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Starting Point 1 Lesson 1 - Salvation

Lesson 1

SALVATION Introduction to the Teacher: For many years, Dr. Billy Graham’s association (BGEA) has watched thousands of people streaming down the aisles to respond to altar calls. Over their sixty years of ministry experience, they have come to a revelation: The majority of people coming to the altar haven’t fully grasped what it means to “commit your life to Christ”. Roughly 80% of those who make commitments that stick, make them in the context of a one-on-one environment, where the Gospel can be clearly communicated and where they can respond with questions and receive clarification, etc. The goal of this lesson is to ensure that new believers know two things at the heart level: First: Teach them how they are saved and how they know they are saved. If they are not sure, then you’ll have the privilege to lead them to Christ as you walk them through this first study. Second: They must understand the privilege of being called a son or daughter of God, and the fact that God will equip each believer with the necessary tools to live the new life.

Introduction

There is a story about a boy flying a kite. The kite drifted so high that it had disappeared into the clouds. A man came by and asked, "What are you doing, son, holding on to that string?" The boy answered, "I've got a kite up there." The man looked up and said, "I don't see it." The boy replied, "Well, I know it's there because I can feel the tug." This story is similar to the witness of the Holy Spirit within us. We may not always see the evidence, but we feel a tug in our hearts, constantly letting us know that we are in touch with God. This is the witness of the Holy Spirit. The goal of this lesson is for you to know that “tug” in your heart and to have an assurance of your eternal salvation - that you belong to God’s family!


Romans 10:9-11 “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

There are four main themes to this first lesson taken out of Romans 10:9-11.

1. Believe in your heart: True belief will lead to a change of feelings and motivation in the new believer’s life.

2. Confession: Initial confession of your sinful past is a necessity to accepting God’s free gift of

eternal life. However, confession and repentance do not end at salvation; instead, they are an ongoing part of every believer’s life as a way of aligning ourselves with God’s perfect standard.

3. Lordship: Following Jesus as Lord is a lifelong process of learning to lay down our lives, dreams,

opinions, etc. and live for Him. Basically, we want to orientate them to a new way of living, which is Christ in us, the hope of glory.

4. Salvation: The personal guarantees God makes to them as individuals based on their belief and

acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior.

I. Believe

Romans 10:9 “…and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Do you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord? The word "believe" carries with it the idea of total surrender: putting total assurance in what Christ did for us on the cross and not trusting our good works, our money, or anything other than the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. First, we must believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ. There is no other One who died for the sins of the world. There is no other One who rose from the dead. There is no other One who gives the hope that He is going to return and set up His Kingdom. The Scripture says: As a result of “believing” in Jesus, our attitude toward sin will change. What does that mean?

1 John 5:18 "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not.” KJV The meaning of this passage is not that Christians never sin, but instead it means that Christians do not participate in an ongoing practice of sin. Sin is no longer a habit in our lives because of our new belief in Jesus Christ and the fact that He lives in us. He changes us from the inside out. Basically this means our desires will be changing, as well as our lifestyle. Belief or faith carries with it the idea of assurance. If we have faith, God gives us the assurance, the certainty, and the knowledge that we have passed from death unto life.

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."


Faith (pistis) – firm persuasion that is not the outcome of imagination but is based on fact, such as the reality of the resurrection of Christ, and as such it becomes the basis of realistic hope.

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” NKJV

Now is the time to make a commitment and be sure that you belong to Christ. You see, Christ took your sins on the cross; those sins are behind God's back. He has forgotten them because of Christ. That is what happens when you come to Christ. He doesn't see your sins; he sees the blood of Christ. God offers you the greatest and most valuable gift in the whole world - eternal life; however, you must receive that gift. God gave His Son, and His Son rose from the dead. You can be sure of it if you truly believe in Him.

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” NKJV

Biblical Christianity is the only religion in the world that does not require perfection of man through his own power to attain connection with God. In fact, Christianity is the only faith that proclaims man is completely helpless in doing enough good works to ever be able to reach heaven. God, in His great mercy, made us perfect through the sacrifice of His Son. We are able to have relationship with God based on the sacrifice of Christ alone. We can never be good enough. Christ’s sacrifice not only guarantees me access to the Father, it is also completely sufficient in securing my ability to walk in freedom. I am no longer a slave to the things that once held me bound. No longer am I obligated to follow the desires of my fleshly nature; instead, I rely on the atoning sacrifice of Christ to supply me with the power to resist temptation and follow the plan God has for my life.

James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” NKJV

As we recognize our utter dependence on God for eternal life and victory in our walk on this earth, He lifts us up and empowers us with the ability to resist every temptation.

James 4:7-8 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” NKJV

Our enemy, Satan, needs to be reminded who he is and who we are in Christ Jesus. We did nothing to secure victory over sin and death; therefore, we don’t need to strive to walk in victory. Humble yourself, submit to God’s plan for your life, and sit back and watch your spiritual enemies flee from you. The demonic will try to convince you that you cannot have a life of peace, health, and prosperity, as if they still have the right to occupy territory that Jesus has already won. Much like platoons of German soldiers in WWII, who continued to occupy villages and towns in western Europe after Germany itself had surrendered to allied forces. Those occupying forces had to be told the war was over. We face a similar situation: the Lord won the war, and the enemy needs to be continually reminded to BACK OFF!!

II. Confess

Romans 10:9 “…for if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord…”


There are two aspects to confession:

1. Confessing unto salvation: Basically means declaring that Jesus Christ is the Lord of your life and that you fully accept the fact that He died on the cross to remove the CONSEQUENCES of sin (the consequences being eternal separation from God). Included in that confession is the UNDERSTANDING or experience that Jesus forgives your sins and that you will have eternal life in Him.

2. A lifestyle of confession: Suppose we slip and fall, or suppose we yield to temptation for a

moment. What happens? We have to confess that as sin. Name it to the Lord and say, "Lord, I have sinned." The Scripture says:

1 John 1:9 “But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.”

Confess (homologoomen) – to admit the truth of an accusation. When we confess our sins we are merely agreeing with God’s standard. He is perfect and holy and expects the same of us. We have already seen that it is impossible for us to live a perfect life, and that’s the beauty of Christ’s sacrifice for us. So, how are we to bring our daily lives into alignment with God’s perfect standard? Not only are we to confess, but we are to turn away from sin altogether. There is no use repenting of sin and saying, "I'm sorry Lord, I've sinned," then going back and repeating it. That's not repentance. Repentance carries with it the idea that we do not repeat it. In other words, sin is no longer a practice in our lives. We may slip and fall from time to time, but it's not a practice; we don't deliberately do it. That's the reason the Bible teaches that the Christian life is a daily process of life. We must rely on the power of Jesus Christ living in us to successfully live the Christian life.

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” NKJV Romans 6:6 “…knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” NKJV

III. Jesus as Lord

Romans 10:9 “…for if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord…” As we grow in our faith, the Holy Spirit continues to draw us into a lifestyle of obedience to God. This is what the scripture means when it says, “Jesus is Lord”. As we accept the Lordship of Christ, we are no longer conforming to this world but we are being transformed by the renewing of our minds, and the heart desires to be conformed into His likeness. In his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul uses the recurring phrase "in the Lord,” which is an expression that speaks of our behavior, our conduct, and our responsibility in connection with His Lordship. Submission to Him as Lord means more than merely singing or speaking about it. Instead, it means that we submit to His authority as Ruler over our lives through obedience to Him. The child of God has been delivered from the curse of the Law, the certain death that comes with slavery to sin, and we are triumphant over Satan and his schemes when we accept Christ as Lord and Savior. The person who has been born again is under new management. This acceptance of His right to rule is the secret of true success in Christian living.


No one can really receive Jesus as Lord without being remarkably changed, and living under His Lordship will bring constant change. This doesn't mean that we can keep all the commandments all the time, but we will have a desire to keep them. We begin to desire to obey God and His word in our daily life in terms of the choices we make.

Mark 8:34-38 “Then He called His disciples and the crowds to come over and listen. ‘If any of you wants to be My follower,’ He told them, ‘you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow Me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul? If a person is ashamed of Me and My message in these adulterous and sinful days, I, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in the glory of My Father with the holy angels.’”

Learning to live life as a Christian 24/7 will be a lifelong process for all of us. The following questions are an outline that can be used in everyday life to help us grow as we make decisions and face difficulties in life:

Does it violate any principle of Scripture? Does it take the edge off my Christian life?

Can I ask God's blessing on it?

Will it be a stumbling block to others?

Are there any areas of your life you know you’re going to battle to bring under the lordship of Jesus??

IV. Salvation

Romans 10:10 “For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.” I John 5:11-12 “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”

Remember, there is nothing you can do to earn a relationship with God and spend eternity with Him.

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” NKJV

This Is Written That You May Know

1 John 5:13-15 “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence, which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”


What does that mean?

You will live forever with God in Heaven. Your sins and past life are totally forgiven. As a believer, you have access to God’s power. You have God’s protection. God’s Spirit now lives in you!

Conclusion The key point to remember in this lesson is that we have been infected with a poison that is toxic to our spirit. This poison (sin) has no human remedy. We can never be good enough to have relationship with a perfect, holy God. But, God in His great lovingkindness showered us with unmerited favor through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. By believing in Him and confessing our need for Him, we have access to God.

Starting Point Lesson 2 - Eternity

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Lesson 2

ETERNITY

Introduction

Eternity is a concept and a reality that the human, finite mind cannot fully embrace. Even if you contemplate an eternal God with no beginning and no ending, at some point it boggles the mind! Everyone has a different opinion and idea of whether we are eternal beings, and if so, where we will spend eternity and that looks like. As Bible-believing Christians we base our eternal belief system on the objective truth of God’s Word. The purpose of this lesson is to give us solid theological foundation regarding heaven, hell, and the eternal state.

(Hebrews 6:1) Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

I. What Did Jesus Say About Eternity?

(Matthew 25:31-46) "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." NKJV


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(John 3:14-20) “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” NKJV

(John 10:27-30) “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one." NKJV

(John 11:26) "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

II. False Concepts Regarding Eternity

A. Reincarnation

Today approximately 30 million Americans (one in four) believe in reincarnation. The word reincarnation literally means “to come again in the flesh." The process of reincarnation - continual rebirths in human bodies - allegedly continues until the soul has reached a state of perfection and merges back with its source (God or the "Universal Soul"). Teacher’s Note: based on the law of karma.

B. Soul sleep

Soul sleep refers to the idea that when we die, our souls cease to exist, or at least "fall asleep" and become totally inert, until the end of the world and our resurrection. Various religions have different understandings about exactly how soul sleep works, but in practical terms it would mean that the dead are not conscious in any way.

(Luke 16:19-31) "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one risen from the dead.'" NKJV


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(Luke 23:39-43) Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." NKJV (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. NKJV (2 Corinthians 5:6, 8-9) Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.... We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

If our soul dies when our body dies, then how can we be "absent" from the body? Yet, the Bible says that we can be with the Lord while absent from our body!

C. Non-existence / Atheistic view

We are only on this planet until we die and then it’s over. There is no God or creator; hence there is no eternal state to be concerned with.

(Ecclesiastes 3:11) He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

D. Purgatory

Believed by Roman Catholics, and very few other Christians, to be a location or state where the souls of most individuals go at the time of death. It has traditionally been viewed as a place of torment, where "nearly all of us shall...have to pass a period more or less long in the excruciating fires of Purgatory after death."

The concept and teaching of purgatory is not based in scripture but on the writings of the first- and second-century Roman Catholic Church

"We believe...that the souls, by the purifying compensation are purged after death."

- Council of Lyons II (1274):

III. What Will Hell Be Like? “When the badness of the bad news about hell is unmuffled, the goodness of the good news about Christ and eternal life shines brighter.” - J.I. Packer


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A. Hell is eternal

(Matthew 25:46) "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (Jude 1:12-13) These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. NKJV (Mark 3:28-29) "Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" NKJV (Hebrews 6:1-3) Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. NKJV (2 Thessalonians 1:9) These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power… NKJV

B. Hell is a place of darkness

(Job 10:21-22) Before I go to the place from which I shall not return, to the land of darkness and the shadow of death, a land as dark as darkness itself, as the shadow of death, without any order, where even the light is like darkness.' " (Matthew 22:1-13) And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding."' But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' NKJV

“Outer darkness” = the origin of darkness (Jude 1:13) They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.


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C. Hell is a place of torment and suffering

(Romans 2:5-8) But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God "will give to each person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (Hebrews 10:26-31) For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. NKJV (Colossians 3:4-7) When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. NKJV (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10) …since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. NKJV

IV. Jesus Described Hell

(Matthew 22:13) “There will weeping (wailing out loud) and gnashing of teeth”

A. There will be no escape from hell

There is no scriptural evidence to support the theory of a temporary hell or a time when those in hell will receive an invitation to repent and enter heaven.

B. There will be conscious memory of the former life

(Mark 9:43-44) “…to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” (Isaiah 66:24) “And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh." NKJV

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible “It is repeatedly said of the wicked. ‘Their worm dieth not’, as well as, ‘The fire is never quenched’. Doubtless, remorse of conscience and keen self-reflection are this never-dying worm.”


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C. A place of separation from the presence of God!

(2 Thessalonians 1:8-9) He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power

V. Cultural Strongholds Regarding Hell

(2 Corinthians 10:3-5) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Strongholds = the imaginations and false beliefs that are built up in our minds to create a fortress of thought patterns that will protect our deception from being exposed to the light!

In churches across America, hell is being frozen out as clergy find themselves increasingly hesitant to sermonize on the subject.

“There has been a shift in religion from focusing on what happens in the next life to asking, ‘What is the quality of this life we’re leading now?’ Hell’s fall from fashion indicates how key portions of Christian theology have been influenced by a secular society that stresses individualism over authority and the human psyche over moral absolutes.”

- Professor Harvey Cox Jr., Religious Historian, Harvard Divinity School “It’s just too negative... Churches are under enormous pressure to be consumer-oriented…”

- Bruce Shelley, Senior Professor, Denver Theological Seminary

VI. What Will Heaven Be like?

A. Heaven is a city, a literal and specific place

(John 14:2) “I go to prepare a place for you” (Revelation 21:2) I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. (Revelation 21:16-19) The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.


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B. A place prepared for the Bride of Christ

(John 14:2-3) "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (Revelation 21:1-2) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

C. There will be no more suffering!

(Revelation 21:3-4) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

D. Heaven is beyond anything we can imagine!

(1 Corinthians 2:9) However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"

Heaven: You should really consider going!


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Views Contrary to Biblical Christianity

Universalism = God is too good to send people to a literal hell, so we will all be saved because He has died for all of our sins. Secular Humanism = Man is too good and significant to be condemned in the way that hell is described. Pluralism = affirms that differing viewpoints must be allowed to exist side-by-side. Even if we have different faiths and doctrines they will all lead to good if we are sincere. Tolerance = the valuing of others beliefs and the virtue of not imposing your thoughts or convictions on others, either morally or spiritually. New Age movement = the influence of Buddhism and Hinduism have eliminated the “unpleasant” doctrine of hell through the alternative of reincarnation. Hedonism = the chief goal in life is to find pleasure and feel good. The concept of hell is far too negative to be embraced by our “feel good society” Existentialism = when our reality is based on our experiences and feelings; We are ultimately responsible to create our own morals and rules based on what we feel and believe is right for us!! Gordon Kaufman, Harvard Divinity School: “After tracing four centuries of the decline in the concepts of heaven and hell, It seems to me we’ve gone through irreversible changes. I don’t think there can be any future for heaven and hell”. The Catholic Church: In 1999 Pope John Paul II made headlines by saying that “hell should be seen not as a fiery underworld but as the state of those who freely separate themselves from God, the source of all life and Joy”. Mainline Denominations: The Presbyterian Church’s USA catechism, drawn up a few years ago by a committee, mentions hell only once and that is a reference to hell as being nonexistent in a literal sense. Evangelical and Charismatic Churches: Churches of more than 2,000 members, known as “mega-churches“, mix scripture with social and recreational programs in a casual atmosphere. Mega-churches routinely pay for market research on what will draw people to their ministries and keep them coming back. Martin Marty, professor at the University of Chicago Divinity School: “Once pop evangelism went into market analysis, hell was just dropped.”

Starting Point 1 Lesson 3 - Baptism

Lesson 3

BEING BAPTIZED Romans 6:4 (NLT) For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

I. What is Baptism?

A. An outward sign of an inward change.

(2 Corinthians 5:17) Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! NLT

When we make a commitment of our lives to Jesus Christ there is a transformation that takes place. It might not be seen immediately, but it happens. It’s a heart deal. Your heart changes, you really are a new creation. When you are baptized, as you go beneath the water, it pictures your old life being gone, and when you’re raised out of the water, it pictures that your new life has come.

B. An act of obedience.

(Matthew 28:19-20) “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. NIV

Baptism is a tremendous act of obedience. It’s something you do because Jesus said that we are to do it. We’re showing God and others, right from the beginning, that we are going to do our best to obey what Jesus says. And it has such a powerful meaning to you! In Matthew 28, the Great Commission, Jesus instructed His followers to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Here's why: You will be baptized in the name of the Father because God could not imagine heaven without you. You will be baptized in the name of the Son because Jesus had you on His heart while He hung on the cross. And you will be baptized in the name of the Spirit because God by His Spirit lives in you to help you and empower you as you live for Jesus every day!


C. A picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

(1 Corinthians 15:3-4) …Christ died for our sins…was buried…and He was raised from the dead…. NLT

When you are baptized, and you are standing in the water, that will be a picture of Jesus before He died. When you go down under the water, that will be a picture of what? That’s right…His burial. And, when you are brought back up out of the water, that is a picture of what? That’s right…His resurrection. So…you need to be really thankful that Jesus rose from the dead. Otherwise, we’d just have to hold you under the water.

II. What is the Biblical Pattern of Baptism? We want, in our practices as a church, to be as close as possible to the patterns we find in the Bible. That includes how we baptize. When we talk about the biblical pattern of baptism there are two crucial elements.

A. It always follows belief. We know that from studying how the first church did its baptisms. When we look at the early church, there was a clear pattern that developed. The early church pattern:

• taught • believed • baptized

(Acts 2:41) Those who believed what Peter said were baptized…. NLT

This was one of the greatest accounts of a group conversion to ever take place. The total was about 3000 people.

(Acts 8:12) But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. NLT (Acts 16:14b-15) As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She was baptized…. NLT

“She” here is a lady named Lydia. She lived in a city called Thyatira. Paul had gone down by the riverside, the place of prayer. He met Lydia. She was taught, she believed, and she was baptized. Do you see this pattern? Later in Acts 16, Paul and Silas are in prison. They are praying and singing songs of praise. An earthquake comes, the prison doors are opened and the chains fall off them. The jailer, thinking Paul and Silas have escaped, pulls his sword to take his life. Paul cries out to him to stop. The jailer falls before Paul and Silas and asks “What must I do to be saved?” Look at what they did…


(Acts 16:32-33) Then they shared the word of the Lord with him and all who lived in his household. That same hour the jailer washed their wounds, and he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. NLT

Do you see the pattern? People were taught, they believed, then they were baptized. It is consistent in every one of those passages of Scripture. If you ever want to show that to someone, here’s how you can remember off the top of your head where these examples are found. Baptism is an act of obedience, so you go to the book of Acts. And the chapters are 2, 8, and 16. 2 X 8 = 16.

B. It always is by immersion.

(Acts 8:38-39) …they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water…. NLT

Here’s what was happening in this verse. Philip was walking down a road where God had told him to go and he met an Ethiopian eunuch. Philip explained the scriptures and Jesus to the eunuch and the eunuch asked to be baptized.

When you read they went down into the water and came up out of the water, what’s the mental picture you get of what they did, in just that part of the description? Sure, they walked down in, and they walked out. Why do you think they would bother to go into the water and get soaked if Philip could have just poured or sprinkled some water on the Ethiopian’s head? Baptize literally means to:

• immerse • dip • submerge • plunge

Does anyone know what significant event happened in 1611? The King James Version of the Bible was translated. Prior to that time, the English word baptize did not exist. Here’s a loose paraphrase of what happened. The scholars were translating all the Greek words into English. They translated Theos into God because that’s what it meant. They translated agape into love because that’s what it meant. However, when they came to the Greek word baptize, if they had translated it into what it meant, they would have used a word like dip, or immerse, or plunge, or submerge. Here was the problem. The Church of England didn’t immerse, they sprinkled. So if they had translated the word baptizo, the Church of England would have had to have changed its practice. So, instead of translating baptizo, they transliterated it. That means they took the Greek b and wrote an English b. They took the Greek a and wrote an English a, and so on until they developed the word baptize. By doing this, they were able to continue to sprinkle and didn’t have to begin immersing, following the biblical meaning of the word for baptizo.

III. Why should I be baptized?

A. As a demonstration that I will follow the example of Jesus.

(Mark 1:9) One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and he was baptized by John in the Jordan River. NLT


So much of what Jesus did in His life, He didn’t do because He needed to do that, but in order for there to be a model for us to follow. That’s true with baptism. Jesus didn’t need to be baptized. He was sinless, perfect. But, He was baptized in order to give us an example to follow. And when He was baptized there was a voice, the voice of God that came out of heaven and said, “This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased.” In other words, when Jesus was baptized, that thrilled the heart of the Father. Well, we need to demonstrate that we are willing to follow the example of Jesus, and the first place we need to follow His example is in baptism.

B. As a display of my new life in Christ.

(Colossians 2:12-14) For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with Him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross. NLT

It’s like the little boy whose brother was about to be baptized who leaned over to his mother and loudly whispered, “Is Johnny about to be advertised?” That’s what baptism is…a chance for us to advertise, to display, our faith in Jesus.

C. It’s the right step after believing.

(Acts 8:36) As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” NIV

Isn’t that a great question: “Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” That’s really the right question. “Why should I be baptized?,” is a defensive question. When we say, “Why shouldn’t I be baptized?,” we’re saying there’s really no reason in the world for me not to be. Or, give me a reason why I shouldn’t. The assumption then becomes that I should, and that’s the right assumption. Baptism is just the right, logical, next step to take once you believe.

Starting Point Lesson 4 – Growing in God Part 1

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Lesson 4

GROWING IN GOD – PART 1 How Do I Become a Strong Christian?

Teacher’s Note: Non-Christians can often feel intimated approaching the subjects of the Bible and prayer. A new believer often misunderstands the Bible. They may view the Bible as an ordinary book, mythological, or as an outdated collection of stories. Prayer can similarly be viewed as merely talking into the air or as something relating to eastern mysticism and meditation. The goal of this class is two-fold: #1 To communicate the Bible as a living document that is very relevant to our lives today, which if applied will have a huge eternal impact on us. It is God’s infallible word to us. #2 Prayer is a vital way to connect with God in conversation. Prayer was never meant to be a one-way dialog. In addition, prayer can be a very natural and uncomplicated aspect of our Christianity. Please feel free to share your own testimonies regarding these two areas.

Introduction Growing and becoming strong in God is part of His plan for your life. In this lesson, we will look at two key ingredients of the Christian life that will help you to become strong in God.

Part 1: The Bible (The Word of God) Part 2: Prayer (Talking with God)

I. The Bible (The Word of God) The Bible is the most complete book ever written. The words of the Bible were breathed by God into different minds of different men covering over 4000 years of human history. The Bible contains 66 books divided into two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament.


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The Old Testament The Old Testament contains the 39 books of the Hebrew Bible, and it contains over 330 prophecies dealing with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ from 400 to 4000 years prior to His birth. The Old Testament is divided into 5 main areas:

• The first 5 books (Genesis through Deuteronomy) of the Old Testament are known as

The Pentateuch and are God’s revelation of creation and His law as given to Moses. • The next 12 books (Joshua through Esther) are historical books that cover God’s

dealing with the people of Israel: from the conquest of the Promised Land, to the division of the Kingdom of Israel, to the ultimate captivity of both Israel and Judah.

• Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Songs of Solomon are called the wisdom

books. • The next 5 books (Isaiah through Daniel) are known as the major prophets. • The Old Testament culminates with 12 books of the minor prophets (Hosea through

Malachi).

There were 400 years of silence between the Old Testament book of Malachi and the onset of John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus Christ. This time is known as the “silent years” because God chose not to talk to His people during this time.

The New Testament The New Testament is comprised of 27 books written by only a handful of authors. Each author was a witness to the resurrected Christ.

• The first 5 books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Acts of

the Apostles) are historical books which cover the miracles and teachings of Jesus, and the growth of the early church.

• The Apostle Paul authored the next 14 books (Romans through Hebrews), which are

known as epistles. These books contain exhortations to various churches and individuals, and are the source of Christian doctrine, church government, and Christian conduct.

• Peter, James (the half-brother of Christ), John, and Jude wrote the next 7 books of the

New Testament (1 Peter through Jude). • The last book of the Bible is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. This book was written by

the Apostle John, and contains the revelation of Jesus and the details of the end of the age, culminating with the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Don’t worry if at first you find it difficult to find your way around the different books inside the Bible. If somebody says, “Turn to the book of Habakkuk,” and you don’t know where in the Bible to look, turn to the table of contents in the front of your Bible to locate a specific book. In time, and as you read the Bible, it will become easier to find specific books and passages.

(1 Peter 2:2-3) Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.


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A. Read the Bible Daily

1. You must feed yourself to grow.

Just as you eat every day, you must feed your spirit every day. (Hebrews 4:12-13)

(Hebrews 4:12) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

2. The Bible is your light !

Let the Word be your guide in life. The Word is active and alive. The Word of God will illuminate the correct path for your life.

(Psalm 119:105) Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

3. The Bible is the infallible Word of God…

which means it is without error. Critics have tried for centuries to prove the Bible has contradictions and fallacies; however, all attempts at finding errors in the Bible have failed.

4. The Bible will teach and equip you!

(2 Timothy 3:16-17) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

B. Submit to the Word

(Ephesians 5:25) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Pure – free from mixture or contact with that which weakens, impairs, or pollutes: containing no foreign matter, uncontaminated, free from moral defilement.

1. Submit to God’s Word that purifies you from sin.

• By knowing the Word, I know how to please God and keep from sinning.

(Psalm 119:11) Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.

• By knowing the Word, I know how to be forgiven of sin if I fall (1 John 2:1-2, 1 John

1:9).


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2. Submit to God’s Word that keeps you pure in purpose (knowing why God created you). • Scripture warns us against “double-mindedness” (James 1:8; 4:8; Ephesians 4:14) • Scripture helps to give us singleness of heart. “Seek first the kingdom of God…”

(Matthew 6:33, Psalm 119:9, 105, 133)

C. Memorize the Word As you read God’s Word begin to memorize a Scripture verse a week (more if you’re up for it!). Commit yourself to memorizing a Scripture that is meaningful to you, or perhaps one you heard in a sermon that spoke to your heart. These Scriptures, which apply to your life, will help you grow up and can be used as weapons against the enemy. The more you remember the Word the more you can do the Word!

(Psalm 119:11) I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.

Begin by memorizing these Scriptures: John 1:12, John 3:16, I John 5:12. How to Memorize

State the Scripture’s location (its “address”). For example, say you are memorizing John 1:12. Repeat the address and add the first phrase in the verse: “John 1:12, Yet to all who received Him….” Then restate the address, say the first phrase and add the second phrase…and so on. Ask the Lord to help you to memorize and retain His Word!

II. Pray Daily How do I pray? (Psalm 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:15-19, 1 John 5:14) Pray simply & continually. The good news about talking with God is that it’s just that…talking with God. There is no special ritual or religious language needed to communicate with God. Relax and learn to share your feelings, thoughts and concerns with God just like you would with a friend. God cares for you. The issues that are on your heart are also on His, so don’t be shy or feel awkward because God wants you to be the real you!

(Philippians 4:6-7) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 6:18) Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.

A. Prayer pointers

• Come before God with gratitude and worship (Psalm 100)

• Ask Him for whatever you need today (Philippians 4:6)

• Ask Him to forgive any sins that have occurred (1John 1:9-2:1)

• Verbally release and forgive anyone who has wronged you (Mark 11:25)

• Spend time waiting for His response! (John 10:27-28, Isaiah 40:30-31)


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B. Make Your Plan

• Find a place and time when you can pray.

• A consistent time and place help to make this “habit-forming.”

• Both early and evening times have advantages.

Several methods of prayer patterns exist. One pattern that is easy to remember is ACTS:

Adoration – Simply praising God for all He is and all He has done in your life!! Confession – Aligning yourself with God’s holiness. When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior we are holy based on our position before God through the shed blood of Christ, but we still sin on a practical basis; therefore, we must confess our sin before God and turn away from habitual sin. Thankfulness – We have so much to be thankful for, so why not tell God about how grateful you are for what He has done in your life? The blessings God pours out on our lives is unlimited; therefore, our thankfulness to Him should be abundant. Supplication – After praising Him, confessing to Him, and thanking Him, we ask for the things we need. The Bible says whatever we ask for in the name of Jesus and if it is in the will of the Father, it will be given to us (John 14:13-14; John 15:16; John 16:23-24; 1 John 5:14-15).

The ACTS model is just one form of remembering how to pray. There are many others. The key is to set aside time to pray, then jump in and do it.

Conclusion Two of the primary ways Christians grow into maturity are through reading the Word of God and prayer. Hopefully this lesson has helped you understand some basic principles about your growth as a believer. Remember, the key to growing into maturity as a believer is to feed on the Word of God through daily reading, study, and memorization of the Scriptures. Also, talk with God throughout the day. Sing out praises of how great He is. Let Him know what you are going though. Talk to Him like you would your best friend. If you will follow these simple suggestions, you will grow in your faith, and you will have a deeper relationship with God.


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Lesson 5

GROWING IN GOD – PART 2 How Do I Become a Strong Christian?

Intro to the Leader: In this lesson, we are focusing on three key areas that are essential for a strong walk with God. 1. Sharing our faith. 2. Being connected in the body of Christ. Although the lesson itself does not specifically address small groups, please make sure to emphasize the importance of being in a small group. 3. The reality of spiritual warfare. A key for this lesson is to keep them talking. You, as the “mentor”, should listen for their heart as they discuss these issues. For instance, while you are discussing evangelism, you may notice they share some real fears about this aspect of the lesson. Stop and discuss it further, and don’t worry about finishing this lesson in one setting. Make sure they are getting it. If they can’t get past their fear of witnessing, you may wish to demonstrate it for them. Make an appointment with some of their friends and give your testimony as a model. Alternatively, introduce them to new people at church the following Sunday, if they are having a difficult time making new friends (help them get connected in the body etc). This style of practical discipleship will help people lay a solid foundation in their walk with Jesus.

Introduction As you grow in your faith, it is important that you understand three vital areas of Christian growth: I. Sharing your faith. II. Connection to the body of Christ. III. The reality of spiritual warfare. In this lesson, you will cover these important topics. Don’t be afraid of the challenge that awaits you. Your spiritual development can be compared to your physical development. You have to learn how to crawl before you can walk, then once you’ve mastered walking, you learn how to run.


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I. Sharing Your Faith!

As you study the Bible and learn how to live a Christ-like life, you will discover that Jesus wants you to model His character. In essence, you are no longer living your life, but it is Christ who is living through you. The Holy Spirit lives inside of you; consequently, you will naturally begin to influence those who are close to you. You will influence your friends and family, or they will influence you. Your unsaved friends need what you have! You need to share your faith with them. Jesus said:

(Matthew 10:8b) “Freely you have received, so freely give.” (Acts 1:8) “But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Our goal is to tell people about Jesus; however, we do not have to be professional-sounding or even know all the answers to their questions. We are simply to tell them what has happened in our lives and how Jesus has changed us! God will do the rest. Sharing your faith will make you stronger and also cause people to examine their own lives. They may see the truth and accept it, or they may reject it, and you, for now. That’s O.K.! Some will try to pull you back into your old ways; therefore you need Godly wisdom to break off any relationships that might keep you from following Jesus. The Lord does not want us to hide from the world, but we have to ask the question: “Who is influencing who?” There is usually a process of building new relationships with those who are strong in the Lord until we can stand strong.

(1 Corinthians 15:33) Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 John 2:15-17) Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever. NLT

Also study the words of Jesus in regards to being separated from close relationships that we might follow Him. (Matthew 10:32-40)

II. Get Connected to a Bible-Believing Church The New Testament refers to “the church” 114 times. Ninety-six of those references are clearly the local church. God has obviously made the corporate body of believers a major theme and emphasis in His word.

(Hebrews 10:25) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

A. Our growth in the Lord is directly related to being joined together.

(I Corinthians 12:18-21, 27) But God made our bodies with many parts, and He has put each part just where He wants it. What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.


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B. God has prepared a unique place of ministry for each of us.

C. The New Testament Church was built upon relationship.

In the Bible, there is a special word that communicates the style and uniqueness of Christian relationships (Acts 2:42-47). Fellowship (koinonia) = partnership & participation, to share and have in common; a Spirit-to-Spirit communication. This word was used solely to describe the relationship of the believers in the New Testament.

D. What are some of the ways we grow through being connected to “the body”?

• Praying for one another (James 5:16). • Exhorting one another (Hebrews 3:13, 10:25). • Edifying (building up) one another (Romans 14:19). • Bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2,5). • Singing, praising and worshipping together (Colossians 3:16-17). • Comforting one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18). • Forgiving one another (Ephesians 4:32). • Providing for physical needs (Acts 2:45).

III. Realize You Are In a Continual Spiritual War

A. Know that you have a personal enemy!

(1 Peter 5:8-9) Be careful, watch out! Be sober minded; be vigilant and cautious at all times for your great enemy, Satan, roams around like a lion roaring in fierce hunger seeking someone to seize upon and devour…looking for some weak victim to tear apart. Withstand him! Be firm in your faith against his onset.

B. Satan has a three-fold plan against your life!

He is out to: (John 10:10)

• Kill • Steal

• Destroy

C. Jesus came to give us an abundant life, as mentioned in John 10:10., and His power is

greater than the power of the enemy.

(Luke 10:18-19) “Yes,” He told them, “I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning! And I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.”

D. The key to living under Jesus’ protection (authority) is laid out in this next verse.

(James 4:7-8) So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.


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• Humility and submission to His will.

• Avoid evil by resisting temptation.

• Draw close to God through His word and prayer.

Conclusion Congratulations!! You have just completed one of the most important lessons of foundational instruction in our faith. Understanding the significance of telling others about Jesus, being part of a healthy church, and recognizing you have a spiritual enemy, are all excellent building blocks in your steps of faith.

Questions

1. Which of the issues in this lesson do you feel the greatest need to increase in? 2. What is your greatest fear regarding the idea of telling people about Jesus?

3. Are you connected in the Body of Christ?

4. Name some practical ways in which you can resist the devil.

Starting Point Lesson 6 – Living with Purpose

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Lesson 6

LIVING WITH PURPOSE Introduction to the Teacher: William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, had a catch-phrase for all of the army core members: “Saved to serve”. This simple statement encapsulated a number of key elements that we will use in this study:

1. God has a bigger plan for you that goes way beyond salvation. 2. God has tailor-made a plan just for you! (Destiny). 3. There are keys and roadblocks to destiny. 4. God will never give up on His plans or us.

As you spend time going over this lesson, it will be important to ask questions like the following:

• Have you ever thought about your destiny? • If you could do anything for the Lord, what would it be? • What’s on your heart? • What do you like doing, and how can that be used for God?

The questions are endless; however, the key is to get them talking about the possibilities of how they can serve God and begin to walk into their destiny. As you listen, try to think of ways to involve them in Christian activities that are associated with their interests. Obviously no one will “discover their destiny” in one easy lesson, rather the goal is to open them up to this concept of personal destiny and get them to take the first steps towards their future in Christ.

Introduction Have you ever thought about why you were born? Why you are here? What is the purpose of your life? It would be a safe assumption to guess that most of us have thought about these questions. In this lesson, we will look into God’s word to see what God has prepared for you.


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(Jeremiah 29:11-14) “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD….

This incredible promise is for you! You are not here by some accident of birth! God has a very special and unique destiny for you! What is "destiny"? In simple terms, destiny is God’s purpose for your life. It is your appointed or ordained future. Destiny is God’s dream regarding what you will be and do for Him. Another way of saying it would be:

To know Him, and make Him known This verse (Jeremiah 29:11-14) says a few key things about your future:

God knows the plans He has for you. They are plans to benefit you.

The plans are future -oriented.

They are plans that will produce hope.

The promise in this verse is that if you would seek Him with all your heart and call upon Him, you will find Him and your purpose!

(Ephesians 2:10) For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

What do we mean by “good works”? It is not like He is saying for us to walk a person across the street or something…. “Good works”,” rather, indicate that God has a good plan for you, something that He has tailor-made just for you, and it will be enjoyable and satisfying.

I. Keys to Unlocking Your Destiny There tends to be an underlying frustration in us until we unlock the purpose of God for our lives. God designed us that way so that we will continually press into Him to find our destiny. We do that through the following means:

Passionate prayer.

Study of the Word.

Getting connected with Christians who are passionately pursuing Christ.

Trying many different types of ministries.

Stepping out to serve.


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II. Roadblocks to Discovering Your Destiny

Fear

Unbelief (“I don’t have any unique callings, gifting”)

Apathy

Busyness Discovering your destiny is a process of revelation. Most tend to learn by doing; therefore, the key is to keep on keeping on with serving the Lord. You may not be able to clearly define your destiny yet, and that is OK, but do not give up. Also, remember:

(Philippians 1:6) …being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:24) …the One who calls you is faithful and He will do it.

Questions for Discussion

1. What do you dream about becoming or doing for God?

2. What holds you back from living out your dream?

3. How can you overcome these roadblocks?

Starting Point Lesson 7/8 – Tools

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Lessons 7 & 8

TOOLS

Introduction (Matthew 11; 29) “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and

you will find rest for your souls.” The teachings of Jesus have so much for us, but opening the Bible is a frightening and daunting task for many new believers. Have you ever wondered which of the many Bible translations is the right one for you?

“If I open it where do I start?” “What’s the difference between the Old and New Testament?”

“What is this Trinity thing?” These are questions many of us have, and we believe that these very same concerns are what stop a lot of sons and daughters of God from joining Bible studies. In the next two weeks you will gain the knowledge and skills you need to study the Bible. This study will answer many of the questions you have and when it’s completed you will have the confidence to join a bible study small group and not be embarrassed that you don’t know where (in the Bible) to “find the Epistles”.

Epistles = Letters Why is it so important to understand how to study the Bible? Read Acts 8:30-31 (Look it up in the New Testament. Acts is the book right after the Gospel of John.) Listed below are the topics that we will cover in this study. You may not get all of your questions answered, so we want you to ask about those things we do not address.

I. Bible Versions

II. Inside the Book

III. The back of the Book


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IV. Christian Terms


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I. Bible Versions (Translations) American Standard Version (ASV) The American Standard Version, also known as the Standard American Edition, Revised Version, is a revised version of the King James Version. It was completed in 1885 and newly edited by the American Revision Committee in 1901. word-for-word English Standard Version (ESV) The ESV Bible is a relatively new Bible translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty, and readability. word-for-word Good News Translation (GNT) The Good News Translation was first published in 1976 by the American Bible Society in a "common language." The simple, everyday language makes it especially popular for children and those learning English. thought-for-thought Holman Christian Standard (CSB) The HCS is a highly readable, accurate translation written in modern English. It is published by Holman Bible Publishers, the oldest Bible publisher in America. word-for-word King James Version (KJV) The KJV is the first version of Scripture authorized by the Protestant church and commissioned by England's King James I. word-for-word New American Standard (NAS) The NAS is written in a formal style, but is more readable than the King James Version. It is highly respected as the most literal English translation of the Bible. word-for-word

New International Version (NIV) The NIV offers a balance between a word-for-word and thought-for-thought translation, and is considered by many as a highly-accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English. combination of word-for-word and thought-for-thought New King James Version (NKJ) The NKJ is a modern language update of the original King James Version. It retains much of the traditional interpretation and sentence structure of the KJV. word-for-word New Living Translation (NLT) Using modern English, the translators of the NLT focused on producing clarity in the meaning of the text rather than creating a literal, word-for-word equivalence. Their goal was to create a clear, readable translation while remaining faithful to original texts. thought-for-thought New Revised Standard (NRS) The New Revised Standard is a popular translation that follows in the traditions of the King James and Revised Standard Versions. It was written with the goal of preserving the best of the older versions while incorporating modern English. word-for-word and thought-for-thought Revised Standard Version (RSV) The Revised Standard Version is a revision of the King James Version, the Revised Version, and American Standard Version. This text is intended for both private reading and public worship. word-for-word using modern American language The Message (MSG) The Message is a paraphrase from the original languages written by Eugene, H. Peterson. The Message provides a fresh and unique Bible-reading experience. thought-for-thought; paraphrase


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Translations continued… Modern Bible in Basic English (BBE) Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) God's Word (GWD) Hebrew Names Version (HNV) New Century Version (NCV) New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Third Millennium Bible (TMB) Today's New International Version (TNIV) World English Bible (WEB) Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

Older Translations The Darby Translation (DBY) The Latin Vulgate (VUL) The Webster Bible (WBT) New Testament Only Weymouth New Testament (WNT) Spanish La Biblia de las Américas (BLA) La Biblia Reina-Valera (RVR)

Oh yeah! And one more: Da Jesus Book (Hawaiian)

II. Inside the Book

A. Chapter and Verse

Pick up a modern Bible and you will find it pretty well organized. There is the Old Testament and the New Testament. Then there are the various books in each Testament such as Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament, and Revelation, which is the last book in the New Testament. Each book is further divided into chapters and then verses. That is not the way the Bible was originally written. If you were looking at the original text (and none of the original scrolls is known to exist anymore) you would not only not see chapters and verses, you wouldn't see punctuation or even spacing. It would be pretty hard to find your favorite Bible passage, to say the least. Even though various systems of division for scripture have probably always existed, we have a man from the 13th century named Stephen Langton to thank for dividing the Bible into chapters. About 300 years later in 1551, Robert Estienne, a French printer, was responsible for the verses. The first Bible printed with the chapter and verse divisions was the Geneva Bible of 1560. Today we use a kind of shorthand to reference a particular passage. For instance, I Sam. 14:1-6 refers to the text found in the first book of Samuel, chapter 14, verses 1 to 6. Once we become familiar with which books are in which testaments, it's a snap. Even if we don't exactly agree with some of the verse division decisions, we can be grateful for those who went before us and made reading the Bible a whole lot easier than in times past.

Now that you know the story, why don’t you try studying in the Greatest Book every written?


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B. Books of the Bible The Bible is a library that contains many books that are arranged in groups. The chart below lists the contents of the Bible in the order that they appear in the Old and New Testaments.

Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers The Pentateuch Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles

The Historical Books

2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes

Psalms and Writings Song of

Solomon

Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah

Old Testament

The Prophets

Malachi

The Gospels Matthew Mark Luke John Historical Narrative Acts

Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus

Pauline Letters

Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude

New Testament

General Epistles & Revelation Revelation


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C. Timeline

First named Abram, then God changed name to Abraham. He was born 9 generations later in the lineage of Noah.

His story starts in Genesis 12.

Ten Commandments: this is where we meet Moses.

David is first mentioned in 1 Samuel 16.

Israel/Judea

David anoints his son

Solomon as King.

Solomon dies. Israel forsakes God.

Egypt reigns over Judea. The Temple is destroyed.

Temple rebuilt

Born of a virgin: the Christmas story.

Miracles: Water to wine

Walking on water Feeding 5,000

D. What do "B.C." and "A.D." mean? One basic historical concept that needs to be emphasized before moving on is the very simple distinction between dates "A.D." and "B.C."—and what these abbreviations stand for. Although this method of describing time is almost universal now, throughout much of history each civilization had its own unique method of calculating and referring to historical time. In many places one described the "date" something

Events

Abraham and Sarah 2000-1700 B.C.

Israel's Exodus from Egypt 1275 B.C.

Reign of David Begins 1000 B.C.

Kingdom Divides into North and South 922 B.C.

Fall of Northern Kingdom 722 B.C.

Fall of Southern Kingdom 587 B.C.

Some exiles return from Babylonia 539 B.C.

THE DARK AGES

Birth of Jesus 5 B.C.

Jesus' death and resurrection A.D. 30


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happened as a certain number of years before or after some significant event such as a great earthquake, or reign of a significant king, in one's society. Eventually, hundreds of years after the time Jesus lived on the earth, some scholars decided to attempt to use the year of His birth as the focal point of history. All dates before His birth would be a certain number of years "B.C."—Before Christ. All dates after His birth would be "A.D."—which is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase Anno Domini. The word Anno refers to the concept of "year"… and thus shows up as a source for such English words as annual and anniversary. The word Domini refers to the concept of "Lord" and shows up as a source for such English words as dominate ("lord it over") and dominion (lands ruled by a lord). Thus Anno Domini means "The Year of Our Lord", referring to the Lordship of Jesus. Throughout the next several hundred years, this way of referring to dates was eventually accepted by the whole world in international commerce—even by those nations who did not profess any belief in Jesus. Some, such as Israel, still use their own dating system within their own society, but the common system is used when dealing between nations. But there is a problem. At the time, hundreds of years ago, that a number of scholars agreed to accept this system, there were no detailed, totally reliable records on hand of the actual number of years in the past that the birth of Jesus had taken place. The scholars were forced to make some assumptions and go by various historical clues. In recent years, new historical evidence has come to light which convinces most modern historians that the original calculations were off by more than a year, and perhaps even up to six years. Thus, by our current calendars, it looks as if we are in the 2000th year after the birth of Christ, or 2000 A.D.. But the most common date suggested by scholars for the birth of Jesus is now 4 B.C.! If that is true, we would actually be in the year 2004 A.D. However, since the current system has been in place for so many hundreds of years, no one has ever seriously suggested that the whole world go back and "adjust" all their calendars, nor change the dating of future events.

E. What is "B.C.E."? There is one other set of abbreviations used in dating you need to know about. You may sometimes see them in writings on Biblical History, particularly in Jewish sources. There are, in recent years, many groups which have reacted unfavorably to the notion that they should use what is, after all, a "Christian" definition of time. This would include those of other "world religions" such as Judaism and Islam, and those who are committed atheists. Realizing that they cannot possibly get the whole world to accept some totally new method of dating at this point in history, they have dealt with the issue by a symbolic change of the abbreviations used. Thus you may frequently see dates now that use the terms "B.C.E." and "C.E." The C.E. stands for "Common Era", meaning the "commonly used system" of dating. And the B.C.E. stands for "Before the Common Era".

F. More timelines with people and places

PERIODS WHERE DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLE PEOPLE PLACES

Beginnings Genesis 1-11 Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Noah

-----

Ancestral Period 2000-1700 Genesis

Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, Isaac, Rebekah,

Esau, Jacob, Rachel, Joseph

Canaan, Egypt

Sojourn in Egypt 1700-1275 BC Exodus 1 ----- Egypt, Nile River


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Exodus & Wilderness Wanderings

1275-1235 BC

Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy Moses Egypt, Red Sea,

Mount Sinai,

Occupation & Period of the

Judges 1235-1050 BC

Joshua, Judges, Ruth Joshua, Deborah, Gideon, Samson,

Canaan, Jordan River, Bethlehem

United Monarchy 1050-922 BC

1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-10,

Psalms, Proverbs

Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon Bethlehem, Jerusalem

Northern Kingdom of Israel

922-722 BC

1 Kings 11 – 22, 2 Kings 1-17, Amos, Hosea,

Jonah

Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Hosea

Israel, Samaria (city), Assyria, Samaria (region)

Southern Kingdom of Judah

922-587 BC

1 Kings 11 - 2 Kings 25, Isaiah 1-39,

Psalms & Writings Jeremiah

Isaiah, Jeremiah

Judah Jerusalem,

Assyria, Babylon, Babylonia

The Exile 587-539 BC Ezekiel, Isaiah 40-55 Ezekiel Babylon, Babylonia

Persian Period 539-332 BC ---- Ezra, Nehemiah Jerusalem

Hellenistic 332-165 BC ----- ---- -----

Maccabean 165-63 BC ---- ---- Jerusalem

Roman Period 63 BC onward

Life of Jesus 5 BC - AD 30

Matthew, Mark,

Luke, John

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Herod the Great,

Elizabeth, Zechariah, John the Baptist,

Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew, Mary

Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, Martha,

Judas, Caiaphas, Herod Antipas, Pontius

Pilate

Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jordan River, Sea of

Galilee, Galilee, Capernaum,

Samaria (region), Jerusalem

Early Christian Mission

AD 30 - 100

Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians,

Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Peter, Revelation

Stephen, Philip, Peter, Paul

Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria (region),

Damascus


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III. The Back of the Book Most modern bibles have concordances; some bibles include indexes to notes that are in study-type bibles. Others bibles may have charts and maps as well. What is a Concordance? A concordance is a very useful tool for studying the Bible. Made up of word lists and formatted in alphabetical order, under each word there is a series of verses where that word can be found. The original Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, for example, takes every single word of the KJV and lists where it can be found in the scriptures. Each word has been assigned a number, and each number represents the word in the original Hebrew or Greek. Using a lexicon or other word study dictionary, the numbers can be used to locate the word and read the Hebrew or Greek definition. Concordances are great for topical studies or to locate a scripture verse according to words when the chapter and verse can’t be recalled. There are additional concordances that can be bought at your local Christian bookstores or online at various web sites. These are sometimes called “exhaustive concordances”. A good bible dictionary is also a very useful tool for getting a clearer understanding of definitions and the history of people, places and things in the Bible A Bible book of maps is also a helpful tool in studying as it can familiarize you with the places that are mentioned in the bible.

IV. Christian Terms Christians have their own jargon and it is sometimes off-putting to non-Christians. Just what is it they are talking about? Terms like sin, redemption, salvation and witnessing aren't clearly understood by non-Christians. Christians have a responsibility to evangelize but we can’t be effective if we are not understood. We need to be sure that we are clear when we talk about things that have to do with our faith. If you’re seeking answers about Christianity and don’t know the language yet, here’s a short glossary to help you get started. Accountability – Most Christian denominations teach that we are to be accountable for our actions. We should also be accountable to a spiritual authority, usually our pastor. Accountability begins when a child is able to reason and discern right from wrong. Before that age, the child’s parents are accountable for his or her actions. Apostle – An apostle is a messenger, someone sent out to take a message to the people. Jesus’ disciples, except for Judas, became His apostles after the crucifixion. All Christians are apostles of Christ and our job is to spread the message of Christ. Blasphemy – Blasphemy is the act of swearing using God’s name, saying bad things about God, or doing disrespectful things against God. Blasphemy is a sin and in the Old Testament it was punishable by stoning the blasphemer to death. Confess – Confess is used in two major ways in the Bible. The first type of confession is the confession or admission of sin. The second kind of confession is the confession of faith. This is where the Christian declares his or her faith, usually publicly, or declares his or her faith as a part of witnessing.


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Covenant – A covenant is an agreement or pact. It’s a contract of sorts. In the Bible, it refers to an agreement between God and man. The Old Testament Covenants included the rules that Jews lived by to stay in grace with God. In the New Testament there is a new covenant; our salvation is now the acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. Disciple – Though disciple is often used interchangeably with apostle, they are not the same thing. What confuses people is probably the fact the Jesus’ disciples were the first apostles. A disciple is a student, and Christians are disciples or students of Christ. Epistle – An epistle is a letter. Most of the New Testament is letters from apostles to churches in different areas, and from apostle to apostle. The letters of Paul are called the Pauline Epistles. Grace – Grace refers to God’s love and mercy towards us even though we are undeserving. We cannot earn His grace; it’s His gift to us when we accept the sacrifice that Christ made for us on the cross. Holy Spirit – Christian denominations teach that God is triune, or three beings in one. The Godhead is made up of God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is sometimes called the Holy Ghost. Some Christians describe the trinity this way: God as the Mind, Jesus as the Body, and the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of God. Lamb of God – Jesus refers to Himself as the Lamb of God several times in the New Testament. In Old Testament times, lambs were used as sacrifices and their blood washed away sins. Jesus came as the final sacrifice, taking the place of the lamb. Lord’s Supper or Communion – The night of His arrest, Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples. This is known as the Last Supper. He offered them bread as a symbol of His flesh that would be sacrificed for us, and wine as a symbol of the blood He would shed for us. When we take the sacrament of communion, we do it in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice for us. Patriarch – A patriarch is a father. When the Bible refers to patriarchs, it usually is referring to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who are considered the fathers of the Hebrew nation. Pentecost – Pentecost is a Jewish feast day celebrated 50 days after Passover. It has significance to Christians because the first Pentecost after the crucifixion was when the Holy Spirit was sent to Christians as the Comforter. Pharisee – The Pharisees were a group of extremely devout Jews who were intent on obeying the Laws of Moses to the letter. Their error was in missing the spirit of the laws. Today when Christians talk about someone being like a Pharisee, they are talking about a person who is rigidly applying the Scripture to their lives and missing the spirit of love that Jesus wants us to have. Reconcile – To reconcile is to restore a relationship. We are separated from God by our sin. When we accept the sacrifice that Jesus made for our sins on the cross, we are reconciled with God. Reconciliation is an important part of Christian doctrine. Redemption – Redemption refers to the work that Jesus did to redeem our souls. To redeem is to purchase for a price. The price paid for our redemption was Jesus’ life. We didn’t have to pay the price of our sin; Jesus did it for us. He is called the Redeemer for this reason. Remnant – Remnant refers to a small, leftover portion. It generally refers to the small group of Jews who remained faithful to God through the Old Testament times. In the Book of Revelation, it refers to those who become or remain faithful to God during the tribulation. Repent – Repent means to turn away. When Christians talk about the need to repent from sin, they’re saying that we need to turn away from those things that we know offend God.


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Resurrection – The resurrection of Christ is the foundation of Christianity. When Christ sacrificed Himself on the cross, He shed His blood for our sins. When He came back to life, He proved that He had conquered the penalty of sin, which is death. Salvation – Salvation is the gift of eternal life that God offers us. In order to claim the gift, we accept the sacrifice that Jesus made for our sins. We ask Jesus to wash away our sins so that we can come before God blameless. The price of sin is eternal death but the gift of salvation is eternal life. By taking the penalty for all our sins, Jesus can offer us the gift of salvation. Sin – Sin means to miss the mark. Sin is what separates us from God; it’s those things we do that we know are wrong but do them anyway. Our goal as Christians is to strive to eliminate sin from our lives; to hit the mark every time and do those things that please and honor God. Witness – A witness tells what he or she has seen. When Christians talk about witnessing, we mean that we are to tell people what we have seen Christ do in our lives. Witnessing is one of the fundamental responsibilities of a Christian. For more help, consult a good study Bible with a concordance and dictionary. A helpful study Bible is the “Life Application Study Bible” published by Tyndale. An excellent companion reference is “What the Bible is All About” by Dr. Henrietta C. Mears, published by Gospel Light.

Conclusion Now What? Well, what do you think? Did you get some answers? Our purpose for this lesson was to give you the confidence to study and learn this amazing book with others. It is our prayer that you use this new knowledge and take that next step. There are many great Bible studies going on at The Father’s house and other churches throughout our city and the surrounding areas. Check the church lobby for sign-up sheets after the services. If you see a study on the Gospels, you will know what you’re in for and where to find them in the Book! If you spot a study on the Holy Spirit, you will know that it is a lesson on the Spirit of God that is your helper If you don’t see what you want to study, start studying on your own!!!! Hold on to the information you collected in this class and refer back to it when needed. Start a library of reference books. Look into getting a commentary book; that’s a book written by an author who is very knowledgeable in terms of the Bible and they give their interpretation of Scripture. You can get commentary books that cover the entire Bible, just the New Testament, or certain individual books of the Bible. They are very helpful if you’re not using a study Bible. God Bless You. May this be the beginning of a learning journey into the Living Word.

Teacher’s Note: This form has been included at the end of the student copy of Lesson 7 & 8 - it’s on a separate piece of paper. Ask them to fill it out now and turn it in to you before they leave. TOOLS evaluation – Lessons 7 & 8

1. What did we not cover that you thought would have helped you to better understand the Bible?

2. Was the duration of the class too long, too short or just right? 3. Was the hand-out material helpful? 4. Did the instructor present the information in a knowledgeable and understandable manner?

5. Would you recommend this class to people you know that need this kind of knowledge?

6. Do you believe that you have the confidence to move on to an actual bible study small group?

7. What would you like to study?

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