A Practical Bible Study and Discipleship Course

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES
Hebrews 5:12

A Practical Bible Study and Discipleship Course For New Christians

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 1 Peter 2:2,3

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES

21st Century Edition

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES
Hebrews 5:12
2007 Edition

Record your name, and the name and telephone number of your discipler here…

Your Name: ____________________________ Date Study Began: _____________ Date Completed: _____________ Your Discipler Is: ____________________________ Telephone: ____________________________ E-MAIL: ____________________________

An Educational Ministry of
Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig, Ireland
Pastor Craig Ledbetter, B.A., Th.G. 29 Westcourt Heights Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland Telephone within Ireland: [phone] From USA: 011-353-21-4875142 Int’l: ++353-21-487-5142 E-Mail: [e-mail] Web: www.biblebc.com
US Contact Address: c/o PO Box 849, Rossville, GA 30741 USA

This Study is written by Pastor Craig Ledbetter, and is copyrighted, ã 1993-2006. But any portion of this Study may be copied in part, or in its entirety without the written permission of the publisher (Romans 13:7) as long as there is no charge except for the cost of production. The entire MS-Word document is available upon special request. ã 1995-2007 Craig Ledbetter’s In-House Publications – Specially Printed in Ireland European, Expanded Edition, US07 Twelfth Edition Printing - January, 2007 (with Embedded Fonts)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
STUDY INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................4 SECTION ONE..................................................................................................................6 BIBLICAL SALVATION .........................................................................................7 ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER ........................................................14 BELIEVER'S BAPTISM ...........................................................................................16 THE WORD OF GOD ...............................................................................................19 BIBLE STUDY TECHNIQUES ...............................................................................26 Section ONE Test.......................................................................................................41 SECTION TWO.................................................................................................................44 THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH ......................................................................45 BIBLE MEMORIZATION........................................................................................56 KNOWING GOD.......................................................................................................61 PRAISE AND WORSHIP .........................................................................................69 THE LORD'S SUPPER .............................................................................................73 Section TWO Test ......................................................................................................76 SECTION THREE............................................................................................................78 PRAYER.....................................................................................................................79 THE WILL OF GOD .................................................................................................82 SPIRITUAL WARFARE...........................................................................................85 THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY .....................................................................................89 FINANCES .................................................................................................................101 Section THREE Test ..................................................................................................106 SECTION FOUR ...............................................................................................................108 PERSONAL EVANGELISM....................................................................................109 WINE AND STRONG DRINK ................................................................................114 THE CHRISTIAN AT WORK..................................................................................123 CREATION AND EVOLUTION .............................................................................128 THE FUTURE ............................................................................................................139 DISCIPLESHIP ..........................................................................................................145 Section FOUR Test ....................................................................................................149 FINAL REVIEW ...................................................................................................................151 MEMORY AND LESSON VERSE LIST ...........................................................................152 All Scripture references, unless otherwise noted are from the Word of God – the AV 1611 King James Bible

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STUDY INTRODUCTION
I. How to Use This Study Guide A. Along side your Bible. Never put anything above the authority of the word of God. Use tools to help your Bible study, but never let them take its place! B. Pray for guidance as you study. God gave you His word (Psalm 68:11; Matthew 24:35), and if you ask, He will guide you through it (John 16:13). C. Look up the verses listed. Keep reading through each verse listed until you are satisfied that you understand the Bible's instruction on each topic. D. Fill in every blank with the words of Scripture as you look them up! You may not see the answer right away, but the answer is in every verse listed! II. Memorize the four main Memory Verses listed. These will help establish your faith in the promises of the Bible! They are located at the beginning of each of the four Sections of this Study. They are Matthew 4:4, Hebrews 10:25, 1 Corinthians 12:27, and Romans 12:11. III. Recommended Materials for Further Studies
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A Bible Dictionary Writing pens and highlighters for marking your Bible A separate notebook/journal to record your notes as you study your Bible Some small cards to write down Scriptures for memorizing and meditation

IV.Suggestions For Reading Your Bible. Realize that the Bible is a book. It is not a magical good-luck charm. It was written to be read with human eyes, and tested by the human mind, and believed by the human heart. The method of reading the Bible is very simple. Here are just a few suggestions to get you going. A. Listen. Start with a determination to “listen” to what is written. When you approach the Bible, seek to hear what the words are saying. Let God talk freely as if He were right beside you. B. Pray. Praying is asking. So, ask God to grant unto you the true understanding of His word. There is no interpreter of the word of God except the Author of the word, God Himself (1 Corinthians 2:9-13). C. Read from Beginning to End. You will never get the meaning of ANY book unless you read it from cover to cover. For the first time, you should start in Matthew, and read through to Revelation. After that, then go to Genesis, and start all over, and read all the way through to the end! D. Read with the Heart, and not just the Mind. The Bible is perfect and quite capable of being examined by the mind, but was written for the heart. E. Read it Daily. Set aside a regular time every day to spend in God’s word. F. Read it Obediently. Read the Bible with the goal of doing what you find commanded to be done. God says in James 1:22 that we are to "be ye ________ of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves." G. Read the Scriptures Contextually. Allow the Scriptures to explain themselves. A sentence is always understood within the meaning of the surrounding sentences. Find out who is speaking, who are they speaking to, and, what are they talking about.

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V. What Is Truth? A. Let's Compare John 18:36-38 with John 17:17 1. In John 18, the Lord Jesus is standing before Pilate, accused of being a King. Jesus tells Pilate that He IS a King, but not of this world, and that His design is not to set up a physical kingdom, but to declare the ________. 2. Pilate responds, “What is _______?” But notice what Pilate does next. He does not wait around for the answer. He does not believe there is any such thing as “truth.” It is the same with most people. They have been lied to so many times about Santa, the tooth fairy, and Easter bunnies they think that God and truth are only lies as well. 3. Yet, in John 17:17, Jesus Himself says God’s ___________ is truth! Now, either Jesus was a liar, or crazy, or telling the truth. Which is it? B. Let's first agree on three things: 1. There must be something, somewhere, that is true. Because, without truth, there is no way of knowing what is really true or false, good or bad, right or wrong; and anyone's guess becomes as good as another's. 2. God is the Author of truth. He cannot “___” or He is not God (Titus 1:2). 3. God has revealed truth through the Bible alone (John 17:17).
The Bible says, "Yea, let God be ______, but every man a liar." Romans 3:4

VI.The Purpose of the Bible A. It was written that we may “________” that Jesus was who He said He was - the Messiah, the Son of God, who came to pay our sin-debt (John 20:31). B. It was also written, so that we may “________” that we have eternal life, not just “hope” for it (1John 5:13)! VII. The Purpose and Design of This Study Guide A. This Study will teach you the wonderful truths of God's word, so you can _____ to "perfection" or full maturity in Christ (1Peter 2:2,3; 2Peter 3:18). B. To do this, you need to develop in yourself the following life principles by reading, and learning from God’s word daily (see 2Peter 1:4-8) Faith (you start off with this at salvation) Patience (waiting on God & through trials) Virtue (the inner strength to do right) Godliness (becoming more like Christ) Knowledge (knowledge of Jesus Christ) Brotherly kindness (towards people) Temperance (keeping a right balance) Charity (having unconditional love) The Bible finishes in verse 8 by saying, "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor _____________." That is what God wants spiritual fruitfulness and success as a real Christian!

Have fun!

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SECTION ONE This Section of your Discipleship study will establish you in

The Word of God
Memory Verse: "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4
To understand, and memorize this Scripture verse, read Matthew Chapter 4, verses 1 through 4, asking yourself: Ø Who is doing the talking in verse 4? ___________________ Ø Who are they talking to? ____________________________ Ø What are they talking about? ________________________ ________________________________________________ Knowing the answers to these three questions will help you easily understand each portion of Scripture you read - there is no better way to learn! In this Section, you will study the following Subjects:
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Biblical Salvation - What Does It Mean? The Eternal Security of the Believer - Can We Lose Salvation? Believer's Baptism - What Is It For? The Word of God - How We Got Our Bible! Bible Study Techniques - How to Master God’s Words!

SECTION ONE

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Lesson One

BIBLICAL SALVATION
Lesson One
Memory Verse: Matthew 4:4 Lesson Verses: 1 John 5:11,12

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:11,12

I. Introduction The decision to trust Jesus Christ as the Saviour of your soul is the greatest decision you could ever make! The purpose of this lesson is to explain briefly what happens when a person gets saved, and how the decision to trust Christ forever affects their relationship with God. II. Is Anyone “Good?” A. The spiritual condition of everyone is described as what? Look in Romans 3:10, and 23, where we are described as __________. B. What does the Bible say “sin” is? (1 John 3:4) _______________________ _____________________. To “trans-gress” is to “cross a line” that God laid-out showing what is right and wrong. When we cross His laws (break through them), we sin. We call it “breaking God’s laws.” Everybody could be doing something, but if God said NOT to do it, and we go ahead anyway, then we have sinned. C. God says, “There is __________ good; no not one” (Romans 3:10). III. God’s Absolute Laws of Right and Wrong A. Most everyone agrees we all break a few of God’s laws here and there, but almost nobody believes they are enough to keep us out of heaven. The Bible says otherwise! B. God laid out the requirements for entrance into His heaven in a simple list and that requirement is perfection - having NO sin in us at all C. If you think you don’t sin, then God says you are __________ (1 John 1:8) D. To be classified as a sinner does not only mean being a murderer, or a thief, but it means when a person does ANY sin (James 2:9,10; like stealing, cursing, rebelling, hating, dishonouring, coveting, etc.). Therefore, anyone who sins at all, is a sinner in God’s eyes, and needs to be saved. E. Compare this truth to a tree – a small tree can be known for what it is, even when it has no fruit. The fruit (let’s say, apples) comes later, but it produces apples because it is an APPLE tree. A sinner sins because he is a sinner.

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F. If you want to try and prove that you don’t sin, take the following test:
The Big Ten
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 Never Occasionally All the Time

I have made something in my life more important than loving and obeying God I have bowed down to a statue, or an idol I have used Gods’ (or Jesus’) name flippantly I have worked on the Sabbath I have dishonoured or disobeyed my parents I have killed somebody I have committed adultery I have stolen ANYTHING, EVER I have told a lie I have coveted something

G. The above list is not anything new. What do we call this list? Not the Ten Suggestions, but God’s Ten ___________________. You find this list in every Bible in Exodus chapter 20, from verses 1 through 17. H. Note that if you ticked NEVER in number 6 above, remember that God says “Whosoever
_________ his brother is a __________: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1John 3:15) I. If you ticked NEVER in number 7 above, remember that Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to _______ after her hath committed __________ with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28).

J. Even if you only ticked a few of the above NEVERS, then you are a pretty good person in man’s eyes, but in God’s eyes, you still are a SINNER (a law breaker) and you have proven God to be correct, and ought to now realise the truth that you need something to save you from the coming penalty on sin.. IV.The Need for Salvation A. Ok, so we are sinners – we break God’s laws. So what? Well, there is a BIG penalty for all our sins. What is that penalty? ________ (Romans 6:23). B. “Wages” are what we earn - they are the result of our actions. Every sin we commit, we earn DEATH. Not what we want is it? C. Death may be the end of life, but not the end of a person’s existence. What lies ahead of every person is eternity. If a person dies in their sins, they are condemned to an eternity in hell. 1. The Bible says hell is a place where Satan, his angels, and all unbelieving people will spend eternity suffering eternal punishment and separation from God. 2. It is no joking matter: There are 162 references to hell in the New Testament alone, and 70 of these were made by Jesus himself! They include: Matthew 13:41,42; 5:29,30; 10:28; 11:23,24; 16:18; James 3:6; Revelation 20:13,14.

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D. But WHY did God create Hell? God created hell because He is a righteous and holy God and cannot allow sin in His Heaven. Since all men are sinners, Jesus came into the world to save man from hell's punishment by living a perfect sinless life, die a substitutionary death, be buried and then raised again by God. All this so sinners could receive the free gift of eternal ______ (Rom 6:23) and thus have free access to heaven. It is by Jesus' finished work on the cross that sinners such as you and I are allowed into Heaven. But those who do not accept Christ's gift and trust only in Him are destined to go to hell because they are still in their sins (John 3:18,36; 1 Cor 15:16,17). V. The Way of Salvation is found in a Person, Not a Religion A. What did God provide for us when His Son died? 1. “____________ life” (John 3:16,17), instead of an eternity in hell! 2. But to get it, we must be “born _______” (John 3:3,7). 3. Read Romans 6:23 again. Thankfully, God doesn’t just show us our condition, and abandon us – He offers us a free “_________.” The “______ of God” (which cannot be earned) is the opposite of the wages of our sin! 4. Specifically, that free GIFT is called, “_____________ life.” B. It is given to us freely, requiring a committed choice on our part to accept it. C. It is provided FREE to you through the willingness of Jesus Christ to take your and my place in death and judgment on the cross! There is no other way to heaven than through Jesus alone (John 14:6)! D. Ephesians 2:8,9, says it is impossible for a sinner to save themselves from the penalty of their sin through good works! 1. Notice it is “not of _________, lest any man should boast.” 2. Notice also that it is “not by works of _______________…” (Titus 3:5) 3. It is only obtained by surrender - allow Jesus to do all the saving of your soul - no longer trying to do all the right things to earn heaven. Stop working at being good, and accept what Jesus did for you in your place. E. One great truth to appreciate - The theme of the Bible from start to finish is all about “the _________ of God which taketh away the _______ of the world” (John 1:29). Jesus is our sin-substitute so that we can be saved! VI.Let's explore the two births the Bible talks about A. Our first birth is our PHYSICAL birth (read all of John 3:1-7): 1. The first birth is a water birth (John 3:5). It is not baptism. We start in water. Every human is born out of a water sack in the womb. 2. Your first birth comes from your physical parents. Their “flesh” produced your _________ (John 3:6). It is only a human life – not eternal. 3. Take a look at the chart below. You are the box in the middle, between the physical world around us, and God. a. Your body is what God gave you to interact with this world b. Your spirit is what God gave you to interact with Him c. Your soul is the real you – the part that feels, and wishes, and dreams, and chooses
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4. The real you (your soul) is in the centre – using your body to interact with, and relate to this world. Your soul uses your spirit to interact with God.

5. We are spiritual beings as much as we are physical beings.

6. What is the Soul? a. The soul is part of the trinity of man (1Thes 5:23). Each part is vital, but Jesus said the soul is the most important (Mt 16:26) b. It is called the hidden or the inner man (1Pet 3:3,4; 2Cor 4:16-18) c. The soul is the source of your emotions, your will, the ability to reason, and understand. It is your awareness of yourself. d. In other words, your soul is the real you – what you really are, what you think, how you feel, and why you feel that way. e. It is separate from the body – an immaterial, invisible part of you (2Cor 4:18). 7. Everything would be fine, except the part of you that is supposed to be able to communicate with God (your spirit) is DEAD. Sin by our first parents killed that part of us on the inside (Gen 2:17). The only way to regenerate the spirit is by being born again, but this time, on the inside! B. The second birth is your SPIRITUAL birth (John 3:5,6): 1. This birth can only come from God. John 4:24 says that “God is a __________.” He is not flesh like we humans are. According to John 3:6, His Spirit will produce _________ in the life of a sinner if they would just fully believe on His Son, Jesus Christ (John 7:37-39)! 2. The second birth involves trusting God’s ________ to be true (1Peter 1:23). You can fully and completely trust the death of Jesus Christ to be your payment for your sin, because God said in His word you could, and that He would give you as a free gift, eternal salvation - eternal life! 3. If you didn’t have God’s perfect word to trust, how could you know what to believe at all? Everyone’s guess would be as good as another’s. C. Therefore, there are only two “births” that a person can experience. 1. The first birth gives only temporary life - it came from temporary parents. It ends in death because of sin (Rom 5:12). 2. The second birth is only experienced by a person who turns to Christ for salvation from sin. It never ends because it came from an eternal Parent. 3. The first birth makes you physically a child of your parents. The second birth makes you spiritually and eternally a child of ____ (John 1:11,12).

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D. A person desperately needs Jesus Christ, because without Him, there is no other _______ to God (John 14:6). Can’t look to Allah, or Buddha, etc! 1. It is SIN that _____________ all of humanity from God (Isaiah 59:2). 2. If a person dies without having their sin paid-off by faith in what Jesus Christ did on the cross, there is only one destiny for them (John 3:36; Matthew 23:33; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10-15). a. What is that destiny? _____________________________ b. That’s why God calls upon everyone everywhere to ____________ (Acts 17:30) and be saved when? ___________ (2 Corinthians 6:2) E. Salvation is NOT a "process" - it is instantly given (Luke 18:9-14). There is always a process to the humbling of a person, but when they know they are lost, and in need of forgiveness, once salvation is asked for, it is instantly, and totally given as a free gift by God – because of Christ (Romans 6:23)!!! F. What must a person do in order to be saved from hell (born again)? 1. ______________ (Acts 20:20,21; 2 Peter 3:9). Repentance is a determined choice to turn away FROM sin, and turn TO Jesus Christ for salvation. It is being very sorry for your sin, and hating it! This is different from “penance” which is you trying to PAY for your sinfulness. You cannot do anything to pay for sins - only Jesus can! 2. ______________ (John 1:11,12; John 5:24; Acts 16:30,31). a. What does it mean to “believe on Jesus?” 1) Not just agree with the Bible with our head (even “the devils also ___________, and tremble”; James 2:19) 2) But to understand from the heart that the only payment that God will accept for your sins is the death of Jesus Christ in your place (1 John 2:1,2; 5:4,5). 3) To accept His payment for your sins is when you allow Him to come into your heart and save you FROM your sins! b. The word “propitiation” in 1 John 2:2, means “full payment.” God had to do more than just “forgive” sins, He had to completely pay-off all the broken laws that had mounted up against us, and that is what Jesus’ death did - it paid in full all our sin debt! G. Read carefully Romans 10:13,17. Can you be sure Christ will save you if you ask Him to do so? Yes, or No 1. Would you agree that if God said it - that should settle it? Then believe it! That is all Jesus asks of us – just believe with all our heart! 2. Faith is “confidence” in God’s promise, that He will never lie to you! He promises in His word over and over that He can and will save you! Have you ever asked the Lord Jesus to save you from your sin and make you a child of God? ________. When was that? ___________. If you have not, will you ask Him, even now? (Revelation 3:20) Yes, or No. He stands at the door of your heart, knocking, and waiting. The handle is on YOUR side of the door. Open it, and let Him in! THAT’s when you become BORN AGAIN.
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VII. The Four ‘R’s of Salvation - Learn these well! A. Realize you are a sinner, and without the necessary righteousness to earn your entrance into heaven (Romans 3:23). None of us are good enough to go as we are! We have to be changed from condemned to forgiven. Again, remember that God’s law proves that we sin, and proves that we are in eternal trouble with God because of our sin! B. Recognize that you cannot save yourself, and that you need God's specific intervention (Titus 3:5). None of us have the ability to pay off our sins, no matter how much we try! No one can ever be "good enough!" C. Repent of your old life, and all the sin that filled it (become disgusted with your sin and flee from it to God), and give all that you are to the One who loves you and gave Himself for you on the cross (2 Corinthians 7:10). You can’t truly repent unless you see yourself as a sinner separated from God by your own sin, and realize the only eternity for you is in hell (John 3:36). Once you have repented, you are then empty, and ready to… D. Receive the free gift of eternal life from God by faith, asking in prayer for God to save you because of Jesus (Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 10:13)! You need to ask specifically to be saved - don’t be vague or shy with God! And remember: you can ask simply because Jesus Christ paid for it, for you! Nothing could be simpler, and yet eternity hangs in the balance! VIII. The Completion of A Person’s Salvation A. Is salvation ever dependent upon our ability to live perfect and holy lives? (see Galatians 3:11) Yes or No? Remember, salvation is NOT a “continual” process, but rather a onetime event, that changes your destiny forever! Just like your first birth was a one time event, so also is your second birth! B. Who is it that intercedes (helps us) with God on behalf of a Christian who yields to temptation in a time of weakness? (1 John 2:1,2) _________. Even a Christian can sin. A Christian is not perfect, only forgiven. C. We therefore can never lose our salvation once we have been born again! (Romans 8:3739; John 10:27-29; Jude 24). D. Let’s examine why not! 1. Because we have been Adopted into God’s family - taken from being condemned sinners, and made into children of God, and heirs of everything that God has (Romans 8:15-17)! We are in God’s family now! 2. Because we are Forgiven - all our sins (past, present and future) were paid-for completely at the cross by Jesus Christ! There is NO further payment necessary for us to pay (Ephesians 1:7; Acts 26:18)! 3. Because we have been Justified - we exchange our sinfulness for the righteousness of Jesus Christ (Acts 13:38,39; 2 Corinthians 5:21)!!! IX.Dealing With Sin Once You Are Already Saved A. Can a Christian be happy while disobeying God? Yes or No? 1. Notice how it will affect us (Psalm 32:2-5) When you keep silent about your sin (Iniquity is another word for sin):
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a. You will age faster. b. God’s ___________ will be hard against you, not blessing you. c. You will basically “dry up” like a desert. 2. See in Hebrews 12:5-11 where God always endeavours to make us mature, and holy in our lives by ____________ us when we sin. a. Chastening means “correcting” NOT punishing. God brings trouble into your life to get you back “on the strait (hard path) and narrow” b. God chastens His children because He _________ them. c. If a person never experiences God’s chastisement, it is evident that person never became a Christian at all and is a _____________ (Heb 12:8) – God calls them illegitimate – not the real thing – a faker). B. What should a believer do when they sin? (1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13) __________________________ and ___________________________. To “confess” means to agree with God about the sinfulness of your life, and especially specific acts where you broke His direct commandments! X. Concluding Questions - Fill in these questions from memory. A. The Bible was written for us to know that we are _________, and that as sinners we needed God to reach down to us (not for us to reach up), and to save us from ________. B. God has revealed truth through the _________ alone. C. The theme of the Bible from start to finish is all about “the _________ of God which taketh away the _______ of the world” (John 1:29). D. What has separated all of humanity from God? ____________ E. Our salvation depends only upon whether we are willing by faith to let the _______ of Jesus Christ be sufficient to pay off all our sin-debt to God, instead of trying to pay it off ourselves with our own good works. F. The term “born again” refers to what? An external birth, or an internal birth? (Circle one). G. When Jesus died, whose place was He taking? _______________ H. When a person repents of their sins, and calls upon Jesus Christ to save them from hell, how long does it take before they are forgiven of all sins, past, present, and future? _______________________________________ I. Have you let Him take your place, and been born again yourself? Yes or No J. Is Jesus Christ worthy of your life being lived for His glory from now on? Yes or No (Circle one). Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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Lesson Two

ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER
Memory Verse: Matthew 4:4

Lesson Two

Lesson Verse: 1 John 5:13

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God" 1 John 5:13 I. Introduction - "Now that I am saved, can I ever LOSE my salvation?" Once a person has settled the question of salvation as the Bible declares it - by grace through faith in the Saviour Jesus Christ - it is imperative that he understands the security of that new relationship with God. II. What Jesus Said About Your Salvation A. In John 6:37, Jesus promises that "...him that cometh to me I will in no wise ___________________." To “cast out” would be to reject, or cast away a sinner who comes to Christ for salvation. Jesus promises never to do that! B. John 10:27-29 makes it clear that no man can cause you to lose your salvation. It is God that saves, and He is greater than man. Notice that Jesus gives a person ___________ life, and that they shall _______ perish! C. Your salvation is completely by God’s grace through your simple child-like faith, and not by works. It is a gift from God. No one can lose his salvation because no one can earn it! It is freely given on the merit of Christ's righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8,9), not on the basis of our own goodness (Isaiah 64:6). Either Christ paid for ALL your sins, or He didn’t (Hebrews 10:17), and if He did, then when you accepted His salvation, your eternity was settled forever (see again 1 John 5:11-13)! III. Is There Anything That Can Separate Us From God? Romans 8:38,39 says that NONE of the following can separate us from God! l l l l l l l l l l

Death - you can't lose it when you die. Life - you can't lose it while alive. Angels - they can't take it from you. Principalities - the government and rulers can't take it away from you. Powers - no spiritual power, including the devil himself can cause you to lose it. Spiri-

tual powers are big, but not big enough. Things present - nothing happening right now can take it away. Things to come - nothing in the future (including sins) can make you lose it. Height - nothing above you. Depth - nothing below you.
Nor any other creature shall be able to ______________ us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Therefore, NOTHING can separate a believer from the love of God once we become a Christian. Yet a Christian does still sin. So, what effect does it have? A. Sins separate us in fellowship - not in relationship! Just as you can never break the relationship between a child and his or her parents, the same is true when we become a child of God (John 1:12,13).
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Lesson Two

1. Your relationship with God is now a Father/son relationship by the new "birth" (John 3:3). Jesus teaches us to call God, “our _________” (Matthew 6:9) because, by your faith in Christ, that’s just what He is! 2. Your salvation is sealed for all eternity with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). To “seal” something is to “secure” it like you would a down-payment on a house, or like a package for shipping is “sealed.” The Holy Spirit is our seal showing that _______ owns us, and will not let anything “spoil” us (1 Corinthians 6:19,20)! Jesus will NEVER leave you, nor __________ you (Hebrews 13:5)! 3. Best of all, your name is written down in heaven (Luke 10:20; Rev 20:14,15) - your reservation for your trip has already been made! B. A Christian can sin, and is ________ if he thinks he does not (1 John 1:8). 1. Sin, if not confessed to God as sin (not just a “mistake”), and if not repented of, will cause God to have to chastise you, (1 John 1:9; Hebrews 12:6-8), and not answer your __________ (Psalm 66:18). 2. If your sinning goes on for very long, the Lord may just cause you to die early (check it out) because you are not living for Him (1 Corinthians 11:30-32). God is responsible for His children, and will not let us get away with sin like we used to before we were adopted into His family! IV.What If You Don't Feel Saved? A. Examine your heart to see if you trusted Jesus Christ to save you, or are still working your own way to heaven (2 Corinthians 13:5). A “reprobate” is a faker, or a fraud. More people only “hope” they are Christians because they have prayed a prayer, or go to a certain church, or whatever. If you are saved, it will be because as a sinner, you simply repented and trusted Christ! B. Determine in your heart, that eternal life is NOT based upon feelings, but only on the factual truth of the word of God and your acceptance of it (1 John 3:19,20; Titus 1:2). At some point you are going to have to just believe what God said, and ONCE ALWAYS settle it! (1 John 2:25) SAVED SAVED! V. Things That Give Us Assurance of Salvation Things that will develop automatically in your life now that you personally know and trust Jesus Christ! A. A love for the Bible - a love for the TRUTH (Psalm 1:1,2; 119:97)! B. A love for God like never before - A personal walk with Him develops! He is not a Genie, or a distant Creator, but Saviour and Friend (Matt 22:37)! C. A desire to do God's ________, instead of only your own (Psalm 40:8)! D. No more ________ - True confidence in Christ and in the truth (2 Tim 1:7)! E. The chastening hand of the Lord in your life when you sin (Hebrews 12:6)! F. A spiritual discernment - able to sense spiritual things going on, and focus on the eternal, instead of only on this life (Romans 8:15,16; 1 Cor 2:14-16)! Date Lesson Completed _______________ Discipler ________________________

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Lesson Three

BELIEVER'S BAPTISM
Memory Verse: Matthew 4:4

Lesson Three

Lesson Verse: Acts 2:41

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized" Acts 2:41 I. Introduction A. The Christian life, entered through the new birth, is just that - a life. In the Bible, a new Christian is compared to a "baby" (1 Peter 2:2), and is commanded to “_______ in grace” to maturity (2 Peter 3:18). A Christian therefore, is not to stay as a “baby” all their life, but to GROW. And an important step of a Bible believing Christian’s growth is baptism (Acts 2:37-41; Matthew 28:18-20). This simple step of obedience is God’s test of whether or not a person whole-heartily wants to follow the Lord Jesus Christ now that they are saved - it is not part of being saved! B. This lesson will explain what believer’s baptism is, its importance, and when a Christian should get baptized. II. What is Believer's Baptism? A. The meaning of the word ‘Baptism.’ Let’s look at what it actually means. 1. Baptism simply means, “to put something INTO something else” - as in “immerse,” "bury," or “submerge.” 2. Notice that 1 Corinthians 12:12,13 shows the sinner being taken from a life that had been “IN sins” (Eph 2:1,5), and being placed INTO Jesus Christ Himself (see also 2 Corinthians 5:17)! God didn’t just give you eternal life - He actually placed you INTO eternal life Himself, which is Jesus Christ! 3. So, there are two baptisms that need to occur in every person's life: a. Spiritual baptism which happens when we are saved (placed into Jesus Christ when we ask to be saved from our sins). b. Water baptism, which happens after we get saved (placed into water to show the world we are burying our old life). 4. Answer the following questions: a. Spiritual baptism is referred to as being immersed into ________. b. What are we baptized into Christ by? (1 Cor 12:13) ___________ c. In the Bible, baptism means what? ‘sprinkling,’ ‘dipping,’ ‘pouring,’ or ‘immersion?’ (circle the correct answer). B. The importance of ‘Spiritual Baptism’. The placement of a sinner’s life into Christ is what actually saves that sinner. As far as we are concerned, we are only trusting Christ to cleanse us from all sin. As far as God is concerned, we are actually being immersed into, and surrounded by our Saviour! This is the most important baptism. If you didn’t get placed into Christ, then you never got saved! C. The importance of ‘Water Baptism’. We have learned about Spiritual Baptism. The Bible also talks about ‘water baptism.’ Let’s find out about it.
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1. It only occurs to those capable of ‘believing’ on the Lord Jesus for salvation. Therefore, only those that ___________ can be baptized (Acts 8:26-39). This excludes all baby baptisms, because they can’t believe! There is not one record of the baptism of a baby in the Bible. Water baptism ALWAYS follows a sinner’s salvation where they have been Spiritually baptized into Christ. 2. It symbolizes what happened ‘inside’ when a person was saved - “I died to sin (its guilt, power, and its penalty), my old life is therefore dead and buried, and I was raised to a new life IN Christ.” 3. Romans 6:3-6 describes baptism as a 3-fold memorial: a. ______________________ b. ______________________ c. ______________________ See 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, where, the whole Gospel is contained in these three events, and that a person is SAVED if he or she simply trusts them to be sufficient to pay for their sins! 4. So, this water baptism identifies or associates the believer no longer with the old life of sin, but with Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection. It is in the same way that a uniform associates a worker with the company they work for! 5. Water baptism presents a public testimony to the world that one has accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour, and that they are willing to live a different life now for the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:41; Romans 10:11)! 6. So, when immersed into water in baptism, does this “wash away our sins?” (see Ephesians 2:8,9; Galatians 3:11) _____. What saves the sinner then? (see also Ephesians 1:7; 1John 1:7; Colossians 1:20) Only the ___________ of Christ can wash away our sins! 7. The apostle Paul’s whole focus in life was the preaching of the Gospel - not in baptizing (1 Cor 1:13-18)! Not to say water baptism is not important, but that it was secondary to salvation - not part of salvation! III. How Should A Person be Baptized? A. Just like Jesus was baptized: Jesus was not sprinkled, or poured upon, but rather immersed into the water. Matthew 3:16 says, “He (Jesus) ...went UP straightway __________ of the water...” He had been IN it. B. Like ALL New Testament believers were baptized: (Acts 8:38,39) “... they went down both into the water... and when they were come UP out of the water...” Note that there is NO exception to this in all the Bible examples. C. A new Christian should be baptized in the only way that adequately pictures Christ's death, burial, and resurrection to save the sinner (See again 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, and Romans 6:1-6).

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IV.Why Get Baptized? A. Because it testifies to the world that you are different now (2 Corinthians 5:17), and that you are aligning your life with what the Bible says, and not with what this world and its religions say. B. Because my greatest example to follow was baptized. Who is this example? (Matt 3:13-16) __________________ C. Because it was the normal practice of the Christians in the New Testament (Acts 2:41; 8:38; 9:17,18; 10:48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:4,5). D. Because it is God's command: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, _______________ them..." (Matt 28:19,20). Jesus said, "If ye _________ me, keep my __________________" (John 14:15). Key Truths About Baptism

v Baptism means immersion. v It is supposed to happen AFTER a person consciously repents, and accepts Jesus Christ as their Saviour from sin's penalty. v Any baptism before salvation is worthless, and does not count. v Baptism is a public Baptism is God’s test of a person’s sincerity of faith. If a person is show of your commitnot willing to go on record as having been saved by the grace of God ment to living your through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, then they really new life for Christ.

are not coming to Christ for salvation, but for their own purpose. God doesn’t just want “lip service” (Matthew 15:8). He wants to know if we are really serious! We already know that He is really serious - He already died in our place! Will you live for Him? V. What If I Was Baptized Already Before I Got Saved?

A. Notice when true Christians got baptized (Acts 2:41; 16:30-33). Was it (Before) or (After) their repentance of sin, and acceptance of Christ? B. If you were baptized before you became born again (for example, when you were an infant, or when you joined some religion or church), then you only got wet, and you still need to be baptized. C. So, if you have been saved, and have never been Scripturally baptized, and you are going to be obedient to the Saviour and His word, when should you be baptized? ______________. Have you ever been Scripturally baptized after you got saved? If so when? ____________ and where? ______________________________________ If you have never been Scripturally baptized, are you ready now? Yes, No Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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Lesson Four

THE WORD OF GOD
Memory Verse: Matthew 4:4

Lesson Four

Lesson Verse: Hebrews 4:12

"For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 I. Introduction A. What separates Bible-Christianity from all other types of Christianity is its claim to an absolute, written authority from God (John 17:17). Most “Christians” only use the Bible, but do not believe it completely. Having the word of God is essential because the basis by which a Christian is to govern his or her life is only found in the pages of the Holy Bible! B. The purpose of this lesson is to help the Christian to know what it is that they hold in their hands, and how they can trust it as the very words of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13)! We don’t just “believe” the Bible is God’s word, anybody can PROVE it just by checking out the accuracy of its prophecies. II. Bible Facts A. The human authors wrote each portion of the Bible by the “______________ of God” (2 Tim 3:16). This means God “breathed” (spoke) His very words into the human authors of the Bible as they wrote it - they were not invented by human imagination. They came directly from God (Mt 4:4)! B. The Bible therefore came not by the ________ of man (2 Peter 1:21), and yet God chose to use over 40 human authors to pen the books of the Bible. So, no one just sat down and decided to write a book for the Bible. It was always directed, and controlled by God. Let’s look at some of the “sub-authors” that God used to pen this Book of books: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Deut 31:24-26 ___________ Luke 20:42______________ Proverbs 1:1 _____________ Isaiah 1:1 ________________ Romans 1:1,7 _____________ 1 Peter 1:1 ________________

C. According to Jesus Christ, _________________ and _________________ will pass away, but NOT God's word (Matthew 24:35). D. The Bible is superior to all philosophy because it was not given by man’s ________ but by the teaching of the _______________ (1 Corinthians 2:13). E. The Bible is ONE Book made up of 66 separate books. In the Council of Trent (1563), the Catholic church added 7 more books called the Apocrypha, but they are not inspired like the other 66, and cause great confusion.

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F. The Bible is now completed. It was finished in about 95 AD, when the apostle John completed the book of Revelation. No one can add anything to it through personal revelations, visions, or prophecies, and no one can take away from it (Rev 22:18,19) - anyone with any additional prophecies than contained in the Bible is of the devil! G. Overall, the Bible is divided into two main sections. The first section is called the ___________________ (2 Cor 3:14). The second section is called the ___________________ (2 Cor 3:6). A “testament” is a written testimony about God’s will in the form of a covenant (agreement). H. The Bible is perfect, having no error because it is both inspired, and ____________ by God (Ps 12:6,7). God wrote the Scriptures through men (that’s inspiration, 2Tim 3:16), and then bound Himself to keep His word from error (that’s preservation, Mt 24:35)! That means God’s word is still here today - it has not been lost or corrupted, or else Jesus was a liar!

Outline of History - According to God in His Bible III. What The Bible Is A. It is God's revelation of the origin and destiny of all things (Isa 46:9,10). B. It is God's will or testament to people of all ages, revealing the plan of God for mankind here and now, and in the next life. C. It is a record of how God dealt with man in the past, present and future. D. It contains the message of eternal salvation for all who believe in Christ, and eternal ________________ for all who reject that Gospel (John 3:36). E. It is the most remarkable Book ever! Of its divine library of 66 books, there is history, biography, poetry, proverbial sayings (true sayings), hymns (songs), laws, parables (stories that teach truth), riddles, allegories (symbolic language), prophecies, records of birth, and death, mysteries, adventure, recipes, blessings, cursings, and all other forms of human expression! F. Psalm 119 deals particularly with the subject of the Scriptures in great detail as it explains their importance in the life of the believer. 1. The Bible refers to itself in Psalm 119 using eight different words: a. The _____ - God’s definition of right and wrong (vs 1)
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b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

The ___________- a record of what God thinks (vs 2) God’s ______- a record of how God works (vs 3) ________- Truths that apply to life - principles (vs 4) _______- fixed truths of God (5) ____________- clear commands and instructions (6) __________- God’s conclusions about various subjects (vs 7) The ________ - the very words of God (vs 9)

2. Psalm 119 teaches that the Bible is eight things to every believer: a. It provides spiritual cleansing (Psalm 119:9; Ephesians 5:25,26). The word of God cleanses the life of the believer as we obey it! b. It is like having wealth and riches to the one who has it (119:14)! c. A companion and friend to the one who lives in it (119:24)! d. A song to sing (119:54) - it fills the heart with such joy! e. ___________ (119:103) as ______________. f. A __________ (119:105,130) g. A heritage - something passed on like an heirloom (119:111). h. Great spoil and treasure (119:162) 3. The Psalm also declares that the God charges the believer with eight responsibilities concerning the Scriptures: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. 1. 2. 3. 4. To love them (119:97,159) - How much do YOU love the Bible? Prize them (119:72,127) as you would infinite treasure! Memorize them (119:11) - learn God's words as He wrote them. ____________ on them (119:15,23,48,78) - understand each word! Study them (119:12,18,26,27) - See 2 Tim 2:15! Trust them (119:42) Faith comes by hearing this Bible (Rom 10:17) Obey them (119:8) - See James 1:22! Live this Bible every day! Declare them (119:13) - tell others of God's word on life!

G. There are four things God wants us to learn from the Bible (2 Tim 3:16,17): Doctrine - learn what is right and true Reproof - learn what is not right in our life, and in the world ________________ - learn how to get right - most important Instruction in righteousness - learn how to stay right

5. These four foundations prepare you so that "...the man of God (the mature Christian) may be ___________, throughly furnished unto all good works."

IV. What The Bible Is Not - Make no mistake about it! A. It is NOT a charm or good luck piece. B. It is NOT a book of "heavenly utterances" in a supernatural language. It is God's revelation in the most simple human language possible. C. It is NOT a book of mysteries. It is self interpreting, explaining all the mysteries of life, so that no mysteries remain. D. It is NOT a book that says one thing and means another.
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E. It is NOT a book that should be constantly criticized and attacked simply because you don’t like what it says, or how it says it! It is God’s words! V. How We Got Our Bible - A Brief History Lesson A. The Bible is the written record of the very words that proceeded from the __________ of God (Matthew 4:4). They are referred to as the Scriptures, the Law, God’s Word, and the Book. We get our word “Bible” from the Greek word ‘Biblios’, which simply means “the Book.” B. The Old Testament was written mainly in the HEBREW language, from 2000 years before the Birth of Christ (BC) to about 350 years BC. The Hebrew (which is read from right to left) for Genesis 1:1 looks like,

C. The New Testament was written in GREEK from 35 AD to 95 AD (A.D. is a Latin abbreviation for, Year of the Lord starting from Christ’s birth). The Greek for John 3:16 looks like (you read Greek from left to right),

D. Aren’t you glad we can read God’s words in our own language?! E. Through 3,000 years, God has preserved over 5,200 Greek and Hebrew copies and portions of His word! These are what our Bible is translated from. F. From those copies, God combined His words into ONE Book at around 100 AD, and scattered it into all the major languages, with more and more people even today getting copies of the word of God in their language! The Bible is THE most published and read book in the world, of all time! G. The English Bible is the result of some 1,300 years of life-threatening work, starting back in 700 AD (only some of the publications are listed below). 1. In 1382, a man named John Wycliffe (1330-1384) translated the first complete Bible into English. For this, he was excommunicated, and after death, his bones were burned by order of the pope! An example of his translation of John 3:16: for god loved so the world! that he gaf his oon bigetun sone, that eche man that bileueth in him perisch not: but have euerlastynge life. 2. The next was made by William Tyndale (1494-1536), who was only able to finish the New Testament and the first five books of the Old Testament by 1530. By order of the priesthood, Tyndale was burned at the stake for translating the Scriptures on Oct. 6, 1536! 3. In 1535, Myles Coverdale (1485-1568) completed the first printed Bible (all others were hand copied, or printed without moveable type).
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4. In 1539 the Great Bible was published. It was called Great because of its large size. This Bible was placed into every church, and a chain placed on it so that it could not be removed, but freely read from. 5. In 1560, the Geneva Bible was produced by scholars in Geneva, Switzerland because in England, Catholic Queen Mary had ascended the throne and forbid access to the Bible, and its publication. 6. The Roman Catholic church came out with it's Genesis 17 from Geneva Bible Rheims New Testament in 1582, and Douay Old Testament in 1609. They were translated for the express purpose of backing up the dogma and teaching of the church instead of presenting the truths of Christ. 7. In 1604, King James the First, authorized 47 men to produce a complete translation of the Bible without Catholic influence in it. It was completed in 1611, and is referred to as the King James Version (KJV), or Authorized Version (AV) of 1611, and still today is God's preserved word for the English speaking people. The King James Bible has gone through seven editions, the last one being in 1769, correcting spelling errors, and making very minor changes so that it is completely accurate and faithful to the texts of the original languages from which it was translated. H. Since 1611, there have been over 200 attempts to falsely “modernize” the Bible. These attempts include the New International Version (NIV), the New American Standard Version (NASV), the Good News Bible, and so on. But none are as accurate, or honest in their translation, or have the effect on people’s hearts as does the AV 1611!

Page from KJV 1611

VI.Proofs of Inspiration - How We Know the Bible was Given By God! A. Its Unity. Over 40 authors wrote the 66 books of the Bible in different lands (Job in Mesopotamia, Moses in Jordan, Paul in Rome and Greece, John in Turkey, Peter in Babylon), and at different times, covering a period of over 2,100 years (from 2000 B.C. to 95 A.D.), and yet never contradicting each other! Try to duplicate that! No matter what you have been told, none of the writings were “sanctioned” by some church council, or commanded to be written by some church leader. They were all written by the direct inspirational hand of _____ (2 Tim 3:16), and preserved from any human error, in spite of the fact that myriads of religious efforts were made to destroy both the prophets and their message!

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B. Its Influence on the World. No other book has so influenced the course of human events like the Bible - it has never been imposed upon a people. No matter what culture a person lives in, one thing has always been true - Religion has always been forced upon people on a collective basis, while Biblical Christianity has always been chosen on an individual basis. This one piece of “literature” has brought about the greatest nations, and greatest freedoms no sword or any other means could! Notice the effect the word of God had upon the people of first century A.D. (Acts 17:6), the people of the Reformation, the Renaissance, and compare those people’s lives with the effects of the Dark Ages (when the Bible was banned from being read or believed), and the effects of Humanism, Stalinism, Marxism, and all other forms of tyrannical dictatorship (all banned the Bible)! Since the Bible’s truths are individual in nature, no dictator, pope or prince can allow it to turn their subjects away from complete devotion to THEM, so they ban it! Don’t let someone take away your access to God’s written word! C. Its Supernatural Preservation. As it has already been said, whole kingdoms and religions have sought in vain to destroy the influence of the Scriptures, and yet it still reigns victorious, and indestructible (Matt 24:35). It has, and always will out-last all religions and kingdoms of this world, simply because, it is God’s pure word (Ps 12:6,7)! D. Fulfilled Prophecy. One of the most important areas of proof that God wrote the Bible involves the fact that almost 3,300 verses of prophecy have been fulfilled to the letter. These prophecies were predictions made hundreds and even thousands of years before their fulfilment: 1. The prediction in Micah 5:2 of the birthplace of ______ was made 750 years before the event - see Matt 2:1-6). 2. Jesus would be born of a virgin, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (750 BC - Isaiah 7:14) 3. Jesus would be rejected by His own people, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him" (750 BC - Isaiah 53:3). 4. Jesus would heal people, "The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped… The lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing" (Isaiah 35:5,6). 5. Jesus would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver "Give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver" (500 BC - Zechariah 11:12,13). 6. Jesus would be whipped and spit upon, "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."

(750 BC - Isaiah 50:6). 7. His hands and His feet would be pierced by nails, "They pierced my hands and my feet." (Ps 22:16), "and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced" (500 BC Zech 12:10). Normally criminals were stoned. 8. Jesus would be in the grave for 3 days and 3 nights, "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40). The Book of Jonah was written

850 years before Christ. 9. Jesus would rise from the grave, "But God will redeem (resurrect) my soul from the power of the grave" (written 1000 years BC - Psalm 49:15)
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10. Not one detail has failed, and there are over 300 more yet to be fulfilled! Deut 18:20-22 says God promises that everything His prophets speak will be fulfilled, and if not, then they were false prophets, and should die! No human authored book would dare to make so many predictions, so far in advance, and subject its authenticity to such chance - yet God did! E. Scientific Accuracy. The Bible describes this universe quite scientifically: 1. The earth as a ___________ (like a sphere, Isaiah 40:18,22), 2. Suspended in space (Job 26:7) hanging upon ___________. 3. And it told us all this without the aid of an orbiting satellite! The Bible expressed this as FACT and not conjecture over 2,200 years before Columbus discovered it was right! 4. The Bible also explains the division of the languages into confusion at the Tower of ______ (Genesis 11:1-9). 5. It reveals that there are "paths," or currents in the seas (Psalm 8:8). Again, Columbus “discovered” that this was true when he sailed to the New World on one ocean current, and then back to Spain on another. 6. The Scriptures in Psalm 102:24-27, and Hebrews 1:10-12 declare the Second Law of Thermodynamics (which states that everything wears out)! It also reveals the process by which all of life occurred on this planet (Genesis 1 and 2), and much, much more! 7. You can’t beat the Bible, no matter how much education you obtain - it’s always years ahead of science! F. Historical Accuracy. Noah's flood (Genesis 6-9) is attested to by Babylonian tablets written in 650 B.C., as well as in 250 ancient world histories. Most of the places named in the Bible have been identified through archaeology, thus validating the historical accuracy of the Bible again and again! The same cannot be said however about other religious books. G. Claims of the Bible Itself. Over 3,800 times the writers of the Bible claim God spoke what they wrote (i.e., "thus saith the Lord"), and that what we hold in our hands is the very words of God (2Tim 3:15,16; 1Thes 2:13)

The Bible is God's word - Read it; Believe it; Study it; Obey it; Preach it!
Date Lesson Completed _______________ Discipler _______________________

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Lesson Five

A Study of the Importance and Methods of Bible Study Memory Verse: Matthew 4:4

BIBLE STUDY TECHNIQUES
Lesson Five

Lesson Verse: 2 Timothy 2:15

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15
I. Introduction The disciple of Jesus Christ not only believes the word of God, but studies it, obeys it, and builds his or her life around it. This goal requires work, and study so that the Christian, like a soldier, is prepared to live life for the Lord! No soldier enters into combat however, without first knowing his weapons, and understanding how to use them effectively against his enemy. The Bible is the Christian's weapon against sin and Satan, and this lesson is intended to instruct him in how to study it, and then use it in his life. II. The Bible as the Christian's Weapon A. The Apostle Paul lists all the spiritual weapons available to the Christian in Ephesians 6:11-17, and refers to them as the "whole ___________ of God." B. Notice also that every Christian is to be capable of using ”the __________ of the Spirit”, which is the __________ of God (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12)! C. The Bible is the Christian's primary offensive weapon against sin in his life, and against the temptations that the world attacks with. The only way however, for the Bible to be the effective weapon it was designed by God to be, is for the Christian to study it, and put it into their life through memorization! You can’t use a weapon you are not familiar with! III. Reasons for Bible Study by the Individual A. It is commanded..."____________ to show thyself approved unto God " (2 Tim 2:15). This verse is not a suggestion! B. Another reason is because it is profitable for the Christian (2 Tim 3:16; Psalm 1:1-3) - not monetarily, but spiritually. The benefits are eternal! C. It gives the Christian victory! As a powerful weapon, the Bible will give you victory over sin, and temptation (Psalm 37:31; 119:11). D. The Bible is a guiding _________ to the Christian (Psalm 119:105). It provides instructions on how to go through life, where to go, why go a certain path, and even when to go (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). E. Special blessings are promised for those who ___________, ___________, and ___________ the things written in the Bible (Revelation 1:3) - not what another man says, or even what your church says! F. The Bible is the only means to test religious teaching - "If they speak not according to this ______ it is because there is no _______ in them” (Isaiah 8:19,20). God gave His word to be the only basis for truth (John 17:17). G. What source did Christ use three times to defeat Satan? _________________ (Matthew 4:4,7,10). So, it is important to know it well enough to use it!
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IV.Some Procedures for Bible Study A. Study it daily. “They ___________ the word with all ____________ of mind, and searched the Scriptures _____________” (Acts 17:10,11). The people in Berea did not simply believe even the Apostle Paul, but rather tested what he said by the word of God! B. Study it obediently. "Be ye ___________ of the word and not __________ only" (James 1:22). The goal of Bible study is wrapped up in finding what the Bible says about a subject, and then doing what it says to do! C. Study it contextually (Isa 28:9,10). The Bible is not a list of do's and don'ts that can just be extracted at random, but rather a revealing description of God and His will that must be read in context - a verse is understood only in light of the meaning of the surrounding verses. See for example what happens when you read Matt 27:5 with Luke 10:37! The wrong kind of Bible study can be deadly, because you start making the Bible say what YOU want it to say - and that is how cults are established! D. Study the Bible systematically. Study it by reading it through once every year. To read through the Bible in a year, you need to read an average of four chapters a day, which will take you about 20 to 30 minutes. 1. As you study your Bible, use a sharpened pencil, and record your thoughts in the margin of your Bible, or in a good notebook! 2. Take notice of things in your Bible that stand out, and make you think. Verses like Sins to avoid (Col 3:5,6,8,9; 2:8; 1 Cor 6:9,10); Promises to claim (Jer 33:3; Philp 4:13,19); Examples to follow (1Pet 2:21-23); and Commands to obey (Matt 28:19,20; Eph 6:18; 4:31,32). 3. Mark those verses using multi-coloured pencils, or lightly-coloured pens, and marking verses by a colour like: Blue for Promises; Red for Warnings; Green or Yellow for Important Information; Orange for Prophecy; and any two-colour combination for other special identification. This helps you find the verses later when you need them. V. Types of Bible Study Every believer should have a quiet time and every Christian family should have a family Bible time, and every Christian is to be in church, learning the Bible through consitant Biblical preaching and teaching. A. The Quiet Time - King David said: "I will ___________________ in thy precepts" (Psalm 119:15; 1:1-2). A quiet time is a Christian's personal time of talking to and listening to God through prayer and reading the words of God, the Bible. To have a Quiet Time you need to: 1. Choose a convenient time - decide when is the best time, and have it. Don't wait for a convenient time because it probably will never come! 2. Be consistent - form a habit of doing it every day. You are going to have to make it as important as ________ and sleeping is (Job 23:12). 3. Make sure you develop the following ingredients of a Quiet Time: a. Begin with prayer, asking God to speak to you, and show you His will for you daily (Psalm 119:18).

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b. Read your Bible - like you would any other book, reading at least one chapter each time. If you are going to read through the Bible in one year, you will need to read at least four chapters a day. c. When you find something that has special meaning to you, underline those verses with your pencil, or light colored markers, and then copy a few select ones to the small pocket-sized note cards to memorize them later. d. Write out your thoughts and conclusions in a notebook so that you can begin to apply the Scripture to your life. Think about how the verses relate to your life. Ask yourself 5 questions as you read: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Who is doing the talking? Is it Jesus, or Moses, or John, etc. Who is he or she talking to? The disciples, Jews, etc. What is the subject being talked about? Look at the context! Does that subject relate to me, and what I am going through? How can I learn from this event in Scripture?

e. As you read, when you notice something confusing, or very special, take time after you have finished reading the current chapter, to go back and study out the portion of Scripture for more insights. Get your Concordance out and look up key words to see what else the Bible has to say on that subject. Remember, the Holy Spirit may be trying to get your attention about something. If your Bible has cross-references in the margins, look those up too. Be sure to write down what you found in your notebook. f. Finish in prayer, thanking God for speaking to your heart in such a wonderful, and personal way! B. Public Bible Study - in Church, and in Bible Study Groups 1. Pastors are to ___________ the __________ (2 Tim 4:2). That means, a man is supposed to get in front of people, and boldly declare the truth from the Bible about sin, righteousness, the Evangelist Billy Sunday preaching to crowds of coming judgment, and Jesus the Lamb of God who can save 20,000 people! any and all who come to God by Him! 2. To those who are saved, preaching in church is the ___________ of God (1Cor 1:18), and is a wonderful time for the Disciple to learn and grow. 3. Don’t be ashamed of straight-talk preaching, when it comes from the Bible! It is more important than all the worship of all the religions put together because, it is God’s way of saving sinners (1Cor 1:17,18)! 4. As Christians, we are to receive the word with ________________ like a thirsty man receives water (James 1:21). Never become unteachable, or unreachable, because preaching prepares you to serve and disciple others later! It takes a humble heart to receive instruction. 5. Church members are to be ____________ of the word and not ______________ only, taking what they have heard from the Bible, and conforming their lives to it (Jam 1:22). 6. Bible study groups are great places to learn the Bible. Remember to make sure, when looking for a group, that it is under the authority of a local church (i.e., that it is sponsored by a Bible believing church and pastor). Not everything that calls itself a Bible Study really is one.
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VI.Bible Study Tools - Things that can help you learn more in your Study Time A. Bible Cross-References. Most Bibles have some sort of Cross Referencing system either in the center column, or embedded in each verse. Use these references to help you understand what other portions of Scripture say about the subjects in the verse you are reading. An example might be found in Matthew 1:23, where a little note would direct you to see that the virgin birth was promised in Isaiah 7:14. If your Bible does not have a similar system, then consider buying one that does because it is so helpful and easily accessible when you are reading and studying the Bible. B. Study Bibles - Beyond the cross-referencing system, there are many Bibles that have Study Notes along with the Scripture that are designed to give the student more in-depth information about each verse and subject. These Bibles are very good to have, and are more often than not, the only Bible helps you need. Be sure to only use the notes as opinions, and not as absolute. They are not always going to be right! C. Concordances - A Bible concordance is an alphabetical index of the words used in the Bible, listing where they appear. Some Bibles come with a mini-concordance in their back pages. But when a Christian wants to know what the entire Bible says about a subject or word, you need a Complete Concordance. A good one is the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, which lists every word, and every place that each word occurs in the Bible! D. Bible Atlas - This is a handy set of maps of the lands in the Middle East where all the events of Scripture took place. They help you understand distances and terrain that people would have had to deal with back then. E. Commentaries, Study Guides and Bible Dictionaries 1. The last thing a Christian may want to obtain for their library of tools is a set of Bible Commentaries and Study Guides. Commentaries usually are large volumes of writings by authors on each and every verse in the Bible. They bring together archaeology, history, various languages and other helpful tools into the understanding of Scripture. 2. Be aware that commentaries can be very destructive to the faith of young Christians. Many authors do not believe the Bible is the preserved word of God. They usually spend more time questioning the Scriptures instead of commenting on them! So, look hard for ones that help you grow in grace, and not in criticism of God’s word. F. Study Guides are outlines of notes on Scripture. These are not as extensive as commentaries, but often more practical. G. Bible Dictionaries are reference books that contain definitions of words and proper names as found in the Bible, helping the student better understand the meaning and context of verses. H. There is a load of computer based Bible software available that can search and sort through every word and phrase in the Bible, as well as provide you access to hundreds of thousands of pages of research materials and commentaries. You have NO EXCUSE for not studying the Bible today!

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VII. Concerning The Apocrypha A. The books called ‘Apocrypha’ (which mean extra writings) were later added to the Bible by Catholic “church councils,” and only show their ungodly desire to make the Bible into a complex, and contradicting book, instead of the perfect, and supernatural one that it always has been! Neither Jesus Christ, nor any New Testament author ever used, or even alluded to anything ever written in any of the Apocryphal books. This goes in the face of the fact that Christ and His apostles quote from every other Old Testament Book! The Apocrypha is made up of 1 & 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus (or Sirach), Baruch, and 1 & 2 Maccabees. B. Here are some reasons the Apocrypha is rejected by Bible believers: 1. They are not included in the original Hebrew Old Testament preserved by the Jews. Romans 3:1-2 states that God used the Jews to pen, and also to preserve His Word; therefore, we trust that He guided them in the rejection of the Apocryphal books from the canon of Scripture. 2. They contain teachings contrary to the rest of the Bible. a. Praying for the dead. 2 Maccabees teaches praying to the dead and making offerings to atone for the sins of the dead "He also took up a collection ... and sent it to
Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. ... Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." (II Maccabees 12:43-46).

b. Mediators in heaven. 2 Maccabees also contains the heresy that dead saints intercede in heaven for those on earth (15:11-14). c. The Use of Magic. A supposed good angel teaches the use of magic in Tobit! "Then the angel said to him, `Cut open the fish and take the heart and liver and gall and put them away safely.' ... Then the young man said to the angel, `Brother Azarias, of what use is the liver and heart and gall of the fish?' He replied, `As for the heart and the liver, if a demon or evil spirit gives trouble to any one, you make a smoke from these before the man or woman, and that person will never be troubled again. And as for the gall, anoint with it a man who has white films in his eyes, and he will be cured'" (Tobit 6:4,6-8). The Bible clearly

condemns magical practices such as this (consider Deut 18:10-12; Lev 19:26,31; Jer 27:9). d. Salvation through works is taught in the book of Tobit. "For almsgiving delivers from death, and it will purge away every sin" (Tobit 12:9). "So now, my children, consider what almsgiving accomplishes and how righteousness delivers" (Tobit 14:11). These false teachings must be contrasted with Lev 17:11, which says "it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."
3. None of these match any of the rest of the Bible, and were only added to confuse the

reader and force them to look to the “church” for the truth! VIII. Concerning Which Bible - The Differences in the English Versions Satan's primary attack has always been against the foundation of the Christian faith, the Bible. His goal has always been to question and “________” the Bible, so that its message gets changed (Gen 3:1; 2Cor 2:17). What has happened is this: God wrote one Bible, and Satan seeks to "corrupt" its message by constantly redefining words, and ultimately, removing them, and even entire verses from what God said! These "revisions" are called "modern" translations
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for the modern world, but are nothing more than satanic "bibles" that keep sinners blind, and lost. A study of Satan's methods will only strengthen your faith in the Bible as the very word of God! A. The Two Greek Manuscript Sets of the New Testament 1. The basis for all the different versions of the Bible are founded in the existence of TWO sets of differing Greek "manuscripts": the Majority text, and the Westcott and Hort text. Take note of these names. It is from these two groups of documents, that bibles are translated from. 2. The differences between these two documents are so profound, that they cannot be ignored as a non-issue. They attack the Deity of Jesus Christ (that He is God); the importance of faith before baptism (as presented in Acts 8:36-38); and they water down the clear teachings that are present only in the King James Bible. 3. The Majority Text is a group of about 5200 portions of Scripture in Greek that through the past 2,000 years has been accepted by Christians as authentic, and true. What follows is an example of what a passage in the Majority Text looks like, along with the English underneath. Note that verse 37 is present and marked in the figure. This is important because verse 37 disappears in the Westcott and Hort text!

Majority Text of the Greek New Testament - Acts 8:36-38

4. The second primary Greek text is the Westcott and Hort Text. It is a set of two Greek manuscripts called the Vaticanus and Sinaiticus. Vaticanus showed up in a Vatican Library in 1481, and Sinaiticus was found in a Monastery on Mt. Sinai in the 17th century. These manuscripts were taken to be older, and more accurate (watch statements like that) than all the rest of the 5000 manuscripts of the Majority Text! Westcott and Hort rejected the authority of the Majority Text and chose rather to accept these Roman Catholic texts that now bears their name.

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5. Notice the missing verse in the following Westcott and Hort text:

What happened to verse 37?

Westcott & Hort Greek Text of the New Testament - Acts 8:35-38

6. Did you notice what is doctrinally affected if you accept the Westcott and Hort over the Majority text? Satan will go to any length to confuse people by getting them to think baptism is the important thing, and not trusting in Christ alone (2Peter 3:15,16; 2Cor 2:17; 4:2)! The clear goal of Satan is to simply make a Bible contradict itself. If he can do that in the mind of a reader, then that reader will not trust it completely, and it makes God confusing, and ultimately a liar (1Cor 14:33)! One thing ought to be clear to the Bible believer, God is not the author of _________

B. The English Versions From the Two Manuscript Sets
Comparing the English versions are very revealing. Notice how all the “new bibles” (left hand side) are from the Westcott and Hort text, and yet only the King James Version is from the Majority text. Therefore, the new versions are NOT revisions as they claim to be, but rather NEW bibles based upon completely different Greek texts than what historical Christianity accepted until 1881!

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Lesson Five Translated from the 5,200 Majority Greek Documents

See all the “bibles” translated from the ‘2’ Westcott & Hort Greek Documents
Roman Catholic Douay version (1609) - Catholic Bible The Revised Version (1881) The New Revised Version (1990) 1901 American Standard Version 1902 The Twentieth Century New Testament 1903 Ferrar Fenton, The Holy Bible in Modern English 1903 Weymouth, The New Testament in Modern Speech 1912 The Holy Bible An Improved Edition 1913 James Moffatt, A New Translation in Modern Speech 1924 The Centenary Translation of the New Testament 1926 A New Translation of the Bible Revised edition 1935 The Westminster Version of the Sacred Scriptures 1937 The New Testament in the language of the people 1946 Revised Standard Version New Testament 1948 New Testament in modern English 1951 Norlie, The New Testament in Modern English 1952 Revised Standard Version The Holy Bible 1952 Williams, A New Translation in Plain English 1958 J B Phillips, The New Testament in Modern English 1959 The Berkeley Version in Modern English 1961 The New English Bible New Testament 1961 Kenneth S Wuest, The New Testament 1962 The King James II Bible, 1971 1963 New American Standard New Testament 1965 The Amplified Bible 1966 Good News for Modern Man 1966 The Jerusalem Bible 1969 William Barclay, The New Testament, A New Translation 1970 The New American Bible 1970 The New English Bible 1971 New American Standard Bible 1971 Kenneth N Taylor The Living Bible, Paraphrased 1972 The Bible in Living English 1972 Today's English New Testament 1973 New International Version 1976 Good News Bible: The Bible in Today's English Version 1976 The Holy Bible in the Language of Today 1978 New International Version 1985 The New Jerusalem Bible 1987 New Century Version 1989 The Revised English Bible with the Apocrypha 1990 New Revised Standard Version 1993 The Message: The Bible in Contemporary English 1994 21st Century King James Version 1994 The Inclusive New Testament - Political correctness bible 1995 An Understandable Version 1995 Contemporary English Version 1996 NIV Inclusive Language Edition 1996 Holy Bible, New Living Translation

King James Version (1611)

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C. Every major language has the two types of Bibles - at least one from the Westcott and Hort texts, and the other from the Majority texts. In every language however, the Westcott and Hort versions are ALWAYS sold on the basis that they are supposedly EASIER to read, and not whether they are an honest translation from the correct texts. Is that always true????? Check out just a “few” of the supposed better words for our modern world…
BIBLE VERSE Isaiah 24:23 Ezekiel 40:18 2 Chron 15:14 Isaiah 13:8 Ezek 40:13 2 Chr 13:22 Num 31:50 Acts 2:6 Ps 58:7 Job 8:2 Ex 35:22 Dan 10:6 Rev 4:3 1 Ki 7:6 1 Ki 4:22 Ezek 13:22 Lk 20:23 Rom 2:20 Mk 14:31 2 Chr 30:22 Pro 23:10 2 Chr 17:14 Ps 45:11 Lk 9:34 Jude 16 Ex 28:20 Ps 89:47 Acts 5:40 Is 59:13 NIV (Easier word?) AV 1611 abashed confounded abutted over against acclamation voice aghast amazed alcove little chamber annotations story armlets chains bewilderment confounded blunted cut in pieces blustering strong brooches bracelets burnished polished carnelian sardine colonnade porch cors measures disheartened sad duplicity craftiness embodiment form emphatically vehemently encouragingly comfortably encrouch enter enrollment numbers enthralled greatly desire enveloped overshadowed faultfinders complainers filigree enclosings fleeting short flogged beaten fomenting speaking

D. The current trend among Bible publishers is to edit their bible translations, and bring them back closer to the King James Bible. This has resulted in “New” Versions being published, so they now include verses that they had first removed, making them not so different than the King James anymore - can you guess why they did this? Because the KJV sets the pace! The Bible believer however must not be suckered into thinking those ‘bibles’ are ok to read and study now – they may be getting closer to the word of God, but why trade what is perfect, for something that is in a constant state of evolution?! E. Some Critical Scripture Changes to know about. According to Revelation 22:18,19, God warns us to never _____, or ______ away from His words, and yet look below! Notice the verses listed in the following table, and compare what Westcott and Hort versions say in the verse, and then what the King James Bible says. It will shock you! This is only a sampling of thousands!
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Matt 6:13 Matt 9:13 Matt 17:21 Matt 18:11 Matt 19:16,17 Matt 23:14 Matt 27:35 Mark 7:16 Mark 9:24 Mark 9:44,46 Mark 10:24 Mark 11:26 Mark 15:28 Mark 16:9-10 Luke 2:33 Luke 4:4 Luke 17:36 Luke 23:17 John 3:13 John 5:4 John 7:53-8:11 John 9:35 Acts 1:3 Acts 4:27 Acts 8:37 Acts 15:34 Acts 24:7 Acts 28:29 Rom 11:6 Rom 16:24 2 Cor 2:17 Col 1:14 1 Thes 5:22 1 Tim 3:16 1 Tim 6:5 1 Tim 6:10 2 Tim 2:15 James 5:16 1 John 4:19 1 John 5:7 Rev 22:18,19

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THE CORRUPTION LIST!
Last half of Christ’s example prayer is removed The need for sinners “to repent” is removed! Prayer and fasting is evidently not necessary The verse explains the very reason for Christ coming! Jesus is not called “good”, and so He is made to only talk about “good” Somebody doesn’t like attacks on money-hungry religious leaders Last half of the verse is missing! Someone is attempting to remove Christ’s plea to the sinner’s free-will The word "Lord" omitted (see also Luke 23:42) See if your Bible has these verses, or questions their presence! Someone doesn’t like Jesus’ remarks against trusting in riches! Someone doesn’t like God’s warnings against our disobedience! Someone doesn’t like all the connections back to the O.T. prophecies These verses are attacked, and declared untrustworthy The word "father" is substituted for "Joseph" making him Jesus’ father! The words "every word of God" omitted Just a small verse removed - yet it is necessary for the context! This verse is clean gone as well Jesus is not allowed to be in two places at the same time! This missing verse explains why the people were gathered at the pool This entire section is attacked, and rejected, and yet most important! Jesus is no longer the Son of God! The word “infallible” is watered down so as to not offend anyone! Jesus is no longer God's Son, but rather Servant (no Deity) Verse either missing or questioned, and yet critical to salvation! Silas is missing! Gone! Also missing! Last half of verse missing. Paul’s usual ending is deleted! The word of God no longer is being “corrupted” The ‘blood’ omitted - salvation no longer needs the blood of the Lamb! We are to abstain from all appearance, not just kinds of evil ‘God’ is changed to an unknown ‘He’ so that you can’t tell He is God! Godliness is the means of gain? Paul is warning about just the opposite The love of money is not always bad anymore. We do not really have to STUDY our Bible anymore All the new bibles now command us to confess our sins to each other! They even took GOD away so that all we can do is “love” Verse missing, with part of verse 8 made into verse 7! Talk about changing verses! Notice how ‘book’ is changed to ‘tree’

The Bible-believer settles once and for all whether we have the word of God, or not! If we do, then we live by it! If not, then God is a liar, and let’s eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die, and who cares! But as we have seen, God does care - proven in the giving of the Son of God, and the very word of God!

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IX.The Superiority of the King James Bible of 1611 - The AV (Authorized Version). When the Bible believer examines the facts, the King James Bible of 1611 is found to be superior to any other English Bible because of the following four main reasons: its Source, its Honesty, its Fruit, and its Enemies. A. The Source of the Translation. The simple belief is that God both inspired, and then preserved His word without error (Matt 24:35; Ps 12:6,7). 1. The AV translators chose to use the available 5,200 agreeing Greek copies of the New Testament as the source of the King James Bible. 2. All other versions primarily use only TWO Greek copies of the New Testament to translate from - these two documents have over 35,000 differences between them and the AV copies. B. The Honesty and Accuracy of the Translation (2Cor 2:17; 2Pe 3:14-16) 1. The AV translators took no liberties in translating the Bible. They did not attempt to paraphrase, or “interpret” hard passages. If a passage of Scripture was hard to understand, then it was translated that way. If they needed to add a word to help the meaning, they put it in italics (words that are slanted) to show when they had to add specific words in English so that the reader could best understand the sense of the verse being translated. The italicized words are just as much the word of God as the normal words (see and compare Deuteronomy 8:3 and Mt 4:4). 2. Most other Bibles attempt to “fix” problems with the Greek and Hebrew by trying to figure God out. The AV translators did not! 3. There are plain errors in the other versions (2Sam 21:19; Heb 3:16). C. The Fruit of its Reading (Matthew 7:20) 1. Ease of Memorization - The AV is much easier to memorize and retain because of the way it is written, and the way it impacts the heart. 2. True Revivals- No other Bible has brought about real revival (i.e., the closing of pubs and bars, the restoration of families, the fear of God instilled in entire communities) except the AV! All other "bibles" water-down, and weaken the heart of the Christian from that of a strong soldier, to a lazy, lukewarm, and emotionally unstable compromiser. 3. No confusion - The AV is much clearer than the other versions, especially in areas of important doctrine. Note the differences between the AV and another version in the following verses: 1 Cor 1:18; Acts 8:37 D. The Enemies of the Translation 1. The Roman Catholic Church - The AV 1611 is considered to be “anti-Catholic” which it is - and is not permitted to be read by Catholics. 2. The Liberal branch of “Christianity” - The AV 1611 is considered to be archaic, and a hindrance to modern “me” philosophy - which it is! 3. The Lazy Christian - The AV requires a person to think and study instead of having all their thinking done for them with paraphrases! 4. The Carnal Christian - The AV makes the worldly Christian uncomfortable because it does not compromise on God’s hatred of sin!

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X. Basic Bible Fundamentals. The following section lists the basic information that you need to understand as you read and study God's word. It is intended to help you understand just what is the underlying "structure" of God's ways of doing things. It won't explain "everything," but will lay-out the framework of people and truths in the Bible. A. The Main Events of the Bible - what follows are the important events in history and prophecy as recorded in the Bible! Take careful note! 1. The Creation. The Bible teaches in Genesis 1, and throughout the Scriptures that God "created" everything there is about 6,000 years ago, and that everything is currently wearing out, and not improving. 2. The Fall. God created two people, and placed them in a perfect garden called Eden. Satan in Genesis 3 entered the garden with one purpose – lure Adam and Eve into disobeying God, and become cursed by God. Disobey they did, but God provided two lambs to take the place of Adam and Eve in death. From then on, God’s promise was for a future Messiah to come who would one day “take away the sins of the world.” 3. The Flood. About 4,600 years ago, a world-wide flood occurred that wiped-out all land-dwelling creatures, including mankind (Genesis 6). Everyone died except for Noah, and his family, who were saved because they obeyed God, and built an ark which contained two of every kind of land animal. It was the flood that fashioned the continents into their current shapes, and lifted the mountains to their current heights. 4. The Calling out of Abraham. Abraham is a cornerstone of the Old Testament. He lived in an ungodly city called Ur, but decided to obey God's word and leave Ur to follow God's will for his life. When God promised Abraham that He would give him as many children as the number of the stars, Abraham didn't doubt, but simply believed God, and became the father of the race of people called the Jews, who because of Abraham, are the people of God (Genesis 12-25). 5. The Bondage in Egypt. The descendants of Abraham were called Jews. These Jews went to dwell in Egypt, but were enslaved by the Egyptians for over 400 years (Genesis 30 through Exodus 3). 6. The Passover. Just before Israel was set free from slavery in Egypt, God commanded that every believer get themselves a lamb, and to kill that lamb in their place. They were to then take the blood of that lamb, and place it visibly upon the outside doorposts of each home, and God promised to "pass over" them in His judgment (Exodus 12)! 7. The Promised Land. Abraham had been promised a piece of land known as Canaan. It was over 400 years later when Joshua led the nation of Israel into Canaan and conquered all its inhabitants (The Book of Joshua). It is where Israel now dwells, and always will be Israel's. 8. The Kingdom Age. Israel became a kingdom under three great kings named Saul, David, and Solomon. Many other kings followed them (1 Samuel – 2 Chronicles). 9. The Captivity. After about 400 years in the Promised Land, the people of Israel lost interest in following the God of the Bible, and became totally idolatrous. God gave them over to their enemies, who came into their cities, and took all the healthiest, and strongest, and most beautiful away to distant lands as slaves again. Israel had gone full cycle, and would have to wait for 70 years before they could begin to rebuild their lives back under God (Jeremiah and Lamentations).
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10. The Exile, and the Return from Exile. The Book of Esther is a description of how God protected the Jewish people during captivity, and the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah describe the return of the people from Babylon back to their homeland. 11. The Old Testament. This set of 39 Books in the Bible contains the history of the world from Creation, up to about 400 years before the birth of Jesus. It was written in Hebrew, and pointed toward Christ. 12. The Birth, and Life of Christ - His First Coming. God became flesh and dwelt among us on earth almost 2,000 years ago. He lived a sinless life for 33 years, and then died as our substitute for sins on the cross to pay off our sin-debt to God. Everyone of His day wanted Jesus to rule as King, but His first coming was not to rule, but to save (Matthew – John)! 13. The New Testament. This set of 27 Books in the Bible records the life of Christ, and presents the truths and freedoms that can transform any sinner into a true saint. 14. The Rapture. A catching away (1Thes 4:16,17) of the Christians from the earth just before the beginning of the time called the Tribulation. It occurs so fast that people won't know what happened! 15. The Tribulation. Seven years of disasters and troubles that will rock the very foundations of this planet (Revelation 6-19). It will result in 1/3rd of the population of the earth dying. 16. The Second Coming of Christ. Christ Jesus, and all Christians are coming back again! Jesus promised that He will defeat Satan, and will establish a true kingdom of heaven on earth (Revelation 19). We don't know when it will happen, but look for it everyday expectantly! 17. The Millennium. This is the 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ on this earth, who will return the earth back to what it was like in the Garden of Eden (Revelation chapters 20,21). 18. The New Heaven and New Earth. Once the Millennium is over, God will destroy this entire universe by fire, and start over with a perfect universe, and earth, with no more sin, or Satan around (Rev 21 & 22). B. The Main People of the Bible 1. Adam and Eve (Gen chapters 2,3). These were the first humans on earth, and from them are all humans, and because of their disobedience to God, we have death, and sin, and separation from God. 2. Cain and Able (Gen 4). Here were two brothers, sons of Adam and Eve. Abel worshipped God with the sacrifice of lambs, and Cain with his own good efforts. When God only appreciated Abel's lamb, Cain ended up killing his brother out of envy, and became the first murderer! 3. Noah (Gen 6-9). Noah was the only man who followed and obeyed God in his day - the rest of the world was caught up in wickedness and violence. He was commanded to build a huge ark that would carry both himself, his family, and two of each kind of animal through the coming world-wide flood. 4. Nimrod (Gen 10). Nimrod began again false worship, and open rebellion to God's word. He built Babylon, and attracted all the world to worship his false gods, which are the basis for ALL the world's religions still (including Catholicism), except for Biblical Christianity!
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5. Abraham (Gen 12-25). The father of the race of people called Israel, or the Jews. It was his faith in God that moved God to choose to use him to bring the promised Messiah into the world. It was his people that God would use to pen the Scriptures, and keep them from error. 6. Isaac (Gen 21-35). The miraculous born son of Abraham. This boy was the promised son of Abraham, and was born when Abraham was 100 years old, and his wife Sarah was 90! 7. Jacob (Gen 25-49). He is one of Isaac's two sons. He is a trouble-maker, but gets converted, and gets changed to Israel by God because he finally surrenders to the Lord. 8. The Children of Israel. These are the descendants of Jacob/Israel, and are the people of God. 9. Moses the Lawgiver. God protects Moses from birth, when he is taken in by Pharaoh's daughter, and made into the adopted son of the king of Egypt. Moses later discovers that he is a Jew, and renounces his position so that he can be with his people which at the time were slaves. Moses ultimately leads Israel out of Egypt, and to the land promised them called Canaan, which is modern Palestine, where Israel is today. God uses Moses to pen the first five Books of the Bible, which are referred to as "the Law" of Moses (Lk 24:44). 10. Joshua. He leads Israel into their Promised Land, and defeats all the kingdoms of the land, allowing Israel to possess it in peace (see the Book of Joshua). 11. The Judges. These are leaders whom God uses to bring Israel back to God each generation after Moses and Joshua because they would spiritually drift away. They were before the time of kings in Israel (see the Book of the Judges). 12. The Kings. God set Israel up as a kingdom with Saul as its first king. After him was king David, followed by Solomon. After them, the kingdom splits in two, and each kingdom lasts for no more than 400 years before being taken captive by other countries. 13. Job. One of the most important books in the entire Bible, is Job, which deals with the reason for suffering, and tragedy, and shows God’s hand in everything we go through. 14. Daniel the prophet. There were many prophets used by God to write much of the Bible, but Daniel stands out among them. He is used to write about the coming Messiah (Jesus), and the end times. 15. Jesus the Saviour. Jesus is the whole theme of the Bible - from the first lambs slain in the Garden of Eden, God has been pointing sinners to the only substitute acceptable that of an innocent Lamb. God became flesh, gave His life freely on the cross, and was buried, but then after three days, rose again, and ascended to heaven victorious over both sin and death! That makes Him our only way to heaven, by faith! 16. Satan, the devil. Satan's name used to be Lucifer, an arch-angel, who turned away from God seeking to de-throne the Lord. He was kicked out of heaven, but still works destruction in God's creation. He only seeks to destroy what God has created, and set himself up as God. He is doomed to burn forever with his followers in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10)! 17. Devils. Devils are what we call “demons” and were created by Satan to help him work against all that God does in the world. 18. Angels. Angels are spiritual beings that minister for God here on earth. They only do what God wants done, not what we want done.
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C. The Main Themes of the Bible 1. The Depravity of Mankind. At the start of the Bible, God shows that mankind, even in the most perfect of environments, will choose to go their own sinful way instead of God's way (Isaiah 53:6). God however, will not give-up on the work of redeeming us from sin's power and price. All humans, at their best, are still sinful, and unable to enter heaven, no matter how hard they try (Psalm 39:5; Isaiah 40:17). They MUST be "bornagain" where their sins are completely forgiven, and their names are written in heaven, all by faith in Jesus Christ! 2. The Intervention of God in Human Affairs. In order to keep mankind from selfdestruction, and total loss, God has had to intervene sometimes with disasters (like the world-wide flood of Noah's day, etc.), and with the coming of Jesus Christ. God is in no way ignoring our condition here on earth, but intervenes at the right times, in the right ways (Gal 4:4; Heb 1:1,2). As a matter-of-fact, He intervenes in everyone's life daily! 3. The Salvation of Sinners. The primary reason for God’s intervention is to restore what sin has ruined, and He does that one heart at a time in the lives of sinners who repent, and follow His Son, Jesus Christ (Lk 19:10). This theme is played-out over and over throughout the lives of all people throughout Scripture. 4. The Coming Physical Kingdom of Christ. The constant struggle with sin on this earth will not go on forever, but will climax with the return of Jesus Christ the second time. He comes again to destroy the works of the devil, and to rule as King of kings. No one knows when He is coming again, but we know He says it is imminent (soon)! Date Lesson Completed ____________ Discipler _________________________

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NAME: __________________________

Section ONE Test The Word of God

DATE: ______________ (Each mark = 2 points) SCORE: _____ out of 43 total

The following questions will help you identify how much you have learned in your Bible Study time. Answer as many as possible, and take your time so that you can think and remember the answers. Most answers are obvious. Some questions however will be hard. All questions come from the material in the First Principles Study Course. God bless you as you examine what you have learned, and become confident in knowing and growing in God’s wondrous word!

1. According to the Bible, who is the Author of truth? ____________ 2. Truth is provided to this world by what Book? ______________ 3. Write out word perfect, Matthew 4:4 _____________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 4. The word ‘disciple’ means what? _______________________________________________ 5. What is the spiritual condition of every human? _____________________________________ 6. Give the reference of a verse that describes the penalty of sin? _____________ 7. Explain what ‘repentance’ means? _______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 8. According to Ephesians 2:8,9 a sinner is saved by God’s what? _____________ 9. If a person does not get “saved,” their eternal destiny according to the Bible is where? __________ 10. How many births are required for a person to get into heaven? ____________ 11. How many sins were forgiven at the cross when Jesus died? _______________ 12. Can a Christian be happy while living in disobedience to the word of God? ___ 13. If a person is saved by God’s grace, what is it that KEEPS a person saved? _______________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 14. When a Christian sins, what gets broken between them and God? Their Relationship, or their Fellowship (circle one)? 15. Is there anything that can separate a Christian from the love of Christ? ______ 16. When a sinner gets saved, they become a child of who? ___________. 17. What is it that actually “seals” (preserves) the Christian’s salvation for all eternity? _________________________ 18. List an obvious proof that a person has gotten saved _________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 19. What does the word ‘Baptize’ mean? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 20. Should babies be baptized? ___________ 21. What two things must have taken place before a person can be baptized? 1) _______________________________________________, and 2) _______________________________________________

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22. Water baptism symbolizes three events. Please list them: 1) _________________________, 2) _____________________________________, and 3) _____________________________________. 23. Does it matter whether a person gets baptized the right way or not? _________ 24. What is it that separates Bible Christianity from all other forms of Christianity? ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 25. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, “all __________ is given by inspiration of God” 26. Explain what does the word “inspiration” in 2 Timothy 3:16 mean? _____________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 27. The Bible has how many books in it? __________ 28. The Bible is divided into two main sections. List them: 1) _______________________________________ 2) ________________________________________________________ 29. Not only is the Bible “inspired,” but it is also what? _______________________ 30. The Old Testament was written in what language? ______________________ 31. The New Testament was written in what language? _____________________ 32. Write out word perfect 2 Timothy 2:15 ___________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

______________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 33. What source did Jesus use to defeat the temptations of the devil? ___________ 34. Describe the Christian’s Quiet Time ______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 35. What does the word ‘Apocrypha’ mean? __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

______________ 36. How can you tell the differences between true Scripture, and the Apocrypha? ____________________________________________________________

______________ ____________________________________________________________

______________ 37. Satan’s primary attack has always been against whose word? ______________. 38. How many basic groupings, or ‘sets’ of Greek Manuscripts are there? (not the total number of copies, but the different groups of copies) _____________. 39. What verse is missing in Acts 8 in the “Westcott and Hort” Manuscript? _____. 40. What difference does that verse make to a person’s salvation? _________________________ ____________________________________________________________

______________.

How are you doing?
Have you been born again? Yes, No. When? ____________ Have you been baptized? Yes, No. When? ____________ Have you read your Bible all the way through yet? Yes, No. What Book are you reading currently? ________________ Are you attending church every week? Yes, No. Are you enjoying this study of the Bible? Yes, No. Do you have a King James Bible of your own? Yes, No.

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Well Done!
You have now completed Section ONE, and its test. Hand this test in to your Discipler, and it will be quickly graded. The results will only be known by you, your Discipler, and the Course Administrator. After going through this test, knowing what you don’t know, and maybe don’t understand, you may want to go back over certain portions of the Course before going on to the next Section. Otherwise, press on, and keep growing!

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SECTION TWO
This Section of your Discipleship study will establish you in

Fellowship With Other Believers
Memory Verse:
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25

Take note of the following facts about the verse in its context:
Ø Ø

Ø

Who is talking? The Apostle___________ Who is he talking to? The “___________” (Jews) - Written to both those people who believed on Christ, and those who did not. What is he talking about? About how that Christians (ourselves) should not forsake times when we assemble (Sundays), even though some people are getting into the habit of it, because we know that “the day” (of the return of Christ) is approaching fast!

In this Section, we will study:
· · · · ·

The New Testament Church - What is it, and what are my responsibilities to it? Scripture Memorization - How to store God’s word into your life! Who is God? - A Study of what God is like! Praise and Worship - How to honour and bless your God! The Lord's Supper - How does a Christian remember Christ’s sacrifice on the cross?

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THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
Memory Verse: Hebrews 10:25

Lesson Six

Lesson Verse: Hebrews 10:25

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25 I. Introduction God established three foundational institutions on this earth: the family, civil government, and the group of Bible believing Christians that He calls “the church.” Each group has a specific design, and is no less important than the other. Our focus in this lesson is on the local church which has been commissioned by God to carry out His commands of reaching the lost, and maturing the saved. Therefore, God's plan for a Christian's life will always be connected with a local body of believers called the church. The purpose of this lesson is to show the disciple the role which their church will play in their everyday life. Without a good understanding of what Christ’s church is all about, religions have been able to abuse and confuse, and turn so many people away from the Gospel! II. The New Testament Kind of Church A. What It Is, and What It Is Not 1. According to Hebrews 10:25, it is referred to as the “_____________ of ourselves together” – The purposeful getting together of Christians to encourage, and minister to each other as we grow, and reach the surrounding area with the Gospel. 2. A New Testament church therefore is not a building. If you are looking for a temple to worship in, the Bible says "your ________ is the temple of ... God" (1 Cor 6:19,20). Your place of worship is in your heart! 3. A church is not a denomination, or religious organization run by a central headquarters. It is local, and run under the authority and instructions of the word of God through its pastor, and for its own people (Titus 1:5-9). It also is not a social club - i.e., just for fun and pleasure! 4. A church is more than just a group or fellowship - it is a body of committed believers, seeking to worship and serve Christ together. It’s called a "___________ of saints" (Ps 149:1, see also Eph 1:1;Col 1:1,2). 5. The church is something that _________ started Himself, builds, and nurtures as a visible testimony of His grace for sinners (Matt 16:18). 6. In short, a church is a group of people who faithfully assemble (that means every week) because they are saved, baptized, and purposed in their hearts to fulfill “____” that Christ commanded them to do in the Bible (Mt 28:19,20). 7. This "group" of believers is called the "body of _________" in 1 Cor 12:27, because it represents His “body” (His physical presence) on earth today (like ambassadors, 2 Cor 5:20), and operates like a human body in the following ways (1 Cor 12:12,13,17-27): a. Each member (part) of the body of believers has a different function - each ministering to each other's needs as a whole.

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b. No one member can function alone - we need each other! When a Christian is not committed to others, especially to other believers, then they are hindering Christ’s work in the world today. c. Each member's contribution is vitally important to the well-being of the entire body of believers - we can’t go it alone! d. A properly functioning body operates as a single unit – a team. e. All this shows that the church that Jesus started is a living organism constantly growing, and maturing under the never changing, and always perfect Head, Jesus Christ (Eph 5:23). B. The local church is also called “the _____________ of God” (Eph 2:19), or in other words, the “family” of God (as His children). As part of His family, Christians MUST be able to get along (John 13:35) under the authority of the ________________ (Acts 2:4147; 20:32). C. Remember that all members of God's family must be __________ into His family by the new birth (John 3:3; John 1:12,13) III. The Purpose of the Local Church A. The three-fold purpose of the church in Mt 28:19,20 is for Christians (three action words): 1. To GO - The world is not commanded to go to church, but the church is commanded to go into the world (see also Acts 1:8) with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and compelling them to come to "_______" (Mt 11:28-30). Every Christian needs to be involved! 2. To ___________ - The world needs to be instructed about Jesus through preaching, discipleship, and teaching (Acts 20:25-27). 3. To _______________ - People need to turn away from their birth-religion, and begin following Christ only, according to the Bible, and that starts when a person is baptized! These are the core reasons for the existence of a church. If there is a fault in churches, it is because they have other priorities besides these! B. The church is to be a place for __________ and teaching the doctrine (truth) about Jesus Christ, and the Christian life (1 Cor 1:17; 2:1-5)! C. The church is to provide Christians with _____________ with other believers (Acts 2:42) – you can’t find this at the local pub or disco! D. The church must focus on praying with one heart about the needs of its own people, and also of the lost around them (Acts 2:42) - Christians should pray together about everything – it keeps our hearts united! E. The church meeting is a time to remember the three main "____________" (1Cor 11:2), which are not “sacraments,” but commandments that the Lord left specifically for the church to remember Him by. These ordinances are: 1. Baptism (Acts 2:41) - Baptism is vital to mark the commitment of a new believer to Christ, and to living separated from the old life and religions of their past. 2. The Lord's supper (“the breaking of ________,” Acts 2:42) – is meant to remind us of the high price Christ had to pay for our forgiveness! A church can remember this event as often as they want, but usually it happens about every one or two months.

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3. Loving ____ _________ (Jn 15:17). This may sound a bit unusual, but Christ commanded the people of a church to love the people of that church. By doing this, God keeps us humble, and godly as a people! F. The church is to openly, publicly and consistently testify of God's grace and power to the world (Acts 2:43; 1:8) - it is NOT a secretive society that locks its doors! A true church will boldly evangelize a lost world to Jesus Christ! G. The church makes it possible for people to minister to each other's needs (Acts 2:44,45). Your greatest ministry will always be one word – OTHERS! H. It encourages, and enables Christians to love and enjoy God (Acts 2:46,47). I. It edifies (builds up, strengthens) the saints (which is all of us, Eph 4:11-16). J. All with the focus of reproducing itself throughout the world through soul-winning, baptizing, training, and then repeating (Acts 1:8)! A true New Testament church is not what it ought to be until it has reproduced itself somewhere else. IV.Each Person's Function in a Local Church A. During your Christian life, you should grow in three general stages: 1. Observe and learn - Your first priority should be to submit to the teaching of the word of God to learn how to be the man or woman that God designed you to be (Matt 11:28-30). Be teachable. Discipleship is the beginning of this stage. The key is not to stagnate! 2. Participate - In time, you will naturally grow to the point where you can begin to serve and take on basic functions through the ministries of your church (Matt 4:19; James 1:2225). 3. Lead - As your growth continues, you should reach the point where you can begin to minister to others in the same way that you have been ministered to (2 Tim 2:2; 1Pet 3:15). B. These three stages can be roughly compared to the stages of growth physically: child, youth, adult. C. Be patient! It all takes time. Work hard as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and watch yourself grow!
Truths About the Church v Every local Biblebelieving church is Christ's Church, where He is Head! v A true church is subject unto God's word in everything - we can't pick and choose. v Christ's church is family-oriented - not self oriented. v We love to give of ourselves so others get the Gospel. v A true church is evangelistic - on the go for souls! v Every Christian must be a committed part of a local church! We are not loners!

V. The Structure (Blueprint) of the New Testament, Local Church. All believers are to be _________ (John 8:31) – students and followers of Jesus Christ, and committed to living just like He would if he were in your shoes.

A. The guide and final authority of a church is always the _______ (Acts 20:32; John 17:17). In Christ’s church, the final authority is not placed in people, pastors, or princes, but in the living and pure words of God! As disciples, we must follow the Bible’s design for Christianity, and not try and improve on it, or adjust it – just live it!!! B. A church has five positions of authority under the Word of God (Eph 4:11): 1. Apostles: It means “someone specially chosen and sent out by Jesus.” Twelve apostles were chosen by Jesus personally (Mt 10:1,2) who would be the first to establish ChrisTHE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH · 47

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tianity throughout the world - they laid the foundation by writing and preaching God's word. The twelve were made apostles by the supernatural empowerment of Jesus Christ. Their powers were specific only to themselves (2Cor 12:12), and not to all of Christianity. Once the apostles died, their powers died with them! 2. Prophets: A special class of people used by God to declare His word until the completion of the Bible (1Cor 13:8-10). The Apostles were also prophets, but there were some prophets who were not apostles, like _____________ (Acts 11:27,28; 21:10). a. The Old Testament was written by ____________ (Rom 16:25,26) b. The New Testament was written by prophets and apostles. c. Now that the Bible is completed, the role of prophets and apostles has ceased (see again 1 Cor 13:8-10). 3. Evangelists: These are Church-starters (like the Apostle Paul), who evangelize the lost to a surrendered faith in Jesus Christ, and then group those believers into a local church fellowship (a flock), that is dedicated as a group to obeying and living by all the commands of the Lord under their own pastor (Mt 28:19,20). The evangelist moves on and starts more churches as each church obtains its own permanent pastor. 4. Pastors: These are Shepherds, the Bishops, the Overseers of the “flock” of Christians that seek to serve Christ. They have the primary job of leading the flock of Christians to serve God, and of protecting that flock from spiritual danger. They are “coaches” training Christians to shine as lights in this dark world! 5. Teachers: These labour in teaching the word along-side pastors. No pastor can do all the work to keep a church going, so God gives people a heart to minister with the pastor, so that the Gospel can go further! Of the five groups listed, only the last three are in operation today (Eph 2:19-22). The first two groups laid the foundation (until the Bible was finished), with Christ being the cornerstone of everything. The rest of us build upon that finished foundation (1 Corinthians 3:10,11). C. The primary leadership in the church is provided by the _______ (1Tim 3:1-5; see also Titus 1:5-9). A Biblical bishop is different from modern bishops. 1. A bishop is a shepherd over a “flock” (1 Pet 2:25; 5:1-4). That is what “pastor” means. Pastor, bishop and shepherd are all the same thing. He is to minister, preach, care for, instruct, and equip the believers. 2. Every church is to be lead by a pastor. If a church has no pastor, then its primary goal should be to pray for, and get one, and then follow him. 3. A pastor/shepherd does the following (Acts 20:28-31): a. He ________ his flock with the word of God (Bible teaching). b. He _____________ his flock - knows them; cares for their needs. This is where he keeps them in line with the Bible, and keeps them in motion, always serving the Lord. c. He warns them - that is what preaching and teaching is for! He has a responsibility not just to the “flock” but to the Great Shepherd who called him to preach (Ezek 3:17-19; Col 1:28)!

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d. Therefore, a pastor is to oversee and spiritually care for those to whom he ministers (by living like them, among them, and for them)! He is not to dominate their lives, but guide, love, protect them, and if need be, give his life for them as Christ did! e. The pastor is not to be a ________ (1Tim 3:1,6), but an ________ (1Tim 5:17) - He should be mature in the Lord, and should be respected, and followed (2Tim 2:2; Jam 1:22). All pastors first are elders (mature Christians), but all elders are not pastors. 1) Every young as well as older man in a church needs to be surrendered to the Lord if He should call them to be a pastor. 2) If a man is called of God to preach, then his local church is his training ground to prepare him to pastor someday! f. Christians are to ______ the instruction of a godly pastor, knowing he watches for your _______, and will give an account to God for how you lived your life (Heb 13:7,17). God has given him the responsibility to instruct you as you grow, and to rebuke you when you don’t grow (1 Tim 4:12). Every Christian needs a godly pastor. g. One of the jobs of pastors is to train more pastors (2Tim 2:2). Pastors come from within a flock. That is how God supplies men to go and reach the world with the gospel – through godly men training faithful men! D. Every church must have lots of helpers - called ___________ (1Tim 3:8) 1. A deacon is a dedicated servant, who takes care of the needs of folks like widows, allowing the pastor to labour in the study and teaching of the word of God (Acts 6:1-4). 2. All Christians are deacons - they are servants in the local body! 3. Some deacons are ordained (specially chosen and paid by the church) like the pastor is, so they can serve fulltime (Acts 6:5,6)! They serve along side the pastor, and take some of the load from off him, so that he can minister without being crushed by the work-load. A deacon must see his role as very important, and be committed to serving - not being served, even though being paid! E. Teachers are people God calls to work along with a Pastor to train and mature believers in a church (Eph 4:11-12).

The layout of the functions of the leaders in a church along side all the other Christians as they work to evangelize the world.

1. Teachers of the word need themselves to know the word! They need to be discipled, so that they can disciple others! 2. Everyone needs to be available should God need them to teach a Sunday School class, help with a Bible Club, or disciple a new Christian! F. Beside the above “official” positions, God refers to all Christians as __________ (Mt 20:25-28; 25:21), committed as a team to obey our Lord’s command to reach this world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

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G. Notice what is NOT in a church: priests, canons, altar boys, monsignors, prelates, clergy, popes, cardinals, nuns, etc.! Every religion has to “add” to God’s clearly defined standard – but these additions are only destructive. VI.How can you tell if the church to which you belong (or wish to join) is a true New Testament type of church (meaning, that it matches the pattern found in the New Testament)? Below are key marks of Christ’s Church! A. Evangelism - They will be involved in _____________ to the lost (Acts 1:8)! B. Bible Believing - They will believe the Bible not criticise it (2 Tim 3:15-17; Act 24:14; Lk 24:25) C. Doctrine - They will pay careful attention to ___________ – making sure it is right, and only from the Bible (Titus 1:9; 2 John 1:9,10). D. Separation - They will be different from the world (1 John 2:15; Tit 2:13,14; 2 Cor 6:1417). Not only just in beliefs, but in LIVES (clean and separated). E. Discipleship - They will be involved in discipling new Christians, preparing them to serve God, and not be babies or selfish anymore (2 Tim 2:1-3)! F. Spiritual Warfare - They use ______________ weapons (not fists or guns) to fight temptation, sin and the devil (2 Cor 10:3-5)! G. Three Church Ordinances - baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and loving one another (1Cor 11:23-26; Mt 28:19,20; Jn 15:12) H. Immersion - They immerse, not sprinkle, when they baptize new believers (Acts 8:36-38) I. Fellowship a Lot - They ALL meet together every Lord’s day, and as often as possible throughout the week (Heb 10:25; Acts 5:42)! VII. What is a Baptist Church? A. A group of believers that base every belief and every aspect of Christianity solely on the Bible – to the exclusion of all traditions. B. A group of believers that were first branded with the name “ana-baptists” (which means re-baptizers) because they always required people who got saved to get re-baptized, and to come out of the catholic church or any church that did not follow the Bible. The Baptists down through history were tortured and burnt at the stake by the tens of thousands during the dark ages – all because they would not submit to a pope or king who required people to either worship himself, or follow an unbiblical belief. Please realise that what we take for granted as freedoms today, were totally against the law just a few hundred years ago – like the right to own a Bible; the right of free assembly; and the right of disagreement with the government. C. What Baptists generally believe can be summarized as follows: B– Biblical Authority Only. The only source for absolute truth about God, and what is right and wrong is the written word of God. All questions are settled according to “Thus saith the Lord.” A – Autonomy of the local church – a local church is fully able to make its own decisions, and govern itself. There is no hierarchy in Christianity. P – Priesthood of the believer. Every Christian is able to go directly to God as a priest because Jesus Christ as their High Priest has made it possible. T – Three ordinances given by Jesus for the Church to obey: To regularly have the Lord’s Supper, Baptize, and Love one another.
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I – Individual Soul Liberty – a Christian answers only to God concerning his or her faith! A person must learn the truth of the Bible, act on that truth, and is ultimately held responsible by God according to what they did with that truth. No human has power over your faith. S – Saved and Secure Membership – only born again believers are able to be members of a church, and they are eternally secure in Christ. T– Three Church Offices: Evangelist (Church Starter), Pastor, and Deacon. S – Separation of Church and State – the church is under the control of the word of God, not a government. We obey the laws of the land – but when those laws go against the Bible, a Christian ignores those laws! D. All Bible-believing and Bible-practicing churches are ‘baptistic’ in that they hold many if not most of the above beliefs. Some churches just don’t have the name “Baptist” – but they ought not be ashamed of the name. VIII. The Financing of a Local Church (More about this in Lesson Fifteen) A. The giving of our tithes (1/10th of our income), and offerings to our local church is God's way of supporting your local church and its ministries. Faithful stewardship (the responsible handling) of our possessions involves giving the "firstfruits of our increase” to _____ (Pr 3:9,10)! Not because He needs our money (Ps 24:1), but rather, out of obedience to His word by faith. B. According to Malachi 3:8-10, the Lord is very serious about the Christian making sure money does not become a “god” (1Timothy 6:10). He helps by requiring us to keep Him in first place with our finances. This is called the tithe. If a person does not tithe, no matter how hard it may be, he or she is _______ God, and are worse off by keeping their money, than by giving it! C. Giving our money to the Lord is like the giving of our time, and our love - it always costs us something - and it should! Giving demonstrates the proof of our love for ___________ (1 John 3:18; John 14:15). If a person has a problem with giving, then it is because they do not love Jesus Christ supremely, or they are not willing to follow the word of God by faith. D. So, why give regularly to my local church (1 Cor 16:1,2)? 1. To obey God (Prov 3:9,10) - do it first out of obedience! 2. So that it can be self-sufficient (not dependent upon the government, bazaars, or bake sales, but upon the people who assemble together). 3. So that God’s man (the pastor) can be full-time for serving the Lord, serving you, and reaching the lost, instead of having to work both a job, and do the ministry (1 Tim 5:17,18)! 4. And also, so that God can bless you, knowing that you seek _______ to bless and honour Him (Matt 6:33). IX.How Does A Person Join a Local Church? Every Christian is to be a dedicated member of a local Bible believing church (Heb 10:25). A. Fulfill God's requirements. There are only two requirements to be added to a church: _________________ (salvation) and _____________ (Acts 2:41). B. Know whether it is God's will to join that church (Acts 2:47). Every Christian must be associated with a Bible believing local church, and committed to getting the Gospel out to
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everyone in their area. Ask the Lord where you should commit yourself, and your family, and then go for it! C. Request membership. Don't expect to be a part by osmosis (just by attending). You have to ask, or people won't think that you are serious. D. Be accepted. The local New Testament church is exclusionary (it does not have to accept everyone). You will only be accepted if you have a testimony of your salvation, been Scripturally baptized, and are in agreement with the doctrines of the church you wish to join yourself to. E. Make the church, YOUR church! Be there for every meeting, pray for your pastor, and for the other people there, and ask God where He needs YOU to work so that souls get saved, and young Christians grow! Are you a dedicated member of a church that believes the Bible and practices it? If so, where? _________________________________. If not, is there anything keeping you from joining with your Discipler's church? ____________________ X. Finding a Place to Serve the Lord in Your Local Church (Acts 13:1,2). When the Lord places you in a Bible believing church, it ought to become “your” church, where you dedicate your life, efforts, and talents in service to God so that souls get saved, and Christians are fed. Look around you and see where the pastor, or someone needs help teaching in Sunday School, or picking people up for church, or cleaning up the church, etc. Find SOMETHING to do, like: A. Teaching a Sunday School Class, or helping another person teach it. B. Going out soul-winning regularly with other believers. C. Helping the pastor with secretarial tasks like sending out birthday cards. D. Start up a Bible study at your workplace during lunch. E. Correspond with missionaries to encourage them and pray for them. F. Singing special music, or even starting a choir. G. Playing a musical instrument. H. Holding Bible Clubs in your home and back-garden. I. Going with the pastor on visitation calls to people’s homes. J. Visiting people who are sick and in the hospital. K. Helping in a puppet ministry. L. Picking up folks who need a ride to church. M. Ministering to older folks by mowing their grass, or repairing their homes. N. Hosting a Ladies’ Coffee Morning in your home for Christian women to fellowship and give testimony so that other lost women can hear the gospel! O. And the list goes on… Just add your own ideas, and get started – right away! XI.Why Are There So Many Churches? A. The Bible warns that not only does God have His church (Matt 16:18), but so does __________ (2 Cor 11:13-15). It is called "religion" and it is not Christianity. Satan's "church" is full of: False ___________ (Matt 7:15); False believers (Matt 7:21); Traditions (Col 2:8); and doctrines (Jude 3,4) B. When comparing "Religion" with Christianity, it is important to find out whether it is founded upon what God said (the Bible), or what man said (tradition, see Mark 7:1-9). C. There are lots of different churches today – they all claim to be “churches”
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Baptist Churches Roman Catholic Churches – allegiance to Rome and tradition Presbyterian Churches – protestant, and baby sprinklers Methodist Churches – believe a Christian can lose their salvation Church of England, Church of Ireland – just barely above catholic Pentecostal Churches – emphasis on miracles and experiences Non-denominational Churches – no real doctrinal stand at all Then there are others – which are clearly cults: a. Mormons – all of them are working at becoming gods (Gen 3:4,5) b. Jehovah’s Witnesses – working their way to heaven without the new birth (John 3:3) c. Seventh day Adventists – keeping the Sabbath (Rom 10:4). d. Church of Christ – baptismal regeneration (Eph 2:8,9).

9. Never mind the fact that there are lots of different religions a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Buddhism – China - belief in the eight-fold path to nothingness Islam – Middle East - believe in Allah and his prophet Mohammed Hinduism – India - believe in about 2 million gods Shintoism – Japanese - believe in dead ancestors Judaism – Israel - believe in God of the Bible, but not Messiah Evolutionism – fools - the belief in almighty dirt! Atheism – fools – believe only in almighty SELF!

10. In simple terms, there are only two kinds of religions: Either it is DONE, or it is DO, DO, DO, and then DO it some more, D. All throughout Church history, the people who were determined to only go by the Bible, were side-lined, vilified, hunted and tortured, even by the Protestants all because they would not obey the church and baptize their infants, and would not confess to priests, etc. These groups of Christians had various names, but most of them were Baptist in their doctrine and practice. E. Every year there are new “cults” and flavours of “faith” for people to choose from. Bible believers (from the time of the apostles on) have never been a part of the religious "system" listed above, but have always been separate from it, and required anyone who believed the Bible to separate themselves from it (2 Cor 6:14-18). Whenever the religious system caught a Bible believer, they tortured them, and even burned them at the stake for their beliefs (Acts 8:3; 9:1; 24:14) F. The answer to why there are so many churches lies in the fact that people believe that there can be so many different approaches to God and the Bible, which is not true (Rev 22:18,19; John 14:6). People must take God’s word literally and completely, and come to God, only God’s way - the Bible way. Religion has no authority other than itself, instead of the word of God. Therefore, religions are constantly changing, while in Biblical Christianity, believers are always anchored to the unchanging words of the living God!

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G. Below is a brief History of “Churches,” beginning with the New Testament Church!
33 AD The Crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and His sending out His disciples into all the world to preach and establish Christianity by getting people to repent and believe! 65 The apostle Paul says all of the then known world had heard about Jesus Christ (Col 1:23)! New Testament style churches were spread throughout the Roman empire in every major city! 95 The apostle John finished writing Revelation, and completes the Bible - no more prophecy! Right after this, the Bible was published as one Book of 66 books in Latin. ... Intense persecution against Christianity by the Roman Empire for over 200 years! 313 The Roman Emperor Constantine gives in, and organises a central state-church in Rome with him at the head. This becomes known as the ROMAN CATHOLIC Church. He becomes the first POPE! Before that time, all "churches" were local, independent, and illegal. After this time, only the “baptistic” churches were illegal. 375 The use of "images" was introduced along with the veneration of saints and angels – the catholic church just borrowed all the images of the pagans and made them into “Christian” symbols (idols)! God forbid in Exodus 20 the veneration of ANY image or picture! 394 “Mass” was forced as THE method for salvation. Religious leaders made the crucifixion into a ritual that had to be constantly repeated. 593 Purgatory was introduced as a temporary punishment of sinners. No other religious doctrine produced as much money for the catholic coffers than the teachings about “purgatory!” 850 Holy water is introduced as having special powers of healing and cleansing. 1054 The GREEK ORTHODOX church split from Rome over the issue of Papal authority. Now there were two “holy apostolic catholic” churches, neither of which follow the Bible! 1079 Celibacy of the Catholic priesthood was made mandatory. Before then, most members of the clergy were married. 1090 The rosary was adopted as a method of praying - it was also borrowed from the pagans. The Hindus and the Buddhists also have rosary beads. 1190 Sale of indulgences (paying a priest for your sins in money) began. It allowed people to pre-pay for sins that otherwise would have to be paid for in purgatory. 1215 Confessions to Roman priests started, and was made mandatory to all people for salvation. The gift of Salvation was just constantly being added to! 1525 Martin Luther broke away from the Roman Catholic Church - started the Lutherans. Martin was a good monk, but wanted to get the Bible into the hands of the common people – he found he had to leave the “church” in order to live by the Bible. 1534 Henry VIII took the English church away from Rome and started the Church of England. 1541 The Presbyterian church was formed by Christians breaking away from Church of England. They made a big step in attempting to return to Biblical Christianity – but still carried a lot of “baggage” from Catholicism and the church of England. 1791 The Methodist church broke away from the Church of England - by John Wesley. They for the most part went back to Biblical Christianity. 1827 The Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints) began "their church" (with their own "Bible"). 1854 The Immaculate Conception of Mary (not of Jesus) was declared as doctrine. 1896 The Jehovah's “Christian” Witnesses were organized (with their own "Bible"). 1900’s A non-stop race to create new religions and moralities like the world has never seen before 1950 The Assumption (ascension into heaven) of Mary proclaimed as doctrine. 1980+ Even fundamental Christians no longer believe and practice the Bible (Judges 21:25)
Early Christianity Church and State

Bible-Believing Re-Baptizers (Ana-Baptists)

Apostasy

The Reformation

The Dark Ages

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H. How can a Bible believer identify false religions? 1. They have another authority besides the Bible. Either it will be in place of the Bible (i.e., Book of Mormon, Koran), along side with the Bible (having equal inspiration), or they will produce their own translation! a. In the Catholic church, the authority is in about 135 volumes of church traditions and writings, along side the Bible. b. In other churches, the authority is in visions, or secret revelations. 2. They require blind obedience to a human leader – like a pope, or charismatic leader, or miracle worker. 3. They have a history of killing and suppressing those who do not agree with them (i.e., Islam, Catholicism in the Dark Ages, religious wars). 4. They usually emphasize obscure passages in their Bible instead of clear ones (i.e., Matt 24:13 and Acts 2:38 instead of Rom 10:13). 5. They emphasize secret societies and special revelations from God that cannot be verified! (Mohammed’s visions, Fatima, Joseph Smith, etc.) The Bible believer promotes an honest and clear revelation from God in the form of a Book that can be tested, and verified as authentic! I. List some cults you now know about: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________

Date Lesson Completed ____________ Discipler _________________________

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Lesson Seven

A Study of the Importance and Methods of Scripture Memorization

BIBLE MEMORIZATION
Lesson Seven

Memory Verse: Hebrews 10:25

Lesson Verse: Psalm 119:11

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:11 I. Introduction A. It is important for Christians to read and study the word of God daily. But study of the Bible is incomplete if what the Christian reads never takes hold and never manifests itself by a changed life (James 1:22). The only way for the word of God to effectively take hold on your life is by learning to memorize both its promises and commands. B. This lesson provides the reasons for Scripture memorization, and the methods that can work best for you. II. The Importance of Right Thoughts in Life of the Believer A. Four big truths about our thinking: 1. 2. 3. 4. You are what you __________! (Proverbs 23:7) Your thoughts come from your ________! (Luke 6:45) Your heart is messed up bad! (Jeremiah 17:9) But we can be fixed! (Ezekiel 36:26 2Corinthians 5:17)

B. Even after getting saved, our biggest battle will always be with our “_____________” - see 2Corinthians 10:5. Why would the battle be in there? 1. Because Satan used to own that area of our lives. 2. Because Satan knows every back door into it. 3. Because our heart and mind is USED to being run by wrong ideas and feelings, and so, the new thoughts and truths from the Bible are often a whole lot harder to follow! C. What are some wrong thoughts that we think all too often? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________

D. How does the devil take control of our thoughts? 1. He uses troubles! The devil uses troubles to get you to think wrong thoughts, and even wicked thoughts – 1Peter 4:12 2. He uses re-occurring circumstances – things that seem to constantly happen in our lives take our attention off of God, and the devil takes charge and often gets us very discouraged!
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3. He uses verbal suggestions from other people (including the TV, radio, music) – all of them speak half truths and even lies that we often believe! 4. He uses spiritual influencing – putting ideas in your heart (Luke 9:55; Ephesians 6:12) – just as God speaks to your heart at times, so also does the devil if we are not vigilant! E. So, how do we fight against and defeat such attacks? Only Through… 1. Scripture Memorization – the storing away in our hearts and minds the words of God so that we can meditate on them for strength, wisdom, direction, and comfort. 2. Scripture Meditation – the thinking-through the meaning of every word of a Scripture so that we understand it, and so that we can obey it. 3. Scripture Activation – acting in obedience to what God says to think and do, instead of what we think and want to do. I. The Way to Change Your Mind A. Salvation – a complete starting over – a once in a lifetime event! Matthew 18:3 How does a person do that? 1. By ______________ your heart, facing and accepting your own guilt and shame towards God (2Corinthians 13:5) 2. By __________ with all your heart in Jesus Christ - allowing the blood of Jesus Christ, shed in your place, be the power that cleanses away all your guilt and shame – simply by trusting Jesus to save your soul (Romans 10:9,10) 3. By _______ your heart with a Person by yielding to His work in you (Ephesians 5:18) 4. By ___________ from your heart every word God says in His word - living under HIS influence on your life AND thoughts (Romans 6:17) Don’t be like so many people that only “take” the gift of salvation without grasping the fullness of grace and God’s forgiveness! If we only knew just how forgiven we are in Christ, we would never condemn another person! And the only way we are going to grasp just how great God’s work is in our life is if we start meditating on His truths! B. Meditation – “…and in his law doth he _____________ day and night” (Psalm 1:2) 1. God blesses Scripture meditation! This is not just some “duty” for a Christian to do, but it is the key to God’s greatest blessings in every believer’s life! a. You will prosper! (Psalm 1:2,3)! b. You will get answers to prayer! John 15:7 You will then know what to ask. c. You will become wiser than your _________, and stronger than your troubles (Psalm 119:97-100). d. You will be able to defeat sinful temptations! (Psalm 119:11) 2. God commands his children to, “__________ on these things…” (Philippians 4:8) – what things? List them: a. ____________ - it is more than just “facts” – it is something that is real, not imagined, or felt, or supposed, or guessed at, but absolute!

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b. __________ - think on things that are in the open, not on things that are evil or hidden. c. ____________ - think on things that are right, and moral, and godly – not ungodly d. ____________ - think on things that are clean, and innocent e. ____________ - think about beautiful, pleasant, wonderful things f. ____________ - think about the good things in other people instead of the bad g. ____________ - think about good inner qualities of people and God h. ____________ - think about ways to praise other people, and especially God! i. All of the above can be wrapped up in just one Person that you should think about all the time – who is that? __________________ (Isaiah 26:3) 3. Meditating on such things as listed above will be the way God helps you replace wrong and sinful thoughts: a. By enabling you to reflect on God’s goodness – make a list of things that you can be thankful to God for, and then praise your way through it! b. Be helping you connect God’s promises, His words and warnings with everyday life. c. By speaking to and directing your mind! You will need to learn to confine your mind to just dwelling on the goodness of God for a while at first – to “rejoice in the Lord” is a command (Philp 4:4)! 4. Meditation simply is you focusing on what God is saying one word at a time, asking yourself what it is saying to YOU, and how to obey it. Think about the words of a verse throughout your day, allowing it to be opened up by the teaching power of the _____ _______ (John 16:13). C. Memorization – this is really step TWO! But now you know how important it is! 1. You will never be able to meditate on the words of Scripture unless you have memorized it. God calls it “hiding it away in our heart” and not losing it in our ! 2. Start off small. It takes only five minutes in the morning, and five minutes in the evening. Don’t plan on hours of work, just plan on slowly collecting particular Scriptures that speak right to your heart and life so that you can be changed! 3. Copy a verse or two to small pocket-sized cards (3"x5" or 4"x6") like below:
Salvation is Free Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord

Romans 6:23

4. Make sure that you memorize the "address" (or reference) of the Scripture along with the verse(s). In the above figure, it is Romans 6:23. The important thing is to make the address part of what you are memorizing as well. This way, you will be able to find the verse again in the Bible when you need it for someone else! 5. Keep the cards together in a case or pack of some sort, so that they can be carried around easily in your pocket or purse. 6. Memorize each verse using the following pattern:

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a. Read the verse out-loud 5 times each time you get a chance to look at it - at least once a day - preferably 2 or 3 times a day. b. Do this for a week. c. At the end of the week, you should be able to recite the verse easily by memory. d. Try to do a different verse each week. e. Make sure that you go back and review each previous verse at least once a week maybe go back through all the older verses at one time, so to keep them fresh. You will be surprised how much you remember. 7. Soon you will see these verses help you lead someone to salvation in Jesus Christ, or help you through a struggle, or strengthen another Christian! 8. Review will be the key to retaining what you memorize! Memorization is not just a one-time event, it is repetitive so you can remember what you learn (see Proverbs 4:4). D. Believe! 1. You won’t always see the results of meditating on Scripture right away. God will only bless your thoughts if you really start believing what you are learning to think from His word! Trust that “…weeping may endure for a night, but _______ cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5) 2. Realize just how much God thinks about each of US, and loves us (Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 40:5)! 3. Believe that your are probably WRONG about how you view things (Isaiah 55:8,9; 2Corinthians 3:5)! 4. You need to especially believe that God REALLY IS working everything out for your good, even when it doesn’t make sense, or feels like it (Romans 8:28)! God is good; His way of doing things is good; and He only has your good in mind in everything He allows in your life! 5. Just start believing what God says and what God promises. Have you ever started collecting all God’s promises to you? They are worth remembering! E. Obey! The final step in Changing Your mind! 1. Just knowing God’s word will not bring you joy and blessing – DOING God’s word will bring you joy (John 13:17) 2. Use what you learn! Be involved in soul-winning and Church visitation, applying the verses you are memorizing to other people's needs for their salvation, encouragement and spiritual direction (Proverbs 11:30)! 3. We are commanded to NOT think evil, hurtful, revengeful thoughts in 1Corinthians 13:5 “… thinketh no ________” 4. So, will you start obeying what God says to think about, and rejecting the thoughts that He says NOT to think? 5. By thinking right things, you will start doing right things! F. Some Goals to Set 1. Memorize verses that will help you win people to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Memorize some of the same verses that helped you to see the need to be saved. Write these down and memorize them! (Heb 9:27; John 3:3; Rom 3:23; 6:23; 10:13)
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2. Memorize verses that will help you in times of trouble, heartache and temptation (1 Cor 10:13; John 14:1; Isa 40:31; Philp 1:6; 1 Thes 5:24) 3. Memorize verses that deal with current issues facing your co-workers and neighbours (relating to evolution, eternal life, that the unborn child is human and therefore true life) G. A Verse A Day, Keeps the Devil Away! Remember, these goals are not obtained in just one month, or even one year. They are obtained one verse at a time. So, at the end of your life, the challenge is to be able to look back and have made it through the trials and troubles because the word of God was faithfully hidden away in your heart! H. An Evaluation. Now, have you memorized the two verses that have been given so far? Let's find out. Write out the verses as best as you can: Matthew 4:4 ____________________________________________________________

_ ____________________________________________________________

_____________ ____________________________________________________________

_____________ Hebrews 10:25 ___________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_____________ ____________________________________________________________

_____________ Date Lesson Completed ____________ Discipler _________________________

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Lesson Eight

A Study of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

KNOWING GOD Lesson Eight

Memory Verse: Hebrews 10:25

Lesson Verse: 1 Peter 1:8

"Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." 1 Peter 1:8 I. Introduction A. What an awesome subject: THEOLOGY - the study of God! Theology has long been called the queen of the sciences because it is the very foundation of what mankind can know, and it is the limit of what mankind can experience. All other sciences are someGOD where in between, and are all relative to how man views and understands God. B. This lesson will present a brief study of the one true God, in order for the new believer to personally know Who it is who created them, Who hears and answers their prayers, and Who it is that will be the final Judge in the future. II. How Do We Know God? The Bible says in John 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time..." Yet, according to the Bible, God has revealed Himself to mankind in the following three ways: In His Creation, in His Word, and by His Son. A. We Find that God Has revealed Himself In His Creation. 1. Psalm 19:1-3, tells us that God’s creation is constantly teaching and instructing every person on this planet that there is a Creator, and that HE is worthy of worship - not that an idol should be worshipped. 2. According to Romans 1:18-20, “That which may be _______ of God is manifest” - it is not hidden. We don’t know everything about God, but what can be known is revealed because, God has made sure that it is shown “clearly” to all people by His “___________ of the world”. 3. Romans 1:20 concludes that people are “without _________,” because they simply reject the information God gave them to begin with, and come up with their own gods to worship in the place of the Creator! B. Secondly, God has revealed Himself In His word. The Bible is our authority for knowing things about God for sure. Every time a prophet preached God’s word, they were revealing more about God. 1. The gospel, the preaching of Jesus Christ, and the revelation of the mysteries are all made understood by the _________ of the prophets (Rom 16:25,26), which have been “made known to _____ nations!” 2. According to Deuteronomy 29:29, there are “________ things” that simply belong to _______. But the rest is OURS to know so that we may DO them as recorded in “all the ___________ of this law.”

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C. Thirdly, God Revealed Himself In His Son (Heb 1:1-3; Jn 14:7-9; Mt 11:27) 1. The greatest revelation about God was found in Jesus Christ. A person can know all about the Bible, and yet never know its Author. God had revealed Himself in a limited way through His prophets. But finished the job when He came and spoke for Himself (1 Tim 3:16). 2. Jesus came not only to pay for our sin-debt on the cross, but to reveal the person of the God who made each of us. Jesus told Philip in John 14:9 that “he that hath seen me hath seen the __________” If God had not revealed Himself, man would not be able to know Him. But God has demonstrated that He is very interested in man knowing Him intimately! In John 17:3, Jesus says, "and this is life eternal, that they might know ______ the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." III. What Can Be Known About God? A. We Can Know that God Exists
All the order of the universe declares a Mastermind Creator behind it all

1. Psalm 19:1-3 states that all of creation declares that an in- Planetary telligent Being created everything that there is. There has Atomic to have been a Mastermind behind all of this universe! It is insane to believe it all came about by mere chance! 2. Only a ______ believes that there is no God (Ps 14:1). Did you ever notice how that every religion has a 'god'? Even atheism (the belief that there is no God) - their 'god' is themselves! B. We Can Know that God has a Personality and Emotions

Galactic

1. God grieves at sin. (feels remorse, Gen 6:5,6). The Lord is not “numb.” 2. God gets _______ (1 Kings 11:9), and yet loves (John 3:16). These are two great contrasting emotions - and God possesses them to the fullest! 3. God can __________ (Prov 1:26), and even __________ (Zephaniah 3:17; Isa 62:5). There are some things that really excite God! 4. Our God is a _____________ God (Deut 6:14,15). Look at the context - it is dealing with idolatry, and how that He is very jealous of His creation turning a blind eye to His love and work in their lives, and wasting their worship on idols, which really are satanic demons! 5. Therefore, all the emotions that a person experiences, God experiences - only in their purest form, because He is _______ (Ps 99:9; 1 Pet 1:15,16). C. We Know God is not Human or Human-like - He is above His Creation 1. He is Creator and Sustainer of everything. Without Him we can’t exist a. Gen 1:1 says, "In the beginning God __________ the heaven and earth." John 1:3 says, "All things were ___________ by him and without him was not anything made that was made."

b. Ephesians

declares _____________________."

3:9

that,

"God

...

created

all

things

by

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c. Colossians 1:17 "And he is before all things, and by him all things __________" (are held together)! Jesus is the glue of the universe. 2. He is Eternal, "from everlasting," and "to everlasting" (Ps 90:2) 3. He is all powerful (omnipotent, Matt 28:18), all knowing (omniscient, Mt 9:3,4), all present (omnipresent, Ps 139:7-10), all at the same time! D. God loves His creation - He is the Author of Love (1 John 4:7-8) 1. Everything that God created, was __________ in His sight (Gen 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31). 2. God is not willing that any of His creation _____________ (2 Pet 3:9) – to be lost forever in hell. 3. God showed His love toward us by giving His only ______________ _______, (John 3:16) who Himself took our place so that we could go free to heaven by faith in Him! Now, that is real love (1 John 4:10). E. God is a Three Part Being - Three parts of One; not three different gods! 1. This is the concept of the God-head (Tri-unity, or Trinity). Notice how God said in Genesis 1:26, "Let _____ make man in ______ image, after ______ likeness." (Same in Isa 6:8). Let's find out who the 'us' is. a. b. c. d. e. Notice the Trinity in Jesus' baptism (Matt 3:13-17). Notice the Trinity in the Great Commission of Matt 28:19. The Trinity is listed in Paul's prayer in 2 Cor 13:14. Jesus, the Father and the Holy Ghost are ____ (1 John 5:7). All throughout creation, watch for God’s triple signature: like the 3 states of water (ice, liquid, and vapour), the 3 dimensions, the 3 states of time (past, present, and future), 3 basic elements of matter (proton, neutron, and electron), man (1Thes 5:23), and so on.

2. The Godhead (the Trinity) then is made up of the Father, the Word (the Son), and the Holy Ghost (the Holy Spirit). 3. Let’s First Examine God The Father a. The Father is the authority of the Trinity. Jesus submitted to the will of the ___________ in the garden of Gethsemane (Mt 26:39). b. John 1:18 says, ____ man has ever seen God the Father with their mortal eyes. This is because God is a _____________ (John 4:24). c. God is referred to as the Father because He first of all is the Father (the Begetter or Creator) of all things, and secondly because He is the personal Begetter of your salvation - you become His child by faith, and He becomes your Father, or “Abba,” (means Daddy, Gal 4:6; Mk 14:36), who loves you and looks out for you as His child! d. God the Father’s true name is Jehovah (Ex 6:1-3) which means “the Lord, the promise keeper.” Don’t let the Jehovah Witnesses scare you away from that name. It truly IS His name! Every time you see the word LORD as all capital letters, it is the word JEHOVAH!

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e. Another name God goes by is the “I ____” (Ex 3:13-15). Jesus called Himself by this same name (John 8:56-59)! f. We are told to “call no man your ________” (Mt 23:8,9) - unless they really ARE your “father” (see Gen 2:24). We do have physical fathers - but only ONE spiritual Father! g. To see and know Jesus Christ is to see and know the _________ (John 14:6-9). This is a great mystery (Mt 1:23), but is understood by the fact that Jesus was really God contained in flesh like you and me (1 Tim 3:16). h. Amazingly, the great Architect of all creation, the Creator of “you,” wants you to personally get to know Him! The greatest purpose in a person’s life is to get to know God, start to love God, and always enjoy God as you serve Him in “_______ and in _______” (John 4:23). 4. Let’s Next Examine God The Son, Jesus Christ a. The name ‘Je-sus’ means, "Jehovah Saves" (Mt 1:21). His title "Christ" is the same as "_________" (Jn 1:40,41) the “chosen One”. So, Jesus was really Jehovah God who had come in sinless flesh. b. Jesus has always existed. He was in Heaven before coming to earth 1) John 1:1 "In the beginning ______ the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." The “Word” is Jesus, and the Bible says that He was both in the beginning, and was God Himself (John 1:14; 8:56-59; 1 John 5:7; Ex 3:13-15). 2) Jesus shared the glory of God His Father "...before the world ________." (John 17:5). He was not created- He was Creator! 3) How many things were created by Jesus (John 1:3)? ______. So Jesus could not have been created since “without ______, was not anything made that was made.” 4) God talked with Jesus and the Holy Spirit when He made man in the beginning (Gen 1:26). God was not talking to angels, but to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Note the "Spirit" in Gen 1:2. c. Jesus IS God - The "Deity" (the God-ness) of Jesus Christ 1) 1 Tim 3:16 says, "_________ was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." To be manifested means to be shown as real – He REALLY became flesh. 2) John 1:1 "...the Word was with God, and the Word was _______." Jesus was separate yet equal with God (Philp 2:5,6) 3) In Jesus was ALL of God (Col 2:9). Godhead means trinity. 4) Notice His name in Matt 1:23, "...Emmanuel, which being interpreted is _______ _______ _____." (See Isaiah 44:6,8)! 5) Heb 1:8 has God the Father talking to His Son, and says, "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne O _______..." 6) Jesus is the manifestation of Jehovah God of the Old Testament (Ex 6:3). a) He is called Lord of Lord's in Deut 10:17 and Rev 19:16.
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b) Called the Alpha and Omega (the first and the last) in Isa 44:6; 48:12, and Rev 1:17; 22:13. c) Compare Isa 44:8 with John 20:28; 14:6-9 d) Compare Psa 68:17-18 with Eph 4:8-10. e) Compare Ex 3:13,14 with Jn 8:56-59, and see Ps 90:1,2. d. The supernatural Birth of Jesus was foretold 700 years before He was born (Isaiah 7:14)! 1) Jesus was born of a ___________ named Mary (Matt 1:23). She was not just a "young woman" like some of the Bibles say in Isa 7:14. God was doing something very supernatural! 2) Matt 1:18-20 tells us, "for that which is conceived in her is of the ______ _________. Jesus was not conceived by Joseph! e. Jesus' Life on Earth was truly supernatural, and sinless. 1) Luke 2:40 "And the child grew and waxed ______ in _______, filled with _________: and the grace of God was upon Him." 2) Jesus was "___________ of the devil." (Luke 4:1,2), and yet never sinned, because "...in him is no ________." (1 John 3:5) 3) 1 Pet 2:22 says that Jesus "... did no ______..." 4) 2 Cor 5:21 tells you that He even "... knew no ______." 5) With all of Jesus’ sinlessness, He could have just STAYED separate from us, but instead, He came our way, and went all the way on the cross to bring us back to God (Isaiah 53:4-6,10) f. Jesus paid man's sin-debt Himself 1) Jesus was crucified, providing full forgiveness for our sins. a) Rom 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet __________ Christ _________ for us." b) 2 Cor 5:21 "For _____ (God) hath made ______ (Jesus) to be
_______________ who knew no sin; that we might be made the __________________ of God in him." c) Only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse sin. Heb 9:22 says, "...without shedding of _______ is no __________," and 1 John 1:7 states, "...and the blood of _________ __________ his Son ______________ us from all sin."

2) Jesus has the victory over death and hell giving us eternal life a) All other religious founders are still in the grave: Islam (Mohammed), Buddhism (Buddha), Mormon (Joseph Smith), Jehovah Witness (their Jesus is still dead), etc. b) After Jesus rose from the grave, He was seen by over ___________________ witnesses. (see 1 Cor 15:3-8) c) Acts 2:32 "This ______ hath God _______ ___, whereof we are all witnesses." Jesus did NOT stay in the grave!

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d) Jesus is now living and is seated at God's right hand (Heb 10:12), as our ONLY mediator, "For there is one _____ and one _________ between God and men, the man ________ _______," (1 Tim 2:5). He’s our advocate/defence attorney! g. Take note that Jesus had _______ and _______ (Mt 12:46-50; 13:55,56; Mk 6:3). They were actual half-brothers and sisters (Mary has more children after Jesus). Even though HE was not “normal,” He grew up in a normal family. h. Jesus is everything the believer needs (Col 2:9,10; 1 Cor 1:30,31)! 5. God The Holy Spirit, (the Holy Ghost) a. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity. We say "person" because He is as much God as the Father and Jesus Christ. Just as He was active in creation, the Holy Spirit actively indwells the body of the Christian (1 Cor 6:19), and empowers him for God's service. b. The Holy Spirit was with God in the beginning. Gen 1:2 states, "...And the _______ of _____ moved upon the face of the waters." c. The Holy Spirit is God, just as are the Father, and the Word. 1) 1 John 5:7 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the ______ _______, and these three are ______." 2) The Holy Spirit comes from the Father, and is referred to as a Person. John 15:26 "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the
Father, even the _______ of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, HE shall testify of me."

3) It was the power of the Holy Spirit that ________ Jesus from the dead (Rom 8:11; see again Acts 2:32). d. What the Holy Spirit does in the life of a person: 1) He regenerates. John 3:5 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be ______ of water and of the _______, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

2) He indwells the believer the moment he believes, therefore the believer's body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 6:19 "What? know ye not that your _____ is the ________ of the Holy Ghost which is in you…?" 3) He fills the yielding believer. Eph 5:18 "Be not drunk with ______ wherein is excess; but be _________ with the Spirit." 4) He seals the believer - once saved, always saved. Eph 4:30 says, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are _______ unto the day of redemption."

5) He instructs the believer, guiding him or her to maturity (Jn 14:26) through _______ (2Tim 2:15) and under Bible preaching. The Christian cannot grow without the Bible being the priority in their life (Mt 4:4; Job 23:12)! 6) He produces fruits in the life of the believer as well (Gal 5:22,23) – these counteract the “works of the flesh” that our old nature does “naturally” (Gal 5:19-21). 7) He bestows gifts of ability to the Christian that enable him or her to serve Him effectively.

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e. The Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit 1) Notice the seven SERVICE gifts of Romans 12:6-8. These enable Christians to do something of value for God with their life. a) _____________ - the gift of preaching. It is prophetic because you KNOW the future from the Bible! b) _____________ - the gift of serving c) _____________ - the gift of teaching God’s word d) _____________ - the gift of encouragement e) _____________ - giving above normal, as the Lord gives you extra money because He knows you will give it away! f) _____________ - the gift of management g) _____________ - the gift of comfort Take a moment and note which one(s) you might have. 2) Notice the nine SIGN gifts of 1Cor 12:1,8-11. Most of them have passed away (1Cor 13:8-10) because they were special miracles to turn Israel’s heart back to God (Mk 16:15-20)- they are not for all Christians, nor for all time (1Cor 1:22; 14:22). a) Word of __________ - ability to know what people ought to do (wise actions) in tough situations (1Cor 12:8). b) Word of __________ - the ability to know something that is hidden in others (Mt 9:4). c) Faith - The ability to believe God for others even when they themselves just can't believe (Mt 17:20). d) ________ - The ability to miraculously cure diseases (Mt 10:1), and raise the dead back to life (Mt 10:8). e) Miracles - a supernatural ability to prove what you are saying is from God (Mark 16:20). f) ___________ - the ability to foretell the future and tell what the Scriptures say. g) Discerning of spirits - the ability to sense demonic activity in other people (Mt 16:21-23). h) Tongues - miraculously preaching the Gospel in foreign languages (Act 2:112; 1Cor 14:21,22; Isa 28:11). i) Interpretation of tongues - ability to translate what someone is saying in a foreign language so others can hear what is being spoken (1Cor 14:27,28). Now, some of these are available to us today in an obviously limited way, but not like in the first Century. 3) The Holy Spirit plants nine different fruits in the believer's life (Gal 5:22,23). These are far more important than any gift of miracles you may wish you had! Discuss what each fruit means, and develop each to its full maturity in your life! 4) God in Galatians 5:22,23 says that “The fruit of the Spirit is...” a) ___________ - unconditional love (1 Cor 13:1-8) that only God produces in and through the life of the believer. It is the ability to love all that God loves!
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b) ___________ - unending, always present. It is an attitude of the mind that over-rides circumstances and feelings. c) ___________ - being at rest even in a storm (Mk 4:36-40) d) ___________ - endurance, ability to put up with trouble e) ___________ - compassion, even when you want revenge f) ___________ - ability to do right when hard to do so g) ___________ - ability to always believe God h) ___________ - not drawing attention to yourself i) ___________ - being under control; Holy Spirit-control IV.How To Know God Better A. Know His Son. You can go to church, be baptized, become head deacon, or even a pastor, and yet, if you do not know Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour, you cannot ever know God - you can only fake it (John 3:3)! B. Know His Word. Once you are born again, and know God's Son Jesus Christ, you only know His saving power. The next step involves studying His word He left for you to read, love, memorize, and live in (2Tim 2:15)! C. Know His Will for Your Life. A life without purpose is the most miserable of experiences! When God saved you, He had a plan for your life. Your task now is to find it, and then live it until your dying day (Rom 12:1,2 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a ________ sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your ____________ service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye _______________ by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, ______ of God. "). There will be more about this sub-

ject in Lesson Twelve. But briefly, for you to know God’s will for your life involves first, to live what you currently know and understand (like, if a person knows that they need to be saved, then they need to do THAT, not something bigger). If you won't obey what God has already shown you, why do you think that He will show you something more? God’s will has a way of finding you more often than you finding it. But suffice it to say that God’s will is not some big task for you to do, but a daily life that you should be living each and every day! Date Lesson Completed ____________ Discipler _________________________

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Lesson Nine

A Study of the Christian's Life and Attitude Toward God

PRAISE AND WORSHIP Lesson Nine

Memory Verse: Hebrews 10:25

Lesson Verse: Psalm 9:1,2

"I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High." Psalm 9:1,2

I. Introduction A. Most professional sports fans have their favourite player. This is also true in the entertainment world, where fans follow their favourite celebrity. They have posters on their walls, and are loyal fans in every way. Some people even idolize these human celebrities like they would a god. They end up worshipping humans. Yet to the Christian, God is to have first-place in life. In the heart of the believer, Jesus Christ is our Idol, our Hero, our God, and nothing is to be loved, praised or worshipped above the Lord! B. What is your attitude towards the Lord Jesus? How is your worship towards Him? This study will examine how to develop and improve your personal worship of our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ (Rev 5:12,13)! II. The Purpose of Creation - To Honour and Glorify God! A. Genesis 1:1 tells us that, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." But for what purpose did God create everything? The answer is found in Revelation 4:11. "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive ________ and ___________ and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy ___________ they are and were created." Everything was created to glorify the Creator - much like a watch is usually manufactured to adorn the wearer of it. To glorify means to praise, or worship. To honour means to esteem highly, or to place great value upon something or someone. B. Psalm 19:1 states that "The __________ declare the glory of God..." All of creation automatically glorifies the Creator - it reflects Him, and praises Him. But why don't humans they are part of God’s creation as well? The answer is found in our _________, where sin, self and Satan daily receive our worship instead of God (Jer 17:9). C. For a part of God’s creation to not honour Him as its Creator and God, is the lowest form of disrespect and contempt! D. How should we glorify Him? 1. In our ______________ (Matt 15:8) 2. Beyond that, we should honour God in our ___________, __________, and __________ (Luke 10:27)! That is what makes up our ATTITUDE 3. And in our _______________ (Ex 34:14; Mt 4:10) 4. And finally in our faithfulness (Mt 25:21). This answer is a little tricky, because we all know how to glorify God occasionally, but rarely are we consistent, and faithful in living for Jesus! E. If we are not glorifying the Lord in our life, there are only two other possible beings that get the worship – who are they? ___________, and __________

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III. The Purpose of Salvation - to enable us to honour and glorify God! A. Jesus Christ came to reclaim sinners from sin so they might honour and glorify God once again (Eph 2:4-6; Eph 1:4-6,12). When we were unsaved, we served our own pride and flesh, but now we are to glorify the Lord. 1Peter 2:9 says that we are a "_________ generation, a _________ priesthood, an _________ nation, a ____________ people; that ye should shew forth the ___________ of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." If you are saved, then show it!

B. What are we to do in order to give praise and honour to the Lord? 1. First learn God's word well (2 Tim 2:15) - so that we do it the right way! This pleases God when we listen to HIM, and learn His will. 2. ________ in God's word daily (having God's word in our thoughts and obeying it brings praise to God; John 15:7,8). Don’t be a good-time Charlie (only living for Jesus when it is easy or convenient). 3. Live God’s word daily (Jam 1:22; Matt 5:16) – that is what faith is – trusting God enough to obey every word! 4. Express your thankfulness, praising God with your lives and your lips, for all His care, wonders and blessings (Ps 100:4; Col 3:15)! Our worship is so empty of praise and thankfulness and we need to repent of it. IV.The Constant Attitude of the Believer Towards God is to be One of Praise! The attitude of your heart and mind is most important, if you expect to bring praise and honour to the Lord. With so much pessimism in our world, we must be careful to maintain a daily attitude of praise (not because things are good, but because our God is good). The flesh (our old sinful nature), and Satan are totally opposed to the Christian maintaining this type of attitude. A. There are three kinds of attitudes that a Christian can have (Rev 3:15,16): 1. Cold Attitude- unthankful, angry, hurt, bitter, rejecting. 2. ______________ Attitude- uncaring, apathetic, unconcerned, numb! 3. Hot Attitude- rejoicing, thankful, and serving fervently. B. You have to re-train your mind to think on things that honour the Lord. Look at Philippians 4:8. Think on the things that are "true, ________, just, _____, lovely, and of good report." Concentrate on things that promote virtue, and promote PRAISE. The Christian should focus on these things! The act of godly worship is based upon your choice to have a right attitude! Make this a verse for you to memorize this week! V. How To Develop Your Praise and Worship A. First, realize that worship is not just for church time. Praise is something that should be radiating from the heart of the Christian throughout each day (Psalm 33:1; 35:28; 71:8; 71:14). Even when hard, or not “in season.” B. Learn to be Spirit filled (Eph 5:18). A Christian is “sealed” (preserved) by the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation, but can be very empty of His power. The following are practical steps to having a Spirit-filled life: 1. Get saved (John 3:3-6,12). You cannot be spiritually minded unless you get the Spirit of God in you (John 4:24; 1 Cor 2:14,15). There are SO MANY “christians” who never
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2. 3.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

have been born again the Bible way that bang their “head against the wall” so-to-speak every day trying to be “spirit-filled” instead of “Spirit-filled!” It is simply because they are trying to do it without the Holy Spirit! Be sure to confess and forsake all sin daily (1 John 1:9; Prov 28:13). The Holy Spirit fills only clean “vessels,” or bodies (2 Tim 2:21). Learn to ignore your self and your wants daily (Gal 2:20), and focus on doing Christ’s will according to His word. This is probably the hardest step for most new Christians – we don’t know how to “let go” of what we are so used to carrying (grudges, bitterness, sorrow, anger, etc). Present your body to the Lord as a living _____________, for Him to use in His service (Rom 12:1). Pay the price of serving Him! He is worth it! ______ to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:9-13), so that you can minister to others. You have not, because you _______ not (James 4:2). Obey the Holy Spirit when He directs you (Acts 5:32). Most Christians are very disrespectful to the guidance that the Spirit gives (Eph 4:30)! Have faith that the Holy Spirit will empower you to do what He has called you to do (Heb 11:6; Acts 4:29-31; 13:1,2). Practice the following: a. Remember that the Holy Spirit is God, and personal (John 16:13)! b. Honour Jesus at all times (ask yourself; “Would Jesus do what I am doing right now?” See Prov 3:5,6). c. Have clean thoughts. Your heart and mind cannot contain both spiritual and wicked thoughts at the same time (2 Cor 10:4,5). d. Meditate on God's word (Psalm 1:1,2; Josh 1:8). e. Realize that He is with you everywhere you are (Matt 28:20). f. Be a witness of the saving and keeping power of Christ (Acts 1:8).

C. Maintain an attitude of gratitude. "In every thing give __________ for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thes 5:18,19). The attitude of the Christian can “quench” (turn off) the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus died to conquer not just your sins, but your complaining too! It is THIS one thing that so limits God’s work in our lives (Ps 78:36-42). D. Enjoy worshipping God. Your time in prayer and in the Bible can be so full of joy if you try to enjoy it, instead of endure it (1 John 1:4). Enjoy worshipping alone, and in the presence of other believers - in singing, testimony times, and prayer times. When the preaching is right, say "AMEN," and "PRAISE GOD," and even an "OH ME" when it steps on your toes! This is what the congregation did in the Old Testament at the reading and preaching of the word of God (Neh 8:1-6)! E. Have Family Devotions. Make worship a family affair! Pray, praise, and give thanks to the Lord together. Sing in the car or at home scripture songs and hymns (Col 3:16). Have fun with devotions by quizzing each other and honouring each other’s progress through the word of God, and growth! 1. Have family worship time every morning, right after breakfast (make sure to have the whole family eat together – stop letting everyone eat when they want, and on their own!

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2. Have every body get their Bible, and read through a Book of the Bible (like Psalms, or Proverbs, or Matthew). Let each person read a verse, and help them understand what it is saying. 3. Try to make the Scriptures apply to your family and the things you are going through. 4. After about 20 to 30 minutes, have someone pray about what you have learned, asking God to help you be like Jesus, and to do right. Pray also for the needs of your family, and for your church, and missionaries. 5. Get busy serving the Lord now through the rest of the day 6. You also can switch the time to right after your dinner, or just before bed. 7. Just make sure you set a time, and then do it EVERY DAY! F. Surround your home life with the right kind of music (Eph 5:19; Cf Eccl 7:5). Listening to godly music will lift your heart to praise God (Ps 150). Get good, godly music tapes and cd’s to listen to throughout the day. Also participate in the church music ministries: singing specials or singing in the choir - all to praise the Lord! 1. Be very careful about what music comes into your heart (Jer 10:2). 2. It is a sin to collect all the world’s music – you need to throw away all your worldly music, and buy as much Godly Christian music as possible, and fill your home and mind with praises to God! 3. The world’s music emphasizes the rhythm and beat of the music. Godly music has no drums, and emphasizes Scripture and Bible truths, and the words are what a person hears instead of mainly the music. G. Fellowship with the right friends! Maintaining good friends in the church will provoke you to praise and worship God more. God says in 1Cor 15:33 that “evil _________________ corrupt good manners.” 1. When we hang around with “bad influences,” it usually affects us for the bad. 2. Be careful who you spend all your time with so that filthy language, and wicked thoughts don’t overtake all the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. If we don’t protect our walk with God, it just crumbles, because, God will just simply back away from your life if you so desire - He cannot totally leave you, but it will seem like it (Ps 35:22; 38:21). Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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Lesson Ten

A Study of Our Lord's Memorial to His Death on the Cross

THE LORD'S SUPPER Lesson Ten

Memory Verse: Hebrews 10:25

Lesson Verse: 1 Corinthians 11:26

"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." 1 Corinthians 11:26 I. Introduction A. One of the memorials that Christ has instructed Christians to regularly practice is that of the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:2; referred to as an ‘ordinance’ or commandment). This Supper pictures many spiritual truths that apply to our lives now that we are saved - most importantly being the remembrance of Christ's death for us, and the price of our sin on His cross. B. The Lord's Supper focuses our lives back on the basis of our salvation - the substitutionary death of our Saviour in our place. C. The purpose of this lesson is to acquaint the Christian with what the Bible teaches about the Lord's Supper, its importance, and the attitude with which it should be experienced, and conducted. II. The Importance of the Lord's Supper A. 1 Cor 11:26 says that when a Christian eats the Lord's supper, "..ye do shew the Lord's ________ till he come." Its primary importance is to bring to remembrance the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke 22:19 says, "...this do in ____________ of me." It is intended to bring our attention back to what Jesus did for us on the cross. B. We are told in 1 Cor 11:24 that Christ's body was ________ for us. Not only are we to remember His death, but also His suffering. The breaking of bread in the supper pictures the breaking of His body! It does NOT continue the same sacrifice for there is NO further sacrifice needed (read Heb 10:5-14; and John 19:30)! C. The blood, which is able to cleanse us from our sin and save our souls, is pictured (not recreated) in the cup from which we drink during the memorial (Rom 3:24,25). That blood was shed for us for the remission of (the taking away of) our sins (Heb 9:22). III. The Elements of the Lord's Supper as Listed in John 6:53-63 Some religions teach that the body and the blood of Christ are really consumed when eating the Lord’s Supper, but that teaching is definitely not Scriptural. A. When Jesus spoke of eating His flesh and drinking His blood in John 6:53-63, He was very careful to explain that He was NOT speaking literally. John 6:63 tells us that the words that Christ was speaking "are ________." They were not to physically eat Him, but rather to partake of Him spiritually, to partake of His finished work on the cross. No one ate His body literally then, and no one is to now! Or Christ is teaching cannibalism! B. The Jews were commanded never to eat _________ (Lev 17:11,12), for the blood is the life of the flesh. That is why the Jews were confused (John 6:52, 60). They were trying to apply what Christ said literally and physically (like Nicodemus did about the new birth in John 3:3-7), which was contrary to Scripture.
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C. Jesus in John 6 is stating that a better "manna" than the kind the Israelites ate in the wilderness had come (Jn 6:30-34). The Jews had asked for literal bread to give them eternal life (6:34), just as the Samaritan woman had asked for literal _______ in John 4:15. But Jesus said HE was living bread, and living water (Jn 4:14; 6:35; 7:37-39). Jesus knew however, that they would not believe His words (Jn 6:35,36) so He purposely turned them away with a parable since all they wanted was food for their belly, not for their soul (Jn 6:41-44,66). D. This was not the only time that Jesus used "figures," or examples to explain His work on earth. He also referred to Himself also as "the _______" (John 10:7,9), and yet he was not a literal ________ with hinges, but the WAY through which to get to heaven (John 14:6). E. So, at the cross, there lays a GIFT (Rom 6:23), and that is all. There is no flesh and blood waiting there to be ingested (eaten). It is eternal life itself, which simply has to be received (John 1:12,13) by faith (Eph 2:8,9)! F. The Lord's Supper is the fulfillment of the Passover Supper since Jesus was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world through His death on the cross (John 1:36; Luke 22:7-20). G. The two elements are: unleavened bread and unleavened wine. They are unleavened because leaven is a picture of _______ (1 Cor 5:8), and Christ has no _______. The bread pictures His body, and the wine (grape juice, or new wine) pictures His blood. Grape juice is used because normal fermented wine is leavened and corrupted, while new wine (grape juice) has not fermented but only has the flavour of the grapes (as in pure blood, see Deut 32:12-14). IV.Who Can Participate? The passage of Scripture that teaches all about the Lord's supper is 1 Corinthians 11:20-26. It describes how the Lord's Supper should be conducted. The people Paul was writing to were believers. Lost people are not included at the Lord's table because they have never experienced the free gift of salvation that the Lord's table is picturing. The death and sufferings of Christ would have no real significance to them. Not only is it restricted to true Christians, but to “clean” or “worthy” Christians who have confessed sins and things that are displeasing to God, since it was our sins that crucified Jesus (1 Cor 11:27-34)! V. How is the Lord's Supper to be Performed? There are no explicit instructions on how to perform the Lord's supper other than presented in 1 Cor 11:20-34. No fancy rituals, or mystical sayings are involved. There is no transformation of the bread and wine! It is only a remembrance. Simply, unleavened bread and unleavened wine (grape juice) are to be eaten and drank in the worship time of your local church (Acts 2:42; 20:6,7) for the purpose of remembering Christ's substitutionary death in your place so that you could be completely saved from the punishment of your sin!!! VI.As a Christian, How Should I Approach the Lord's Supper? A. With fear and trembling. Paul does rebuke the Corinthians for taking this event lightly in 1 Cor 11:17-23. They had turned it into some kind of a feast for satisfying one's hunger rather than making it a time of remembering the Lord's death. This is a very sacred time, and should be approached with a sacred attitude.

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B. With desire. Jesus Christ __________ to eat the Passover with Key Truths about the His disciples in Luke 22:15. Although the Lord's table should be Lord's Supper approached with reverence, a believer should look forward to v It is a memorial not a the Lord's supper as a way of bringing his attention back to what sacrifice. Christ had done for him. v It is a somber, reflecC. With a clean heart. The Bible in 1 Cor 11:28,31 tells us to tive time. _____________ and judge ourselves when we partake of the v It uses unfermented grape juice, and Lord's supper. This self examination is to make sure that our reunleavened bread to lationship with God is right. God chastises those that partake represent the blood who do not forsake their sin (Prov 28:13). The Lord's supper is a and body of Jesus. reminder that our _________ was the reason for Christ giving v It is to be practiced His life for our salvation from sin, and God wants us to be clean only by Christians who spiritually when we partake of the Lord's supper. are living in obedience D. With good understanding. There are two "tables" listed in to God's word 1 Cor 10:20,21. One is a SACRIFICE to ____________, and the other is a "communion" (10:16) or "fellowship" with Christians only remembering Christ's death. So many people participate in a mockery of the Lord’s Table, and are actually worshipping devils. No Christian has any business doing that. VII. Comparing the Lord's Supper with the Eucharist The Lord’s Supper Is a memorial of Christ’s death Uses simple unleavened bread Uses simple unleavened grape juice Presented by Bible believing pastors Is a reminder of what saved us Called communion, and Lord’s Supper A simple reminder The Roman Catholic Eucharist Is a re-sacrifice (Christ is killed again) Uses a fancy ‘graven’ (IHS) wafer Uses intoxicating, alcoholic wine Presented by Bible rejecting priests Is part of the process of salvation Called the Mass A fancy ritual and ceremony

Date Lesson Completed ____________ Discipler _________________________

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Section TWO Test Fellowship With Other Believers
NAME: _____________________________ DATE: ______________ (Each mark = 2 points) SCORE: ______________

Congratulations on completing Section TWO of the First Principles Bible Study Course! This test will help you evaluate how much you learned in your study time. Please take your time, and think about each question so that you remember what the Bible taught! 1. According to the Bible, in 1 Corinthians 6:19,20, a Christian’s __________ is the temple of God. 2. The New Testament church can be best described as _________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 3. Write out word-perfect Hebrews 10:25 ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 4. The final authority of the church is? ______________________________________________ 5. According to the Bible, what is a Bishop? _________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 6. What is a deacon in a church? ___________________________________________________ 7. A church meeting is mainly for: worship, preaching, or prayer? (circle one) 8. Not only does Christ have His church, but so does whom? _________________ 9. List a way that a person can identify false religion __________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

______________ 10. Bible study is incomplete if a person is only a hearer of the word and not a ______________ 11. When memorizing Scripture, make sure that you memorize not only the words of the verse, but also the _________________________________________ 12. Theology is the study of ______________________________ 13. List one of the three ways that God has revealed Himself to humanity: ____________________________________________________________

_____________ 14. List the location of a verse that teaches that God is a tri-part being (a trinity) ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 15. The name JESUS means ______________________________________________________ 16. The name EMMANUEL means ________________________________________________ 17. Jesus was born without a human ___________________________________ 18. Throughout Jesus’ entire life, He never ___________ at all! 19. According to 2 Cor 5:21, God made Jesus Christ to be __________ for us. 20. Not only did Jesus die, and get buried, but also _________________________ 21. 1 John 5:7 says that there are three that bear record (stand together in testimony) in heaven, the Father, the Word, and ______________________ 22. There are nine fruits of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Name three: 1) ____________, 2) ____________, 3) ________________ 23. The primary purpose of a person’s salvation is to ________________ God 24. There are three kinds of attitudes that a Christian can have toward the Lord: Hot, _______________, and Cold. 25. Instead of being filled with wine, the Christian is to be filled with __________
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26. In order for the Christian to best serve the Lord, they are told in Romans 12:1 to present themselves a living ______________ 27. God’s will is summed up in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, that in everything we are to give ____________ 28. Describe what Family Devotions are: _____________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 29. Is there a difference in the kinds of music a Christian should listen to, as opposed to what the world listens to? ______________________ 30. What is a church ordinance? ___________________________________________________ 31. Name the three ordinances: 1) __________________, 2) ___________________, 3) ________________________ 32. When a Christian participates in the Lord’s supper, they are remembering what event? _________________________________________________________ 33. The breaking of bread pictures the breaking of Christ’s _________ at the cross 34. What kind of bread is to be eaten at the memorial of the Lord’s Supper? _____________________________________ 35. What kind of wine is to be drank in the Lord’s supper? ___________________ 36. The important thing to have when participating in the Lord’s supper is a clean what? _____________

How are you doing?
Have you been born again? Yes, No. When? ____________ Have you been baptized? Yes, No. When? ____________ Have you read your Bible all the way through yet? Yes, No. What Book are you reading currently? ________________ Have you memorized the two memory verses listed so far? Yes, No. How many Scriptures have you memorized so far? _________ Are you faithful in church (every Sunday possible)? Yes, No.
You have now completed Section TWO, and its test. Hand this test in to your Discipler, and it will be quickly graded. The results will only be known by you, your Discipler, and the Course Administrator. Its results will not be made available to ANYONE else. After going through this test, knowing what you don’t know, and maybe don’t understand, you may want to go back over certain portions of the Course before going on to the next Section. Otherwise, press on, and keep growing!

Well Done!

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SECTION THREE This Section of your Discipleship study will establish you in

The New Testament Church
Memory Verse "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." 1 Corinthians 12:27
Some QUESTIONS: 1. WHO is the body of Christ? __________________________ 2. To be a member of that body would imply what? __________ _________________________________________________
In this Section, you will study the following subjects:
· · · · ·

Prayer - Walking with God! Finding The Will of God - Discovering God’s Plan for your life Fighting Spiritual Warfare - Dealing with sin and temptation The Christian Family - Developing a godly home Handling Finances - Managing your money and your priorities

MY NAME: _____________________________

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A Study of the Christian's Walk With God

Lesson Eleven

PRAYER

Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:27

Lesson Eleven

Lesson Verses: Psalm 116:1,2

"I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live." Psalm 116:1,2

I. Introduction - How Important is Prayer in my Life? A. Someone once said a Christian is only as strong as his prayer life. Your personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ cannot grow without this proper method of communication. You were created to talk with God in prayer! B. Leonard Ravenhill writes, "Poverty-stricken as the church is today in many things, she is most stricken here in the place of prayer. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, but few prayers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, but few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere." C. The purpose of this lesson is to acquaint the believer with a powerful prayer life so he or she can effectively "______ with God" (Gen 6:9). II. Prayer Defined - Hebrews 4:16 A. Prayer simply is walking and talking with Jesus, sometimes for brief moments, and sometimes for extended periods of time. When you read the Bible, God speaks to you; when you pray, you speak directly to God. B. It is the soul of man offering up desires and burdens to God with humble confidence that we shall obtain the help we need because of Jesus (Heb 4:16) C. Prayer is also our worship addressed to the Father, in the authority of the name of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:23; Rom 8:26). D. Finally, prayer is God's answer to need! By praying, we should know that we already have the answer to our need (Mt 6:7,8; 1Jn 5:14,15)! III. The Challenge to Pray! A. Prayer is God's appointed way for Christians to get things (James 4:2). God already _________ what you need (Matt 6:7,8), but often waits for you to come to Him for those things, instead of just expecting things. B. God urgently commands prayer in the Bible (Luke 18:1; 1 Thes 5:17; Philp 4:6; 1 Tim 2:1; Eph 6:18). C. Prayer is part of the process that God uses to give Christians the fullness of ________ (John 16:24). Think of some reasons how this is true. D. Prayer is the Christian's way out of all trouble, and the cure for all worry and anxious care (Philp 4:6,7; 1 Pet 5:7). E. Prayer is the only way to get the power of the Holy Spirit in your life for God's work (Acts 4:31; See also 2 Chron 7:14).
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F. Prayer accomplishes impossible things: 1. Through it, we fight the spiritual warfare (Eph 6:11-18) 2. It is a spiritual watchdog against _________ (Matt 26:41; 1Cor 10:13) 3. It __________ God (Heb 11:6). IV.The Place of Prayer - Where Should a Christian Pray? A. Everywhere (1 Timothy 2:8). Don't limit your prayer life to the church house! Wherever you are, if you have a need, or are thankful, pray! B. Christians are not to pray as a public show, but rather in a "_______" (Mt 6:5,6). The principle is, have a special place of prayer in your home (the closet is as good as any), as well as everywhere you go, but not for show! C. In church (Acts 12:5), with other believers in the meetings. V. How Does a Christian Pray? A. Like you were speaking directly face to face with your very best Friend (John 15:15,16)! There are three sides to prayer (Matt 7:7,8): 1. Asking (not demanding; John 16:24; Matt 21:22). Never be afraid to ask God for things that you believe you need. Not with vain repetitions (Matt 6:7), or with prepared prayers - but from the heart!!! 2. Seeking (Heb 11:6). Make sure that your request is not "flippant" (not being serious about it), but that you are fully persuaded that it is what you or someone needs (James 1:5-8). 3. Knocking (2 Cor 12:7-9). If at first God does not seem to answer your request, keep "knocking" until either He answers the need, or has said NO, or tells you to wait. B. You pray by _________ (Heb 11:6), not by just “expectation,” knowing that God hears you and believing that He will answer your requests - sometimes with a YES, sometimes with a NO, and sometimes with a WAIT. C. Pray persistently (Lk 11:1-13; 18:1-8) committed to getting what you need. D. Pray constantly (1 Thes 5:17) – at every opportunity. Have a mind to pray. E. Pray humbly (2 Chronicles 7:14), from the heart, not the head. F. Pray honestly - repent of sin in your life before asking (Psalm 51:1-4). G. Pray specifically. You want God to answer specifically don't you? H. Pray listening (1 Kings 19:11,12). I. Pray with the following ingredients: 1. Praise – Start off with worship and adoration instead of selfishness, P – Praise and demands (Ps 95:6; 34:1) R – Repent 2. Repent. Repent from every known sin (Ps 32:5). Make a list and A – Ask agree with God (confess) them to Him alone! Y – Yield 3. Ask - Supplication (1 Tim 2:1) - involves not just asking, but spending time moving God's heart toward your need, and other people’s needs. 4. Yield – accept God’s will in the matters that you have prayed about (James 4:13-15). 5. And finally end with Thanksgiving (Philp 4:6) - Be thankful ahead of receiving your request. Trust that God is going to take care of the need!

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VI.What to Pray For Wisdom – the ability to make right decisions (Jam 1:5). All people in authority over us (1Tim 2:1-3), that they obey God. Courage (Acts 4:23-32). People who are serving the Lord – that they would always be protected. Every need (Philp 4:6; 1Pet 5:7; Ps 34:6; 55:22) – A Christian is someone who has discovered they are totally dependant upon the Lord for everything! There is nothing to big, or too small to pray about. F. Be aware that, NEVER did anyone pray for the gift of tongues! VII. The Conditions for Answered Prayer A. Ask according to God's __________, and not yours (Matt 26:39) B. Make sure that you first forgive others their sins against you before you ask God for things (Mark 11:25). C. Pray in faith, believing (Mark 11:24; Heb 11:6; James 1:6,7) – not flippantly. D. Make sure you are not in rebellion to God's commands and will for your life (1 John 3:22; Ps 66:18) E. _________ with Christ as opposed to only coming to God when you are in trouble or in desperate need (John 15:7). F. Pray to the Father, with the help of the Holy Spirit, in the ______ of Jesus Christ (John 16:23,24). You cannot approach God and make requests without Authority - Jesus is our Authority for getting any and every thing! VIII. Hindrances to Answered Prayer - Take This Spiritual Inventory A. Are you saved (Prov 15:29)? B. How is your confidence in God's sufficiency - are you uncertain, or hesitant about what you are praying for (James 1:6,7)? If so, you are hindering it. C. Do you have an _______________ attitude (Mark 11:25,26)? D. Is there any ________ (sin) in your life that you won't let go of (Ps 66:18)? E. Are you asking ____________ (i.e., for the wrong things, James 4:3)? Do you have only selfish reasons for praying and not for others? F. Do you have improper relationships with others (1 Pet 3:7; Eph 4:26). 1. Like being angry with your mate, children, co-workers, or your boss 2. Like being out of fellowship with your pastor, or with other Christians G. Is your life over-scheduled - is your time prioritized, putting God first? If not, God feels no obligation to answer your prayers right away! H. Are you lazy? Not making the effort; and doing everything else but pray! Will you right now make a promise to God that you will spend at least 10 minutes in heart-toheart prayer every day before the throne of God, walking with Him, and depending upon Him for every need? o Yes o No

A. B. C. D. E.

Signed _________________________ Date ____________ Date Lesson Completed ____________ Discipler _________________________
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Lesson Twelve

A Study of the Will of God for the Christian

THE WILL OF GOD
Lesson Twelve

Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:27

Lesson Verses: Romans 12:1,2

"I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:1,2

I. Introduction

GET

A. A famous preacher once said, “a successful man is one who finds out what God wants him to accomplish with his life, and then fulfils it.” Therefore, the true measure of a person’s success is not in social status, bank account, influence, or fame. It simply is doing what God wants him or her to do. ON TARGET! B. This lesson will acquaint the Christian with how to find what God’s will is for them, as revealed in the Bible, so he can begin to live the abundant Christian life in the centre of God's perfect will! II. Understanding The Will of God - Let's first understand some things: A. Most people are self-willed by nature. They do what they do because they want to. The Christian's actions however, are not to be driven by self, but rather by God. Take a look at Galatians 2:20, and ponder whether that verse is true in your life yet or not. B. God created you for His glory and _____________ (Rev 4:11), and therefore, not for yours only (1 Cor 6:19,20). That may come as a surprise! C. There are two kinds of wills God has for a person - His general, all encompassing will for people everywhere; and His specific will for each individual. 1. Before God reveals His specific plan to an individual, that individual must be submitted to God's authority over his or her life. Every person must want to not only find God's plan, but already be willing to do it no matter what it happens to be! Why try and tell someone specifically what to do with their life, when you know they won't do it? 2. The key rests in whether you are truly interested in not just knowing the will of God, but more importantly, interested in DOING it (Romans 8:5; James 1:22)! D. There are always THREE stages to the will of God 1. Doing what God says in the Bible – not the whole Bible, but a general set of clear instructions for every man, woman, boy, girl! 2. As you are doing those things, God will show you His perfect will for your life – sounds great, but listen to the last stage… 3. There will always be a delay before you actually experience living in that BIG, perfect will of God for your life a. Illustrated by David:

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1) When God found David, David was already doing God’s will in small things (i.e., taking care of his father’s sheep) 2) Then God anointed him to be king 3) Then it took 7 years before David was finally crowned as king! b. Where we most of the time get hindered, is in the first stage – we won’t get faithful in doing the “little” things (Luke 16:10). III. God's General Will is Found in His Word, the Bible A. You will never discover God's will without the Bible, because God has given seven foundational instructions/plans for all mankind to live by. B. God's general will for all of mankind is to: 1. Be __________ (1 Tim 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9)! Everyone must begin here! 2. Be saturated/filled with the __________ (Eph 5:17,18). A surrendering of your life to the work and authority of God over your will and plans. 3. Be satisfied/thankful in _______ things (Eph 5:19,20; 1 Thes 5:18) 4. Be submissive servants in everything you do (Eph 6:5-8), remembering "ye serve the _________ __________" (Col 3:23,24). This includes submitting to all the laws of the land (1 Pet 2:13-15). 5. Be sanctified (1 Thes 4:3-7). Sanctification means that we separate ourselves from sins and evils so that we can be holy and clean objects in God's hands (2 Tim 2:21). This involves every Christian coming away from all the activities and influences that hinder us from serving the Lord with our whole heart (2 Cor 6:17,18). 6. Be ready to sometimes _____________ (1Pet 3:14-17; 4:19). 7. Be a soul-winner (Mt 28:19,20; Acts 1:8) C. All the above will make you so that you are so much like the Lord Jesus! All Christians are designed by God to ultimately become conformed to (just like) the image of God's Son, Jesus Christ (Rom 8:28,29). D. If you are not currently obeying God's clearly revealed will for your life (the above list), then God can never reveal His specific will to you because the one builds upon the other (Matt 25:21). IV.Finding God's Specific Will For Your Life A. The specific will of God for your life is just an extension of the general will of God for all of mankind. Therefore, the will of God for your life will not violate His general will - there are no "exceptions to the rule," and God's will never contradicts His word. B. Finding God's specific will is referred to as "proving" it, to yourself and to the world (Rom 12:1,2). Whatever you discover, will have to be proven as being God's will for you. God expects you to live His plans. This requires you to "sacrifice" your plans and goals, and replace them with His! C. Let the word of God "speak" to your heart. God speaks directly to you through the Bible (Like Gen 12:1 where Abraham is told to leave his family and go to a place that God would lead him to). You must therefore be saturating your mind with Scriptures so that God can "talk." D. One of the main purposes of the Holy Spirit in your life is to guide you in your decisions (John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Cor 2:9,10). When making decisions, especially ones you are unsure
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of yourself, pray, and seek wisdom (James 1:5), and the confirmation of the Holy Spirit before proceeding (Rom 8:14). E. Wait for God to "open doors" of opportunity. Sometimes, when we just "push ahead," we find ourselves forcing through blocked "doors" that God intended for us to keep out of (like marrying the wrong person, or working at the wrong job). The Apostle Paul sensed God blocking his path several times so that he would ultimately find the right path (Acts 16:6-10). Learn to accept circumstances as guideposts in the direction of God's leading. Just make sure you “___________” in all the steps of the Lord (Ps 37:23). F. Finally, make sure that in your decisions, you "______ in the Lord with ALL thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding," (Prov 3:5,6). God's will does not always make sense - but it is always best! Therefore, when you find God's will, you will have ______ (Psalm 37:37), because He knows best! Your attitude must be to let God's "_____" be done, not your own (James 4:13-15). Key Truths about God's V. Some Discussion Will Work through the following issues in life, and discuss how you His written word! would go about finding God's will in the various situations. v It will cost you to live it. Think of some additional helpful Scriptures that would guide v It is built upon the seven you in finding God’s will for each issue. general wills for all manConcerning Marriage - what are qualifications God has for cut those to do what you you to choose from (2 Cor 6:14; Dt 10:12). Ask yourself, want to do. Is the person saved? Are they faithful in seeking God's will, v It is found through or only self-centred? Are they mature, or childish? Have prayer, and getting counyou sought wisdom about your desires from your parents? sel from mature ChrisGod wants us to honour them, and seek their counsel. tians and your pastor. q Finding a job - what would be important for a Christian to look for in a job, and how would the Christian know it is the right one for him or her? What kind of job should be accepted? When is it time to leave a job? q How do I find my ministry that the Lord has for me? Is God looking for talent or availability (Philp 4:13,19; 1Cor 15:58)? Am I worried about people's impressions of me, or pleasing God? q Hearing God's Call to Preach? (Mt 9:35-38; Lk 14:16-24; Act 13:1-4; 2Tim 4:1-4). Date Lesson Completed ____________ Discipler _________________________ q kind - you cannot shortv It will never contradict

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Lesson Thirteen

Dealing With Sin, and Your Spiritual Enemies

SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Lesson Thirteen

Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:27

Lesson Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:13

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

I. Introduction - "How Do I Overcome Sin in My Life?" A. When a person becomes born again, they become a "new creature" (2 Cor 5:17). But there is a problem. They still have an "old creature" around called "the old _________" (Col 3:9,10). These two do not get along in the Christian’s life, but instead, are at war against each other! They each want to dominate your life! B. This lesson is intended to equip you to fight a good warfare against sin and temptation in your life. This is an unpleasant study for the Christian that is only looking to serve the Lord comfortably, because some of the things discussed here may be in your life, and you may not see them as wrong. The challenge is to see what the Bible teaches, and submit to it, since only then will a Christian have real freedom and joy! II. Dealing With Sin - Recognizing the Enemy, and Conquering Him! A. Let’s Realize Why You Sin - what is all the fight about? 1. Christians sin because we inherited a sinful nature from ______ (Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 15:45-49). 2. Christians sin because our old nature is attracted to sin (James 1:13,14; Rom 7:14-25). Sin is always attractive to your old nature - we enjoy it - but it is also deadly (Heb 11:24,25; Rom 6:23)! B. Let’s Realize How God Views Your Sin 1. First, your sin has already been judged and paid for back at Calvary (2Cor 5:21)! He views it as being in the past, and forgotten (Heb 10:17) 2. Yet, sin can still hinder your effectiveness as a Christian (Heb 12:1)! It hinders (besets) by pulling you off course. 3. It causes God to chastise you (Heb 12:6) like a parent does his child. To chastise means: _______________________________________. 4. It causes you to reap what you have sown (Gal 6:7,8). God cannot save you from experiencing the pains and scars that sin leaves in your life. He died to save you from eternal punishment in hell. C. You Must Battle Against the Temptation to Sin, or you will by nature “give-in” to its dominion over your life (Eph 6:12; 1Tim 6:12; James 4:7). 1. Decide that your sin is your fault, not anyone else's. You must accept responsibility for your sin, and start not only taking the blame, but taking steps to keep from giving in
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anymore. You will never correct anything until you face your responsibility (Prov 28:13). 2. Know your real enemies: The external enemy is this world; the internal enemy is your own flesh; and your infernal enemy is the devil! As a soldier, know who your enemies are, and be equipped to defeat them! 3. Protect your mind! Don't allow sinful thoughts to control your mind (2Cor 10:4,5). The TV can destroy you spiritually (Ps 101:3), as can wrong music (Eccl 7:5)! So, STOP watching ungodly TV programs, and QUIT listening to ungodly music stations! 4. Don't make “provision” for the _________ (Rom 13:14). Don’t provide for ("feed") the desires of the flesh. Stay away from things that you know will get you into trouble! Don't place more opportunities to sin in your path than are already there! 5. Look for a way of __________ out of temptation to sin (1Cor 10:13). God promised to get you through every temptation, if you want to! 6. Judge your sins yourself (1 Cor 11:31,32). When you do wrong, and fail spiritually, think through why it happened, and how to keep from letting it happen again! Don’t justify yourself - instead, accept the blame and do better next time! You can if you will work at it! 7. Confess your sins to God daily, trying to do it immediately after you sin (1 John 1:9). Be specific, and determined not to fail again. 8. Hide God's ____ in your heart so you can use it like a sword against sin and temptation (Ps 119:11). Jesus Christ overcame temptation by quoting specific Scriptures that related to each temptation (Mt 4:1-11). 9. Trust God's promises to cleanse you, and to fight your battles for you when you give Him the authority to do so (2 Cor 7:1; 1Jn 3:1-3; Heb 4:15,16) 10. Walk daily in the power of God’s Spirit – it’s like plugging in a light – only when plugged in will it shine! a. You can either obey the ______, or God's ______ (Gal 5:16-25)! b. Your flesh, and God's Spirit can never get along (Rom 8:1-8)! c. The reason why it is so hard to live godly is because both the flesh and the Holy Spirit fight against each other’s desires, and YOU have to decide who wins each day! III. Dying To Your Self (Romans 6:1-11) - Your biggest enemy is your own self! A. Jesus Christ truly died for all your sins, as well as the sins of the whole world, providing forgiveness. When a person receives Jesus Christ as Saviour, they receive that same forgiveness of all their sins that was accomplished back at the cross (Rom 6:10; 1 John 2:2). B. When Jesus died, the ____________ of your sin died also on that cross because He took away sin (Rom 8:1). C. When you as a Christian sin now, its judgment is transferred back to the cross automatically. Since sin's power was severed, it can no longer affect your eternal destiny! D. Therefore, “reckon” (understand) yourself to be _____ unto the sin that tempts you (Rom 6:11)! To be “dead” means, “not to respond to it like you used to.” Now that you are born again, you no longer have to give-in to sin. Your flesh will still want to sin, but the Spirit of God in you is greater than your flesh (1John 4:4), and if you so choose, you can put-off (ignore) the desires of your flesh, and give-in to the desires of the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:2224).
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E. Paul wrote in 2 Tim 3:1-5 how that people in the last days would be "lovers of their own __________..." Everyone seems to have ME, MY, & I as priority. The world's psychology is increasingly stressing "self esteem," and it is increasingly creeping into Christian churches. F. Notice Matthew 10:38-39. Verse 39 says, "He that findeth his life shall ________ it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall _______ it." What do you think Jesus meant by “losing his life?” __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

____________ G. Read Philippians 2:3-8. Notice that verse 7 says that Jesus made himself of no reputation. Verse 3 says that we should esteem others better than ourselves. It is evident that godliness does not promote self, but rather the death of self. Could it be that self is what hinders us from becoming Christ-like after we are saved from the judgment of our sin? H. Look at what Paul said about his identity before salvation (Philp 3:4-8). He said I count all of it but “______”. Is that how you feel about your identity? I. After salvation, Paul said in Gal 2:20 "I am __________ with Christ..." Who was living through Paul? _______! Jesus can live through you too! IV.Separation Issues (James 4:4) - The Christian MUST separate from sin! A. The principle is: Keep yourself out of situations where you know that your flesh is tempted to sin. This is called Separation, and it is good! It is not negative, but rather positive since you are separating FROM ungodly things, UNTO godly things - so that you can live godly (Tit 2:11,12)! B. Some things to be separated from (2 Cor 6:17): 1. Places where the flesh is in control and not the Spirit: i.e., pubs, liquor stores, Discos, Night Clubs, Secretive Societies, Dance halls, gambling halls, and the like! This includes things we watch on TV! 2. Places where people are uncovered or are less and less covered. Nobody says a Christian is to be a hermit, or ugly looking to be spiritual - but that a Christian is to show off the “_________ man” by a godly life (1Pet 3:2-4), instead of the flesh, and following fashion fads, etc. 3. Things that cause you to lose control of your will - like drugs, drink, and anything else that adversely affects your choice to live right. 4. Things that ________ (ruin) your body and health (1 Cor 3:16,17). C. Definite Areas of Separation Between Christians and Non-Christians: 1. In ______________ (2 Cor 6:14; Amos 3:3). You can fall in love with anyone. Make sure that it is the Lord who brings you two together, and not your own lusts! 2. Stay clear of all works of darkness (2 Cor 6:14), and demonic worship (2 Cor 6:15), and especially ____________ (2 Cor 6:16). Don’t toy with Ouija boards, Tarot cards, “crystals,” and horoscopes (Lev 19:26; Dt 18:10) which are all Satanic. They are NOT of God. 3. Stay out of friendships with the unsaved when they become wrong - i.e., they make demands on you that go against God (Acts 5:29) and try to pull you back into sin. Always be a witness though, and love them as Jesus did. “Speaking the truth in _________.” (Eph 4:15).

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4. Stay far away from False teachers (1 Tim 6:3-5), "...from such ____________ thyself" (1 Tim 1:3,4; 4:7; Gal 3:1) and heretics (2 John 9-11) - Those that teach things contrary to clear Bible truth! 5. Because, to ________ this world is very dangerous (1 John 2:15,16)! D. Some Basic Rules to Follow: 1. Decide to: a. Love not this ________, neither the things in it (1John 2:15,16)! b. Seek guidance from God in prayer and Bible study regarding a particular issue that you don’t understand (James 1:5). c. Make sure that anything you are about to do glorifies God, and honours Jesus Christ (Col 3:17). d. Use common sense - If you have doubts about something, then don't do it! Most Christians disregard warnings and guilt, and just go ahead thinking they have “liberty” not remembering our adversary, the devil is a lion seeking only to ________ (1Pet 5:8). e. Do only things that you know Jesus Christ Himself would do if He was in your shoes (1 Pet 2:21). 2. Separate yourself from: a. Anything designed to overthrow or cast doubt upon your faith in God (Rom 14:23), like false science (1Tim 6:20), and evolution. b. Anything that would destroy your testimony, or debase your morals and lead you to sin (Heb 11:24-26). c. And finally, anything that would harm your body - physically, mentally or emotionally (1Cor 3:16,17; 6:18-20). 3. Separate yourself unto: a. A life of service for our Lord (1Cor 15:58; Gal 6:9) b. A life of holiness and purity (Titus 2:11,12) c. A life for others (Matt 28:19,20) - Soul-winning! Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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A Study of God's Greatest Reflection of Himself

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Lesson Fourteen

Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:27

Lesson Verse: Genesis 2:24

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Genesis 2:24

I. Introduction - No Greater Challenge Than Having a Godly Family! A. The Biblical type of family is the most fundamental unit in a society! Without strong, godly families, a nation is doomed (Ps 9:17)! B. When God made this world, He completed His creation with a man - but He did not create him to be alone (Gen 2:18). God created man to exist as a family. Before there were cities, thrones, space programs, banks, churches, cars, or armies, there was the family! Truly, we humans have "come a long way," but since the garden, it hasn't been the right way! C. This lesson will introduce the Christian to the Biblical structure of the family and the home. It is intended to help the Christian to transform their family life into the greatest reflection of God possible! II. The Family Unit - What is a Family? A. When the world tries to define a “family,” it constantly has to change and adapt its definition to fit people’s changing attitudes. Yet God has given us a perfect, never changing pattern for us to adapt to: the example of Himself! B. Notice God’s titles: the _______, the Word (became the Son), and the Holy Ghost (1Jn 5:7). These three “Persons” exist as one unit. So is it to be in a human family, because mankind was designed like God is (Gen 1:26,27)! C. Every human has three “parts”: a body, _______, and spirit (1 Thes 5:23). D. Every family has three “parts”: the father, mother, and children. There are only three. The exceptions are when a person is not married (when a person is single, he or she is still part of the family that they were born into), and when there are no children in a relationship. These are “exceptions” - not the norm! E. Either you are single and under your parents, or are married and have your own children (or at least wish you could have children). F. Both of these places are right, and a blessing to be in. Don’t let the world try to mould you to its definition of life, family, and so-called happiness (see Prov 17:1; 15:17; 21:19). G. The family unit is being attacked viciously today by the areas of homosexuality, and promiscuity (sexual immorality between men and woman who are not married). Both are wrong (1Cor 7:1,2; Lev 18:22; 20:13; Rom 1:26-27)! III. Being Single A. Being single is best, but is not for everybody (Mt 19:10-12; 1Cor 7:32,33). B. Don’t be discouraged if you feel too old to be married, or past your prime! God brought a wife to Isaac when he was ___ years old (Gen 25:20)! C. If a person is single, they should not ______ to be married, but seek to honour and glorify God (1Cor 7:27; Mt 6:33), trusting He will direct their path to the person they should marry (Ps 37:4) as He did Adam (Gen 2:18-23).
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D. If you lost your mate, then stop worrying about it, and serve God until He shows you who will take their place. God will take care of you (Heb 13:5). IV.Courtship and Marriage A. God's Purpose in Marriage - Study these! 1. Companionship (Gen 2:18) - Throughout creation, God balanced everything out - He created two of everything (to everything, there is a positive, and a negative; a true and a false; a light and a darkness; an up and a down; a male and a female, etc). When He created Adam, He was not finished, but knew Adam needed companionship (ie, someone that he could intimately relate to - who was just like himself). God created someone who would think like Adam, and understand Adam. None of the rest of creation could relate to Adam (Gen 2:19-23). 2. Completeness (Gen 2:18) - God did not just give Adam a “buddy” or “friend”, but a “completer” (ie, someone who matched Adam’s needs like a glove does a hand). Eve was not to be another Adam, but to be what Adam was NOT, and to “compliment” him, as he complimented her! She was called a _________, meeting his needs. 3. Enjoyment (Heb 13:4) - The marriage relationship is the most enjoyed of all relationships because of the intimacy of companionship and completeness! Marriage is not a duty, but a thrill, and it never gets dull when based upon God’s pattern! The key is that the couple must operate within God’s limits so that trust is always maintained. 4. Fruitfulness (Gen 1:28; 9:1; 1 Pet 3:7). The natural result of intimacy is fruit: children, growth, and blessing! This is true in our relationship with our spouse (Gen 4:1), and with Jesus (Philp 3:10)! Marriage produces fruit in each partner, but also in children (Ps 127:3-5). 5. Protection - The purpose of any godly relationship is for the benefit of the people in the relationship - not their destruction. Adam needed Eve at times, and she supplied that need as she protected his weakness. Eve needed Adam at times, and he was to supply that need as he protected her weakness (Eph 5:25-29; Eccl 4:9-12). 6. Representation - The Christian marriage relationship is to present a living portrayal of the loving relationship between Jesus Christ and believers (Ephesians 5:31-33). B. How God Sees Marriage 1. As good. "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a ________ thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord." (Prov 18:22). Marriage is not outdated, or old-fashioned. It is the greatest relationship, and is honoured by God! 2. As pure. In marriage, the bed is ______________. (Heb 13:4) - it is wonderful, and a blessing, and just what God designed it to be. It is not to be a place of fear, or of wickedness, but of joy, and blessing (Prov 5:18,19; Song 7:7-12). If it is not honourable, it is not a marriage. 3. As enduring. "The Lord, the God of Israel saith that he hateth _________________." (Malachi 2:16). Only by seeing how God hates adultery and divorce can we see the seriousness of marriage (Mt 19:3-6)! 4. As meeting each other’s needs (1 Cor 7:3-5; 32-34). The one person who is best able to meet your needs is the one who knows you best! The purpose of marriage is not to “obtain” but to “supply,” knowing your own needs will be provided for in the process!

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5. As built upon friendship, and communication - not on requirements, and expectations. The marriage relationship starts with friendship, and is built upon trust. If a person’s mate is not their best friend, then the foundation of the marriage is flawed, and can collapse (Song 5:16) 6. God sees marriage as a covenant (a binding commitment) that makes their relationship the priority human relationship in life (Gen 2:24). Marriage is not an experiment! It is a total commitment, and a total sharing of the total person with another until death. This most wonderful of relationships both confines and yet fulfills the human heart! C. Courtship or Dating (Psalm 34:3) – A Good marriage proposal 1. A Comparison – read each row, from left to right:
Dating For Fun (not really serious, but wanting to just “look around”). Starts as soon as possible (these days around 12 years old or so). By your own choice. Courtship For a Family.

Starts only when spiritually ready and serious about marriage. By the wise advice of parents of godly Christians, especially pastor. Defined by the world – almost anything Defined by the Scripture. goes when on a date. Letting the “flesh” decide what is right or Letting God’s Holy Spirit define what is right wrong to do on a date. and wrong to do, and obeying Him! Lots of trial and error. Following careful steps, leads to few disappointments. Lots of temptation, and guilt. Very little temptation, yet great joy for obeying God, and finding His will. Based on how you feel about the other per- Based on how God is directing your life for His son. glory. Usually ends in massive heartache and ul- Usually ends with a life-long mate. timate distrust, and divorce.

Understanding and applying the following guidelines will result not only in a marriage pleasing to God, but also one that will be the most rewarding for ourselves. It provides the foundation for winning the world for Christ. 2. The Right Focus (Col 3:17; 1Cor 10:31) - in marriage, as well as every other area of life, our purpose is to _________ ______. a. If something is contrary to the will of God, then we must mortify it (Lk 9:23,24) – reject it as dead! b. If our focus is to bring God the glory, then we must be careful to find the right spouse, His way. And, be willing to wait on God to provide the right spouse. 3. The Right People (Gen 2:18) a. God specifically created a ____ for Adam that was suitable for him. b. Two people are not equals (God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve) but rather complements; i.e., each possessed mutually affirming gifts, strengths and in-

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sights. Each was incomplete without the other. Each person had qualities that the other needed to fulfill his duties before God. 4. The Right Counsel (Pr 23:22; 20:18) a. Dating is a modern substitute for wise counsel and lots of prayer! b. Too many parents do not really know their children because by the time that their kids become teenagers, they have spent virtually no time with them compared what others have spent. 1) Someone else has educated them (usually the public schools) 2) Someone else has instructed them spiritually (religious education classes, Church Sunday School classes, Church youth group, along with "Christian" rock artists and their music, etc.) 3) And someone else has been their intimate confidant (their friends, neighbours, peers, etc.). c. But if parents have fulfilled their Biblical role faithfully, they should know their children better than anyone else in the world. They should have 20-odd years of experience with their children, know their moods, tempers, gifts, and weaknesses. They are providentially equipped to advise their children about what kind of person they should be courting. When a child reaches the age where courting is now appropriate, parents and child should sit down and do a frank analysis of both themselves and potential partners. 5. The Right Mind (Philp 2:1,2,5) a. The first thing to be in motion when courting is having a right MIND – not only following your heart or emotions. b. The mind of Christ seeks to not only find fulfilment, but to fulfil other lives sacrificially, as a servant of others. c. Your MIND must be in charge of the relationship, over the heart because when the heart is in charge it will get you in trouble (Jer 17:9). 6. The Right Heart (Philp 2:3-4) a. The goal of any relationship is ministry, not manipulation. We are not to seek to simply have our own needs met, but rather meet the needs of others. Yet usually marriages are made because young people think that a certain person will meet their "needs." Instead, we must see life as a process of giving up rights, and taking on responsibilities. b. A single person MUST learn how to be "other-oriented" in their thinking. Otherwise they are only going to be a taker in the relationship, and a destroyer of the relationship! c. Selfishness, pure and simple, is the cause of most marital disasters. d. Both man and woman must make genuine sacrifices to make a godly marriage. If one or both of the people are not ready or able to make those sacrifices, then they are not suitable marriage partners.

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1) Husbands must be willing to give themselves up for their wives. Husbands don’t just need a wife in order to succeed, they succeed first by sacrificially ministering to their wives! 2) Wives must submit themselves to their husbands. You had better make sure your husband is worthy of submitting to! 7. The Right Qualifications (Eph 5:22-31; Prov 31:10-31; 1Pet 3:1-7) a. The best indicator of future performance is past performance. If you want to know what a person is going to be like in the future, just take a long, hard look at where he has been. Now it is the grace and glory of the gospel that God transforms sinners. Yet even so, when deciding on who is or is not suitable as a mate for our children, the past is a great indicator of what they can expect down the road. b. Therefore, look for potential husbands who possess leadership ability. Does he know his calling and is he working diligently at it? 1) God’s law required a man to pay a bride’s father roughly equivalent to three years' labor. This quickly demonstrated: a) That the boy can save and manage money and thus financially provide for the family (1 Tim 5:8). b) That the boy respects the wife enough to sacrifice his own current wants for the building of a home. 2) The Bible asks: a) Is he good father material (Col 3:19-21, Eph 6:1-2)? i) Look at his own father for insights as to how he will handle frustration, anger, fear, etc. ii) Does the boy's father trust his own wife, love her (Eph 5:21-25), nurture and care for her (Pr 31:11), granting her honour as a fellow heir (1 Pet 3:7), understanding her and being gentle with her (1 Pet 3:7)? iii) The way the boy's father treats his mother is likely the same way he will treat you or your daughter. b) Is he a one-woman man (1Tim 3:2) or has he had lots of entanglements that could come back and haunt you both? c) Is the boy sensible (Tit 2:6) and does he possess the general godly character qualities of an elder (1 Tim 3:1-7.)? If not, then no matter how friendly, charming or attractive, look somewhere else. c. In the same way, potential wives should be: 1) Submissive in spirit (Eph 5:21-22) and respectful in their attitude and demeanour. Most women are extremely assertive because of the training of the feminists! 2) After marriage, they are to be sensible, workers at home, kind, loving their husbands and children (cf. Tit 2:3-5). 3) They are able to do good to their husbands because they are industrious, charitable, skilled in their work, well-dressed (modestly so), good managers of reTHE CHRISTIAN FAMILY · 93

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sources and, of course, they must fear God (cf. 1 Tim 2:9-10, 1 Pet 3:3-4, Pr 31:22,30). 4) If a woman lacks the qualities necessary for any of these before marriage, there is no way of knowing if she will ever develop them afterwards. Therefore, parents ought to make it a point to examine potential mates according to objective, Biblical criteria. If they don't meet the qualifications, then no matter how attractive they are, they are not suitable for marriage. 8. The Right Distance (1Cor 7:1-5; Gen 2:24) – VERY IMPORTANT! a. If all the other issues are dealt with, then this issue will be easy. If the heart is not submissive to God’s way, then no amount of warnings, and walls will stop two people from committing fornication. b. There is a right amount of distance that must be maintained between two unmarried people (Pr 6:27-29) – no touching. Touching, clinging, cleaving to each other is for when married – period! c. If you start to violate this principal, no amount of determination and repenting will stop you from God’s judgment (Heb 13:4)! 9. Conclusions a. Parents must nurture these truths into their young children b. Young men and women need to evaluate just how much they are willing to “wait” until marriage, and to let God prepare them for this most important of all life’s treasures – a family! c. The fruit of living godly is eternal. The pleasures of sin, are only for a season (Heb 11:24,25)! D. Principles of a Happy Marriage 1. Make sure both persons are ________________ (Mt 7:21-27; John 3:3,7; 2Cor 6:14; Amos 3:3)! No Christian should ever think that they can be happy married to someone who doesn’t care about Christ! It is next to impossible to change a person after marriage! a. A woman marries a man, hoping he will change, but he doesn’t. b. A man marries a woman hoping she never changes, and she does! 2. Give 100%! The marriage life is NOT 50/50, but rather 100/100% of each partner! You no longer are two persons, but ________ (Gen 2:24)! 3. Delete from your vocabulary words like: hate, divorce, mine, yours! Don't remain angry, or vengeful with you mate (Eph 4:26,27), but rather take the time and talk the problem through until it gets settled! This takes prayer, and humility on your part (Pr 16:32)! Study 1 Corinthians 13 together, and implement each phrase into your relationship! 4. Have a LOT of grace (tolerance) with each other (1Pet 4:8; Heb 12:28)! 5. Both must agree to submit to the Biblical pattern for their home as found in the word of God, with the husband as the loving head of the home, the wife as the pleasant help participating in decisions, yet not forcing her way, and the children in nurtured obedience. The husband himself must be in submission to the word of God (1 Cor 11:3).

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6. Look forward to ___________. Focus your energies no longer on yourselves, but rather on raising God's heritage (Ps 127:3). Don’t spend time worrying about affording children, but on loving them! 7. Burn the bridges back to your single life! Your mother should not "keep your room," and you should destroy all the letters and notes you may have from old lovers! You cannot serve _____ masters (Mt 6:24)! 8. Realize that your marriage and your family is your FIRST ministry, before your job, your church, or even your self! This is the hardest task! And yet the most enduring, and rewarding! 9. Have a family Bible-time (Deut 6:6-9)! This means a time where you and your family sit down together and read out of the Bible for about ten or fifteen minutes, and then you pray for each member of the family. Have different members of the family pray each time. Sometimes, act out what is being taught in the Bible. Always make it a special time. The goal is to develop a godly home atmosphere all day! 10. Romance your mate regularly (Gen 26:6-8; 1 Cor 7:1-3). Continue to date each other, admire one another, woo each other's attention, read the Song of Solomon together; purchase your wife flowers! Do crazy things just to show each other how crazy you still are for them! 11. Listen to one another (Eph 5:21), without grudging (Eph 4:31,32)! There MUST be specific time set aside for each other, just where you talk and listen to each other’s heart concerns, gripes, dreams, etc. 12. Purpose to have times of fun with just your family, weekly! This is so important to their emotional health! It lets them know that they mean something to you, and that you really find joy with them, instead of only out of the house! V. The Dangers in Marriage. Marriage by nature can be full of problems because there is more than one flawed human being in the relationship! But God has balanced that out thankfully, when He is invited to be the focus of the relationship. A. Wrong Expectations (Mt 11:7-9, 16-19). This is the source of the majority of problems in marriages. People expect things of each other, and when those expectations are not met, problems arise (Ps 62:5; 37:4; Pr 11:7). How to defeat wrong expectations: 1. Learn from Christ what He wants of YOU! Focus on becoming what Christ intended for you to be, instead of what you think He meant for your mate to be! Surrender your expectations to the Lord, and love your mate as a gift from Him. 2. Begin to nourish and develop your spouse into the best that they can be -- not browbeating, or nagging them, but encouraging, and equipping them with what they need to be their best! 3. Communicate. Tell your mate what you need, and listen to the needs of your mate. Learn about each other. Don’t just demand! 4. Then start meeting your spouses needs, instead of so desperately wanting him or her to meet yours! B. Stubbornness - not yielding - not allowing God to change you in any way BY your partner. God put the two of you together NOT because both of you were already perfect, and were in need of nothing, but because each of you, when combined, made a stronger team than any one individual could have ever been! God wants BOTH people in a marriage to
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C.

D.

E.

F.

affect each other for good (James 4:6). Both partners MUST allow the other person the authority to help mould and shape them (1 Cor 7:4; Eph 5:21; 1 Pet 5:5). Over-sensitivity. Intimacy naturally means vulnerability. And vulnerability oftentimes results in hurt (Ezek 16:45). Extreme emotional hurt must be given to God (Isa 53:3,4). Don’t take it upon you to revenge any hurt you may receive from your partner. You must learn to take the situation as God’s way of getting you to rely on Him to handle the “payback.” He assures us that He will do a very good job of it (Rom 12:17-21). In other words, suffer ______ (1 Cor 13:4), and endure some ___________ (2 Tim 2:3), and develop the ability to love and be _______ when the other person does not deserve it (Eph 4:31,32), simply because that is how God treats you! Complacency. Your relationship with your spouse is a living, and growing relationship - it never sits idle. It is either growing closer, or farther apart, based upon your efforts. The lack of effort by BOTH people will result in decay setting in. Vigilance must be maintained. There is never a time that a person can just sit back and say, “I got it made. Everything is perfectly under control.” This is not to say that you should be happy with a relationship out of control (1 Cor 14:40). In other words, work hard at your relationship. Don’t just take it for granted, and draw from it, while not investing into it! Both of you must work at this! Being focused on short-term gratification. This is where evolution has taught 99% of all married couples that they are in a relationship only to get. And instant gratification turns into demand. And demand creates slavery. And slaves revolt! Maturity is required in the heart and desires of each partner so that gratification is found in supplying the others’ needs before themselves (1 Cor 7:33,34; Acts 20:35). At the start of any marriage, it is expected that the two people will not automatically know how to give more than they get, but over time, this attribute should fully develop! Disrespect. This is vital to conquer (Eph 5:33; 1 Pet 3:1-7)! Honour each other, and ________ each other ______ than themselves (Phlp 2:3)! Disrespect is formed by distrust. Therefore, have very short memories about past failures, and always completely forgive each other when asked (Lk 17:3,4; Heb 10:17). This will allow you to maintain respect and praise for your mate even though they are imperfect. Keep your love and respect fresh (like God does, Lam 3:22,23). Both of you are commanded to work at earning and maintaining each other’s trust! If the other person has problems with you, then YOU better deal with those problems (Mt 5:23,24)!

VI.The Role of The Husband/Father (Prov 17:6) – To Be A Team Leader! A. A husband is to ___________ his wife (Eph 5:25) as he loves his own __________ (Eph 5:28,33). This is the main problem with most families! God directs most of His words at men because men are stubborn and rebellious, and need the most encouragement to do right! B. The pattern for this kind of love is to be as _______________ loved the ______________ (Eph 5:25) when He died so we could live! A wife will only thrive spiritually when her husband loves her beyond everything else! C. This love will be shown by a husband accepting his responsibility to be the ____________ of his wife and family (Eph 5:23). The Husband is the head of the home positionally (1 Cor 11:3), leading, and making the important decisions with his wife's input (he is not dic-

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tator). The head of the man is __________! Therefore, how can a man expect his wife to be in submission to his decisions, if he himself is not in submission to God's word?!!! D. The purpose of a husband's love is shown in how Christ gave Himself for the church that He might _________ and __________ it with the washing of water by the ________ (Eph 5:25,26). Therefore, the husband is responsible for maintaining the wife’s purity and love for God, by not damaging her emotionally, physically, or spiritually! He is to care for, and nurture his wife and family like a farmer does his soil and plants! E. According to 1Peter 3:7, a husband must: 1. Dwell with (live with, spend time with, get intimate with, but not dominate) his wife according to _______________ - i.e., he will work to know her needs, and weaknesses, and strengths, and seek to build her up and strengthen her. 2. Give “_______” to his wife (only in Biblical Christianity is the woman elevated to that of royalty). Do this in public! That’s an order! Listen to your wife! Include her in the decisions, and allow her to be right! 3. He will recognize that she also is an _________ of the grace of life - she is just as important, and as much a beneficiary of God’s gift of children, and family, and life itself as the husband is! F. If a husband loves his wife, he will not allow himself to get ____________ against her (Col 3:19), and will work to keep her from getting bitter against him! But remember, the two of them must work together at this! VII. The Role of the Wife A. God made the woman as an ______ meet for the man (Gen 2:18). Define help: _________________________________________________ The word ‘meet’ means match, or fitting to his needs (Mt 3:8; 2Tim 2:21). B. God made the woman _______ the man (1Cor 11:9). C. A woman is to ___________ herself to her husband. (Eph 5:22). 1. A wife is supposed to be subject to her husband in ________________ (Eph 5:24). If she is not married, then to her father. 2. One exception to this is that we ought to obey _____________ rather than __________. (Acts 5:29). The wife is to disobey when the husband gets abusive or directs her to go against the word of God. 3. A man will not respect a woman who does not respect and obey God more than she does him. And for sure, a woman will not respect a man who does not respect and obey God more than his selfish wants! D. The wife is also to _______________ her husband (Eph. 5:33). She is to honour her husband as she should honour Christ. E. According to 1Peter 3:1,2, a woman should have a chaste _____________ (her life and language should show forth purity) coupled with ________, not disrespect. The woman should not live in fear of her husband, but in fear of falling short of God’s design for her and her husband. F. A woman should have a __________ (soft) and __________ spirit (1Peter 3:3,4). She needs to refrain from a loud, clamorous, demeaning, and nagging attitude (Prov 21:9, 19).

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G. God said to the first woman (Eve) that her __________ would be to her husband and that he would _______ over her (Gen. 3:16). This is part of the curse that Satan brought into the world, but it also is part of the way that God designed the Christian woman to defeat Satan by his own devices VIII. Children - The MOST intensive (and rewarding) part of a family’s energies A. What are Children as far as God is Concerned? In marriage, “children are an _____________ of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his _________” (Ps 127:3). Therefore, they are an opportunity for Christians to raise up a Godly generation! Why is it that Christians want all of God’s blessings, except for children?! Children are God’s greatest blessing that He offers us! Remember the blessing of being HIS children! B. Establishing A Child’s Proper Relationship with God. 1. A ___________ can and should trust Christ at a young age (2 Tim 3:15)! 2. Fathers are not to _____________ their children, but bring them up in the ____________ (tender training) and ___________________ (encouragement) of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the father to instruct his children in spiritual things - it is not the church's, school’s, or the Government's job! Provoking children (yelling at them) only _________________ them (Col 3:21) 3. A parent should teach the word of God ______________ unto their children (Deut. 6:6,7). That means with a lot of time and effort! 4. List the four areas that a child should mature and develop in, according to Luke 2:52 (note: it is the parent’s job to develop these areas) a. ________________________ - Bible learning and general education b. ________________________ - by healthy eating and exercise c. ________________________ - pleasing to God – living by faith d. ________________________ - a blessing to others – hard working C. Disciplining Children - The orderly and controlled manner of training (Titus 2:1-4; Eph 6:4) "Bring them UP…" 1. In their thoughts. Have a Bible-centred home, with lots of Scripture and good books surrounding them. Also, HAVE DAILY DEVOTIONS! 2. In their daily walk. Help them choose good friends, work on their composure, as well as to be clean, and look clean. 3. In their talk. Develop their manners (to be courteous and say "please," and "thank you," and "may I"). 4. Children are commanded to _______ their parents (Eph 6:1), and not just in a few things but in ______ things (Col 3:20). Teach them this! 5. Parents are God's representatives to their children. The fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12) commands children to ________ their parents. The home is the training ground for the children, and there must be a consistent, spiritual atmosphere there for them to be able to see how to live, and what is expected of them. 6. Learn from your own _________ (Prov 13:1; 6:20)! Don't waste your life trying to prove you know better! Talk to them, and listen to them! 7. Our example in this is the Lord. "Whom the Lord ____________, He chasteneth” (Hebrews 12:6) which means, “corrects” not punishes! 8. Is chastening supposed to be pleasant? _____ (Heb 12:11)
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9. God chastens us as His children in order for us to be partakers of His _________________ (Hebrews 12:10). That is the purpose of parental correction - to mature a child, and develop in them godliness! 10. The pattern in discipline - note that the Bible emphasizes correction, and not just punishment (Prov 22:15): a. Set down clear and understandable rules in your home! Let your children know what is expected of them, and what will happen if they disobey. They don't need to live in fear of you! b. Identify each violation - they have to know what they did wrong. Give patient and clear instructions when the child does wrong. c. "Chasten thy son while there is ______" (Prov 19:18). Don’t get into the habit of letting them “slide” by in their disobedience. It will come back and haunt you later! d. Never yell or threaten! Speak firmly and exact the punishment right away (Eccl 8:11)! Don't repeat commands, and don't count! e. Use a "rod." Not the hand, or a board, or a belt. A Rod is a small branch off a tree that stings but does not bruise. f. Love your children after each time of chastening. This is a must! 11. Reasons why a parent should discipline their children a. Correction delivers the soul from ________ (Prov 23:13,14) b. Correction establishes righteousness. "_______________ is bound in the heart of a child, but the ___________ of correction will drive it far from him." (Prov 22:15) c. "A child left to himself bringeth his _______ to ______" (Pr 29:15) d. Correction provides ________ for the parent. (Prov 29:17) 12 Some tips for disciplining children: a. There is a certain method God gives parents to use in discipline. "Thou shalt ________ him with the __________." (Prov 23:14) The corrective use of a small “stick” is not being abusive. b. He that loveth his children chastens them _____________ (Prov 13:24). This means early before their character is formed, and over and over (not just on occasion). c. Should a parent withhold discipline when a child starts to cry? ________ (Prov 19:18). The child is smarter than you think! d. Recognize children do not become perfect with one spanking - discipline is a long term process. e. Never withdraw affection and love from your children. f. Never spank in anger or out of embarrassment (Eccl 7:9)! g. Never compare children with other children - this crushes them! h. Don't ridicule or make fun of their weaknesses or handicaps. i. Allow children to express their viewpoint, keeping avenues of communication open. Let them know they are important to you! j. Admit mistakes when you make them. Live honestly and humbly. k. Give them nothing they cry for, and only that which they ask for politely. Don't be afraid to say "no" to your children when they want things that they do not need. l. Be creative in your discipline - as they grow older: 1) Restrict (ground) them from activities
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2) Give additional chores – this is always great! 3) Restrict them from the telephone or other important items E. Enjoy Your Children – Make sure they know you love and enjoy them! 1. When everything is said and done, rules and discipline without love only kills the spirit of a child 2. The greatest thing that God ever did for this world was LOVE it (John 3:16)! Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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Lesson Fifteen

A Study of The Stewardship of Money and Possessions

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Lesson Fifteen
Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:27 Lesson Verse: Philippians 4:19
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

I. Introduction A. The main emphasis in the Bible is not placed upon the mere possession of money, but rather on the responsible use of it! There is a big difference. You may be surprised at just how much the Bible has to say about “money.” Money means “control,” and “control” is the real name of the game. In other words, are you in control of your money, or is your money, and desire for possessions controlling you? B. This lesson deals with maintaining a proper attitude toward money, material possessions, and the importance of financial freedom from debt. II. The Responsibility of Stewardship A. What is Stewardship? The Bible refers to the Christian not only as a child of God, but as a ___________ of what God gives us (1 Cor 4:1,2). 1. A steward is “One who manages, or oversees another's property, finances, or other affairs.” We are dealing with the control and management of money and possessions for someone else - not just our own! Examine the example of young Joseph in Genesis 39:1-6. a. Who was Joseph’s “master?” ______________________ b. What was Joseph in charge of? ____________________________ Therefore, stewardship means responsibility. The issue for the Christian then is, “to whom are we responsible, and for what?” 2. Ownership is fixed with God. Remember, it is God who owns _____ things (Psalm 24:1)! We may possess some things in this life, but then again, it is we who are born and will die, while God remains. Therefore, when we take up “ownership” of something, we really are taking up stewardship of something that first belongs to God! 3. As stewards, we must remember that really, everything is a _______ from above (James 1:17), and that just as the Lord _________, He also can and does _________ __________ as He did with Job (Job 1:21). 4. Spirituality cannot be measured by abundance of material possessions or its lack. God doesn’t condemn anyone for simply having money. Nor does He condemn anyone for not having money. Instead, God is concerned with us maintaining a right attitude towards money. It is not money itself that is evil, but the ______ of money (1 Tim 6:10). 5. Stewardship involves _____________ (1 Cor 4:2) over the things God has given us, including money. We are to be faithful with what we now have, and not worry about what we don’t have (Matt 25:21).

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6. Stewardship is not grievous, but rather an enjoyment. 1 Tim 6:17 says "God... giveth us richly all things to ________." God never wants us to idolize money and seek after riches, but to seek first the __________ of God and His righteousness (Matt 6:33). He wants us to learn to be content, no matter where we are economically (Heb 13:5). C. God’s Four Purposes for Money - To provide for: 1. 2. 3. 4. The needs of you and your family (1 Tim 5:8) - Main Purpose The needs of others (1 Tim 6:17,18; 1 John 3:17) - Compassion The operation of the government (Rom 13:1-8; Mt 22:17-22) - Taxes The operation of your local church (Mal 3:10) - Tithes and Offerings

D. The Problems With Money 1. People end-up trusting in money instead of trusting in God (Mark 10:23-27; Prov 11:4, 28), to supply all their needs (Philp 4:19). 2. It is easy to start loving earthly possessions instead of heavenly ones (Matt 6:19-21; Col 3:1-4; Pr 30:7-9). Key Truths About 3. There is a great danger in thinking God's blessings can be Money measured by a person's material possessions (Luke 12:15; v To love money is the be1 Sam 16:7). ginning of the worst 4. Beware when your life's objective becomes earning as nightmare anyone could much money as possible (Prov 23:4; Eccl 5:10-12). ever have! E. Things Money Cannot Buy 1. _______________ (Prov 16:16) 2. A righteous life (Prov 28:6) 3. A good night's sleep (Eccl 5:12) 4. The word of God (Ps 119:14,72,127) 5. Good health (Luke 8:43) 6. Quietness, peace (Eccl 4:6; Pr 15:16; 17:1) F. Personal Achievement and Ambition v All your money belongs to God - it is only yours because God first gave it to you. v You owe God the tithe of every pay-check - if you hold back, then be ready for God to get you! v A cheerful giver is the happiest person alive!

1. Ambition is the drive to obtain, or accomplish something beyond yourself. Ambition is definitely not bad. What you seek to possess, when it becomes your “god,” is where the problem comes in. Every Christian needs ambition - or else no one would be getting up in the morning to go to work! 2. It is not wrong to achieve success. God desires that we have the desire to be a success in everything we do. The issue is HOW we achieve it (Ps 1:1-3; Josh 1:8). God wants us to achieve success the right way (1Cor 9:25; 2Tim 2:5), which is always the Bible way. H. How To Evaluate the Lack of Money When you experience a perceived need, the following are the possible reasons why you may not have the money for it. 1. You may not need it. God may be saying, “Forget about it for now.”

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2. You may have already misspent it. You may have already over-spent yourself on things that you did not need (new TV, stereo), so that now you cannot obtain things that you do need (food, clothing). 3. God may be testing your faith (Jam 1:2-8). Sometimes God wants to see if you will wait upon Him to provide the funds instead of getting impatient, and making the “thing” your “god” (Ps 27:14). 4. Your perception may be all wrong - you may have the wrong attitude about what are your needs and what are your wants (Luke 12:15)! III. Steps to Financial Freedom Many people are in financial bondage. They owe the bank, credit card companies, friends and relatives. You may be facing great personal pressure in your home and marriage because of these debts. Here are some wise steps from God's word that you can take to become financially free. A. Transfer Ownership. Realize you are owned by ________ (1Cor 6:19-20; Col 3:23-24). Give everything over to God for his control. This encourages you to be faithful with what you currently possess - i.e., so you don’t squander or waste it (Matt 25:14-30). B. Become Free from Debt (Rom 13:8). Realize that it is a priority (Pr 22:7)! Here are some helpful steps to getting, and staying current financially. 1. Start with a written budget (Prov 27:23-24). Record all your expenses and income in a monthly budget. Write out a basic budget below:
Write Out Your Budget by Percentage of Income (no matter how small) Monthly GROSS INCOME: _______________ EXPENSE Avg Yours Percent Firstfruits to God (the tithe) 10% _____ _____% House Rent or Mortgage (including insurances) 23% _____ _____% Groceries 18% _____ _____% Auto/Travel Expenses (Fuel, Repairs) 10% _____ _____% Household Needs and Clothing 8% _____ _____% Electricity, Heat, Water 8% _____ _____% Savings 5% _____ _____% Entertainment (Birthdays, dining out) 5% _____ _____% Telephone 5% _____ _____% Miscellaneous (Snacks, Newspapers) 8% _____ _____% Other __________________________________ 0% _____ _____% Total 100% _____ _____%

a. This helps you know where you are financially. b. Bind yourself to living within the budget, and don’t “cheat” on it. 2. WORK to obtain money, and to get ahead of debt. It takes work (Pr 10:4)! Money is not a God-given right. Work, not money builds your confidence, develops character and discipline (2 Thes 3:10-12). Work was designed as a lifestyle for man even before Adam and Eve fell into sin (Gen 2:15), and hard work is part of the curse that God placed upon life because of Adam’s sin (Gen 3:17-19).

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3. Determine the difference between "needs” and “wants". Example: When you need a car. You may want a new BMW. But your need can be satisfied with a used Ford. Quit demanding only what you want! 4. Begin to eliminate non-essentials. a. Avoid costly ________ (Prov 21:17) - every TV channel available! b. Utilize individual skills by "fixing and doing things yourself". c. Get rid of non-essentials in your life that only drains your pocket. 5. Think before buying (Prov 24:3). Every purchase should be evaluated: a. Is it a necessity? Have I checked whether it is a need, or a want? b. Does this purchase reflect my Christian values? Is it questionable? c. Is it the very best buy? Or is it just convenient on credit cards? 6. Discontinue Credit (and Overdraft) Buying. If you are in debt from the misuse of credit cards, or your bank overdraft, then stop! Totally Stop Using Them!! You will have to sacrifice some of your wants and desires in life to get current, or you will only get deeper into debt. 7. Practice Saving. Save part of the money you obtain, even if it is only a little a month (Prov 21:20). Don’t spend everything you make (Lk 15:11-16)! Prepare for the future (2Cor 12:14; Pr 13:22). How to save: a. Have sales resistance. Follow common sense and not your feelings when it comes to “sales” (beware of covetousness). b. Don’t be guilty of presumption, where you assume the money you spend will show up somewhere, sometime later (Ps 19:13) - i.e., charging it when not having the money to pay it off right away 8. Pray. When we have done our best, then we can confidently ask God to meet our daily needs and be thankful for the way He provides (Matt 6:11). Learn to trust God (Heb 13:5,6). C. Practice and learn the blessing of giving to others (Philp 2:4; Lk 6:38). Jesus said in Acts 20:35, "It is more blessed to give than to _________." He was the best example of this when He gave himself on Calvary. D. Maintain a Clear Conscience (Pr 28:13, Mt 5:23-24). Do all business dealings with a pure heart. Remember that you will give an account to God, so “provide things _________ in the sight of _____ men” (Rom 12:17). IV.What About Tithing - The Giving of the Firstfruits of Our Resources The giving of tithes and offerings to your local church is God's ordained way of supporting that ministry. Faithful stewardship of our possessions involves designating the "_____________" of our increase to God (Prov 3:9,10)! Not because God needs our money (Ps 24:1), but rather, because we need to learn how to manage our resources so that we can obey God - not just “survive” from pay-check to pay-check! Tithing is the payment of our firstfruits to God simply out of obedience to His word, and because we love Him (2 Chron 31:5)! A. According to Mal 3:8-10, the Lord is very serious about the Christian making sure that money does not become our “god.” And the way He helps us to remember HIS first place,
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B. C. D. E. F.

is by requiring us to keep Him in first place with our finances. This remembrance is called the tithe. How much is a tithe? ___________________ of your income (Lev 27:32). Tithing was normal for who? _______________ (Heb 7:1,2) In the Old Testament, tithes and offerings were presented where? (Dt 12:5,6; Mal 3:10) _______________________ In the New Testament it is to be gathered where? (1 Cor 16:1,2) ______________________ When should we tithe? (1 Cor 16:1,2) _____________________________ Why tithe to my local church? So that your local church can be self-sufficient- not dependent upon the government, bazaars, or bake sales. And so that the pastor can be full time for serving the Lord (1 Tim 5:17,18)

V. Giving More than a Tithe? The Proof of Our Love for God! A. Why Give, When I Already Tithe? 1. The tithe is an act of obedience, but giving above the tithe is an act of love because you are giving above what is required (Luke 17:10). The principle is, you have not given until you have paid what is owed! 2. Giving proves the _____________ of our love - is it only out of duty (as with the tithe), or is it heart-driven (2 Cor 8:1-8; 9:7)? 3. Giving above the tithe develops an attitude of grace (2Cor 8:6,7; 9:8), and dependence upon God. Remember, God first gave (John 3:16)! 4. Giving provides us the opportunity to make eternal investments (Philp 4:15-17; Mt 6:19-21). The more invested, the greater the return. 5. Giving allows God the opportunity to give back to us over and above what He already gives us (Luke 6:38)! B. How Should I Give to the Lord? 1. 2. 3. 4. Give Sacrificially (2 Cor 8:1,2). It is not always easy. Give Faithfully (1 Cor 16:2) - consistently! Give Cheerfully (2 Cor 9:7)! It is a privilege to be able to give! Give Willingly (2 Cor 8:3-5, 11, 12)! It is up to you!

Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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NAME: __________________________

Section THREE Test The New Testament Church

DATE: ______________ SCORE: ______________

The following questions will help you identify how much you have learned in your Bible Study time. Answer as many as possible, and take your time so that you can think and remember the answers. Most answers are obvious. Some questions however will be hard. All questions come from the material in the First Principles Study Course. God bless you as you examine what you have learned, and become confident in knowing and growing in God’s wondrous word!

1. 2. 3. 4.

Prayer is simply talking with _____________. Jesus said that God hates what kind of prayers? __________________ Prayer is the only way to get the power of what in your life? _______________ There were three places of prayer in a Christian’s life. Name one of them: ____ ____________________________________________________________

____ 5. There are three ways to pray given in Matthew 7:7,8, one of them was “asking.” What were the other two? 1) ________________, 2) ________________ 6. To get an answer from God, you must pray according to whose will? ________ 7. List one hindrance to God answering your prayer: _________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

____ 8. What is God’s measure of success in a person’s life? (concerning the will of God) ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 9. A Christian’s actions are not to be driven by self-will, but by ____________________ 10. It is not as important to know God’s will for your life as it is to _________ it! 11. Will God’s will for your life ever contradict His word (His revealed will)? ____ 12. According to Proverbs 3:5,6, list the most important thing you must do to find God’s will daily? ____________________________________________________________

_____ 13. According to Colossians 3:9,10, our old nature is referred to as _____________ 14. Give a reason why a person still sins even after they have become a Christian? ___________ ____________________________________________________________

______________ 15. How does God view sin? _____________________________________________________ 16. How does God view a Christian’s sin? __________________________________________ 17. Whose fault is it when a person sins? ___________________________________________ 18. Romans 13:14 says that we are not to make ___________ for the flesh to sin. 19. Psalm 119:11 commands us to do what with God’s word so that we won’t sin against God? ____________________________________________________________

__________ 20. Every person has three parts. Name them: 1) ____________, 2) ____________ 3) __________________ 21. List one of the God’s five purposes of marriage (one was for us to be “fruitful and multiply”): ____________________________________________________________

___________ 22. Describe God’s view of marriage: ______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_____________ 23. Instead of Dating, what is the godly approach to finding a marriage partner called? ______________________

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24. Give one of the principles of a happy marriage: ____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 25. What is the most important role that a husband and father has _________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 26. What is the most important role for the wife and mother: ______________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 27. What are children (according to Psalm 127:3) ______________________________________ 28. Can a child be saved at an early age? _____________________________________________ 29. Children in Ephesians 6:1 are commanded to _______________________________________ 30. Who is our example of how to correct and train our children? __________________________ 31. Is chastening supposed to be easy and pleasant? _____________________________________ 32. Biblical correction will deliver a child’s soul from what? _____________________________ 33. What is the root of all evil? _____________________________________________________ 34. God has designed four purposes for money. Name one: ______________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 35. Name a problem with money: ___________________________________________________ 36. Name something that money cannot buy: __________________________________________ 37. Tithing is the giving of our __________________ to God. 38. Is tithing by our choice or by God’s command? _____________________________________ 39. How much is the tithe? ________________________________________________________ 40. When a Christian does not tithe, what are they really doing to God? _____________________ ____________________________________________________________

______________

How are you doing?
Have you been born again? Yes, No. When? ____________ Have you been baptized? Yes, No. When? ____________ Have you read your Bible all the way through yet? Yes, No. What Book are you reading currently? ________________ Have you memorized the two memory verses listed so far? Yes, No. How many Scriptures have you memorized so far? _________ Are you faithful in church (every Sunday possible)? Yes, No. Are you praying every day (Yes, No), Is God answering your prayers? Yes, No. Is your home life developing, and becoming more Christian? Yes, No. Are you tithing? Yes, No.
You have now completed Section THREE, and its test. Hand this test in to your Discipler, and it will be quickly graded. The results will only be known by you, your Discipler, and the Course Administrator. After going through this test, knowing what you don’t know, and maybe don’t understand, you may want to go back over certain portions of the Course before going on to the next Section. Otherwise, press on, and keep growing!

Well Done!

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SECTION FOUR This Section of your Discipleship study will establish you in

The Ministry of Christ
Memory Verse "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." Romans 12:11
In this last Section, we will study:
· · · · · ·

Personal Evangelism - getting people to trust Christ The Use of Wine and Strong Drink - Is it right to drink? My Job and Employer - how to be a Christian at work Creation and Evolution - which is “scientific?” The Future - What is ahead for this universe? Discipleship - Learning to disciple!
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Lesson Sixteen

PERSONAL EVANGELISM
A Study of How to Turn Hearts to God!

Lesson Sixteen
Memory Verse: Romans 12:11 Lesson Verse: Mark 16:15
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

I. Introduction. What are your responsibilities in taking the Gospel to the world? A. In order for you to get saved, someone was responsible for taking the time to bring the saving message of the gospel to you. Make no mistake about it - no one just “becomes” a Christian. They must be urged to repent, and trust only in Christ as it is declared in the Bible (see Acts 26:17,18). B. That responsibility of “preaching the Gospel” was then passed upon you, so that others around you might be saved! That responsibility does not rest only with preachers, and pastors, but with every Christian! C. As Christians, we are commanded by the Lord to do our part in evangelising the whole world with the gospel (Matt 28:19,20; Acts 1:8). D. This lesson will focus on equipping you with the key Scripture verses that you can use to lead someone to Christ, as well as practical ways to make the Gospel clearly understood by the hearer. II. The Need for the Soul-Winner (Romans 10) - Someone who persuades people about Christ’s saving power. A. The Soul-Winner is Needed Because of The Condition of the World (Rom 10:1-3) LOST 1. Everybody is “religious” (Jew, Gentile, heathen, civilized) - working their way to God and heaven! But ______ are saved (Mt 7:13,14). 2. Everybody is born _________ (Eph 4:17-19). They are blind and incapable of getting to heaven. It is not “in them” to know how to come to Christ! By nature they are “the children of ___________” (Eph 2:3). 3. Everybody is ______ - hell-bound (Mt 23:33) - In need of being saved! B. The Soul-Winner is Needed Because of The Power of the of Truth (Rom 10:4-8) 1. God’s Truth makes a person ______ from the condemnation of this world (John 3:18, 36; 8:32). 2. God’s Truth directs a sinner to the Saviour - It stops them from trying to get to Christ their own way - they must come God’s prescribed way! 3. God’s Truth can be possessed by anyone, anywhere, right in the palm of the hands, and even on the tip of the tongue (Rom 10:8). C. The Soul-Winner is Needed Because of The Simplicity of Salvation (Rom 10:9-13). A person must: 1. Believe what God says about their condition - that they are a sinner.
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2. 3. 4. 5.

Accept Christ’s crucifixion as sufficient to pay-off all their sins. Submit to Christ’s Lordship - allowing Him to be Master of their life. Confess (testify, and then live) the true testimony of this Bible. Never be ashamed of God’s plan - You can confidently live now that you have heaven for sure!

It is all wrapped up in a person simply “calling upon the Lord and asking Him to save them from their deserved punishment of hell!” D The Soul-Winner is Needed Because of The Lack of _____________ (Rom 10:14,15; Luke 10:1,2). It has never been a popular job! 1. 2. 3. 4. How will people call on Someone they don’t ___________ in? How will they believe on Someone that they never ________ about? How shall people hear without some sort of a ___________? How shall they preach without other Christians sending them? Supporting them as they go freely - as missionaries and church planters?

E. The Soul-Winner is Needed Because it is the Only Way that Works (Rom 10:16,17). Truly, not everyone who hears will believe the gospel. But there is no better way! Faith is all that God is looking for (Heb 11:6; Eph 2:8)! And faith ONLY comes by hearing the presentation of the word of God - not through miracles and visions, and gifts - but through proclaiming Christ’s love for sinners! III. The Work of the Gospel A. God's Part 1. As a Christian, you must realize that you yourself cannot "save" another person's soul, nor can you by your own power draw that person to the point of salvation - you can’t force people to respond. 2. The Son had to first completely pay for their sins through His sacrifice on the cross (2 Cor 5:21), as the Lamb of God. 3. The Holy Spirit must ____________ them of their sin (John 16:7-11). People must realize that they are guilty before God (compare 2Tim 4:2). 4. The Father must ________ them to the point of salvation (John 6:44) B. Your Part. While the supernatural act of salvation can only be done by God alone (John 1:12,13), it is the Christian that God has chosen to use as a tool to bring about salvation! 1. In Matthew 13:3-8, we are the __________ that sows the seed of the word of God in the hearts of hearers (Mt 13:18-23). 2. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 states that we are ________________ that must reconcile man to his creator through salvation 3. We are to open people’s _______ (Acts 26:17,18) - takes a lot of effort! 4. Patiently chip away at people’s misunderstandings (2 Tim 2:24-26) Some thoughts: make sure that you pray before you go and present the Gospel. Let God cleanse you from personal sins, and then empower you to do this most miraculous work! Also, try and always have a partner with you who can pray while you witness, or who can witness while you pray.

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5. Have the right tools with you: a. Use well-written Gospel leaflets! Make sure that everyone gets a Gospel leaflet so that they can read it later if they don't get saved right then. b. Have a New Testament with you. Mark the important verses (i.e., Romans 3:10, 23; 6:23; 5:8, 10:13, 17; John 1:11,12; etc.). c. Use your own testimony of how you got saved. d. Keep your breath clean - use breath-mints! 6. Bring current events into the conversation in order to get them to realize that life is short and that they need a Saving God, not just a religious system! 7. Have set times to go - Participate in church-wide soul-winning. If you don’t make time for this, it will never get done, and you are in disobedience to our Lord’s greatest command to the Christian! IV.The Presentation of the Gospel A. Work Through The Following Stages of Soul-Winning 1. Conversation/Current Events - Look for ways to get the Scriptures into the conversation (like Jesus did with the woman at the well in John 4). 2. Convincement - Convince them that the Scriptures are truth (Rom 3:4) 3. Conviction (Guilty) - Work the Scriptures into their situation so they can be convicted of sin. Get them to _________ the Scriptures (Jn 5:39) to see that their own good works and religion have failed them (Tit 3:5). 4. Conversion - Press them for a decision, and wait for Conversion (John 3:3,7) - This is a work only the Holy Spirit can do (John 16:7-11). 5. Confession- Encourage public Confession (Rom 10:10,11; Jn 12:42,43). 6. Commitment - Get them to realize that Christ is committed to them, and therefore, they should now be totally committed and loyal to HIM, at the cost of everything else (John 6:66-68; Mt 10:37,38)! B. What the Hearer Must Realize 1. A person must realize that he is a ___________ (Rom 3:10,23). 2. A person must understand that _______ died for him while he was still a ________, and NOT after he got his life cleaned up (Rom 5:8). 3. A person must come to God with genuine, godly repentance (Rom 2:4; Acts 20:21; 2Cor 7:10). Emphasize the meaning of repentance: To change your life's direction because you realize you are UNgodly (currently going against God's laws), and are headed for judgment. 4. A person must believe that he can only be justified (i.e., made righteous in God's sight) by trusting the blood of Jesus Christ to have paid for all his sins (Rom 5:9; Eph 1:7). 5. A person must above all understand that it is his faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ that saves him, and not any additional good works (Rom 3:28). 6. A person must call upon the Lord Jesus and ask Him specifically to save them (Rom 10:9,10,13). God cannot do it without their request!

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C. A Sample Presentation - Get the conversation going "If you died today, wouldn't you like to know that you would be in heaven?" "If so, let me show you out of the Bible..." THE ROMAN'S ROAD TO HEAVEN Who is good? Rom 3:10-12 says "There is _______ righteous, no not one." Who has sinned? Romans 3:23 says, "For _____ have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." The eternal cost of your sin. Romans 6:23a states, "For the wages of sin is _________." Nothing you DO can save you. Romans 3:20a says, "Therefore by the ______ of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." God's love has made a way! Romans 5:8,9 declares, "But God commendeth his ______ toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." You must place all your faith upon Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9 explains, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." And verse 13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.”

V. Hindrances to the Presentation of the Gospel A. Your Life not Being a Good Example - When your walk does not match your talk. You may be the only Bible that your co-workers, and family will ever read (2 Cor 3:2). Therefore, don't give anybody an excuse from being saved because your "walk" is no different than theirs (2 Cor 6:17)! Live what you preach (Rom 2:21-23)! B. Watch Your Surroundings 1. Get away from disturbances (turn off the TV, radio). 2. Have your partner occupy the attention of any children, or the spouse if they are present in the room. 3. Get somewhere where you can comfortably open the Bible so it can be seen by both you and the other person.

Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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Answers From Scripture to Show People How to be Saved
Scriptures to answer the questions of Roman Catholicism. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Final authority being only the Bible (Matt 4:4; Rom 3:4; John 17:17; John 8:32,36) Mary was a sinner - not sinless (Luke 2:21-24; Rom 3:10,23) Mary needed a Saviour (Luke 1:47) Jesus had brothers and sisters (Matt 12:46-50; 13:55,56; Mark 6:3; Gal 1:19) There is no need to pray through Mary, or any saint (1 Tim 2:5)! Religion ends up substituting the tradition of men in the place of the commandments of God (Mark 7:7,10) 7. Salvation is not by works at all (Eph 2:8,9; Tit 2:5; Isa 64:5), no matter how good they are. 8. Watch out for anyone who forbids people to marry or to eat meats (1Tim 4:1-3) 9. All pastors are to be married as a general rule (1Tim 3:2). Peter was married (Mt 8:14) 10. Baptism is NOT important to our salvation (1Cor 1:17) - it is only for after salvation. 11. Jesus hates the Rosary (Matt 6:7), and any other repetitious prayer! 12. There is no purgatory (2 Cor 5:8; Heb 1:3; 9:27; Rom 8:1) - either heaven or hell! 13. A person is justified only by faith alone in Christ Jesus (Rom 1:17; Gal 2:16) 14. Jesus finished paying for ALL of my sins on the cross (John 19:30) 1. Self righteousness is the worst sin (1 John 1:8,10; Rom 10:3) 2. Thinking that “My church is better than others” is not what matters with God (John 3:3) 3. “I keep the 10 commandments” is impossible (James 2:10; Tit 3:5). Everyone must repent and be born again. 4. Thinking “I am part of the elect” is only true if you are a Jew (Isa 55:6,7; 1 John 2:2) Scriptures To Deal with a Jehovah’s Witness. These people have been really confused. 1. Jesus is God come in the flesh (1Ti 3:16; Mt 1:23; Isa 7:14; Ro 9:5; 1Jn 5:20; Heb 1:8) 2. Jesus is the Jehovah of the Old Testament (Isa 40:3 & Matt 3:3; Dt 10:17 & Rev 19:16; Ps 68:18 & Eph 4:8-10; Ex 3:14 & John 8:56-58) 3. Jesus is equal with God (Philp 2:6-9; Isa 43:10,11; 44:6,8) 4. Jesus is eternal (Micah 5:2) 5. The trinity concept is Scriptural (2 Cor 13:14; Gal 4:4-6; Gen 1:26) 6. There is a heaven full of mansions (John 14:1-3) awaiting Christians 7. The 144,000 witnesses of Revelation 12 are real Jewish male virgins (Rev 14:1-5) 8. If a prophet ever makes a false prediction, that person is to be stoned with stones, and disregarded (Dt 18:20-22) 9. When Jesus does come back, every eye shall see Him (Rev 1:7) 10. The Holy Spirit really is a real person (John 16:13) 11. Hell is literal and eternal (Matt 23:33; Rev 14:11; 20:10; Luke 16:23-31) Scriptures to Deal with a Mormon about salvation. 1. Exclusivity of Jesus Christ to salvation (John 14:6; Hos 13:4) 2. You can know that you have eternal life right now based upon the sole authority of the written word of God (1 John 5:11-13) 3. Baptism is not important (1 Cor 1:17) 4. Decide the final authority issue (Rom 3:4; John 17:17; John 8:32,36; Matt 4:4) 5. God has no body, but rather is a spirit (John 4:24) 6. Jesus is God come in the flesh (1 Tim 3:16) 7. God has always been, and always will be - never created (Ps 90:1,2) 8. Only Satan teaches that man can become like God (Gen 3:5; Isa 14:13,14) 9. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses the sinner from SIN (1 John 1:7) 10. The Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for our sins (1 Cor 15:1-4) 11. The true church of Jesus Christ never disappeared (Matt 16:18) 12. Disregard genealogies and fables (1 Tim 1:4) PERSONAL EVANGELISM · 113

Scriptures relating to Protestantism (Many of the issues are the same as with Catholicism)

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Lesson Seventeen

A Study of the Curse of Drink and the Christian's Response

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Lesson Seventeen

Memory Verse: Romans 12:11

Lesson Verse: Proverbs 20:1

"Wine is a mocker, and strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Proverbs 20:1 I. Introduction A. The Bible has never been unclear about the important issues in life. The problem is always that people play ignorant instead of taking the time to "search the Scriptures" (John 5:39) for the right answer about how to live, and what is right to do. This is true with what we are about to study. B. Wine, and strong drink have plagued mankind from the time of Adam and Eve’s fall in Genesis 3 up to today. It has affected even the best of people - see Genesis 9:20-22, where "Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father." So began the sad tale of alcohol's

influence! C. This study will show that the correct use of wine and strong drink is not to be “in moderation” but only as a medicine - it is definitely not for social entertainment or pleasure -"He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich" (Proverbs 21:17). D. From the very start of this study, let the Scriptures make it very clear that "Wine IS a mocker, and strong drink IS raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." (Proverbs 20:1). It is not an issue of whether wine can "become" a mocker when abused, but that its very nature IS mockery to the Christian life, and that it deceives all who think they can handle it! E. This study is designed to present God's view of wine and alcoholic drink. You will need to fill-in the answers to the questions from the Scriptures presented. Please study all the Scriptures presented, and then fill in the blanks. II. Study Outline on Alcoholic Drinks A. The Different Kinds of Wine and Alcoholic Drinks 1. Did you know that there are TWO types of "wine" in the Bible? a. _____ - squeezed from the grape. Simple grape juice (Lk 5:37,38) b. _____ - fermented - alcoholic grape drink (Lk 5:39). The word “wine” in the Bible can refer to either fermented (alcoholic), or unfermented (pure) grape juice. The word 'wine' is a general term. It is the surrounding context of each verse that tells you which kind of wine God is talking about. 2. There is also a drink referred to as “__________ drink” (Prov 20:1). 3. Let’s look in detail at each of these three drinks: a. The Fruit of the Vine - called, “New Wine” - Juice of the Grape.

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1) It is not found in the “vat” but in the “_______” (Isa 65:8). It is fresh from the grape - simple juice with nothing added! 2) God’s people never drank alcoholic wine (Dt 29:5,6; 32:14)! 3) God’s blessings are found in “_____” wine (Pr 3:9,10), not in fermented drinks. We will study fermentation a little later on. 4) Wine is compared to “blood” in the Bible, and God's people are supposed to only drink the “______ blood of the grape” (Dt 29:6; 32:14). There should never be anything added. 5) New wine is a refreshing beverage, not an intoxicating drink (Ps 104:13-15)! 6) Jesus drank “_____” wine at His last supper (Mt 26:29). Jesus never drank alcoholic wine, or any strong drink! b. Fermented Wine - called “Old Wine” - what we call 'Liquor' 1) Old wine is made by man. It is not natural. Let’s look at how fermented wine is made, and what makes it “old”: a) It must be allowed to “decay” or spoil (the natural starches in the juice are allowed to break-down into sugars and alcohol). b) The temperature, and sugar content must be regulated. If the decaying process is not carefully controlled, then it will sour, and be bitter, and therefore not enjoyable. c) Yeast (“leaven” in the Bible) is added to enhance the decaying process. This is referred to as “mingling” wine with additional ingredients. Mingled wine may have sugars and other seasonings added during the fermentation process to enhance the flavour (Pr 23:29,30) for "special meals" d) When kept under pressure, the resulting carbon dioxide from the fermentation is retained in the liquid until opened, producing a “pop” and resulting in all the carbonated bubbles, as well as the “head” on beers. 2) Old wine in the Bible is only used as a drug, not a refreshing beverage (1Tim 5:23; Luke 10:33,34). 3) It is referred to as an “intoxicating” beverage because it has the power to render someone senseless, or with less sense. Paul tells Timothy to “____ a little wine”, not drink a little wine. Use it like you would a modern medicine. Old wine cleanses cuts and bruises, and can be used to purify water under extreme circumstances. People kept it around for “using”, not drinking. You would NEVER take glass-fulls of medicines, yet people do with alcohol, and they do it to their hurt! 4) Fermented wine is only the beginning of a path that leads to stronger liquor! Alcoholic drink is never satisfying (Hab 2:5)! 5) Old wine is only permitted to be drank in the following situations: a) When about to _____ - to not worry, and be able to ignore pains and past haunting memories (Pr 31:4-7). b) As a medicine, alcoholic wine could be used as: i) A psychological drug (Prov 31:6,7) to calm the overburdened mind - like using a sleeping tablet.

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ii) A physical drug (1Tim 5:23; Lk 10:34) to ease pains, and clean out wounds. c) Important note – there are so many better medicines today than the use of alcoholic drink, that are designed to address pain, or infection, and are controlled in their dispensing so that people can’t easily abuse them like they can drink! d) So, unless you are living on a deserted island somewhere with no medicines except alcoholic drink, there is no need for alcoholic drink in your home or life – period! 6) The love of old wine is wrong (Prov 21:17), and is therefore a fleshly lust that “______ against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11) - it keeps the person from ever conquering sin and self, and being able to be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18). c. Strong Drink 1) Strong drink (like whisky and rum) is harder drink than alcoholic wines and beers. These drinks have been referred to as “spirits” due to all the “extra” alcohol that is added to them for a greater “punch.” 2) Hard liquor is a picture of God’s wrath and judgment on a nation (Ps 75:8; Mt 26:39; Jn 12:27; Rev 14:9,10). It is NOT a blessing! B. The Results of Drinking 1. If you drink New Wine - It refreshes, and makes a person’s heart and health good (Ps 104:15, "And wine that maketh glad the heart of man"). Grape juice is good for digestion, variation (variety is the spice of life), supply of vitamins, natural sugar and extra energy intake. 2. If you drink Old Wine or Strong Drink: a. It numbs the brain making the person “think” that things are great. It is Satan’s counterfeit of new wine, and of the joy of the Lord that comes from enjoying natural foods. b. It impairs your ability to make right decisions (Pr 31:4,5). c. Liquor and immoral sex always go hand in hand (Gen 9:20-24; Hab 2:15,16; Lam 4:21). It enhances the domination of the flesh! d. Liquor and violence go hand-in-hand (Hab 2:5,17). e. Watch how the Lord in Proverbs 23, describes the life of someone who spends their time enjoying a few drinks: 1) They have troubles (woe), and ___________, and arguments (contentions) (Prov 23:29,30) 2) They don't make sense when they talk (they babble, 23:29). 3) They have wounds from fights they don't remember (23:29) 4) They look terrible - not healthy and robust (23:29)! 5) Alcoholic drinks have a hypnotic affect when you stare at it for a while (23:31). 6) Ultimately, the drinker finds himself in all sorts of trouble: a) Bitten with addiction to its poison (23:32)! Its effect is disastrous, not beneficial!

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b) Lustful, and remorseful for all the things you end up doing and saying when you drink (23:33)! c) Physically sick: dizzy and unable to stand or walk straight (23:34). d) Emotionally sick: blaming everything and everyone around you instead of blaming yourself (23:35)! You will wish it was all a bad dream! e) Addicted - dependant upon it, and not able to escape its hold on you! (23:35)! f. Liquor and self-centeredness go hand-in-hand. Drinking has the habit of becoming more important than even the welfare of your own children (Joel 3:3) - people will end up selling almost anything in order to get a drink! g. Liquor and religion go hand-in-hand (Isaiah 28:7,8) - almost all the world’s religions use either drugs or alcoholic drink to enhance their “spirituality” in the worship of their god. h. Drinking in moderation is possible, but rarely maintained, and always ends in disaster! Just as with anything, it IS possible to do something, and it not hurt you (1Cor 6:12). But that is not the way to tell if you should do it or not! We have to do what is RIGHT by God's standards, and not what we can get away with! i. Drinking liquor drives you away from your _______ and family (Hab 2:5) because it never can satisfy the emptiness of the heart! j. Drinking liquor is usually pushed upon people (Hab 2:15). People don’t normally go after the drink unless it is greatly advertised and pressured upon them (see any conversation at a pub between those who are drinking and those who are just sitting at the bar). C. What about Beer? 1. Beer is made using basically the same process as that of wine, except, instead of using grapes, barley grain is used. 2. The purpose of drinking beer is the same as that of wine - to help a person “relax, and unwind.” A Christian does not need a beer or a glass of wine to help them end a day, anymore than a child does. An adult who looks to ANY drink for help at the end of the day (to relax) is only looking for a cheep substitute to prayer and fellowship with God. They are carnal, and backslidden, and need to repent! 3. Even though the alcoholic content of beer is low, that is not a reason to drink it - most people who do drink beer, drink a lot of it - not just a sip or two. At the end of the evening, the beer drinker is full of alcohol, and is usually unfit to drive - and is unfit to be a Christian! D. Biblical Warnings about Liquor: 1. Drink is like a “god” to some people (Isa 5:11). They live for it! 2. Drink is made out to be a proof of manhood and strength (Isa 5:22). 3. Drink is not to be a social event in your home or anywhere (Hab 2:15). 4. God says wine and drink will make a mockery out of you (Prov 20:1). In other words, the person who drinks, is dumb, dumb, DUMB! 5. Drink is not a disease, but an act of the will against God (Pr 23:35)!

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E. The Usual Reasons for Drinking - why people drink intoxicating liquors: 1. To forget troubles and heartaches - Sometimes God wants you to have your troubles, to get you to see you are only "reaping what you ______" (Gal 6:7,8). To try to remove God’s payback for your sin is to ignore God, and to reap more troubles. Then there are the times when you are called upon to suffer for being in the right (Philippians 1:29). Who would run to a bottle to "cope" with God's blessing (Mt 5:11,12)? For a Christian to try and use anything other than Christ to cope with problems, is like a married man running to a harlot to help him cope with his life's problems! It is just as wicked in God's eyes! 2. Because they don’t have anywhere else to turn a. All humans are sinners by nature - we sin naturally. The core of our being is sinful in God's eyes. We are not pure, and holy. b. Our sinfulness is the source of our emptiness, and lustful desires for wrong things. c. The desire for Drink, is just one of many many sins that can take over a person's life. d. So many have been presented with religion as the answer to their sins, and sorrows, only to find it too is empty. So they turn to drink. But only Christ will satisfy when we turn to Him for the real help we need (Isa 53:4-6). 3. Because they would rather take the risk with drink, than with drugs - Don't take either risk, since there is sure help with Christ (Jn 10:10)! 4. Because of pressure. Friends and family are too important to you if they can pressure you into doing what God condemns (Mt 10:37)! What if they talk you into stealing, or lying (it is all the same) you have no excuse, no matter how much pressure you feel! 5. Because people think there is no other way to have a good time. F. The Lie about Drinking in “Moderation” 1. Nobody can “handle” fermented liquor in moderation unless the following conditions can be met: a. You have to first give a person a drink, which violates Hab 2:15. Read it and see that it is wicked to give a friend a drink (Isa 5:22)! b. The person has to first drink “to excess” to find out where their limit is - this then violates the first rule of “drink” because you have to get yourself “drunk” to know when enough is enough! c. The person then has to keep drinking in order to develop and maintain their tolerance of drink, so that they can handle more and more without getting drunk. All of this is just a balancing-act that God never intended the Christian to get into. The Christian stays clear of things that can hinder their ability to serve their Lord!
“Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1Thes 5:22)

2. Moderation is anybody’s guess because a person does not usually know when they have exceeded their own personal limit of drink until someone else sees it, or they kill someone on the highway!

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3. Alcoholic drink affects a person's alertness, and yet the apostle Peter says in 1Peter 5:8, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour"

4. God expects a Christian to stop drinking completely at salvation:
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such WERE some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor 6:9-11)

5. None of the listed people are “Christian” in their actions at all! The thing to ask yourself as you re-read the list is: Can I do ANY of those things, IN ANY AMOUNT and it be right with God? (Read this question again and again until you get the meaning!) a. Fornicators - Fornication is sex before marriage. If we can drink in moderation, then it is ok when we commit fornication in moderation! NO! Fornication is wrong from the start! b. Idolaters - Idolatry is completely wrong. A person cannot be a Christian and still have just a few idols (1 Cor 10:14)! Neither can a Christian hold onto just a few drinks (as we shall see). c. Adulterers - Adultery is sex with another partner besides your spouse and is completely wrong - No Christian is right with God if they even commit adultery ONCE (Heb 13:4)! They must repent, confess, and FORSAKE the sin - not just "reduce" it! d. Effeminate - Being effeminate is when a man acts like a female, and is beginning down the road to homosexuality. God says that it is wrong for a man to stop being masculine, and says acting like a woman even in moderation is wicked! e. Abusers of themselves with mankind - This is homosexuality, and is not condoned in the slightest! It is an abomination to God (Lev 20:13; Rom 1:26,27)! f. Thieves - Thievery is wicked, and wrong even in the slightest amount for a Christian (Eph 4:28)! You cannot separate petty theft from big-time stealing. Stealing is wrong in all amounts! g. Covetous - Covetousness is wrong, and is not OK for the Christian just as long as that Christian doesn’t let it take control of their life - it is just completely wrong (Ex 20:17)! h. Drunkards - Most people when they come to this verse read all the above descriptions correctly, but when they get to the word “drunkards” they only imagine that God does not want a Christian to get “plastered” drunk, and that it is OK if they drink a little. Sorry! Just as with ALL the other words, God has no tolerance for the Christian even dabbling in any of this sin! God considers a person who drinks even “in moderation” the same as a person who gets drunk. To "take" just one item from a store brands you as a "thief." To kill just one person brands you as a murderer! To drink just ONE alcoholic drink identifies you in God's eyes (maybe not in people's eyes), but in God's eyes as a DRUNK! i. Revilers - A reviler is a bad tempered man or woman, and God says that the Christian is NOT to lose their temper at all! j. Extortioners - Extortion is the illegal gain of money. A Christian is never to obtain money illegally, even in “moderation!”
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6. None of the above people “shall inherit the kingdom of God.” And so the Bible continues, “And such _______ some of you: but ye are ______ (cleansed from the sins), but ye are ___________, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1Cor 6:11). Christians in Corinth had at some time in the past been sinful in one or more of the above areas, but NOW, because of Jesus Christ saving them, they are different - they surely WERE that way, but are NOW washed, sanctified, and justified by Christ - and they were not supposed to try and “cut back” on adultery, idolatry, thievery, homosexuality, or drunkenness. They were supposed to stop all of it completely, and live for Jesus Christ - the One who saved them "______ their sins" (Mt 1:21), not saved them to be able to remain IN their sins. G. Questions from Other Scriptures - Here are some verses that people quote to prove drinking in moderation for a Christian is permissible: 1. Ephesians 5:18 The question is, whether the “excess” is in being drunken (which is usually thought), or in the wine itself (see Pr 20:1)? a. Look at 1 Peter 4:4. Is it ok if a Christian does just a "little" rioting, as long as it is in moderation? NO! The riot itself is excessive, just like wine itself is excessive! b. The Christian has been converted at salvation from sin's power to the power in the life of Jesus Christ, and therefore, the person's desires have been converted - they have been changed from seeking satisfaction in wine, money, rebellion (riot) and pleasures, to seeking the things of God, and especially the Holy Spirit! c. Most "Christians" only dabble in yielding to the Holy Spirit because they want to continue to "dabble" in yielding to the desire for wine, beer and strong drink! God help us to get on one side or the other. Jesus said in Rev 3:15,16, "thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art __________, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

2. 1 Timothy 3:3 The question here is whether “given” can only mean “intoxicated” or “addicted” to something. Look at verse 2 where “given to hospitality” is not intended to mean “intoxicated” with it, but open, and welcoming it to happen in your daily life. The Christian is commanded NOT to welcome drink into their life, nor to be open to drinking AT ALL! In other words, don't even desire it! 3. 1 Timothy 3:8 “...not given to much wine” is referring to home use where you CAN use old wine in medicinal uses, but the Christian is to be careful not to get used to having it in everything you eat and drink. People can abuse a drug that was meant to aid medicinally, and end up getting addicted to it - like modern kids “sniffing glue!” Glue is good to have around your home - but make sure that you don’t find yourself buying loads of it to sustain someone’s “habit!” The wine here is like the wine of Romans 14:21, ("It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine , nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak"), where the Deacon must be above question, and careful not to allow in his home what would cause others to stumble, including even grape juice. Remember, the same kind of "bottles" that held intoxicating wine, also would at other times hold fresh, grape juice. The problem would be for the new believer to discern whether "deacon so and so" was drinking alcohol, or new wine (the bottles weren't probably labelled).

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4. Titus 1:7 It is the same thing as 1Tim 3:3, but especially notice the words “not ______ to filthy lucre” - if we can drink to moderation, then, as long as we are moderate about it, we can partake of filthy lucre (money obtained wrongfully)! The Bible is its own interpreter. The words "not given to" means "not desiring it, and not open to it." 5. Titus 2:3 “not given to much wine.” See 1 Tim 3:8 above. The problem here is whether a person is allowed to drink as long as "much" is not consumed. No - The command is that the older women of the passage were to resist the constant pressure of the day to turn to wine, and to teach the younger women GOOD things, to be SOBER, holy - not how to drink! 6. Acts 2:12,13 “drunk with new wine” - Those who doubted the supernatural nature of the events of Pentecost came up with some illogical conclusions about why it was happening: a. Some said this was “crazy” (saying this event had no meaning). b. Others thought they were drunk with “________ wine,” which is only a derogatory statement. Nobody can get drunk on NEW wine because grape juice does not have any intoxication. It is like saying they were drunk because of drinking buttermilk being unable to handle anything more than milk. The world just brands things that they don't understand as crazy, or immature. That’s how they treat most of history, and the Bible. 7. 1 Peter 4:3 “excess of wine” - This implies that as long as you don’t get caught up in drinking wine “to excess” (where you get drunk), then you are right with God. According to Ephesians 5:18, the excess is IN the fermented wine to begin with - it is built into wine. The thing that Peter points out in this verse is that these Christians were no longer caught-up in the excess of wine - they had been saved, and their thirst for liquor had been converted to a thirst for God and His Holy Spirit! For further proof, look at verse 4, where the excess is found IN the “rioting”! Things that by nature are excessive include: riot, murder, rape, and drink!!! 8. John 2:1-11 “the water that was made wine” - This is usually where everyone refers when they want to justify their desire to drink alcoholic wine, never imagining that the wine these people were drinking might actually be just fresh grape juice! a. Can you imagine Jesus showing up three days into a drunken binge, and offering them MORE liquor? Go on, think about it! Jesus would be violating His own rules if He gave His neighbour alcoholic “drink” (Hab 2:15). b. Jesus made extra special tasting pure grape juice that was enjoyed by all the members of the wedding party because they still had their discerning senses even though they had been drinking “wine” for three whole days! They were not drunk with fermented alcoholic liquor, but were enjoying refreshing grape juice! c. Jesus never drank wine that was mixed with anything else (Mk 15:23), but was always, only fresh from the vine (Mk 14:25)! H. How To Overcome the Addiction, and Attraction to Liquor - The following is a list of basic things a person has to do to win over the addiction of alcohol - for a more thorough study, contact your pastor. 1. Accept the fact that no one is born an alcoholic, but rather we are all born sinners, and therefore sin - some by drinking, and others by thieving, etc. Without the salvation that
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2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Christ purchased on His cross, there is no victory available over drink or any other sin in your life! Get saved (Mt 1:21; 11:28,29). You cannot win over addiction without the victorious power of Christ in your life! This cannot be over-emphasized: an alcoholic must not seek to become sober, or become a better husband, or anything but a defeated sinner who surrenders to the saving power of Jesus Christ (Rom 6:11; 10:13)! You must come to the living SAVIOUR, and only then will you find rest in your SOUL! Surrender your entire life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Mt 7:24-27) - Let HIM be the authority that tells you how to live your life - no longer live for your own appetites! Don’t be a slave to your habits - instead, be a prisoner of Jesus Christ from now on (Eph 4:1)! Repent of drink as a wicked and evil sin against both God, and the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is your body (1 Cor 3:17; 6:19,20). This means more than being sorry - it means forsaking the sin of drink, and replacing it with the Holy Spirit of God (Pr 28:13)! Replace the drink with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18). Fast and pray through the struggles of depression, anxiety, and nervousness that got you dependant upon drink in the first place! Seek God's Holy Spirit to fill each of those holes in your life that you used to try and fill with alcoholic drink! Progressively saturate your life with God's word in study, and with God's work, as you yield to right living! Remember, sin (even drink) "shall not have _________ over you. (Rom 6:14)" Become accountable to a mature Christian who will help you through the times you used to rely on the liquor for. This is a must. You at least need a godly, Biblepreaching pastor to whom you can rely upon for straight biblical counsel, and rebuke when needed. You also need good friends who will be there when you struggle and want to give in. Get busy serving the Lord in your life - quit having so much time to spend drinking, and get out dealing with people about Christ!

III. Brief Summary of Conclusions A. There are two kinds of wine - new (fresh squeezed) and old (alcoholic). B. God forbids and warns against the distribution of old wine, unless it is only for medicinal purposes. C. Jesus never drank old wine - He always drank it new, fresh from the grape. D. Drinking wine and strong drink “in moderation” is impossible for a Christian, just like committing adultery in moderation is impossible! E. Drinking beer is the same as drinking wine in God’s eyes. F. The Christian who seeks to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit MUST abstain (stay totally away) from intoxicating “spirits”. G. There is a CURE for addiction to alcohol - becoming a slave to nothing and nobody outside of Jesus Christ through His perfect word! H. Therefore, the only way out of addiction to alcohol is found in repentance, and surrender to Christ on a daily basis, seeking to be filled with the Spirit as you study, and live by the perfect words of the living God - the Bible! Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________
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Lesson Eighteen

A Study of the Christian and His Work Related Responsibilities

THE CHRISTIAN AT WORK
Lesson Eighteen

Memory Verse: Romans 12:11

Lesson Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:31

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 I. Introduction A. The Bible has a great deal to say about how you are to conduct yourself on your job, either as an employee, or an employer. About one-fourth of a person's adult life is spent on a job. It is essential for the Christian to learn how the Lord would have you work, and fulfill your responsibilities there. Be careful not to restrict your Christian testimony to just church and home. B. This lesson is intended to help you be the type of employee, or employer that God would have you to be. II. Basic Principles A. All Christians are Supposed to Work - not be Lazy! 1. We were made to work (Gen 2:15; 3:17-19). We were not made to have the “easy life.” The easy life comes in heaven, and after hard work! 2. Primarily on a full-time job for a man (2 Thes 3:10-12). a. If a man who is able to work, is not working, he ought not to eat! Nobody should pity that man, and that man ought to FAST and seek a job until he gets it – it is that important to his character! b. If a man is not working, his health will only collapse! As will his family! 3. Primarily at home for a woman (Titus 2:3-5; 1Tim 5:13,14). And, don’t tell me THAT is not work enough! 4. God hates laziness, idleness, and slothfulness (Pr 6:6-11; Rom 12:11). 5. If you are not working, and yet not dying in a hospital, then you are sinning against God, against your family, and against yourself! Get a job! B. All Christians are Servants of the Lord. In other words: “Serve your Lord throughout your entire day at home, and at work” 1. Romans 1:1 says that the Christian's primary job is to serve _________________. So, when we labour at anything, we are to do it for HIM! 2. Serve the Lord mowing grass, building houses, making clocks, digging ditches, designing computers, standing guard – whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord! 3. Serving God is a full-time job - not just when you go to church (1Pet 3:15; 2 Tim 4:2). We need to SERVE the Lord Jesus by always doing things for others! 4. Serve the Lord especially at church! The Bible is very clear that every Christian is an integral part of a local church, and that each member's contribution is vital to that local fellowship of believers. God expects every Christian to be involved in doing the Lord's
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work by witnessing, and caring about the needs of others (1Cor 12:12,13; Eph 4:1116). C. A Job is What God Gives You so that you Can Serve 1. The world says your first responsibility is first to your self! But God says, your first ministry is to your ____________ (1 Tim 3:1,4,5; 5:8). 2. Your second ministry is to your church family (Gal 6:10; Heb 10:25). 3. Your third ministry is to reach the lost (2 Cor 5:18,20). 4. By meeting those responsibilities, your own needs will be met! Your job in life is meant by God to financially support all of the above ministries. But, without your job, you will be very limited in serving God in the above ministries. Don’t let Satan trick you into laziness, and defeat. D. Your Attitude at Home or at Work is Critical to Your Testimony 1. Attitudes toward your job. You should view your job as a ministry opportunity, not just a job. a. For most Christians, your fellow workers (or your neighbours) are the greatest exposure you have to unsaved people. Your life may be the only true witness of the Lord Jesus that they may ever see. 1) You are a _________ representing Jesus Christ in a dark world (Matt 5:14-16) 2) Your life should reflect and demonstrate the Bible in living colour (2 Cor 3:2)! An “epistle” is just another word for a letter. We are a living letter, written by God for all to read about HIM! b. A mother has the greatest opportunity to present Christ to their children! Don't let anybody demean or mock motherhood! c. You will have a much greater influence on those you spend the most time with. Although total strangers are surely an opportunity for a witness, those who can see a consistent testimony of a Christian's life are much easier to win. 2. Attitudes toward the company and management you work for: a. Serve in your job as if ______________ was your employer (Eph 6:5-8; Col 3:2224). b. Have a grateful attitude at work! Don't get caught up in the complaining that normally goes on! The same is true among women - don’t get caught up complaining to other women about your family, and the work load! That brings a bitter spirit into both your life, into your home, and into the homes of the people you talk to! c. Respect the authority of your employer's position. 1) Obviously no employer will be correct on every point, and you certainly can disagree with them, but you are to submit to their leadership, using it as an opportunity to show them a testimony of the Lord (Titus 2:9,10). Purloining means to rob from your employer, as in “pinch”, “pilfer”, or “pocket” the change. 2) This only goes until they cross clear Biblical lines of right and wrong (Example of being asked to sell liquor, etc.).
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d. Respect your company's property. Care for it as if it was yours. It does not belong to you, so do not "partake" (Lev 19:11)! e. Respect your company's time. 1) Do eight hours of work for eight hours of pay (2 Cor 8:21; Col 3:22). 2) Be efficient! That means work hard, and at your best! The Biblical word is “diligence.” 3) Also, you are getting paid to work, not witness. Use appropriate times to talk about the Lord (like on breaks, etc.). f. You are to do the very best that you can to help the company succeed and make your employer look good (Rom 12:11; 1 Cor 10:24; Prov 10:4). Joseph is the greatest example of this principle in the Bible. See Genesis 39:1,2,21,22 all the way through to chapter 50 as they record his labours for others, including: 1) 2) 3) 4) For his father, Jacob For his master, Potiphar For the prison keeper For Pharaoh!

g. Mind your own __________ - to a limit (1Thes 4:11) h. If you suffer wrongfully on the job, suffer it _______________ (1Pet 2:20). This will usually be a testing of your resolve to live like Christ on the job – don’t fail here! i. And finally, don't let someone else's laziness affect your work; (2Thes 3:10-13). E. What About Those Under Your Leadership? 1. Are you treating your people justly and equally? Do you set standards for them which you refuse to keep yourself? (See Col 4:1; Eph 6:8,9) 2. Are you consumed by your own self-interests without considering the needs of those employees around you (Philp 2:3,4)? 3. Are you defrauding your employees (taking unfair advantage of them) so that they suffer, and you don’t? See James 5:1-5. 4. Even in a position of leadership, you should always maintain the attitude of a _________ (Mark 10:42-45). Remember that Jesus, the Lord of Lords, came to minister, and was a servant! III. Some Issues to Settle A. "What if my job conflicts with spiritual things?" 1. There will always be some conflict of priorities between church activities and your work schedule. You cannot quit your job and take time off work because of a few minor conflicts. Remember, your job is a ministry opportunity. However, you must not use your job as an excuse to neglect your responsibilities to your church. Maintain a right balance in this area. 2. When your job responsibilities are contrary to Bible principles, then you must draw the line (Acts 5:27-29): a. Refuse to lie or steal for your employer, or violate other clear commandments of God.
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b. Guard against temptations on the job (flirting, loafing, complaining, losing your testimony, etc.). c. Don't be influenced by sinful activities around you. d. Refuse to do things that you know are contrary to the Bible 1) 2) 3) 4) Selling __________, or strong drink (Hab 2:15) Manufacturing and selling ________ (Acts 19:24) Selling Pornography, or even things doubtful (Rom 14:23) Working on Sunday just so you can get more money.

3. IDEA – if you just can’t find a decent job, that allows you to be a Christian, then you ought to consider STARTING your OWN BUSINESS! B. "How do I find the right job that God wants me to have?" 1. Have you taken the matter to God in prayer (James 1:5; Philp 4:6,7)? 2. Will the new job destroy what God is trying to develop in your life? You may have an area in your life that God may be focusing on through a co-worker or employer, and if you change jobs, you may be escaping God's refining process. 3. If you are having to move, or being asked to move to another city, is there a church there which can provide for your spiritual needs? 4. If you have a job, but are looking for a job, ask yourself, "Am I running away from something I should be facing and trying to correct?" C. “Can a woman work outside the home?” (Titus 2:3-5) Yes and No. 1. The godly home takes an immense amount of work! According to Proverbs 31:10-31, a godly woman works more than most people realize! 2. The following conditions need to be met for a woman to work a job: a. If she is not married. Obviously she needs to work if she has no other responsibilities. And, she needs to excel! b. If married and not expecting children. However, this usually hinders the husband and wife from wanting children, which is wrong. c. If absolutely necessary. There are times when the wife does need to work a job, but she needs to allow her husband to be the breadwinner, and be willing to step back home when bills are under control. D. “How do I handle persecution on the job?” 1. Most "persecution" in our culture is a result of the Christian's own ignorance or lack of personal commitment to the Lord. If you are being "persecuted," it is probably for one of two reasons: your behavior is improper, or your testimony is offensive to someone (1Pet 3:16,17). If it is the latter, don't worry, that is how the Light of the gospel is perceived by the world - as an offense. 2. Expect a certain amount of adversity from the world if you are truly serving Jesus Christ (2Tim 3:12). 3. Learn how to commit that adversity to the Lord, and leave it in His hands to resolve (1Pet 2:18-23).

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E. “Don't I always deserve a promotion, or a better job?” 1. Are you trying to be a leader over too many things? Consider the following, whenever a promotion or transfer opportunity presents itself: a. A great Bible principle is, "He that is faithful in that which is __________ is faithful also in __________..." (Luke 16:10). Be sure that you can handle what you have now well. And then go further. b. The more responsibility that you have, the more potential there is for problems to arise (James 3:1; Eccl 8:9). c. The more responsibilities you have, the more time and energy is demanded. Be sure your new responsibilities will not hinder your service for God (not having adequate time for family, church, and your primary ministries; 2 Tim 2:4). Keep a balance in your life. 2. Ambition is: “A strong desire to achieve (accomplish) something.” Like aspiration. Ambition is the drive behind human effort. Without ambition, human effort has no goal, or purpose. Effort becomes only tasks, and requires task-masters to complete. The book of Proverbs gives God’s best advice on ambition and life goals. a. Wrong Ambitions 1) To only provide for self, and your own happiness (Gen 3:5,6) 2) To dominate (3 John 1:9,10; Mark 9:33,34; Luke 20:46) 3) To love _________, instead of labour (1 Tim 6:10; Eccl 5:12) b. Right Ambitions (1Tim 6:5-7). People should have right ambition 1) To provide for your ______, and the future (1Tim 5:8; 2Thes 3:10). There is nothing wrong with planning, and preparing financially for the future. There is no faith in relying on others when you could have prepared for bad times yourself! 2) To do one’s best (1 Kings 3:7-14), with God’s help. 3) To please ________ (2 Tim 2:3-5) 4) To store up _____________ in heaven (Matt 6:19,20) Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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Lesson Nineteen

A Study of Where We Came From - Our Origins

CREATION AND EVOLUTION
Lesson Nineteen

Memory Verse: Romans 12:11

Lesson Verse: Genesis 1:1

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Genesis 1:1 I. Introduction A. At this point in your discipleship training you should realize foremost, that the basis for what you believe is found in God's word, the Bible. Before you got saved, your basis for truth and fact were basically vague. You may have had a belief concerning a subject, but with no real support. With God's word in hand though, truth and fact become quite clear! Especially in relation to science! Bible believers do not run and hide behind "religious views." We go to the Book of books and see what God says! Because when it comes to facts, the evidence overwhelmingly proves the creation account of the Bible, and not evolution's theory! B. This lesson will provide the new Christian with the FACTS to both reinforce his or her faith in the Bible, and also to deal with any scientist who may believe in the theory of evolution. II. Where Do We Begin? A. Some Presuppositions (World Views). Either you believe… 1. In the beginning GOD... (an Almighty Creator) 2. In the beginning DIRT... (an Almighty Accident) B. Some Misconceptions 1. "Evolution is a proven fact." Wrong. Neither evolution, nor Creation is proven, because we cannot now see either theory in operation today. Both ideas are theories that must be accepted by faith. The person's conclusions for their faith must be based upon truth though - the evolutionist has no proof, only more theories. The Creationist has the words of the Bible which can be proven in a court to be true. It has been consistently proven there are no false statements in the Bible! 2. "The Bible, and Religion are just the same." Nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible is God's final word. Religion is man's attempt to replace the need for the Bible. 3. "The Bible is religious, and therefore not scientific." How that could be true is beyond reason! Yes the Bible is religious, but only because it speaks from outside human perceptions, and it speaks about more than just the future. It accurately describes all major scientific laws of physics without contradiction. 4. "Only ignorant people believe the Bible." Ignorance is when a person is unaware of something beyond their current understanding. All people therefore are ignorant. But there are those who desire to be willfully ignorant of anything besides what they currently believe to be true - these are usually "scientists."

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C. Some Definitions 1. What Science is a. Science is a body of knowledge that can be demonstrated and observed as fact. If something cannot be proven with observable evidence, then it is only a theory, and not science. Scientific facts are called laws. For anything to become scientific law, it must stand up to two processes: observability (it can be seen) and repeatability (it can be repeated). Anything that cannot be repeated, or observed now, is only a THEORY - it can never be fact. b. A Scientific Law is a verifiable fact that has been observed, and repeated, and therefore proven to be true. Science is supposed to be based on Laws, not theories. Up until 1880, science was ONLY interested in developing LAWS based upon FACTS. But now science has to be popular, and has been swayed towards focusing on generating theories, while ignoring established facts. 2. What Evolution is. Evolution is a theory of the origin of all things based upon a process of continuous “innovative” change. It states the universe is continually improving itself through this "process." It may take billions of years, but it is supposedly gradually improving! This usually means without allowing for an outside Creator’s help. It represents the acceptance of anything that can explain the existence of this universe, as long as it does not allow for the existence of God. 3. What Creationism is: Creationism begins with the theory that an intelligent Designer (“God”) created a perfect creation, and that that creation is currently falling apart (not improving). Creationism states that creation was a one time event, and is not now occurring. Biblical creationism takes the Bible literally when it says God created everything in six 24 hour days. Neither EVOLUTION, or CREATION is an established FACT - neither can be observed, nor repeated - they are BOTH theories. The question is, which theory makes more sense?

III. Where Did The Universe Come From? Let's face it; the universe is here. The basic problem is how did it get here? In order to be scientific, we will have to go by what we can observe and by what we can demonstrate. Let's look at the only four possible explanations of how this earth got here. A. The universe has always been here. This theory states that matter is eternal, and therefore has just always been here. B. The universe has not always been here. There was a time, when "naturally," nothing produced something! This explanation describes matter coming into existence from nothing (by chance), and then life coming into existence from dead matter (all by accident).

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C. The universe is not really here, but just an illusion. You just think that it is here! This theory pleases Buddhists (who believe life is only an illusion that needs to be “resolved”) and produces more drug addicts. D. The universe started suddenly, when a Creator made it. This is what Jesus Christ believed (Mark 13:19), King David (Ps 8:3; 19:1), the apostle John (John 1:1-3), and Paul (Col 1:15-17), to name a few! There can only be four possible explanations for the existence of this universe. Can you come up with any other explanation that is not covered by one of the above four? The first two explanations are the basis for ALL evolution theories. Of the four, which is most scientific (observable) and logical? To settle this, let's look at the proven laws of science, and allow them to determine the answer. IV.Evolution - A Science Contrary To Evidence (1 Tim 6:20) A. Some Scientific Laws Against ANY Form of Evolution. 1. The Laws of Thermodynamics (Heat Energy). a. The first law says energy and matter can be transformed (changed) and altered, but cannot now be created or destroyed. This Law does away with Theory B. A universe that accidentally "big banged" out of nothing is unscientific since matter can't naturally be created (see Nehemiah 9:6). Evolution requires you to believe everything “accidentally” came from nothing! b. The second law states that energy in a closed system1 will run out. This is called ENTROPY. All forms of energy run down like a watch. For example: things do not grow toward order and cleanliness by accident (ask any housewife with kids). Nothing is in the process of "evolving" (getting better, and more advanced, and more powerful), but rather EVERYTHING which can be seen demonstrates dissipation, disintegration, decay and degeneration. Nothing is "improved" unless it is worked on by an outside force! This Law is stated in Isaiah 51:6, and does away with Theory A since if the universe had always been here, it would have "burned-out" long ago! Even though matter and energy cannot disappear, energy is always slowing down - never increasing (and never being replaced)! An example is the burning of a fire log. The log burns, and produces heat energy. That energy is then gone from the log, and cannot be produced from the same log anymore. 2. The Law of Cause and Effect. To every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction. For every effect that we see in the universe, there had to be an original cause. Evolution requires that all of ORDER came from CHAOS being “helped along” - again “accidentally.” 3. The Law of Biogenetics demonstrates that life ONLY comes from life! Every living organism comes only from living organisms (John 1:1-4)! Never has life "spontaneously" come from a dead thing. 4. Mendel’s Laws. Gregor Mendel (1822-1914) proved scientifically: a. Only genetic characteristics are inherited (things that are already coded in the DNA molecules of a gene) - only things that the parent already had “in” themselves, are
1

By "closed system," it is meant that if no energy is available to improve the state of a object from an outside force, then it is a closed system. All evolutionists believe in a "closed system" of science, or else they would have to accept the fact that God exists and has affected this universe!

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b. c. d.

e.

passed on to the next generation. Nothing new can be passed on except for mutations which are 99.9% disastrous to the next generation. Variations are built-into the DNA code of an organism - this allows for variations in a specific kind of animal - i.e., a dog’s genes have many variations already built-in (doberman, terrier, greyhound), just as a cat’s genes have many variations, etc. Variations outside of the limits of the genetic code do not occur. The variations do not include the ability for offspring to turn into anything BUT what the parent was i.e., a cat ALWAYS produces a cat! Never a cat-dog, or a butterfly, or a frog, etc. No “new” characteristics appear in ANY species (it would be like trying to play keys on a piano that aren't there) except by mutation - which ALWAYS means a degradation of the offspring’s quality of life which is opposite of the evolutionary theory. All mutations are proven to be destructive to the offspring, because they are “degenerative” and not evolutionary - the next generation ALWAYS becomes sterile.

B. Some Scientific Laws Proving Evolution… NONE! 1. Evolution requires that there would exist some natural force that is “guiding” everything toward higher and higher levels of complexity. 2. This “Law” would be called, a law of “increasing organization.” 3. This “law” does NOT exist anywhere!!!
Order
c De a re

Chaos

Biblical Science

Time

Evolutionary Fairy-Tale

Time

C. Order Out of Chaos? Could you believe that a delicate and beautiful Swiss watch could come from an explosion in a steel mill, or that a dictionary could come from an explosion in a print shop? Then how could a rational person believe that all the beauties and perfection of nature result from an explosion of hot gasses back at the "big bang?" Only if you are told again and again that it MUST have happened! D. Find the Fossil Evidence. The theory of evolution contends that life appeared "spontaneously" on the earth, and that over millions of years, life forms changed and became more complex. Man is assumed to be the product of this process. Fossils, the remains of dead plants and animals, have supposedly left a record of the organisms that once populated the earth. E. Modern research has shown that in recorded history, species are constantly moving toward extinction. Every day, more than 50 species become extinct. If evolution were true,
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one would expect to see the process providing examples of emerging species in their "transitional forms." The question arises, "where are the emerging species and their transitional forms?"2 The fossil record shows no transitional forms - only fully developed creatures, in all strata! F. Life is NOT Simple! No matter where you look, there is infinite complexity to this universe. Evolutionists hope that the universe is very simple, and “just grows upon simple building blocks.” Those “simple building blocks” just do not exist! G. Conclusion We then are left with Theories C and D. Either you believe Genesis 1:1, or lose your mind! Modern scientists simply ignore these facts, and pretend they don't exist. They reject Theory D pretending that since it is religious and not "scientific" that it is not true! V. Noah’s Flood - The Key to Geology 2Peter 3:3-8 tells us that people who scoff at the Bible are "willingly ignorant" of the Creation and the Flood. In order to understand science and the Bible, we must not be ignorant of those two great events in Earth's history. A. Over 250 Flood legends from all parts of the world have been found. Most have striking similarities to the Genesis story of a man building a boat to save his family, and the animals. B. Noah's ark was only built to float, and safely carry its cargo - not to sail. C. The ark has been proven to be large enough to hold all the required pairs of animals, people, and food with room to spare (625ft long, 104 wide, 62 high). It wasn't until 1850 that someone built another ship that big! D. God told Noah to bring two of each kind, not of each species or variety. Noah only had two of the dog kind which might have only included the wolves, coyotes, foxes, etc. The kind grouping is probably closer to our modern family division in taxonomy. This would greatly reduce the number of animals on the ark. Animals have obviously diversified into many varieties in the last 4,500 years since the Flood. E. Noah did not have to go and get the animals. God brought them to him (Gen. 6:20, "shall come unto thee"). F. The mountains, as we have them today, did not exist until during the Flood when "the mountains arose and the valleys sank down" during the total upheaval of the earth’s crust at the time (Ps. 104:5-9, Gen. 8:3-8). G. The water in the oceans right now would cover the earth 8,000 feet deep if the surface of the earth were smooth. H. The continents were not fully separated until 100-300 years after the Flood (Gen 10:25). The people and animals that came off the Ark had ample time to migrate anywhere on earth by then.
2

Concerning transitional life forms. These "transitional forms" of creatures in their evolutionary struggle upward would have had a rough time surviving. What about animals with "half wings," that were not quite ready to fly? They would have a tough time digging for grubs or running from an predator in that state!

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I. The top of Mt. Everest (from 26,000-29,000 feet) is made up of sedimentary rock containing fossils of seashells and other ocean-dwelling animals. J. Sedimentary rock is found all over the world. Sedimentary rock is laid down only by running water. K. Petrified clams in the closed position (found all over the world, including Mt. Everest) testify to their rapid mud-burial while they were still alive. L. Bent rock layers, fossil graveyards, and poly-strata fossils are best explained by a cataclysmic Flood. M. People choose to not believe the Flood because it was the judgment of God on sin (2 Pet. 3:3-8), which will also occur in the future, but then by fire. VI.Evolutionary Hoaxes, Scams, and Abuses A. Dating Methods - Billions? Millions? Or Just Thousands of Years Old? 1. Date the fossils by the “strata” they are found in. Most scientists believe that layers of the earth’s crust (called strata) represent different time periods, and were laid down over millions and even billions of years. In the 1800’s, each layer was labeled by its depth and rock type. Then, the fossils found within each layer were classified by that layer (i.e., Cambrian, Jurassic, Carboniferous, etc). 2. Date the strata by what fossils are found in it. As time went on, strata were not found to be uniform in layering, and so the fossil type that was found in each strata was used to label the strata. The problem is this: based upon a preliminary assumption in the 1800's that all the strata in the world were laid down uniformly, all fossils and strata are classified based upon each other’s preliminary labeling - i.e., the strata is identified by the fossils it contains, and the fossils are classified by the strata they are found in - circular reasoning! Not science! 3. The “Flood” ruined everything! A creationist approaches the problem from the vantage of the world-wide flood of Genesis 7 & 8, which sorted the fossils and strata in a cataclysmic, not uniform fashion. In other words, the flood messed EVERYTHING up! B. So-Called “Missing Links” of Human Ancestry 1. Java Man (Pithecanthropus) - In 1890, a skull cap, femur, and two molar teeth were grouped together as belonging to the same person. The skull is that of an ape, but the teeth and the femur bone of an human. What was not published was that they were found 45 feet apart from each other, along with many other bones of clearly apes, humans, and other animals. It was a grocery store of “parts” to construct any animal you wanted! Java man has since been reclassified as human. 2. Neanderthal Man (Homo sapiens neanderthalensis) - 1856, in Neanderthal, Germany, a skull cap and limb bones were found. It was grouped with a set of skeletons found all over Europe that had the following characteristics: prominent eyebrow ridges, low forehead, long narrow brain case, protruding upper jaw, a strong lower jaw lacking a chin. The overall skeletons were short, and stooped-over. Anthropologists believed it to be a “missing link” between man and ape because it seemed to have shuffled along when walking. However, 150 years later, it is now admitted that these skeletons were

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3.

4. 5. 6.

of people that suffered from rickets, and syphilis. Neanderthal Man was just a variation of the modern human kind with disease! The Piltdown Man (Eoanthropus). In England, in 1912, a human skull cap and an orangutan’s jaw were grouped together, along with a tooth as a hoax to prove another so-called “missing link.” It was believed by the scientific world for over 40 years until tested for age, only to find that the tooth had been filed down to look human, and the jaw bone stained to look as old as the skull cap. The Peking Man - all the “evidence” of this ape-man was lost in World War II, and is not available for examination. The Nebraska Man (Hesperopithecus) - an entire skeleton of an ape-man was constructed based upon a single tooth of a supposed “missing link.” The tooth was discovered to be of a rare pig found in Paraguay. Lucy (Ramapithecus) - once widely accepted as the direct ancestor of humans, it has now been realised that this skeleton is merely an extinct type of orangutan - not an early human.
And they call all this "SCIENCE?"

VII. Biblical Explanations A. Creation. Creation came about exactly as the Bible says it did in Genesis 1:1, where God simply created everything out of nothing. God was the First Cause - we are the Effect! From that initial creation material, God personally moulded and fashioned the worlds and each creature therein (Gen 2:7,19; Heb 1:1,2). The initial creation was instantaneous, but the resulting "finish work" took six literal days to finish. Why six days? Not because God had a speed limitation, but rather to show a pattern for man's work-week (Ex 20:9-11). After the sixth day, God stopped working (Gen 2:2), and the universe has been carrying on the work of maintaining itself since then (Gen 1:21,22,28). There is nothing new now being created (Eccl 1:9), which is exactly what Albert Einstein discovered (about 3,500 years too late)! B. Macro verses Micro Evolution 1. The evolutionist believes in something called MACRO (or BIG) evolution that allows for things to change “vertically” from one species to a higher level. This is also called “transformation.” This change process is assumed, has never been observed, and is totally unscriptural. 2. The creationist believes in something called MICRO (or small) evolution that allows for organisms to change “horizontally” from black to red, and to white, but still be the same species. This is called “variation,” and it is observed, is scientific, and is scriptural.
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C. The Dinosaurs. 1. Their existence. According to the Bible, Dinosaurs did exist on this earth. a. The first type of dinosaur is referred to as __________ (Job 40:15-24) and was a land-based animal that would match a Diplodocus. b. The other dinosaur is referred to as ___________ (Job 41:134). It was a water-based animal. It is probably the basis for all the legends about dragons. c. All the bones that "scientists" have unearthed and attached together to represent animals, were alive mainly before Noah's flood (only 4,500 years ago). Remember, all of them became extinct at the same time pointing to a cataclysmic event. 2. Their demise. The cataclysmic event was the ______ of Genesis chapters 7 - 9 where water _______ the earth (Gen 7:19) killing every breathing thing that was not on the ark. At the end of the flood, all the water was drawn into now deeper oceans and the polar regions! 3. Most of the dinosaurs that got off the ark were extinct within the next 1,000 years due to the changes that occurred in the earth’s atmosphere following the flood (a thinner atmosphere, with no water-canopy above the atmosphere that was present before the flood). 4. Another reason for their disappearance is that the dinosaurs were hunted by mankind would you want one around your home? D. Calculating The Age of the Universe 1. Moon Dust. Exploration of the moon has provided us with more evidence of the trustworthiness of the Bible, and the flaws in evolutionary thinking. Scientists know that many millions of tons of cosmic dust fall each year on both the earth and the moon. We do not notice it here because of erosion. But there is almost no erosion on the moon. Thus, the dust piles up continually on the moon's surface. If, as evolutionists believe, the universe is billions of years old, the accumulation of dust there should be great, amounting to many feet in depth. Prior to the first moon landing, most scientists predicted that the loose lunar dust could be between 50 and 100 feet in depth, presenting grave difficulties for the moon craft. When man finally reached the moon, it was discovered that the dust was between 1/4 inch and 3 inches deep. Since there is no method by which the dust could be carried away, the shallowness of it means that it has not been accumulating for long. That, in turn, means that the age of the moon and earth must be measured in thousands of years, not the millions or billions supposedly required for evolution to have taken place. 2. Half-lives. This is the study of the present rate of decay of an element. You track how fast something is decaying, and calculate back how long it has been since it was 100 percent. Uranium is constantly breaking down into helium, yet the atmosphere has such a small amount of helium that the earth couldn’t be older than a couple of hundred million years old - not 4 and a half billion!

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3. The earth’s magnetic field is decaying at a rate that only 30,000 years ago, it would have been so strong it would have pulled in the moon! 4. The continents erode too quickly for them to be billions of years old. 5. The oceans should be super saturated with salt if billions of years old. 6. Comets only last 10,000 years – they could not be billions of years old! 7. Human Artifacts throughout the Geologic Column. Man-made artifacts - such as a hammer in Cretaceous rock, a human sandal print with a trilobite in Cambrian rock, human footprints and a handprint in Cretaceous rock – point to the fact that all the supposed geologic periods actually occurred at the same time in the recent past. 8. The pressure of oil and natural gas is so high that it could not have been underground for millions of years - only for several thousand years, or else the pressure would have “leaked out” long before now! 9. Population Statistics. World population growth rate in recent times is about 2% per year. Normal growth rate throughout human history would be about half that number with wars, disease, famine, etc. wiping out approximately one third of the population on average every 82 years. So, starting with just eight people, and applying these growth rates since the Flood of Noah's day (about 4,500 years ago) would give a total human population at just under six billion people. Yet, an evolutionary view will run into major difficulties, because, if you started with one "couple" just 41,000 years ago, it would give us a total population of 2 x 1089 people! The universe does not have space to hold so many bodies. 10. Design in Living Systems. A living cell is so awesomely complex that its interdependent components stagger the imagination and defy evolutionary explanations. A minimal cell contains over 60,000 proteins of 100 different configurations. The chance of this assemblage occurring by chance is 1 in 10 4,478,296 (this number is an absolute impossibility). 11. Design in the Human Brain. The human brain is the most complicated structure in the known universe. It contains over 100 billion cells, each with over 50,000 neuron connections to other brain cells. This structure receives over 100 million separate signals from the total human body every second. If we learned something new every second of our lives, it would take three million years to exhaust the capacity of the human brain. In addition to conscious thought, people can actually reason, anticipate consequences, and devise plans - all without knowing they are doing so. E. Inherent Age 1. When God created man, He created him as an adult or baby? When He created the chicken, He did not create an egg, for it would have required a Hen to protect and hatch it. When God created the earth, He created a fully mature world that looked "billions of years old," and yet was only a few seconds old! This universe may look old, but it is only because God created everything mature and ready to reproduce themselves, from the simple atomic and genetic levels all the way up to the most complex of galaxies (Gen 1:11,12,21,22)! 2. This explains why the universe is so immense, since your starting point is no longer a "big-bang" but rather God. If the big-bang started everything, then you would have to have hundreds of billions of years to have spread everything out as far as it now is.

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With creation, God just simply set everything in its place, demonstrating the immensity of the power of God (Ps 8:1-9)! F. The Biblical Record. The Bible gives all those names and ages of people from Genesis chapter 5 on for a reason. If you take the time, you can count back from King Solomon (which lived around 1,000 years before Christ's birth, B.C.), and see that creation took place around 4,000 years BC! We are living around 2,000 years AD (after His birth), making for a total age of just 6,000 years, not 4.5 billion years! VIII. Some Final Conclusions A. The Fight Against God 1. When you teach Creation, you are attacking the very foundation of the unbeliever. His basis for why he lives the way they do is rooted in their rejection of God. Creation points all men back to accountability to this all powerful Being called God, and convinces them of their sinfulness! 2. Romans 1:18-23 states that God's existence is proved by this earth being here, and a person has to corrupt his thinking and ignore a Creator in order to go his own way. Verse 25 says they "__________" the truth of God into a lie. For example: notice that Jesus' birthday is changed into a celebration of Santa Claus (a lie), and the resurrection is changed into Easter bunnies (a lie), and so on! B. The Fruits of Evolution 1. No human theory launched upon mankind has made such an impact as Darwin's theory of evolution. It simply eliminated all absolute moral values, and man's accountability to God. Evolution accepts man only as an animal, responsible only to himself. It provides the framework for a spiritual quagmire - suicide, animalistic murders, perverted sexual behaviour, drugs, divorce, abortion, lying, stealing, rape, child abuse, homosexuality, and a host of other ills that violently affects our world. 2. What difference does it make? Well, if God does not exist; if He did not create us, then man is truly no more than an animal. There will be no day of judgment. There is no life after death. There are no absolute moral values - no rights and wrongs. If Darwin's "survival of the fittest" is true, then we have no moral restraint to prevent the adoption of Adolph Hitler's philosophy of eliminating "sub-human" races and undesirable people. According to evolution, "undesirable" racial or ethnic groups, old people, crippled people, mentally retarded people, unwanted babies in mothers' wombs, the poorly educated, the weak and sick, and any other undesirable being should be eliminated because they can only be viewed as a burden to society. They use resources that could give the more "highly evolved" among us more pleasure. 3. There is however a sure solution for these problems - a return to the solid foundation of the Bible (and its morality), and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from this solution, there is no hope for this world. Certainly evolution offers none. C. The Fruit of Scientific Creationism 1. All people are of immense value to God. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
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2. Every human being is separated from God by an immense universe filled with deterioration caused by sin. God is NOT this universe, but is outside it, and if He created it, then He is GREATER than it! 3. This Creator has intervened in history several times (at the creation, with the flood, in the birth of Jesus Christ, etc). Especially when our Creator took on Himself a human body 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem to save lost sinners by paying for their sins with His blood! 4. The Bible is scientifically accurate and demonstrates a trustworthy authority in all of life (Psalm 119:160). You can therefore TRUST it in ALL matters of which it speaks! D. The Real “Big-Bang” (2 Peter 3:6-14) - Yet to Come! 1. Forget about the evolutionary "Big Bang" - it is a hoax! 2. What every person must prepare for is the FUTURE coming Big Bang, where EVERYTHING will burn with melting heat, so that even the "_________ shall melt with fervent heat" (2 Peter 3:10). 3. Not only is everything going to melt, it will "pass away with a great ________" - a BIG BANG! God said this 2,000 years ago! 4. If EVERYTHING in the universe is going to be done away with (Matt 24:35), then what kind of persons ought we to be (2 Peter 3:10-14)? a. b. c. d. Having a holy _____________ - what we say, and how we say it (2 Pet 3:11). A godly life (2 Pet 3:11). Looking forward to the coming of God to rule (2 Pet 3:12). Diligently living in peace (rest, not anxious), without _____ and __________ - the world ought to see a big difference in your life!

Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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Lesson Twenty

A Study of Heaven, Hell, and Eternity

THE FUTURE
Lesson Twenty

Memory Verse: Romans 12:11

Lesson Verse: Isaiah 46:9,10

"...I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:" Isaiah 46:9,10

I. Introduction As you read and study the word of God, you undoubtedly will come across many Scriptures that refer to future events. These passages are called prophetic, and are very precious to the Christian because they clearly demonstrate that our God has everything under control, and all things will work out just as He has planned! Nothing will surprise the Lord! He knows the end from the beginning (Rev 22:13). On top of that, He has revealed all of important history and future events in one unique, supernatural Book (1Cor 2:9,10; 2Pet 1:20,21)! In this lesson we will briefly study the incredible subjects of heaven, hell, and the future! II. A Look At Heaven A. There are three Heavens. See 2 Cor 12:2-4 where Paul went to the third heaven. 1. First Heaven - Genesis 1:6-9,20 "And God called the firmament Heaven..." This firmament (the earth's atmosphere) consists of air, and the clouds. The birds fly around in this heaven. 2. Second Heaven - Genesis 1:14-17. The second heaven is filled with the planets, stars, comets, supernovas and nebulas that are outside our atmosphere, and yet do not reach to God. 3. Third Heaven - This is where God dwells (Matt 6:9; Ps 113:4,5). It is not anywhere near this planet (Acts 7:48-50). It is where born again believers go when they die or are taken to at the time of the rapture (1 Thes 4:15-17; John 14:1-3). B. The qualities and characteristics of Heaven 1. Heaven is a real place (Rev 4:1-3; Col 3:1,2). It is not a "state of mind," or state of “non-existence” (ie, Buddhist “nirvana”) 2. It is a holy place (Ps 20:6). "Now I know that the LORD saveth his anointed; He will hear him from his ________ heaven…" 3. Heaven is a joyful place (Luke 15:7,10). There is joy among the __________ over sinners that repent. 4. Heaven is a place of no trouble. It has no death, sorrow or pain, "And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more ___________, for the former things are passed away" (Rev 21:4). 5. Its size is immeasurable (Jer 31:37)

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6. Our place in Heaven is in a city (Heb 11:16) called the ________ Jerusalem (Rev 21:2,15-27). A furlong is 1/8 mile. So, it is 1,500 by 1,500 by 1,500 miles! Truly, there is a lot of room there! III. What About Hell? Definition: The Bible defines hell as a place where the devil, his angels, and unbelieving persons will spend eternity. They will suffer eternal punishment and separation from the saved, and from God. There are 162 references to hell in the New Testament alone, which speaks of the doom that awaits the unbeliever and over 70 of these references were made by Jesus himself! References include: Isa 5:13,14; Mt 13:41,42; 5:29,30; 10:28; 11:23,24; 16:18; Jam 3:6; Rev 20:13,14. A. Why did God create Hell? God created hell because He is a righteous and holy God and can not allow sin in his Heaven. Since all men are sinners, Jesus came into the world to save man from hell's punishment by living a perfect sinless life, die a substitutionary death, be buried and then raised by God. All this so that sinners could receive the free gift of eternal life (Rom 6:23) and have free access to heaven. It is by Jesus' finished work on the cross that sinners such as you and I are allowed into Heaven. Unfortunately, those who do not accept Christ's gift and trust completely in Him are destined to go to hell because they are still in their sins (John 3:18,36; 1 Cor 15:16,17). Therefore, hell was created for Satan, his angels, and unsaved persons (Mt 25:41; Rev 20:10). B. Characteristics of Hell (Read Luke 16:19-31) It is REAL. It has a location, and effect on all who dwell in it. It is _____________ (Rev 14:11) - it is for ever, like heaven It is a place of ________ (Luke 16:24) - not annihilation (Mt 23:33). It is a place of darkness, pain, suffering, and isolation (Jude 7). It is bottomless (Rev 9:2)! It has no bottom, only sides! Those who died in Sodom and Gomorra are STILL suffering the “______________ of eternal fire” in hell (Jude 1:7). 7. Everyone in hell is a would-be soul-winner (Lk 16:27,28)! 8. It is an unnecessary place for people if only they will put their complete faith and trust in Christ's all sufficient death on the cross - it was only made for the devil and his angels, not for any human! 9. Therefore, hell is NOT the grave, but a horrible place that no man should go to, and from which Jesus died to save people from! C. Where is Hell? This lake of fire (molten lava) is somehow below us, IN the earth (Isa 14:12,15; Mt 12:40). Ephesians 4:9 states that Jesus __________ into the centre of the earth before He arose. D. How Long Will The Lost Be In Hell? 1. The Bible says that all in hell will be there for ________ (Rev 20:10). 2. Will God give persons in hell an opportunity to escape; a second chance? _____ When is the opportunity for people to be saved from hell (2 Cor 6:1,2)? ________. Let us get
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busy reaching the lost by preaching the gospel of salvation now, while people have the chance! This is God’s reason for Christianity's existence - to warn the lost! E. Jesus died to save sinners from Hell! Jesus did not come only to bring sinners to a wonderful place called Heaven, but more importantly, to save them from the real place called Hell (John 3:16)! A person needs to get saved TODAY because tomorrow may be too late (2Cor 6:1,2)! IV.A Brief Outline of Coming Future Events - What's Ahead For the Universe? God created this universe (Gen 1:1) and for sure God will end it (2Pet 3:10,11)! The study of the future comes mainly from Revelation, Daniel and Isaiah.

A. B. C. D. E. F. G.

The Soon Rapture (catching away) of true Christians to heaven The Seven Years of Tribulation (terrible trouble) The Second Coming of Jesus Christ - at the battle of Armageddon The Millennial Kingdom of Christ on Earth (1,000 year rule) The End of this World - at the battle of Gog and Magog The Great White Throne Judgment of all the unsaved The New Heaven and New Earth

V. A Brief Study of Future Events A. The Rapture 1. The Bible is full of prophecies related to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to this world. However, His coming as a baby, born in a manger, and destined to die on a cross some 2,000 years ago, did not fulfill one-fourth of the prophecies. The remaining prophecies relate to a second coming where He, as King of Kings would reign on earth. When He comes the second time, He comes in two parts. The first part is referred to as the Rapture, or the "catching away" of Christians! 2. Let's examine the following Scriptures: a. b. c. d. 1 Thes 4:13-18 Refers to it as being "caught-up" Philp 3:20,21 Called a "changing" of bodies John 14:1-3 Called a "receiving" of the church 1 Cor 15:51,52 It all happens "in the ____________ of an eye"

3. This is not the only Rapture in the Bible. Others include: a. Gen 5:21-24; Heb 11:5 _________________________ b. 2 Kings 2:11 _________________________
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4. There are pictures of the Rapture throughout Scripture: Gen 19:15,16,22 Gen 7-9 ____ being pulled out of Sodom before judgment fell ____ being protected from the judgment of the flood

5. The Rapture involves the following components: a. Listening for a shout and the sound of a trumpet (only Christians will hear this). b. Looking for Jesus to break through the clouds (visible only to Christians - Titus 2:11-13). c. Holy living being impressed upon Christians (Heb 12:14; 1Jn 3:2,3) 6. Who and what shall be left behind after Christians are taken? a. All your possessions (house, clothes, money, gold, silver, investments, your car, and your job). Therefore, "Lay up for yourselves __________ in ________." (Mt 6:20) b. Your and my unsaved loved ones. c. All the unsaved will be left behind under a one world government, lead by the antichrist with a one-world religion, and a one-world currency forming a cash-less society as seen in Rev 13:11-18. (The anti-christ will be leading the world against God and Israel).

B. The Tribulation 1. This is a seven year period of troublesome time that will begin right after the Rapture of Christians. During this time period, the antichrist (the Beast) will appear and take over the world (Rev 13:1-9), at least two more world-wars will break out, the Jews will be persecuted again, and there will be plagues and sufferings like there have never been (Mt 24:21)! It is referred to as ______ trouble (Jer 30:7). It is directed at the Jews, to get them to repent, and at the world, to judge it. There are no Christians living now who will go through the Tribulation (1Thes 5:9)! 2. Some Tribulation events and their Scriptures to look up: a. The Abomination of Desolation (Matt 24:15-22) The antichrist will set himself up as ____ on the throne of the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies of the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem (2 Thes 2:3,4). b. The judgments on this world during the time of the Tribulation will include: the antichrist ruling a one-world ruthless government, a great persecution of the Jews, genocide of entire races of people, a mixture of fire and hail raining down on humanity, a meteor and comet impacting the earth, the Sun and Moon darkened, a

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plague of locusts, the sea and rivers becoming blood, the Sun will nova, and darkness covering the earth! Whew! c. The 144,000 witnesses (Rev 7:1-8; 14:1-5) who will boldly testify of the Gospel during the Tribulation. Note that these are male, virgin Jews, and not people from the Jehovah's Witnesses! 3. While all that is happening on the earth, the following events up in heaven are occurring: a. Christians are receiving their rewards for service (2Cor 5:10; 1 Cor 3:10-15). This is called the Judgment Seat of Christ. b. Then follows a grand feast called the Marriage Supper when Christians will be united with Jesus Christ in heaven (Rev 19:1-9) C. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Rev 19:11-15) - Armageddon As far as sinners are concerned, the most important subject in the Bible is that of Salvation, and Jesus Christ's first coming as Saviour to die on the cross. Yet, as far as God is concerned, the most important subject is Jesus Christ's second coming as Sovereign King to literally rule and reign on earth for 1000 years with Satan defeated, and paradise RESTORED. This "day" is THE MOST discussed topic in the Bible. It is the day when good finally wins over evil; when everything that is wrong is made right; when God personally takes care of the Devil! This "day" is always referred to in the Bible as a BATTLE with great devastation and calamity. It is called, the day of the Lord (Joel 1:15; 2:1,2)! 1. This battle takes no more that 24 hours to complete! 2. The battle involves burning up the ___________ (Mal 4:1-3) 3. The battle will be fought in Armageddon, the Valley of Jehosephat (Rev 16:16; Joel 3:9-16; see also Micah 4:3). 4. The battle is in reaction to Jerusalem being taken over by the antichrist (Zech 14:1-9). 5. The "deceiver" of the world (the antichrist) will be captured and "cast alive into a ____________" (Rev 19:20), Satan himself will follow later.
PRINCIPLE: THERE WILL BE NO PEACE ON EARTH UNTIL THE PRINCE OF PEACE COMES AND BY A FINAL DECISIVE BATTLE, BRINGS REAL PEACE!!!

D. The Millennial (1,000 year) Kingdom (Rev 20:1-4). Christ will rule and reign on the earth for 1,000 years. There will be real peace on this earth. Paradise (Isaiah 11:4-9)! Satan will be bound in Hell for the duration (Rev 20:1,2). The saints will rule and reign with Christ on the earth at this time (Luke 19:12-27; 1 Cor 6:1-3). E. The End of this World - Battle of Gog and Magog (Rev 20:7-11). In the Millennium, man has been allowed to return to paradise, and yet, he will desire to go back to his "old ways", just as the children of Israel wanted to "go back to Egypt!" It is here that Satan will do his finalé by leading a final rebellion at the end of the 1,000 years. He will fail, and then will finally, and completely be cut off from ever "infecting" this universe again. F. The Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:11-15). It is here that all of humanity, from wicked Cain (Gen 4:8; 1John 3:12) up through those born in the Millennium who rejected God's salvation, will stand before God. At this judgment, all the unsaved will give an account of their "works" to see how well they match up with Christ's work on the cross. They
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will realize that there is no comparison, and will then be cast into the Lake of Fire to join their god, while Christians will spend all eternity with their God! A person's eternal end is determined by who their God is (Eph 2:1-7). G. The New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-3, 22:1-5)! No longer will God be separated from man because of sin! The barriers between heaven and earth are done away, and God and man will forever be together in a new universe not infected with sin! The new earth will be perfect and eternal, and the New Jerusalem will be the Christian's home for ever, full of mansions with room for everyone (John 14:2,3)! VI.What Should We Do While We Are Waiting For Jesus to Come Back? A. Realize that Jesus could return right now! So we should live for him 100%. B. Ask God to use you to save your relatives, and to make you a soul winner! C. Look forward to Christ's Return! 1. Paul said in 2 Tim 4:8 "Henceforth there is laid up for me a _______ of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his _________." 2. Jesus says in Rev 22:20, "...Surely I come __________. Amen. Even so, _______ Lord ___________." Make that your prayer as well!

Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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Lesson Twenty One

A Study of The Ministry of Discipleship - Feeding Hungry Hearts

DISCIPLESHIP

Lesson Twenty One
Memory Verse: Romans 12:11 Lesson Verse: 2 Timothy 2:2 "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." 2 Timothy 2:2 I. Introduction A. There is no shortage of Biblical materials in our Western world: Bibles, books, tapes, Gospel tracts, study helps, and the like are found in plentiful supply. If there is a missing ingredient, it is the process of Biblical discipleship, i.e., a loving, caring, selfless Christian, who is committed to teach another person "all things whatsoever Jesus commanded" (Matt 28:20). B. The purpose of this lesson is to acquaint the Christian with the principles and importance of Biblical discipleship. Revival, evangelism, discipleship and missions are the life-blood of the church, and are all energized only by effectual, fervent prayer, in a spirit of charity. C. Up to this point, you have been discipled. With the completion of this study lesson, you will see the importance for you to go and yourself become a discipler! Ready, set… II. Discipleship's Purpose A. As you now know, all Christians are not disciples! Discipleship, like salvation involves a conscious decision to follow the Saviour, no matter what the cost (Lk 14:26-33). You became a Christian when the word of God was extended to you through someone who cared to tell you about the gospel. Becoming a disciple of Jesus was the next step for you after you got saved. But now the Lord extends His word through you to reach others, and to disciple them. B. There are five primary goals that serve to fulfill the Biblical command of what we call the "Great Commission" of Matthew 28:19,20. They are the very purpose of us being on earth, and are as follows: 1. Evangelize the lost (Acts 1:8; 26:18; Mark 16:15) - bring them to repentance, and total dependence upon Christ. 2. Establish growing churches by gathering together regularly to worship God, and minister to one another (Acts 11:19-26). This means more than Christians just getting together for fellowship, but as a unified body of believers, set on growing, and living the Christian life! 3. Build-up (strengthen) the disciples of Christ (Mt 28:18-20; Eph 4:11-16; 2 Tim 2:2). This is discipleship's role! 4. Bring churches and disciples to Christ-likeness (Rom 8:29; Gal 4:19) - become mature! This takes a lot of time, and personal experience. 5. Bring glory to God (Rom 11:36; 1 Cor 10:31; Isa 43:7). All that we as Christians do is to bring glory to God!

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III. Where Discipleship Fits in a Christian’s Life A. Although Christ certainly evangelized and established His church, He never built what we would call a "big" church during His ministry, for it was not His immediate intention to do so. His goal was to leave behind twelve men that could do what He had done, and reproduce it on a world-wide scale until He returned (Jn 14:12). B. In the establishment of New Testament churches, Paul the apostle understood and taught this principle when he said, "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same _______ thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" (2 Tim 2:2). The command being, what you have learned and lived, now must be taught to someone else! C. Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, "__________ them to observe all things..." This is not only to be from the pulpit, but rather by way of a personal, people-oriented process, one-onone! It cannot only be done by the Pastor! D. Let’s compare what Discipleship IS, and what it is NOT: Discipleship is NOT... an activity a programme a series of book-lessons education only instructions only a handbook a rapid formula Discipleship IS... an attitude a philosophy – a way of thinking a way of life edification and exhortation your life, a living example a heart to heart ministry a long lasting relationship

E. Discipleship is intended to establish all new Christians in the following Four Foundations of the Christian life: 1. 2. 3. 4. In the ________ of God (Matthew 4:4) In fellowship with other __________ (Hebrews 10:25) In the structure of the New Testament ________ (1 Cor 12:27) In the ministry for Christ (Romans 12:11)

You may remember, the above four areas were covered in the previous pages of this Discipleship Study Guide. IV.What Discipleship Accomplishes A. Discipleship establishes the new Christian in the foundational truths of Biblical Christianity (the principles you have learned over the previous lessons). B. Discipleship provides the new Christian with a caring, comforting friend to help him through the difficulties of spiritual transformation from baby to mature. You have been helped along by your discipler, but are now becoming ready to fill the role of a caring and comforting discipler yourself. C. Discipleship affords the new Christian additional spiritual protection through the counsel and prayer support of a mature Christian. D. Discipleship provides mutual accountability between you and your new disciple, which will help keep you motivated, and will motivate your disciple to grow in Christ, and walk in faith.
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E. Discipleship provides personal Christian fellowship, which you know to be so important for a new Christian to have. F. Discipleship provides encouragement while the world goes out of its way to attack and discourage all young disciples of the Lord. G. Discipleship also brings the new Christian to "perfection" or maturity in Christ, so that he or she also becomes a discipler of the Lord Jesus. V. How Discipleship Works A. Christ started with 12 students. Those twelve men took Christ’s words to the world and turned it "__________ down" (Acts 17:6). B. If every Christian, who has repented of their sins, and asked Christ to save them (Rom 10:13), would become a disciple in order to become a Discipler, then the world could be turned to Christ in just 65 years. Watch: Year 1 You get saved and get into a Bible preaching church, and get under a Discipler, or Mentor. You start with just 2 (you and your Discipler) - that is all you need! Year 3 You finish being discipled, and then win someone else to Christ, and get them into church, and begin to train them. Your previous discipler also goes and turns someone to Christ, and starts discipling them. Now there are 4 Christians. Year 5 You encourage your disciple to reproduce himself, and you go and get another person saved, and in discipleship. There would then be 8 Christians. Not a lot to show for 5 years, but watch. Year 7 There would now be 16, strong, dedicated, Christians who would be the basis for a very strong and vibrant church, reaching out and affecting the world for Christ! C. This goes on with everyone, every two years winning someone else to Christ, training them in the Bible, and then encouraging them to win someone and train them, and so on, until year 65, when 8,589,934,592 will have been reached! D. The above number is based upon every Christian doing his or her part, and on every Christian living more than 65 years! Obviously, that won’t happen, but truly, we can do what Christ said must be done, even with 6 billion people on this planet - but only if we would set out to do it with all our heart (Dt 5:29; Luke 1:37)! VI.What Discipleship Involves Luke 9:23 can be correctly called the Disciple's Motto, and expresses what Discipleship involves for both the discipler and the disciple. A. B. C. D. E. "If __________ man..." - Your Desire - especially if you are a Christian! "will come after me..." - Your Decision - It is up to you if you will or not "let him ___________ himself..." - Your Denial - Make the necessary time "take up his cross daily..." - Your Dedication to the cross instead of a crown. "and ____________ me..." - Your Determination to keep your eyes on Jesus, no matter how hard the path becomes.

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VII. So, How Can You Be a Discipler? A. Teach a Sunday School Class in church. No matter what age group you teach, you will be making investments into lives that will last an eternity. B. Be a committed friend to a new Christian. Listen to them and work with them through their struggles in prayer, and discussion, always encouraging them that they are not alone, and that with a full confidence in Christ, they cannot fail! C. Provide helpful materials. Use select videos and maybe cassette tapes that have helpful information for new Christians. Get these from your church, or maybe purchase them yourself, so that you have them on hand. D. Use this or another Discipleship Course. You have worked all the way through these lessons, so you at least are familiar with the material. You would need to go back through the material before each time you meet with a spiritually hungry Christian. If you are not confident in understanding certain things, then, pray and search out the answers, or call on the Pastor. E. Have your own Bible Study. Ask the pastor to help you start up a simple Bible study in your home, or at work during breaks. There may be an opportunity for you to regularly get together with another young Christian in God’s word, feeding them, and training them in living the Christian life. Hey, if you have the time, use it wisely for the Lord! Don't leave it only to the pastor, or his wife! VIII. The Final Challenge is to You!

Just as you have been discipled...

Go, and do thou likewise! Lead someone to Christ, and then disciple THEM!

Date Lesson Completed _____________ Discipler __________________________

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Section FOUR Test
The Ministry For Christ
NAME: __________________________ DATE: ______________ SCORE: ______________

The following questions will help you identify how much you have learned in your Bible Study time. Answer as many as possible, and take your time so that you can think and remember the answers. Most answers are obvious. Some questions however will be hard. All questions come from the material in the previous Section of the First Principles Study Course. God bless you as you examine what you have learned, and become confident in knowing and growing in God’s wondrous word!

1. Write out word-perfect Romans 12:11 _________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

____ 2. There are three parts to Christ’s Great Commission in Matthew 28:18,19. List them: 1) _______________ 2) _________________ 3) __________________ 3. There are many reasons why Christians are commanded to take the Gospel to this world. List one: _______________________________________________ 4. When you are witnessing to a person, what is the Holy Spirit trying to do in their heart? ______________________________________________________ 5. When you go soul-winning, list some things that you should have on hand: ____________________________________________________________

____ 6. What must the sinner realise about themselves before they can be saved? ____________________________________________________________

____ 7. What are the two things that a sinner must do in their heart to be saved? 1)______________________________ 2) _____________________________________ 8. Concerning employment, the Christian is really, always serving who? _______ 9. Is it important how a Christians acts and reacts on the job? ________. Explain why: ___________________________________________________________ 10. Are there limits to what a Christian can be asked to do on a job (i.e., selling liquors, manufacturing idols, lying for the boss, etc.)? _________. Explain how you know where to draw the line? ____________________________________________________________

__________ ____________________________________________________________

______________ 11. Should you expect to draw persecution on the job when you hide your Christianity? __________ 12. List the two kinds of wines in the Bible: 1) __________, 2) ___________ 13. According to Proverbs 20:1, what mocks the drinker? Drunkenness, or the wine itself? ___________________ 14. God compares leaven (yeast) to what? ____________ 15. God says that a Christian is to use alcoholic wine for what general purpose (that is, if they have no other resource available)? ____________________________ 16. A Christian can drink as long as it is in moderation: True, or False (circle one) 17. Can an alcoholic get complete victory over alcoholism? Yes, or No (circle one) 18. According to Romans 6:14, “sin shall not have ___________ over you.” 19. Define ambition: __________________________________________________ 20. Can Christians have right ambitions? ____________________

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21. Define the word evolution: _____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 22. What event do evolutionists believe started this universe? ____________________________ 23. There are many scientific laws that totally disprove evolution. Give one of those laws: ____________________________________________________________

_____ 24. How many days did it take to fashion this entire universe? ____________________________ 25. List something new that can be created right now? __________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

______ 26. How old is this earth, if we go according to the biblical record? _____________ 27. Dinosaurs are described best in what book of the Bible? ___________________ 28. List the three heavens: 1) _____________________ 2) ___________________ 3) _______________________ 29. A Christian’s place in heaven is in a city called the _________ Jerusalem. 30. Explain why did God create hell? _______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 31. Give a brief description of hell: _________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 32. What Scripture can best be used to describe hell? ___________________________________ 33. How long will the lost be in hell? _______________________________________________ 34. What is the next event that the Christian is to be looking forward to? ___________________ ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 35. How long will the Tribulation last? ______________________________________________ 36. Who are the 144,000 witnesses in the Tribulation? __________________________________ 37. Explain the Judgment Seat of Christ: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

______________ 38. The Second Coming of Christ is referred to as the Battle of __________________________ 39. The Second Coming is also referred throughout the Old Testament as “the day of the ____________.” 40. What period of time follows the Tribulation, and the Second Coming of Christ? ____________________________________________________________

_______________ 41. How long will the Millennium last? ____________________________________________ 42. Who will rule the world during the Millennium? __________________________________ 43. At the end of the world, there is a final judgment called the Great __________ Throne judgment. Who will be there? _________________________________ 44. There will be three new things after the end of the world. What are they? 1)___________________ 2) ____________________ 3) __________________ 45. Once a person has been discipled, it is now their privilege and purpose to become a what? _____________________ 46. When Christ sent out his disciples, they basically turned the world __________ down. How many people had been discipled by Christ? ___________________ 47. If every born again Christian did their part in soul-winning, and discipling, is it possible to reach the world in our lifetime? ___________________________

Well Done!
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FINAL REVIEW
Let’s check to see whether you have grown spiritually since we began this Study Course…
Have you been born again? Yes, No. When? ____________ Have you been baptized? Yes, No. When? ____________ Have you read your Bible all the way through yet? Yes, No. What Book in the Bible are you reading currently? ________________ Are you committed to reading your Bible through every year? Yes, No. Do you believe the King James Bible is the preserved word of God in the English language? Yes, No. Have you memorized the four main memory verses listed so far? Yes, No. Please give the four main memory verse locations: 1) ________ 2) _________ 3) __________ 4)__________ 9. How many Scriptures would you guess have you memorized so far? _________ 10. Are you faithful in attending church (every Sunday possible)? Yes, No. 11. Are you praying every day? Yes, No. 12. Is God answering your prayers? Yes, No. 13. List a recently answered prayer: ______________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

____ 14. Is there anyone in your life you are currently having problems with? Yes, No. 15. Are you letting that person hold you back from serving the Lord with your whole heart and life? Yes, No. 16. Is your home-life developing, and becoming more Christian? Yes, No. 17. Are you tithing? Yes, No. 18. Have you led anyone to Christ since starting this discipleship course? Yes, No. 19. Name a person that you are burdened about their salvation _________________ 20. Name one person you have led to Christ recently ________________________ 21. Have you started to disciple anyone since you completed this discipleship course? Yes, No. 22. Have you determined what God’s will is for your life? Yes, No. 23. If yes, what is it? __________________________________________________ 24. Have you found something to do as a ministry in church? Yes, no. If so, what is it? ____________________________________________________________

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

You have now completed the entire First Principles Bible Study Course!

Praise God! You have come a long way for Christ! Never Stop Growing! Read your Bible; Faithfully attend Church meetings; Evangelize; Pray about everything; and do everything will all your might!

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A List of All Memory Verses Given in This Study Guide The following list is provided to help you remember both the Scripture verses and their theme that was the basis for each of the lessons in this Discipleship series. Please take the moment and make sure that you have all of the following verses memorized, and that they are copied onto your Scripture memorization cards for later review. These verses will come in handy so many times in the future, and when used as the weapons that God intended them to be against temptations and doubts, they will establish you as a true light in this dark world. Lesson Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Subject Biblical Salvation Eternal Security Believer's Baptism The Word of God Bible Study Techniques The New Testament Church Bible Memorization Knowing God Praise and Worship The Lord's Supper Prayer The Will of God Spiritual Warfare The Christian Family Finances Personal Evangelism Wine and Strong Drink My Job and Employer Creation and Evolution The Future Discipleship Memory Verse Matthew 4:4 The Word of God Hebrews 10:25 Fellowship With Other Believers 1 Corinthians 12:27 The Structure of the Church Romans 12:11 The Ministry of Christ Lesson Verse 1 John 5:12 1 John 5:13 Acts 2:41 Hebrews 4:12 2 Timothy 2:15 Hebrews 10:25 Psalm 119:11 1 Peter 1:8 Psalm 9:1,2 1 Cor 11:26 Psalm 5:2 Romans 12:1,2 1 Cor 10:13 Genesis 1:27 Philp 4:19 Mark 16:15 Proverbs 20:1 1 Cor 10:31 Genesis 1:1 Isaiah 46:9 2 Timothy 2:2

MEMORY AND LESSON VERSE LIST

This completes the First Principles Discipleship Lesson Course. The next stage of your growth involves either the study of individual Books of the Bible, or the next series of Lessons called Practical Doctrine. Contact your pastor or Discipleship Director for more information and his recommendation.

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