From Grace to Grace Bible Studies

By Kermit Hall

Lesson Y

How to Win The Talent Show

There Are Many Things That Affect A Person’s Ability To Do Great Things

Environment is at the top of the list, as it will be encouraging or discouraging to growth. Have you ever noticed a parent can tell a child not to smoke but if the parent continues to smoke that child looks forward to the day that he or she is old enough to start. A child will be joyous and kind at home and at church but when placed in a corrupt environment they learn behaviors that are mean and deceiving.

I remember when I got my drivers license; it opened a door of adventure and freedom I had never experienced before; it expanded my horizons and gave opportunities to get knowledge of worldliness. Shortly after this spectacular adventure awoke, I made new friends and they were all very different from different classes of the social ladder.

One young man was telling me how good marijuana made a person feel. Being raised to fear such stuff it was easy to reject the idea of smoking to get high. For the first two times we went carousing together seeking the opposite sex I had the strength to decline his pressure to smoke, but finally he wore me down and talked me into purchasing a nickel bag from his older brother. After smoking it, I didn’t think it was so thrilling; the truth is, I thought it was a boring high and wondered what the fuss was all about. After that I thought, “What is the big deal about drugs?” I didn’t realize it was going to take me deeper into drugs; as all the thoughts, fears and my past were modified into believing it wasn’t so bad to do drugs.

The reason I share this is to explain how going from a good environment into a terrible environment effected my life. By making friends with the wrong individuals and entering into their dysfunctional environment, new doors would open to me and I would walk through to a destination of regret. We tend to do what those we run with do. These dysfunctional people were bright and curious in nature, these qualities led them to seek discovery. It was sad that in their search they were led astray into a void of gloom.

Some friends at work invited me to go to Arizona with them for the winter. I agreed and we drove to Phoenix. These friends met other friends that were involved in taking “speed”. When invited to get high and shoot some pool I agreed out of boredom. To my surprise, they knew exactly where to get the “white cross” but what amazed me most was the freedom in the city parks; it was like a supermarket of drugs. You could pull through a cul de sac and be surrounded by drug dealers.

Later I used LSD which truly sacred me because I started hallucinating. I saw people with long noses and very long chins; they were very evil looking. Later, I discovered they were okay, but I wasn’t. I never got involved with the hard stuff after a trip on LSD, and fortunately I have an allergic reaction to crack. If I had never got involved with the wrong people I would have never touched any of these poisons.

The wrong environment could have destroyed my ability to think clearly, my ability to be useful to others, and my relationships with friends and family. I know many young people that were creative and bright that have ruined their lives by becoming involved in the wrong environment. Some have actually become murderers, some have been killed, others have committed suicide, and some have destroyed their minds; they became almost like zombies.

A young person grew up in an environment where the parents were alcoholics, he had a picture taken of him when he was two years old holding a beer bottle in his hand and as people looked at the picture, they were foolish enough to say.,“Oh isn’t that cute.” I personally was appalled and was paralyzed with apprehension. How could those parents not discern the future of this child? His parents created an environment for the child that would cause a person to self-destruct when older. Where is the parental love that would create an environment for prosperity?

Luke 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and family, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. The worst betrayal a parent can do to a child is create an immoral and perilous environment for their children to be raised in. The worst betrayal of a brother is to lead a sibling down a hazardous path, Cor 12:14“for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” Parents must create a home and set a high moral standard for their children; such an environment will open doors provoking a person to be successful in business, and in building a strong family, community and church.

At any time any family member can break loose from the generational curses by the grace of God. If your family has been involved in immoral acts, you have the ability to brake away. It is a point of repentance and change. A young man and woman loved to go to parties where trouble and substance abuse were on display. After a few years, the woman became pregnant. These unselfish parents didn’t want their children to live the way they had in the past so they put away the bar scene and started attending church. Their environment was an environment geared toward raising their children to be the best they could. As time passed they received the Holy Spirit, which gave them better leadership.

Abraham is known to be one of the greatest men that ever lived. Did you know God told him to leave his environment and travel a long distance to another land? Gen 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

God had to call Abraham out of the environment that influenced his thoughts. Abraham was given the grace to make a choice; if he was to be blessed he had to separate self from all outside idolatrous influences and submit to the will of the one true God.

Paul told young and old Christians to do the same. 2 Cor 6:16-17And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 7 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

It is important to be received by God, as God is our creator and keeper. God gives us the choice to come out of a hazardous environment into a safe, productive and loving environment. All too often, people are disappointed in church because some churches fail to teach a high moral standard and maintain holiness, or in other words you can’t tell the difference between the church and the world. If there isn’t a coming out of the old environment, then in reality there isn’t a coming out. The church that is true to God will be entirely devoted to pleasing God and will be severed from the wrong environment that is created by worldliness. It is God that receives those that will sever such relationships.

Consider abortion. The unborn baby could be the very person to find a cure for heart disease or cancer. But, all the talent and potential was wasted when the small beating heart was terminated. What if Louis Pasteur had been aborted (the man responsible for many of the first vaccinations)? Fortunately, he was born in an environment that supported life and because he lived he gave so many others life.

The right environment produces abundant life. The reason I love the Christian truths is because of the abundant freedom and life it gives to those that dedicate self to it. John 10:10“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 8:36“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Jesus Christ produces an environment that produces abundant life and freedom to develop and use talents, skills and increase abilities to make life rich and prosperous. It has been proven the Christians live longer, are healthier, and enjoy life more than non-Christians. I believe it is because of the healthy environment that is promised by Christ.

In 1974 my wife and I were on the verge of divorce. Why? Because of the environment with which we were associated. However, Christ called us out of that environment and placed us in a God-loving environment; our relationship produced great love toward each other, toward God and toward others. I will confess that I didn’t know how to love until I discovered the Love that Christ loved me with. His knowledge of love was revealed to my wife and I.

My wife and I saw a wall but didn’t know how to cross it or see into it. We knew that there was more to life than what we had experienced, but we were blind to it. For a moment we were able to look through a knot hole in the wall and saw something wonderful on the other side. Once we saw the beauty of Christ we asked God if we could come inside. We sought to find the door to enter in and once we found the door, we knocked and entered into the blessings and into the glory of the Lord's love.

We went from a hostile environment into a loving and functional environment; one that Christ governed with mercy and grace. We were born into a new kingdom, a wondrous and exciting place. If church isn’t wonderful and exciting then maybe you aren’t in the right environment.

Faith is the Key to Creating an Environment of Joy and Peace.

There are 2 reasons you may not be living a life of freedom, excitement, and joy. One is that you may not be going to a church that lives abundantly and is full of freedom and life, producing growth and strength. The second is maybe your heart isn’t seeking to be free and full of joy and peace. Sometimes people must recognize the church isn’t the problem; the problem might be underlying issues that prevent a person from having the joy, peace, and freedom they desire.

If a church's priority isn’t worshiping, praying, witnessing, and seeking God’s will, that church is not an environment prepared for growth. If a church has these qualities, then a person must examine self to find what the underlying problems are. The problems might be bitterness, envy, jealousy, pride, lack of forgiveness, insecurity, self-condemnation, being condemned by others, or sins abuse. Resisting the devil and submitting to God will cure all of the above.

James 4:1-11From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another, brethren.

It is important that if we wish to live in a productive environment, we must make it a priority to maintain a productive environment. In the environment we must mind our own business, and help and love others. If we become self-righteous and judge others, our loving environment will become dark and unfriendly. To enjoy a charitable environment we must do our part in blessing others and not speaking evil of others, even if we disagree with their lifestyle. It is not our business; our business is to worship, pray, be a witness, fast and study the Holy Bible.

Good works is everyone's duty; loving even the enemy, blessing those that despise us, and living a lifestyle according to the will of God. If we do our part, the environment will be prosperous. Today is the day for all men to seek after the way of the Lord and join together in the perpetual blessings that come from serving Him. Jer 50:5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

2 Cor 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Questions:

  1. Yes or No: A parent may create a foul environment betraying their children?
  1. And ye shall be betrayed both by ______, and brethren, and family, and friends; and some of you shall they _ _ _ _ _ to be put to death.
  1. 2 Cor 12:14“for the ______ought not to lay up for the ______, but the parents for the ______.”
  1. Parents must create a home and set a ______standard for their children.
  1. Who Did God tell to leave his kindred and fathers house? ______.
  1. By changing environment Abraham would be made a great ______.
  1. Paul said, 2 Cor 6:16-17 And what ______hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the ______of the living God; as God hath said, I will _ _ _ _ _ in them, and _ _ _ _ in them; and I will be their _ _ _ , and they shall be my ______. 7 Wherefore come _ _ _ from among them, and be ye ______, saith the Lord, and touch not the ______thing; and I will receive you...
  1. “ I am come that they might have _ _ _ _ , and that they might have it more ______.” “ If the Son therefore shall make you _ _ _ _, ye shall be _ _ _ _ indeed.”
  1. ______yourselves therefore to _ _ _ . Resist the _ _ _ _ _ , and he will flee from you.
  1. _ _ _ _ nigh to God, and he will _ _ _ _ nigh to you.
  1. ______your hands, ye sinners; and ______your hearts, ye double minded.
  1. Jer 50:5 They shall ask the way to _ _ _ _ with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us _ _ _ _ ourselves to the LORD in a ______covenant that shall not be ______.
  1. 2 Cor 6:14 Be ye not unequally _ _ _ _ _ together with ______: for what ______hath ______with unrighteousness? and what communion hath _ _ _ _ with darkness?