ZzCkBeCzdNowRRdws-4eRAX2g8GOCG2DCa8wxMvQeqD9LPOkEubE8ej_4M5MNf41ERF2UrU_kJtPkrxonIK_P0Y2qeJnKTUsc-4MiTj8_0oC-KciTuigu84-ZrRQi6802Q-WV6Zm9wFe7mCf4pIqVhlQ=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> 2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for 

teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuyR716j_62AKP4Z4AEZT8BLdo-qcC_27WMS_LRobLnykeqrDvOYr5ob5DzQU4dyZ-tIDwDyN-_cK-x7rzkRa7KIi_3byz3mMavkRUvjSwH6lRk2CP-o1_Q3H_B2SoYRPekCHrcHgb-B3ahGQ_neh_7YDwQavWBgBA7haqzbSn4Jrg=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> 1 John 5:3 - In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And 

his commands are not burdensome.

Died for Us:

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuy-LXoaVGfDbpd4CtCMGCOTp1u2_GWMVfe4iUuwDdFP9Slf3PXE8BG8Vw1hXnRtD1qBMg8yl2hthYs9xEzcO0LBX9UDIQR-IYFgG_VDBelY34Q5_oaTENczbChdEUsrfpj8L_5gFIDApijDeJbnmDAPkBgeFo5fcFV&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and 

only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have

eternal life.

God Smarter:

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuykgUAl-EOn6NXWHE0CloNHmKL_uuz9JEVcv_Akh41eXA82owj7W9cenxp5K_qrL18MLZFaXWU7mJGKHBb0V4oRghxvnI-_KQMataTkTD21B6n_bcLdLuA2FpC_jrwhJdyaoNc_4jCzuYGXBlOqDVputReRKE6tSolQx7Z_4B85QE=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> Isaiah 55:9 - As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways 

higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

World's Ideas/Darkness:

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuyO9nP7TZHfUVv4KOjcsiZXyWcctUzX90I_phIgPZu6fZz8ze6ONUSufY8GdyFfW6brl08lipZ0YmfFzaw7NOGCmKkEU4QqF2ltS16biwMt1COhRfSbCWWUoDtBreGtvwwSNVW7lc-9kuSmCea_CHjlLwudi7R51FpceSLxVcrAEE=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> Galations 3:22 - But Scripture has locked up everything under the 

control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith 

in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuya_pYC_H6MPEpTyGtJp_RvIKhIvmaitkqzrIQykUrwHdIPS5RUvOit3mtIGFc5zchHc2iiscOwbOZ5DM-KSHq43xYuVNJ8rW0GFVYPN4HhF1sDgivcxDkVqSr1YUAHJcBeKd78uMBFAnFmQo1MA7d5z3Z0TytrDbSGdkB-q0kKtU=&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> 1 John 5:19 - We know that we are children of God, and that the 

whole world is under the control of the evil one.

Jesus is the Light:

 <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oFJGnyLvVxSRoo5XVgeeHDJ5hI0mpWrQZJm0QbmrT0CoJXnwgqSf5I_U9FcTyOuy3MsFSzBew3aF_S3_ScBLiqRC7YtO_P5Bwx_Y-S7caaLI3VV9sExMOl2GJBd9Dbk58GaRQ5fRZhSASvb-fypyXxACOowbXqUtxfp7-ngV_gnYS0pB61BLO_EFhdjak3z2mw0Sr6U2gCWymMfW8rYO_x-DP1uPxwF4&c=FN-KdleXGwUeoBIIYVWj7DGX4OycXJVqOtZRrKg0i17lC9BSnQuIhw==&ch=H9d8vD15LxDEsVYtOJ6hCAdH2beWVnUv6zZbmpYFmmVnkzmMcDqTug==> John 9:5 - While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 

PS. Some may wonder what I mean when I say that "God answered".

Though I believe it is possible, I am not claiming in this instance that 

God spoke out loud to me. I do think it's possible that He acted to answer

me by directly putting the answer in my mind, but I can't be sure of 

that. However, God did answer me one way or another. If He did not

directly put the answer in my mind, it is still the answer that He gave

long before I inquired of Him, the answer from His Word. This can be 

seen by how easily I was able to collect the scriptures to support the 

answer. Because of this, the importance of being familiar with the Bible 

should not be underestimated. When you are familiar with His Word, 

God will answer you even when He does not choose to speak out loud 

to you or put an answer into your mind directly.

May God Bless and keep you and don't forget that GOD

LOVES YOU and is WITH YOU ALWAYS!

Larry

NOTE: This letter is sent to anyone interested in receiving these inspirational notes. There is no charge and you are encouraged to forward these to anyone you think would benefit from reading them. If you would like to receive them direct, just send an email to me at larryperry at att.net and ask.

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