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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. THE BIBLE - GODS WORD
A. WHATS THE BIBLE ALL ABOUT?
2. GOD
A. THE TRINITY
B. GOD THE FATHER
C. ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
The name ‘Bible’ comes from the Greek word ‘biblia’ which translated means ‘books’.
The Bible is a collection of writings which were written by men who were inspired by the Holy
Spirit.
The Bible is a manuel for our everyday living. Its God revelation of Himself and His will for
humanity.
If the Bible was just another book written by writers that weren’t inspired from God, then
why is it such a ‘success’? Why would people die to get it into other peoples lives and
worlds were the Bible is forbidden to be read? Why don’t the sales go down? Why don’t
people stop reading it? Why is it still in such high demand?
2. It is inspired by God
READ: 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21
The word ‘inspiration’ means ‘God-breathed’ meaning it contains Gods life and power.
The writer is saying that scripture is God speaking. Of course he used human agents. It is
100% the work of human beings, but is also 100% inspired by God (just as Jesus was fully
human and fully God).
There are views that say that the Bible cannot be inspired because there are contradictions
and moral or historical differences. Nicky Gumbel explains, ‘Some difficulties can be
explained by the different context in which the authors were writing. It is important to
remember that the Bible was written over a period of 1500 years by at least 40 authors,
including kings, scholars, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, historians and
doctors. They wrote different types of literature, such as history, poetry, prophecy,
apocalyptic and letters. Although some contradictions can be explained by differing
contexts, others are harder to resolve. This does not mean, however, that it is impossible
and we should abandon our belief in the inspiration of scripture.’
Yes, this is good advice. Take the Bible and start working through it. Often the so-called
contradictions people say that there are, are nor really when read in context etc. Lets not
give it all up because it’s to hard to understand. Rather we need to hold onto the belief of
inspiration and take the difficulties and read about and work through them. If we do, it
should transform the way in which we live our lives.
God wants to be known for who he really is. How would you feel if everyone was more
interested in creating their own concept of who they thought you are, rather than coming
to you directly to get to know who you are?
You want to know more about God – Read the book about Him, the Bible.
4. The Bible is about life & gives life
Justine Whang explains, ‘Like any good story, the Bible deals with the big questions and
themes we face in life -- life, death, hope, disappointment, love, tragedy, evil, existence,
meaning, purpose... The Bible is a relevant book to understanding life -- it offers insight
into why things are the way they are, why we are the way we are, and how things could be
different.
It's a guide to life in this not-so-perfect world. The Bible is honest about life with all its
problems and human frailties -- its contributors tell it like it was, no matter how raw and
real, admitting their mistakes and weaknesses in facing life's challenges.
You'll find the Bible offers practical wisdom and guidance for life -- how to live at peace
with yourself, with others and with God.'
In May 1928, the Prime minister Stanley Baldwin said, ‘The bible is a high explosive. But it
works in strange ways and no living man can tell or know how that book, in its journey
through the world, has startled the individual soul in ten thousand different places into a
new life, a new world, a new belief, a new conception, a new faith.’ Eugene Peterson, a
writer who has translated the Bible, puts it this way, "When you hold a Bible in your hands,
it contains our collective stories. Each of us can find little glimpses of ourselves in its
pages. The people in the Bible are a whole lot like you, and a lot of them were far from
perfect. We need to open our eyes and see what God would have each of us understand
about ourselves."
Obedience to Gods Word is a key to spiritual growth and fruitfulness. If you don’t read and
hear Gods word, and you don’t respond and apply it to your life, it wont be of any value to
you.
6. It is stands forever
READ: 1 Peter 1:23-24
Gods word is eternal and it will never pass away (Psalm 119:89; Luke 21:33; Isaiah 30:8)
2. GOD
God is a unity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
To us it seems like its not possible for God to be one and yet three persons at the same time, but
we need firstly bear these two points in mind.
(1) God is Spirit, and numbers belong primarily to the physical world. Difficulty arises when we
attempt to conceive spiritual being in the forms of physical thought;
(2) God is infinite and we are finite. Our attempt at a philosophical explanation of the tri-unity of
God is an attempt to put the facts of infinite being into the forms of finite thought and can be at
best only partially successful. This much we know: that God is essentially one and that He also is
three. There is but one God: but this one God makes Himself known to man as Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, and they are separate personalities. John 14:16; Mark 1:10-11.
There is one God eternally existing and manifesting Himself to us in three persons: Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit.
When we look biblically at the Trinity we see that there is biblical support for this:
Conclusion:
We can see that God is one yet three persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy
Spirit. Sometimes it’s easier to see this in nature. Example: An egg has three parts to it, the
shell, the yoke and the egg white, but yet each part is still an egg.
Another example: There are three forms to the H2O, liquid water, steam and ice, yet they are still
all the same.
If we can see this in nature how much more would it be possible for the God who made the
universe to exhibit the same traits?
Read these scriptures and keep in mind that God our Father is. Sometimes we relate to God our
Father as we relate to our earthly father but God our Father is often nothing like our earthly mortal
fathers. Read the scriptures below.
C. ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
HE IS:
3. JESUS
SO WHAT IS SIN?
M. Sin is disobedience to God and what He says is right, it means ‘missing the mark.’
N. Take away the ‘S’ in sin and the ‘N’ in sin, what is remaining? The ‘I’. That’s the way
the Bible defines ‘SIN’. It’s a condition in which you and I believe that we are the
master/king/owner of our own lives living by our own rules
Even though it was Adam and Eve who sinned, we choose to sin every day (Romans 3:23) too and
this breaks our relationship with God, just like in the Garden of Eden. Some people say, ‘I do
good things for people, I keep the Ten Commandments’, but the truth is that there is evil in
everyone of us no matter how much we try to cover it with our good deeds, its still there. Read
Isaiah 64:6.
We need to be SAVED from our sin and restore our relationship with God for now and eternity.
God cant accept sin as it is contrary to Him, but He wants to have a relationship with us. This can
only happen through SALVATION in Jesus.
WHAT IS SALVATION?
Salvation is the time when we decide to invite Jesus to be the Saviour and the Lord of our lives.
This can be done at anytime, not just in church. It’s a decision that you make in your heart.
SALVATION PRAYER:
This would be the sort of prayer you would pray aloud if inviting Jesus into your life: “I
confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in my heart that God has raised Him
from the dead. It is written, (Romans 10:13) ” that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be
saved’. Lord Jesus today I can call upon your name for salvation. Come into my heart and save
me. Today I receive you as my Lord and Saviour. Lord I confess that I have been a sinner.
Please wash me in your blood and cleans me from all my sins. The sins I would like you forgive
include
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mark 11: 25-26 says that God CANNOT forgive us if we do not forgive those who have hurt us. I
therefore forgive (mention their names) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
from the bottom of my heart, all the people who have sinned against me. Now please write my
name in the Lambs book of Life and fill me with your Holy Spirit. (Revelation 21:27)
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Once we have invite Jesus into our lives we need to know that we need to then turn from our own
sinful ways and walk the other direction, Gods direction for our lives.
READ JOHN 11:1-12 and see what an encounter with Jesus does to our lives.
Repentance is a change of mind and purpose and life.
READ ABOUT:
READ LUKE 15:17-21 to see Gods experience of us asking for forgiveness, repenting and coming
back to you.
B. UNDERSTANDING FORGIVENESS
Un-forgiveness is the number one destroyer of our faith, love, joy and peace that we are assured
of in Christ. It causes bitterness, resentment and anger. It can lead to physical sickness and
stress.
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READ THESE SCRIPTURES:
1. Colossians 3:13
2. Mark 11:25
3. Luke 23:34
READ ABOUT:
The question we should constantly be asking ourselves is, “who is really in control of our lives?” If
you really look at your life you notice that very few things are actually in our control. For example
we have no control over our birthdays, looks and life and death. Being a Christian simply means
that we hand over control of our lives to Christ. This called “Submitting the Lordship of Christ”.
“ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, 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”. Jeremiah
29:11-13
The Lord is clear that He loves and cares for you. If our hearts are sincere in submitting to His
Lordship and seeking His Will, we are promised that we will find Him and his personalized Will and
plan for our Lives.
Remember that Jesus being Lord of our lives means that He is on the thrown of all areas of our
life.
Think of your life and list the areas you have not handed over to His Lordship. (Family,
relationships, marriage, finances, career, physical health, mental health, your mind and thoughts,
your entertainment, your possessions etc.)
Lordship Prayer
“Jesus I submit to you Lordship in all areas of my life. After careful reflection I realize that I have
been holding on to the following areas
(List them)
Please forgive me for my disobedience, ignorance or oversight. I commit myself, and all I have to
a life of servanthood, as you become the rightful LORD of all in my life. Help me as I seek you and
your Will for my life with all my heart.
READ ABOUT:
There are two ORDINANCES according the Bible. In other words, symbolic acts that were
commanded by Jesus for the church to observe. These are the Lords Supper (also known as
communion) and Baptism. These are also known as sacraments.
What is the Lords Supper?
The Lords Supper was the last supper (and also the first communion) that Jesus shared with His
Disciples before going to the cross. It was the prophetic fulfillment of the Passover lambs that
were slaughtered 2000 years before in Egypt. It is written that everyone who ate of the lamb and
applied the blood to the lintels and doorposts were saved from the angel of death. In the scripture
passages you read, Christ symbolically demonstrates that He has become the Lamb that has been
slaughtered to save us from certain death.
What is represented?
Table Place of remembrance, forgiveness, cleansing, love, sharing,
fellowship, and communion
Bread Christ Body broken for us. He bore our sins and by His wounds (stripes)
we are healed.
Grape juice The Blood of Christ that was spilled for us. This blood ratifies the new
covenant that we have with God. It is by this blood that we are
cleansed from our sin.
E. BAPTISM
READ ABOUT:
The most Powerful way a new believer can identify with Christ is through water baptism. Water
Baptism is a symbolic act of obedience in which the believers publicly display what has happened
to them. They display their newfound life of faith and obedience.
Do we have to do it publicly?
This is the ideal because you are proclaiming publicly what Christ has done for you. This public
testimony blesses all other believers and encourages non-believers to make a decision. The Holy
Spirit works in the hearts of all those who are present. It is an awesome time of supernatural
intervention.
Read the following passages and write down your own understandings of the requirements for
baptism.
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READ THESE SCRIPTURES
1. Repentance – Acts 2:38
2. Faith – Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12.36-37; Acts 16:31-33
3. Confession of Faith – Romans 10:9-10
4. HOLY SPIRIT
A. THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN WORLD TODAY, OUR LIVES &
THE CHURCH
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Acts 6:1-6; 9:17; 11:24; 13:52; Eph FILLS CHRISTIANS
5:18-20
Rom 8:25-27; Gal 4:6; Eph 6:18; Rev INTERCEDES IN PRAYER FOR THE BELIEVER
22:17
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING IN YOU AND THE BAPTISM
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
It is clear from scripture that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a specific
experience following salvation.
b) Paul came to Ephesus and met disciples of Jesus there. They were born again, but knew
nothing about the Holy Spirit. Paul then baptised them in water in the name of Jesus, and laid
his hands on them. The Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke with tongues and
prophesied.
Acts 19:1-6
AN EXAMPLE FROM THE DISCIPLES THAT SHOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLY
SPIRIT LIVING IN YOU AND THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
In John 14:14-20, Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit coming to the disciples as He was no longer
going to be with them.
This plays out in John 20:19-23 once Jesus had been crucified, then arisen and now was
appearing to the disciples before ascending to heaven. Here Jesus breathes on them telling them
to receive the Holy Spirit. These scriptures show us the disciples receiving the promised
indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 1:4-6, just before Jesus is taken up into heaven, He gives the same disciples a command
to wait in Jerusalem for a gift from the Father, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Once Jesus ascended into heaven the disciples went and waited in Jerusalem. In Acts 2, we see
the disciples being filled and baptised in the Holy Spirit. This indicates to us that there is a 2nd
experience with the Holy Spirit apart from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at salvation.
This is called the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
C. SPIRITUAL GIFTS
‘ Just as each one of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have
the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all
the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
Romans 12: 4-6
As Christians we make up the Body of Christ, the church. God was the one who designed the
Body of Christ for a specific reason and in a specific way.
God chose to make the Body of Christ an organism with Christ as the head and each member
functioning with a spiritual gift.
Understanding spiritual gifts and especially your own gifts is key to understanding how God wants
the church to work together to reach the world with His love.
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How can I find my Spiritual Gifts?
Are you a Christian?
Do you believe in spiritual gifts?
Are you willing to use them for Gods glory?
Will you pray for Gods guidance?
If you have answered YES to all these questions then take a look at the 5 Steps that Peter C.
Wagner mentions in his book, ‘Your Spiritual Gifts can help the church grow.’
READ ABOUT:
By now you have established some sort of relationship with God. This was initiated instantly from
time of conversion. It is now time to cement this relationship and take it to the next level. Your
newfound faith gives birth to a spiritual relationship with both God and the family of God. This
changes your life forever. God has created us to have fellowship with Him and others.
As any Christian should admit the foundational issue in our life must be an appropriate
relationship with God, and knowledge of God.
Even though this may seem obvious for most Christians, careful observation tells us that the
mistake often made by faithful Christians is getting the following three mixed up
• Knowledge of God – Learning about God
• Serving God – What I do for God
• Know-ing – My personal relationship with God
Yes all three are linked but are to be counted as separate. Learning about God and doing things
for God cannot and must never replace the ultimate foundation, our relationship with God. Out of
this deep and personal relationship all the other things will flow.
As you enter into this Father / child relationship through the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit becomes
your ultimate counsellor, teacher, guide and helper. There are certain Christian disciplines that
will help you grow in your relationship with God and as the Holy Spirit speaks to you through
these disciplines helps us know God better and know His purpose for our lives.
A. FAITH
DEFINITION OF FAITH
Heb 11:1… “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
(NKJ)
Vine’s Dictionary defines faith as follows: “A firm persuasion – a conviction based upon hearing”
The only requirement that God demands for all miracles to take place and people to be saved is
Faith.
Faith gives us the assurance that the things we need will be given to us at the right time.
Supernatural faith:
This type of faith grasps the unrealities of hope (future) and brings it into the dimension of reality
(present)… Heb 11:1.
a) Faith comes through hearing the Word of God… Rom 10:8-17. Many people
hear the Word, but do not combine it with faith. The heard Word is then of
no benefit. Become familiar with the Word of God and the promises contained therein.
b) Memorise Scripture so that you can ward off the devil’s fiery darts. Faith is an integral part of
the armour of God. Eph 6:16…“Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be
able to quench all fiery darts of the wicked one.” (NKJ)
c) Confess the Word Mark 11:23… “for assuredly I say to you, whoever SAYS to this mountain.…
….”
Faith that has been developed through constant positive Word input will always say “I have it,
even though I cannot see it.” If you already possess what you need, it is not necessary to
have
faith. Likewise, you do not need faith for that which you are able to do, but you do need faith
for
that which you cannot do.
But Remember: This doesn’t mean that we can’t say certain things when we need prayer.
d) Read books about faith. Feed your mind with positive input.
How do we get from head faith to heart faith? Faith needs to become a lifestyle – Heb 10:38
Many read the Bible on an academic level and even agree that the Word is true, but they only
agree with their minds while there is not faith in their hearts. Faith is a decision of your will. You
can choose to trust or to doubt.
N.B. We do not have faith in faith. Our faith is in God – our faith comes from Him.
The greatest miracles take place when people act on God’s Word
- The whole nation had to believe the Word and take action accordingly
- Joshua and his people could not sit around and wait for things to happen automatically…
Joshua 6:5; 16-20.
- Please note: They shouted while the walls were still standing. Many
people only rejoice after the walls fall – for that no faith is required
B. WORD OF GOD
God’s Word is essential for our growth, relationship with God and living our lives. God has given it
to us as our final authority and yard stick that we measure our lives by. We are to…
• Take it seriously and obey its instruction
• Apply it to all areas of our lives
• Read all of it in time.
• Use it to transform your thinking
• Test all you hear and see by it’s content.
C. PRAYER
READ: 2 Chronicles 7:11-16
Prayer is simply communicating with God. Prayer is as essential to spiritual growth as breathing is
to physical growth. It is like breathing.
• As you inhale (figuratively) – listen to God
• As you exhale (figuratively) – talk to God
We need to practice both listening and talking to God.
PRAISE
DEFINITION OF PRAISE
Psalm 8:1-2
ISAIAH 61:3
PSALM 106:47
PSALM 22:3
PSALM 100:4
WORSHIP
DEFINITION OF WORSHIP
There are also many synonyms that help us understand the meaning of the word. For example: -
adore, esteem, magnify, revere, venerate and exalt. It is always associated with an attitude of the
body: Sometimes lifting of hands, sometimes bowing down, sometimes bending the knee and
sometimes prostrating oneself.
Jesus set the example for us concerning quiet time. He took time to connect with the Father
regularly, as the following Scriptures tell us, and His impact on this world was life-changing for
many:
"Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, 'Sit here
while I go over there and pray'" (Matthew 26:36).
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a
solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35).
"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16).
• Carve out time in your day by writing it into your calendar. Appointments and meetings not
written down are often forgotten. Make a daily appointment with God.
• If noise is all around you, look for a place in your home, neighbourhood, or community that
can easily be your place to talk with the Lord. If you can't find a quiet place, try making
one of your own. It's been said that Susanna Wesley, mother of Charles and John Wesley,
would simply pull her apron up over her head! That let her family know she was meeting
with God and not to be disturbed. Be creative! God made you in His image, after all, and
no one is more creative than God.
• If a wandering mind is your hang-up, pray for discipline and then keep lists handy. Have a
list of the people and things you want to pray about. Have a daily Bible reading plan
printed out and easy to find. Keep a note pad nearby for those shopping list items and
errands that pop to mind. Jot them down and go on with the meeting. Our God is a God of
order. Give Him your wandering mind and your desire for discipline. He will help you find
ways to make it work.
Finally, do you desire to hear from God? Are you passionate about wanting His will in your life,
above your own? Daily quiet time prepares your heart to listen. You may "hear" Him speak to you
in those quiet moments…or you may hear Him through a friend or circumstance later in the day.
But because you've made time with Him a priority and have been willing to shut out the world to
hear Him, He will make sure you do.