817 lines
33 KiB
Plaintext
817 lines
33 KiB
Plaintext
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40 DAY STUDY
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In all probability someone has shared this study guide with
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you immediately following your decision to die with Jesus in water
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baptism. You have just come forth from the water, all your sins
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have been forgiven and there is now the new power of the Holy
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Spirit in your life. You were willing to 'count yourself nothing'
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and now God has raised you up to live a new life unto Him. You
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have now become a 'bond-servant' of the Lord, that is, a servant
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who serves without thought of pay.
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One of the things a disciple of Jesus learns very quickly is
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that there is much that he or she doesn't know or understand. You
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too will learn this, but it should in no way discourage you. It
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should only humble you. This study guide is designed to help you
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have some direction each day for the next forty days as you start
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listening to the voice of God as He begins to direct your whole
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life.
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Determine right now that you are going to make this a rich and
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powerful study. Open wide your heart and let God do with you all
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He wants to. Make sure that you have a definite time and a
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definite place reserved each day to be studying the Scriptures so
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you can keep hearing the Word of God as the Holy Spirit will teach
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you. God is your only strength and if you stray from Him you will
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fall away. Don't let anything or anyone keep you from this most
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crucial time. Keep a notebook and be prepared to share it with an
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older brother or sister.
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Why forty days? Because right after Jesus' water baptism
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where He received the Holy Spirit, He was led into the desert to be
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tempted by Satan for 40 days. You too will face temptations. Now
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just as Jesus was victorious over those temptations you can too be
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if you will draw close to God. Satan will attack you. He knows
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you are young and vulnerable, but God is with you and with the
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weapons of righteousness in the right and the left hands you can
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defeat anything that would take your new life from you.
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"When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized
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too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit
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descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from
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heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well
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pleased.'...Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the
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Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for 40 days
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he was tempted by the devil."
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(Luke 3:21-22 & 4:1)
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WEEK ONE
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DEAD TO SELF, ALIVE TO CHRISTI
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This week you will be studying passages in the Scriptures that
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show us so clearly what the problem is. The problem is the 'self'
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that lives for itself. Christ calls us to crucify the old self and
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he promises to raise up a new and very different self.
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Day 1
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Before you actually begin your Bible study program please take
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a few minutes and write down in your own words what your baptism
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into Jesus Christ meant to you. Why did you do it? What is it
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going to mean? If you will keep this in a safe place it will mean
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a great deal to you for years to come. It will serve as a reminder
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to you of the serious commitment that you made this day.
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Turn to Luke 9:18-26. Read and study this passage several
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times.
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Now turn to Luke 18:28-30 and look at the promise that is
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attached to discipleship, indeed to the very decision that you have
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just made.
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These two passages will become very important as you will
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share your life in Christ with others. Remember where they are and
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what they say. As you continue to go through this study, remember
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that everything you learn is something that the Holy Spirit will
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have you pass on to others.
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Be sure to spend time in prayer at the end of your study
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sessions. Learn to deeply communicate with your Father who loves
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you so very much!
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Day 2
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Turn to Romans 6:1-14. Read and study this carefully. Each
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time you come to the word 'we' or 'us' substitute your own name.
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[For example: vs. 2 - 'By no means. John died to sin, how can he
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live in it any longer.']
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Write down some of the things about your old self that caused
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it to receive the death sentence.
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Write down some things about your new self that you really
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want to express.
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How do you specifically plan today to live out vs. 13?
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Day 3
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Before you start today's study, ask yourself a very important
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question: Am I staying in close touch with older Christians? This
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is crucial, and all next week the Bible study will focus on this.
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If there is anything in you that is not wanting to see or be with
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other disciples, then you can be sure that this is something that
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is not of God and must be crucified. It is your old independent
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self, not the new self God is giving you.
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Turn to Romans 7:14-25 and read how powerless we are to live
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this new life alone. Do you see why God's Spirit must be the one
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who crucifies your sinful nature? Do you see how wicked you are?
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Notice vs. 24.
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But now go on to Romans 8 where we see how we can do the
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impossible. You were told at your baptism that you would receive
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the gift of the Holy Spirit; now study some of what the Spirit
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means in your life. Read and study verse 1-17, making notes on the
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things that strike you the hardest. How do you get sin crucified
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in your life? Read Romans 8:13.
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Day 4
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As you have questions about things that you are studying or
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things that are happening to you, seek out some of your older
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brothers and sisters and let them help you. They have been through
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many things you will go through.
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For this Bible study you will need both the Old Testament and
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a New Testament. If you don't have both, make arrangements to get
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them right away.
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When we are children, we need to be taught things we don't
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know; and we need correction when we are wrong. You are a baby in
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Jesus Christ. There is much you don't know about how to live and
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many areas in which you will need correction. All of this will
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improve your spiritual walk with God. Read Proverbs 12:1-2, 12:15
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& 10:17.
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Write down your own attitudes toward being corrected.
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Distinguish between those things that are left over from your old
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self and those things that Jesus Christ is putting in your heart.
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Be praying for the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom here.
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Go to the New Testament now and read 2 Timothy 3:16 and answer
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this question: Why are older brothers and sisters to bring the
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word of God to you? What is going to be your attitude when they
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do?
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Day 5
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In your new life you will find that 'attitude is everything.'
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If you develop a critical, negative or pessimistic attitude, you
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will put out the Spirit's fire in your life. Today the Bible study
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will focus on the reason you can keep a great attitude even in the
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worst of circumstances.
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Read and examine each of the following passages: John 16:33,
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Romans 8:23, Philippians 4:12-13 & 19, and James 1:2-4.
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When does this fit with having a good attitude regardless of
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what is happening?
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When these are all put together, what are they promising you
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about everything in your life?
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List anything that is tending to cause you to have a bad
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[negative, complaining, pessimistic] attitude. Confess these right
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away to another disciple and ask for their prayers and
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encouragement.
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Day 6
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By today, you have certainly realized that you are not doing
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all for Jesus Christ that you determined to do five or six days
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ago. You want to love him with all your heart, mind, soul and
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strength. But you have failed in some specific areas. What you
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will study today will be very important in dealing with this for
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the rest of your life.
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Turn to 1 John 1:5-10. Read it carefully.
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Think of the difference in light and darkness. Think of the
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difference between a bright open room with lots of windows and a
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totally dark basement area. In one, things are out in the open.
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You can see them as they really are. In the other, things are
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hidden and covered by the darkness. With this in mind, what does
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he mean when he calls us to 'walk in the light'? Do you see how
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this fits with verse 9 and the call to confess our sins?
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We all [from the oldest to the youngest in Christ] sin. If we
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claim that we don't, we lie, [vs. 10]. How then are we to handle
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all this? Do we cover and hide our sins? Or do we bring them out
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into the open through confession where the blood of Jesus can
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cleanse us?
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Look at the two results of walking out in the light as
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described in vs. 7. How will this cause a deeper fellowship with
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the brothers and sisters?
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Remember this trustworthy saying: Satan's only ground is
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darkness. When we confess our sins and bring them out into the
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light, we take away from him his power over us.
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Day 7
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As you come to the end of this first week as a committed
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disciple of Jesus Christ, go back to the most basic idea of
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discipleship. Turn to Galatians 2:20.
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Every time your old nature tries to assert itself you can say,
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'I have been crucified with Christ'. Concerning what things do you
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especially need to say that today? Write them down.
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As you determine what you should do with your day remember: 'I
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______, no longer live, but Christ lives in me.' Meditate on this
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great truth in scripture and then determine to let the Holy Spirit
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make it a reality. Let Jesus Christ use you to meet His needs and
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desires.
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Focus on Paul's words today. 'You are not your own; you were
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bought with a price', [1 Corinthians 6:19-20] Believe that with
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all your heart. You are not your own. You no longer go where you
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want to go or do what you want to do. You are a bond-servant, a
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slave unto Jesus.
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Reminder
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As a new baby, you need to be daily in touch with others who
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are ready to give you encouragement and guidance. If you have been
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avoiding that contact, determine now to deal with that wrong
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attitude that is developing.
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WEEK TWO
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NO LIFE OUTSIDE THE BODY
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Day 8
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Begin today by reading Matthew 28:18-20 concentrating on vs.
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18 and vs. 20. What do these two verses say to you?
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Jesus Christ who has all authority taught us that the church
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is very, very important. In Matthew 16:16-18, Jesus hears Peter
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confess him to be the Christ, the Son of God; and immediately Jesus
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said, 'Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of
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Hades will not prevail against it.' Jesus saw the church as the
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center of his plan. He wanted to build it and he intended to make
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it so strong that the forces of Satan could not stand against it.
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What Jesus counted as so important, we too must count as so
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important.
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For a true picture of what the church should be striving to
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become every day, look at Acts 2:40-47
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What can you do today and the rest of this week to contribute
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to this kind of life among God's people, [the church]?
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Day 9
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Paul describes the church as the 'Body of Christ'. Read
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Romans 12:1-8 and see how giving yourself first to God leads to
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giving yourself to other people in the Body of Christ.
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Notice particularly vs. 5 which says, 'each member belongs to
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all the others' or 'we are all members of one another'. How does
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this fit with or conflict with the American ideal of individualism?
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List three things that you know already that you can do for
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other members of the Body of Christ. Share these with another
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brother or sister.
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List at least three things that you know you need from the
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Body of Christ in order to grow in Christ. Share these also with
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another person.
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Day 10
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Read Ephesians 4:1-5. Why does it seem to you that God is so
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very concerned about the Body of Christ being in unity and peace?
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Turn to Romans 14:12-15:3 and read how far we should go and
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how much we should bend to keep the Body of Christ together.
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Is there anything in your life that is so important to you
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that you would not give up even if it was keeping people from
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coming to Jesus Christ or growing in him? If there is, look back
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at vs. 21 and seek help in dealing with this sin in your life.
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Day 11
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God is greatly concerned about the unity of the church, but he
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is also greatly concerned about the purity of the Body of Christ.
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We are called to a holy life and a pure life, and sin in the Body
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that is being hidden or ignored will destroy the power of the
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church.
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Read Ephesians 5:1-14. List those things which are described
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here as improper for God's holy people.
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How would living as 'children of the light' be totally
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different from these things you have just listed? What is the
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basic difference?
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You are a young Christian, but what should you do if you see
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brothers or sisters falling into some sin? Read Galatians 6:1-2.
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Day 12
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What is the one thing that must be in the church and in our
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relationships above all else? Read the following passages: John
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13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Galatians 5:6 and 13-14, Ephesians
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5:1-2, Colossians 3:14, 1 Peter 4:8.
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For a more precise definition of love, compare John 13:34-35
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with 1 John 3:16. List all the things you can think of that
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describe the way Jesus loved us.
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How are you progressing in your relationships with your new
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brothers and sisters in Christ? Are they seeing your love for
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them? Many new Christians just want to be loved and to be served.
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Ask the Holy Spirit to crucify this self centered Christianity.
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Day 13
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One of the things we can all do for one another in the Body is
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give encouragement. Read a powerful statement about this in
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Hebrews 3:12-14.
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According to this passage, what is to be the specific purpose
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of our encouragement? What do you think will be involved in giving
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this kind of specific encouragement? Ask an older brother and
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sister how the Spirit might lead you to do this.
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Look at 2 Timothy 4:2. Notice that we can encourage people by
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bringing the Word to them. In your relationships try to share with
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someone every day something you have found in God's Truth that is
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inspiring and encouraging to you.
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Day 14
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When problems develop in the Body between brothers and
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sisters, they must be dealt with so that Satan is given no
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opportunity to enter in. Read Matthew 18:15-20 which gives us the
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right way to deal with such situations.
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Determine early in your Christian life that you will not
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complain or grumble behind someone's back about what they have
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done. Determine that you will always go to them and resolve the
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problem with God's Spirit.
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WEEK THREE
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GO MAKE DISCIPLES
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This week we want to look at how God plans to use you to bring
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others into the freedom from sin that you have found in Christ.
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First, we will consider how important your own life is in sharing
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with others.
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Day 15
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To be a disciple is to come under the discipline of Jesus
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Christ. To be a disciple is to let Jesus Christ be Lord in all the
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areas of your life. Examine carefully the following items and make
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sure that you are opening up and working on those that are
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applicable to you. Are you hearing the voice of the Spirit
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directing you on the following areas? Sexuality, greed, money,
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time management and gentleness? Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12.
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Day 16
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Turn to 1 Peter 3:13-17 and especially note vs. 15 & 16.
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What is involved in each of these statements:
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a. 'In your hearts acknowledge Christ as the Holy Lord'
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b. 'Always be prepared to give an answer...'
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c. 'With gentleness and respect'
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d. 'Keeping a clear conscience'
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Who are the people around you? Write down their names. They
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need to hear the answer about Jesus Christ as Lord. Stop now and
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pray for them.
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Day 17
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The last words a person speaks usually tell us a lot about the
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major things on the heart. Turn to Matthew 28:18-20 and read again
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the final commission of Jesus before he left this world.
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What does it mean to you that 'all authority has been given to
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Jesus Christ'? What does it mean that he has given all authority
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over to you?
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What are the implications for your life of this statement to
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'Go'? What is the Holy Spirit telling you this means for your
|
|||
|
life?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
When we 'go', what does Jesus want us to do?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Look back over the list of people you wrote down yesterday.
|
|||
|
Begin praying for them specifically that you may 'go' to them with
|
|||
|
the message of Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit for the words and then
|
|||
|
step out to share what you know.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 18
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Start today with Colossians 4:2-6.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
List all the things you find here that relate to sharing your
|
|||
|
faith with others.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
What does it mean to 'Make the most of every opportunity'?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
How did you use the opportunities the Lord gave you this week?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 19
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We tend to think that certasituations are not good ones
|
|||
|
for sharing the Gospel. Most of us would find being in prison and
|
|||
|
in chains a terrible circumstance for evangelism. Read Acts
|
|||
|
16:22-34.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
What situations are you in right now? Write down why these
|
|||
|
situations make sharing the Gospel difficult. Having done this,
|
|||
|
now give all these excuses up to the Lord and claim the fact that
|
|||
|
he is able to work powerfully in all circumstances. Turn over to
|
|||
|
Philippians 4:4-6 for encouragement.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 20
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To 'Go make disciples' we need great boldness and courage. In
|
|||
|
ourselves we don't have what it takes. The Holy Spirit will fill
|
|||
|
us with the boldness we need. Read Acts 4:8-13.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Also notice the message we must proclaim. It is found in
|
|||
|
verse: 12. Don't water this message down. It is the only thing
|
|||
|
that can change men's lives.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Look also at 2 Timothy 1:7. When you find yourself being
|
|||
|
timid, you can be sure that it is your self. For God has not given
|
|||
|
you a spirit of fear. Deny your fear and God will give you
|
|||
|
courage.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 21
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
No real evangelism or discipling takes place until we have
|
|||
|
brought a person into the body of Christ. As you share with
|
|||
|
people, make every effort to introduce them to the members of the
|
|||
|
Body.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Look at Acts 2:42-48. This is to be the spirit found in our
|
|||
|
fellowship. Then those who visit will know that God is really
|
|||
|
alive.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You have now been a disciple for three weeks. You should be
|
|||
|
having an impact on others for Jesus Christ by now. If this is not
|
|||
|
happening, or if you see that it could be happening much more, get
|
|||
|
with an older brother or sister and share what is going on. Let
|
|||
|
them help and encourage you.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
WEEK FOUR
|
|||
|
THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
During this week of the study, we will look at the God we
|
|||
|
worship and the way he expresses himself in the Father, the Son,
|
|||
|
and the Spirit.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 22
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Turn to Mark 14:32-35. Notice the word Jesus uses for God.
|
|||
|
It is the Aramaic word 'Abba'. It was an intimate word and no Jew
|
|||
|
ever used it before Jesus to describe God. It was the word little
|
|||
|
boys and girls used for their daddies. Look at Romans 8:15-17 and
|
|||
|
Galatians 4:6. Do you see the kind of God we have and how we can
|
|||
|
approach him?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 23
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Read John 1:1-18. According to these passages, what is it
|
|||
|
that we find in Jesus Christ? What does it mean to your personal
|
|||
|
life that he is this way?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Look closely at what he went through for you. Take an Old
|
|||
|
Testament and read Isaiah 53 and see the statement made about him
|
|||
|
even before he appeared on earth.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 24
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
When you were baptized into Jesus Christ, you received the
|
|||
|
gift of the Holy Spirit. Today and tomorrow we want to look at
|
|||
|
some of the ministries of the Holy Spirit in your life.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Turn to John 16:5-15 and read carefully, looking for teaching
|
|||
|
about the work of the Spirit.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Notice he is, the Spirit of Truth; will be with you forever;
|
|||
|
and will live in in you. What is this going to mean to your life?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Read John 16:5-1
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The work of the Spirit involves convicting us of sin,
|
|||
|
righteousness and judgment. How would you relate this passage to
|
|||
|
the ideas found in Ephesians 6:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Hebrews
|
|||
|
4:12-13?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 25
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Continuing to look at the work of the Holy Spirit, turn to
|
|||
|
Romans 8 and read verses: 1-17.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Focus in on verses 9-11. What kind of promise is made to you
|
|||
|
here?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In our lives we have been enslaved to various passions and
|
|||
|
desires. On our own we found we had no real power to break free
|
|||
|
from those. Notice the message in vs. 12 and 13. How do we put to
|
|||
|
death the misdeeds of the body?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Notice vs: 14-17 how the Spirit of God in us brings us into an
|
|||
|
intimate relationship with God.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 26
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
It is important to learn all you can about Jesus Christ
|
|||
|
because of what the following scriptures teach: 2 Corinthians 3:18
|
|||
|
and Romans 8:29. What do these passages teach about our
|
|||
|
relationship to Jesus Christ?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Look also at 1 John 3:2-3. What is the 'hope' referred to in
|
|||
|
verse 3?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
List at least three things that are found in Jesus Christ you
|
|||
|
want to work on in your own life.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
How would you respond to someone who might say, 'Trying to be
|
|||
|
like Jesus Christ is an impossible dream. It can only frustrate
|
|||
|
you'? REMEMBER: GET HELP FROM AN OLDER DISCIPLE AS YOU MOVE DEEPER
|
|||
|
INTO THIS STUDY. LET HIM OR HER CHECK OUT WHAT YOU ARE FINDING.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 27
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Look at the picture of Jesus Christ found in Hebrews 4:14-16.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Write down what each of these statements means to your life:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
a. Jesus is the great high priest who has gone into heaven.
|
|||
|
b. Jesus is able to understand and relate to our weaknesses
|
|||
|
since he was tempted in every way like us.
|
|||
|
c. Because of Jesus, we can approach God's throne [a throne of
|
|||
|
Grace] with confidence.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
How does this understanding of Jesus Christ affect you right
|
|||
|
now at school, on the job, in the home? Write down the way it
|
|||
|
changes your attitude.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 28
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
There may be some things that will happen to you to make you
|
|||
|
wonder if God is for you or against you. Read Romans 8:31-39 to
|
|||
|
see the kind of God you worship.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Go back to verse 28 for still another promise.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Paul lists in the first passage a number of things that might
|
|||
|
seem to cut us off from the love of God. What are some things in
|
|||
|
your life that are difficult or threatening? Write out verse 37
|
|||
|
just as Paul says it and then write verse 38 substituting the
|
|||
|
things in your life that might interfere with your relationship to
|
|||
|
God.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
What role do you play in keeping this victory?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
WEEK FIVE
|
|||
|
SUBMIT TO EVERY AUTHORITY
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This week you will study one of the keys to the Christian
|
|||
|
life. It is totally opposed to worldly wisdom, but it is something
|
|||
|
we see perfectly in Jesus and he wants to see it in us. It is the
|
|||
|
principle of submission.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 29
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Already you have studied passages that tell you who really has
|
|||
|
all the authority today. It is Jesus Christ, but God has set up
|
|||
|
certain orders in society. These maintain order and teach us to be
|
|||
|
submissive and obedient in spirit so we can ultimately and
|
|||
|
basically submit to and obey Jesus Christ.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To follow Jesus Christ one must have an obedient spirit. One
|
|||
|
must be willing to submit to another's authority. Read 1 Peter 1:2
|
|||
|
and 1 Peter 1:14. What kind of children does God want?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Read Ephesians 2:1-2 to determine what kind of spirit God is
|
|||
|
opposed to.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Look at Hebrews 5:7-9 for an important statement about Jesus
|
|||
|
Christ who is our example in all attitudes. What did he learn?
|
|||
|
How was it learned? What does God want us to learn? How will it
|
|||
|
be learned?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 30
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Return to 1 Peter where yesterday we learned that God wants
|
|||
|
obedient children. Now look at 2:11-17.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Our old self with its sinful desires as described in vs. 11,
|
|||
|
does not want to obey. It wants to do things 'my own way'. It
|
|||
|
doesn't like to be told what to do. That's why Jesus says 'deny
|
|||
|
yourself'. It is not willing to cooperate with God's plan.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Notice in vs. 13 why you submit to every authority.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
List all the authorities that you can think of that are in
|
|||
|
your life, meaning all the people that are in some role where they
|
|||
|
can tell you what to do or strongly expect you to do what they ask.
|
|||
|
What is your attitude toward these authorities?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 31
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The question is often asked'Do I have to submit to these
|
|||
|
authorities in my life even when they are wrong?'. What do you
|
|||
|
think the mind of Christ would say here.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Continue the passage you started yesterday. Read 1 Peter
|
|||
|
2:18- 23. What does it contribute to the question raised above?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
What we are being told here in Ephesians 5-6 and Colossians 3
|
|||
|
is that we should have a submissive and obedient attitude all the
|
|||
|
time. We should be ready to obey those God has put over us.
|
|||
|
However, there will come times when we cannot obey. See Acts
|
|||
|
4:18-20 for a clear example. Study this carefully.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 32
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In the body of Christ, God has placed certain men over you.
|
|||
|
First there are the elders or overseers in the body and then those
|
|||
|
who have been given special authority by elders. Look at what
|
|||
|
Hebrews 13:17 says about your responsibility to these men.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Does this passage say we have to agree with everything a
|
|||
|
leader does before we can submit to him?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Make sure your relationships with all your leaders are good
|
|||
|
ones. If there is an anger or resentment or hurt in you toward any
|
|||
|
one of them, don't put off sitting down with that leader and
|
|||
|
opening up your heart. If you see others in the body developing
|
|||
|
rebellious and disobedient attitudes go to them and encourage them
|
|||
|
to deal with that and to get with the leader.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 33
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Go to Ephesians 5:21 and start reading and go through chapter
|
|||
|
6:4. Regardless of who you are, you are most likely in some kind
|
|||
|
of family relationship. In these relationships you can show the
|
|||
|
love of God ... the kind of love that is willing to lay down its
|
|||
|
life for others in the family.
|
|||
|
If your spouse, parents, or children have not been seeing in
|
|||
|
you the things described in Ephesians 5 & 6, then confess to them
|
|||
|
your sin.
|
|||
|
Remember, your ultimate concern is that your family members
|
|||
|
come to know the living God through your life in a deeper and
|
|||
|
deeper way.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 34
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Turn to and read Romans 13.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
List as many clear teachings in this passage as you can find.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Is there anything wrong with a bitter, complaining attitude
|
|||
|
about the government one lives under?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Again, when must a Christian say 'no' to the government? In
|
|||
|
what way should he say 'no'?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 35
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
One of the great texts in the New Testament is Philippians
|
|||
|
2:1-11. Read this carefully, looking for the deeper teaching about
|
|||
|
the power of submission.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In what ways can you 'empty yourself'? The word literally
|
|||
|
means 'made himself to be nothing'.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In what ways, being specific, can you this week take the form
|
|||
|
of
|
|||
|
a servant to your brothers and to those who are lost?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
What happens to those who submit? What does God do?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
WEEK SIX
|
|||
|
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 36
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You are over a month into your life as a disciple of Jesus
|
|||
|
Christ. If you have been serious about it, this month should have
|
|||
|
been one in which you have faced many things about yourself that
|
|||
|
need changing. It also should have been one filled with joy
|
|||
|
because you know that God is for you and Jesus Christ is with you
|
|||
|
to help you become like him.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Look at Paul's words about joy in Philippians 4:4-6. How
|
|||
|
often does it say we should 'rejoice'? Compare this with 1
|
|||
|
Thessalonians 5:16-18. When should we rejoice? Be thankful?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 37
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The image of a soldier or a warrior is often employed in the
|
|||
|
New Testament. The reason is: we are at war. The ways of God and
|
|||
|
the ways of men are totally opposed to each other. Our culture is
|
|||
|
constantly bombarding us with its message of how to find life, but
|
|||
|
God's message is totally different. One cannot survive in warfare
|
|||
|
unless he is equipped and knows how to do battle. For the rest of
|
|||
|
this week we will look at this matter.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Start with Ephesians 6:10-18. There is enough here for
|
|||
|
several days of study, and we will take a little time.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
First of all in warfare, we need to clearly identify the
|
|||
|
enemy. Verses 10 & 11 make that identification very clear to us.
|
|||
|
Who is the enemy? What are some of the schemes that you can see
|
|||
|
him working out in your life to take you out of God's love?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Please realize now and always that your boss is not the enemy,
|
|||
|
your parents aren't the enemies, your husband or wife are not the
|
|||
|
enemy. Flesh and blood people are not the enemies, and any time we
|
|||
|
identify them as enemies, we fall into Satan's scheme and begin
|
|||
|
shooting at the wrong person. List some times recently when you
|
|||
|
may have done this or come close to doing this.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Set your mind against the real forces of darkness that Satan
|
|||
|
commands. Pray for strength and for God's mighty power to overcome
|
|||
|
it.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 38
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Read Ephesians 6:10-18 again.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Satan's power is described in real terms and you will be so
|
|||
|
vulnerable to it if you are not aware of his power. However, why
|
|||
|
do we not need to be afraid?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We don't have to be afraid, but we do have to put on the full
|
|||
|
armor of God. Without protection and the spiritual weapons he
|
|||
|
supplies we will not overcome. Let us look at them one at a time:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A. the 'belt of truth'- where do you find the truth? John 17:17
|
|||
|
B. the 'breastplate of righteousness' - read Philippians 3:8-9
|
|||
|
C. the 'gospel of peace' - read Ephesians 2:14-18
|
|||
|
D. the 'shield of faith' - how does it put out the fiery darts
|
|||
|
of Satan?
|
|||
|
E. the 'helmet of salvation' - read Romans 8:1-2
|
|||
|
F. the 'sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God' - Hebrews
|
|||
|
4:12
|
|||
|
G. and 'pray in the Spirit' on all occasions - how has your
|
|||
|
prayer life developed? What does this mean?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You now know what the armor of God looks like, but please
|
|||
|
realize that like any good soldier, you will have to put the armor
|
|||
|
on anew every day. You will have to be taught how the Spirit uses
|
|||
|
you with the armor on ... be listening!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 39
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Begin today with 2 Timothy 2:1-7.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Focus in especially on vs. 3 & 4. To be a Christian is not
|
|||
|
like going to a picnic. It is enrolling in an army. If you really
|
|||
|
belong to Jesus you are going to face hardships. 2 Timothy 3:12
|
|||
|
says we are promised what?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
What did Jesus promise here in, John 15:18-21? What does
|
|||
|
Jesus say about the Christians who are well liked by the world?
|
|||
|
Read Luke 6:26.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Returning to 2 Timothy 2:4 we see that the warfare is going to
|
|||
|
be so serious and so intense that the Christian soldier must not
|
|||
|
get involved in 'civilian affairs'. There are a lot of things to
|
|||
|
do in the world that are not wrong. But they are wrong for us if
|
|||
|
they take us away from the front lines and doing what Jesus wants
|
|||
|
us to do at that time. Are there some things in your life that
|
|||
|
need to be given up because they are 'involvement in civilian
|
|||
|
affairs'?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Day 40
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Your study guide ends today, but may your study and love for
|
|||
|
God never end. You are on your way to things too glorious and
|
|||
|
enriching to even describe. Never, never, never, never, give up!
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Read carefully the call of these passages: 1 Peter 2:1-12,
|
|||
|
Hebrews 5:11-6:3, Colossians 2:6-10
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In relation to the above passages give your final thoughts.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Based on Study Guide from:
|
|||
|
SOUND DOCTRINE BBS (303) 680-7209
|
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Edited by Computers for Christ - Chicago
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