Being Certain of Your Relationship with God
The greatest privilege know to man is to know God personally through Jesus Christ. But how can we be sure that we do
know God? How can we know that Jesus Christ has come into our lives and that we have eternal life? Is it even possible
to be sure? God's word, THE BIBLE, makes it clear not only that we can be sure, but that God wants us to be sure of
our relationship with him. In the lesson we shall look at what the Bible has to say. In each of the questions that follow
READ THE PASSAGES INDICATED before you answer the question.
The facts about Jesus: The basis for our certainty is the unique life of Jesus Christ, His death on the cross and His resurection from the dead.
According to the following passages, WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?
Mark 1:1 John1:14 John 1:1 John 14:6
What Has Jesus done about our sin? 1 Peter 2:4
What is the significance of His resurrection? Romans 1:4 1Peter1:3-4
Our response to Jesus A simple head knowledge of these facts is not enough. What more is needed... for you to be
sure that these things are true? John7:16-17
for Christ to be your Saviour? Romans 10:9&10
Is salvation the reward of a man's good works? Ephesians 2: 8-9
How are we saved?
What are the results of a genuine faith in Jesus Christ? John 3:16 John 1: 12-13
Our certainty: According to Revelation 3:20, if you by faith invite Jesus Christ to come into your life to be your Lord
and Saviour... will he come in? Have you received Christ into your life this way?
if so, did He come in? On the basis of the verse, how do you know?
READ 1John5:9-13 According to this passage, where is eternal life found?
If somone has Christ in his or her life, what else do they have?
Can a person know that he or she has eternal life? DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE?
on what basis?
THIS IS THE FIRST OF 8 LESSONS.Please check the web site often for the next posted lesson.
How to be sure you are Christian By Dr. William R. Bright
My experiences in counselling students and laymen through the years since I met Christ personally has convinced me that there are thousands of good, faithful, churchgoers who have " received" but who are not sure of theis salvation. Reguardless of how disciplined their efforts to please God, they are still INCERTAIN of their relationship with Him.
Why does this heartbreaking uncertainty exist among so many who genuinely want to know God, and have sought Him for years? I am persuaded personally that for many people this lack of assurance is due to simple misinformation reguarding who God is, the true meaning of the crucifixion and the resurrection, and what is involved in receiving Jesus Christ as Saviour.
Could it be that you yourself are still unsure of yourrelationship with God, even though you may have been brought up in a Christian enviroment and have " believed" in Him and in His son for years? If you were to die this moment, do you KNOW for sure where you will spend eternity? Do you have the assurance right now that the Lord Jesus is in your life, and that you are a child of God? Or perhaps you have only recently received Christ and are still not sure that anything has really happened - you have no assurance of your salvation and have serious misgivings about where you will go when you die.
If you are among the vast multitude who are still looking for God, the next few moments could well be the most important ones of your life.
Becoming a Christian involves receiving by faith the greastest gift ever offered to man - God's gift of love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Receiving Jesus Christ as Saviour and following Him as Lord involves one's INTELLECT, EMOTIONS,and WILL.
Intellectual Understanding
In order to become a Christian, or to be sure that you are a Christian , you must have a clear intellectual understanding of what is involved. Christianity is not a " blind leap of faith"; it's built upon historical fact. documented by centuries of scholarship and research. Many leading scholars have dedicated their lives o investigating the life, teachings, death, resurrection and influence of Jesus of Nazareth. As a result, we have more historical evidence documenting these events of His life than we have of the fact that Nepoleon was defeated at Waterloo.
Jesus Christ claimed to be God. He said, " The Father and I are one" ( John 10:30) " Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. ( John 14:9). To become a Christian you must honestly face these claims and believe intellectually that Jesus is God, that He died for your sins and was buried, that He rose again and that He wants to come into your life and be your Saviour and Lord..
Emotional involvement Being sure that you are a Christian also involves the emotions. An emotion is a feeling or reaction to a specific act, event or experience. The failure to distinguish between types of emotion has caused many people to be confused in their relationship with God. Probably no one thing has caused more people to lack assurance of a vital relationship with God through Jesus Christ than a wrong emphasis on emotion.
One person may be aggressively extroverted and highly emotional, while another may be calm, reserved and introspective.
Viewing the same act or participating in the same experience, these two may respond quite differently----- one with great joy and the other calmly.
Each person who receives Jesus Christ as his or her Saviour and Lord will have a different kind of emotional experience.Paul met God through a dramatic encounter on the road to Damascus ( Acts Chapter 9). Timothy on the other hand was raised raised in Christian home where he came to know Christ at an early age, and gradually grew in his faiht. The fact that your experience with God may not be as highly emotional as that of someone else does not make it any less real. We must NOT depend on emotions for they can be deceiving.
How then can one be sure the that one is a Christian ? Is there not some confirmation that God gives to the man or woman who sincerely receives Christ? Scripture assures us of a threefold confirmation that Jesus Christ is in our lives and that we are children of God and have eternal life.
FIRST We have the external witness of the Word of God. Assurance is based on the authority of God's Word. When you meet God's conditions, as revealed in His Word, you can be assured that you are a child of God. " But to all who believed HIM and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. ( John 1:12).
.
Second: There is the theinternal witness of the HOLY SPIRIT, who speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children ( Romans 8:16) Our changed lives are a THIRD witness to the fact that we are Christians: What this means is that those who become Christians become a NEW PERSON. They are not the same anymore, for the old is gone, A new life has begun ( 2 Corinthians 5:17) This change may be sudden or gradual, according to the personality of the individual.
Involvement of the will: In addition to intellect and the emotions, becoming a Christian involves the WILL. Our relationship with Christ can well be illustrated by the requirements for a marriage relationship, which ideally must contain these same three ingredients INTELLECT EMOTION & WILL.
For example: a man may be convinced intellectually that the woman who is his intended bride is the " right" one for him. He may be involved emotionally and love her with all his heart, but marriage requires more than the intellect and the emotion,it also involves THE WILL.
It is not until the man and womam as an act of the WILL commit themselves to each other before a minister or another person of authority that they become husband and wife. The two words " I DO" make the difference. So it is with our relationship with Jesus Christ. It is not enough to believe intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Saviiourof men, nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. Though both are valid, one does not becomea Christian until, as an act of the will, one receives Christ into ones' life as Saviour and Lord.
To be sure you are a Christian , you must be awear intellectually of certain basic scriptural truths:
FIRST: God loves you and created you to have a personal relationship with Him.
SECOND: Man is sinful and guilty before God, who is perfect and just. Sin has seperated man from God and the relationship between them is brooken.
THIRD: Jesus Christ is God's solution for man's sin. Through Him alone you can have a personal relationship with God.
And FOURTH: We must each respond by asking Jesus Christ into our lives as Saviour and Lord. In this way we can know God Personally.
IF YOU HAVE NEVER ASKED JESUS CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART AND LIFE AND HAVE NEVER RECEIVED CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOUR AND LORD THEN PLEASE TAKE THIS TIME RIGHT HERE AND NOW TO PRAY THIS SIMPLE PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, I need you, I Thank You for dying for my sins. I open the door of my heart and life to you, and receive you as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You for forgiving my sins. Take control of my life , change me into the kind of person you want me to be. And let your light shine through me to others. A-Men.
If you prayed that prayer and have asked Jesus into your heart and life this Ministry wants to hear from you. We are more than just a Prison Outreach Ministry, we are a Ministry devoted to reaching the Lost and Un-Saved with the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
If you do not have a Bible we will be happy to send you a New King James Version Bible in regular small print and in English . To get your Bible simply write us at
World Christianship Prison & Outreach Ministries 238 Stagg Street Stratford, Connecticut 06616 U.S.A.
PLEASE NOTE: A FIVE DOLLAR DONATION TO COVER POSTAGE IS REQUIRED.
End of Lesson Two(2) More Lessons to Follow.
LESSON # 3 Getting to Know God by Reading the Bible.
Knowing God in a personal way is the most important relationship in life. Getting to know Him better will give your life meaning and fullillment. MORE TO FOLLOW so please check this site again every day for up dates.
In the first lesson, we considered how we can be sure of our relationship with God. This assurance is vital if we are to GROW in relationship with Him. So, before you proceed any futher, stop and ask yourself:
Where is Christ now in relation to me? How do I know? Are my sins completely forgiven? How do I Know?
In the remaining lessons, we shall look at six vital elements in Christian growth. Each begins with a letter from the word GROWTH.
G Getting to know God by reading the Bible
R Responding to God in prayer
O Obeying God moment to moment
W Walking in the power of the Holy Spirit
T Telling others about Christ through our lives and words.
H Having fellowship with other Christians.
In this lesson we shall be considering the first of these- G- Getting to know God by reading the Bible.
How do we get to know God Better? God wants us to know Him ( John 17:3 ). In order to get to know our friends, we need to listen to them, and it's the same in our relationship with God.
How does God communicate with man? Hebrews 1:1-2 2 Peter 1:16
THE BIBLE:
The Bible is made up of the OLD TESTAMENT, written before Christ, and the NEW TESTAMENT, which begins with the life of Christ. It contains 66 individual books written by many people from different backgrounds and cultures, but all of them under the inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit. Each book is valuable to our understanding of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Do we need to read the whole Bible?. If you were to ask me, I would tell you YES!
The Bible is God's way of talking with us. Let me share a story with you.
Many years ago when I myself was incarcersated the prison Chaplain at one facility I was in told this story to us.
There was this old lady who us to hand out Bible tracks in Grand Central Staion in New York City. She would hold out the tracks for people to take from her. She would not preach a message to them, only say this.
WHEN WE PRAY - WE TALK TO GOD. WHEN WE READ HIS WORD ( the Bible) - GOD TALKS TO US.
Let's look at the Bible: Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and answer the questions below.
What do these verses tell us about Scripture? What do they tell us Scriptures will do for us?
OUR RESPONSE TO GOD'S WORD: Read Luke 8: 4-15, a parable Jesus told about God's word. ( a parable is astory with spiritual meaning). Then complete the following table.
Luke 8:4-15 1 2 3 4
What are 4 types of soil? 1 2 3 4
What happens to the seed? 1 2 3 4
What does this represent? 1 2 3 4
What are some things that might hinder your growth as a Christian?
How can we become " good soil?"
What will be the result in our lives?
If we are to grow and be fruitful as Christians, we need to read the Bible with willingness to obey it. We have seen how important it is to read the Bible, so let's consider how this can become part of our lives.
LEARN TO LISTEN TO GOD
If we want to grow in our relationship with God, we must hear and understand what He says to us. Here are some steps to help you as you read God's Word:
Please visit this site every day because there is much more to follow. If you are enjoying what you are learning so far, please write and tell us. E-mail us at wcmprisonoutreach@Yahoo.com
Pray - Ask God to teach you as you read The Bible is not like other books. It is God's Word to men, and God has something to say to you as you read it. So, read with the attitude:
Lord, thank you for giving your Word to me. Help me to listen, to understand Your love and to obey Your commandments.
When you read, read the passage TWICE ( 2 times) - slowly and thoughtfully. Often, as you read a passage the second time, you will see more in it.
Think about the meaning of what you have read. Here are some helpful questions:
What did I learn from the passage? Is there a promise, a command, an example to follow or a sin to avoid?
How does this passage apply to me? It may be helpful to WRITE DOWN your thoughts in a note book so you will not forget them. Also, make a note of any you DO NOT UNDERSTAND. Perhaps you could ask a friend or Minister to help you with it.
WORLD CHRISTIANSHIP PRISON AND OUTREACH MINISTRIES is always here to answer your questions and help you in your Christian walk. We offer 24 hour a day 7day a week 365 day a year Spiritual Counseling simply by e-mailing us at wcmprisonoutreach@Yahoo.com or calling us at ( 203) 385-1056 & ( 203) 209-6848.
Let's take a few moments now to try what you have learned. Turn to Luke Chapter 10 verses 38 to 42. Follow the three steps (1) PRAY (2) Read the passage TWICE (3) THINK about the meaning.
Ask yourself: What do I learn fro this passage? How does this apply to me?
Daily Bible Reading Reading the Bible daily will help us grow in our relationship with God. The Gospels ( Matthew Mark Luke John) the first 4 books of the New Testament, relate to the life of Jesus, and are a good place to start. Why not start with the Gospel of John.
Take a few minutes each day to read your Bible. Set aside a time that works best for you. When you read, think about what God is saying to you. Don't forget to write down in a note book the things learning plus any questions you may have about what you read. If you do not fully understand a passage this ministry is always here to help you. E-Mail your questions to us at wcmprisonoutreach@Yahoo.com
Summary Questions: 1 How will reading the Bible help us? 2 What should our response be to God's Word?
3 Do you have any questions about what you have learned in this lesson?
You have now completed the first 3 lessons. Please visit this site again for the posting of the next lesson
Lesson ( 4 ) Responding to God In Prayer
Learning to resound toGod: The Christian Life, as God intended it to be lived, is not simply a matter of doing religious things or following a set of rules. Rather, it is a relationship with the living God, made possible through Jesus Christ. If this relationship is to grow, we need to spend time communicating with God.
Prayer is our way of communicating with God. The nice thing about prayer is God is always there to hear our prayers and He will Always answer them. Some times the answer may not be the one we wanted , but God always answers us.
The other nice thing about prayer is, we can do it anywhere at any time. We can pray in our car on the way to work, at the grocery store waiting to check out, while out walking the dog or in our bed room on our knees. It doesn't matter when or where we pray, it important thing is that we pray.
Once saved, you will never loose your salvation, but it is possible to loose our relationship with God, that is why we must pray every day and keep open communiction with God.
It has been said, seven days with out prayer makes one weak.
It doesn't take fancy words to pray. Talk to God like you would talk to your best friend, after all, you have no better friend than Jesus. Just tell Him what's on your heart and mind, He's always there to listen.
That's an other nice thing about prayer. When we call upon God in prayer we are never put on hold and we never get an electronic devise telling us to leave our message after the beep. There is no call waiting with God.
In the last chapter we considered how we can get to know God through reading the Bible. Before progressing any fiurther, stop and assess how you are applying what you have learned. Reflect on these questions:
1. How has my Bible reading been going? 2. What have I learned from John's Gospel?
Write down some of the main things you have laerned.
Do you have any questions? e-mail them to us at wcmprisonoutreach@Yahoo.com
Remember, there are 8 lessons to this study. There is much more to follow, so check this site often.
How do we repond to God?
God has made it possible for us to communicate with Him at ANY TIME through PRAYER. Prayer is simply talking to God. However, prayer is NOT just a matter of saying words, or repeating meaningless phrases. God knows what you are like. He is not so concerned with the words you use as with your being GENUINE and HONEST.
Jesus' teaching on prayer: Read Luke 11:1-4 How does Jesus tell us to address God? Why can we speak to God in this way? What should we include in our prayers?
In communicating with people we love, we often want to express:
1. that we love them & appreciate the things they do for us
2. that we are sorry when we have hurt or upset them.
3. any needs or desires we might have.
In our relationship we God, we call these three aspects of communication: Praise, confession & making requests
An Outline For Prayer
Let's use these three types of prayer now as an outline to follow in our own prayers:
1.praise Look at Luke 11:1-4 again, asking these questions:
What can you thank and praise God for from this passage?
What else can you thank and praise God for?
TAKE A FEW MINUTES TALKING TO GOD ABOUT THESE THINGS NOW.
2.Confession Connfession is more than saying I'm sorry to God. It means agreeing with God that we have been wrong and need His forgiveness.
Turn to 1John 1:9 ( 1 John is the first letter of John, NOT the Gospel of John) You will find 1John near the end of the New Testament.
What does God promise to do if we confess our sins?
Confess your sin to God as soon as you become aware of it. The longer you wait, the more difficult confession becomes.
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT IS NOT PLEASING TO GOD?
Take a minute now to ask God if there is any sin in your life. If there is, silently admit to Him that youhave been wrong. You can then thank God that He has forgiven you because of what Jesus did on the cross.
Let me at this time give you some sound advise. If you do not attend a church it is in your best interest to seek and find a good Christian church in you community. You will need help with your Christian walk from time to time, and will have questions. The Pastor and other members of that church will be there to help you.
3 Making Requests:
Asking God for things is one way of showing that we depend on Him.
When we come to God with requests, it is sometimes hard to know what to pray about. The apostle Paul gives some advise on this in Philippians 4:6-7. According to these verses...
What should be your attitude to needs that you have?
As you bring your requests to God, what will be the result in your life?
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ASK GOD FOR TODAY? Spend a minute telling God about these requests now.
WHEN & WHERE Read Luke 5:16 What do you observe about Jesus' own practice?
How can you apply this to your own life? When is the best time for you to be alone with God for prayer and Bible study? Where is a good place for you to do this.
INTO ACTION : Take ten (10) minutes each dayto be alone with God and pray. During this time, tell God how you feel, and what is on your mind. Praise, confession and request can all be part of your prayers each day. Remember to continue reading John's Gospel.
SUMMARY QUESTIONS Why is prayer important? What are the things you would include in your prayers? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? if so, e-mail them to us right here and now wcmprisonoutreach@Yahoo.com
Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
This is the end of lesson 4. You are now half way done with this study. IF YOU HAVE ENJOYED WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED SO FAR PLEASE LET US KNOW E-MAIL US AT wcmprisonoutreach@Yahoo.com
Pleas visit this site again because ther is much more to follow.
Lesson 5: OBEYING GOD MOMENT BY MOMENT
Review: Before continuing with this lesson, stop and consider how you are applying what you have learned in previous lessons.
Reflect on these questions: How are you getting on with your Bible reading? What have you learned? What sort of things have you been praying about? What answers to prayer have you seen?
WHAT IS OBEDIENCE?: For the Christian, obedience is doing what God asks us to do and being what He wants us to be.
Why do you think we should obey God? TURN TO John 15: 9-12 to see what Jesus had to say about obedience.
What did Jesus teach about obedience? What will be the results of our obedience?
THE NEED FOR OBEDIENCE: Turn to Luke 6:46-49 and read the parable there.
To whom is Jesus directing this parable? What difference is there between the actions of the two men in the parable? What does this represent? How does this Parable apply to us in our daily lives?
In the study on Getting to know God ( Lesson 3) we saw that we need to spend time reading the Bible to find out what God wants to communicate to us. However, it is not enough to know what God says or even to read His word every day. We need to do what He says.
Loving God means keeping His commandments, and really, that isn't difficult 1John5:3
What does God say? Nearly all passages of Scripture command to obey, an example to follow, a sin to avoid or a lesson to remember. Each time we read the Bible we have an opportunity to obey God.
To illusstrate this, turn to Ephesians 4:29 - 5:5, and list the different areas where we need to obey.
Areas Requiring Obedience Relevant Verses
Note an area of obedience that you find hard and stop to pray about it.
For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him. Philippians 2:13
What if I disobey? We can illustrate our relationship to God with the father-son relationship in a human family. When a boy is born into a family, a relationship developes between him and his father, by virtue of the fact that they are father and son. However, suppose the boy later leaves home and behaves in a way which he knows will offend his father. Is he still the fathers' son?
The relationship of the father and son is Permanent, regardless of the son's behavior. But is everything right between the father and son? When someone puts his or her trust in Christ as Saviour and Lord, they become a child of God ( John 1:12-13 ). But what happens if he or she sins and does things which displease God? Is he or she still a child of their father? However, is everything right between them and their father?
READ NOW THIS STORY OF A SON AND HIS FATHER FOUND IN LUKE CHAPTER 15 VERSES 11 TO 32. THIS IS THE VERY SAME KIND OF LOVE GOD THE FATHER HAS FOR YOU, ONE OF HIS CHILDREN.
What the Bible teaches about confession:
The word CONFESS in the Bible means " to agree with or to say the same thing as". When God shows you that something you have done is wrong, you need to confess it. ( i,e; agree with God about it).
Read 1 John 1:7-10 When do we need to confess? What are the results of confession? When we confess, why are we forgiven?
How to confess: Agree with God that you're wrong ( be specific). For example. If you lose your temper, then confess means saying to God. " God, I didn't trust you and I lost my temper. I was wrong and I sinned.
Thank God that you're forgiven: Because of Christ's death on the cross ( Colossians 2:13-15) Confession doesn't result in a second forgiveness, as Christ has already paid the penalty for our sins once and for all ( 1 Peter 3:18). Confession makes real to us what God has done through the death of His Son Jesus Christ.
Repent: Change your attitude towards sin and take action where ever necessary. This may mean making amends in some way ( pay back what you took, saying you are sorry to someone). See Acts 3:19-20.
When we disobey God, although Christ doesn't leave our lives, we are putting ourself back in control. As we confess, Christ again takes control of our lives.
There is much more to follow, so please check this site again. If you have been touched by what you have read, or have any questions. E-mail the ministry at wcmprisonoutreach@Yahoo.com
If You Need To Confess Any Sin To God, PRAY TO HIM NOW!! If not, just thank God that He is in control of your life and continue to walk in obedience to Him ( 1 John 1:7)
When something comes up that you need to confess, then do so right away. You don't need to wait until the end of the day, or the end of the week, before getting right with God. Remember that obedience pleases God and helps us to grow as Christians.
Those who obey My commandments are the ones who love Me. And because they love Me, My Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal Myself to each one of them. John 14:21
Summary Questions: How can we build our lives on a solid foundation? How does sin affect the Christian's relationship with God? What is involved in confession?
End of Lesson 5
Lesson 6: Walking in the power of The Holy Spirit
INTRODUCTION: I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strenght through His Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will bemore and more at home in you hearts as you trust in Him. ( Ephesians 3: 16-17a)
In the last lesson we looked at the importance of obeying God moment by moment. But how are we do do that? We can not in our own strenght, live the kind of lives that Jesus wants us to live. It is Jesus, living within us by His Holy Spirit, who enables us to obey Him.
As the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they received power from God that changed them from fearful men into bold witnesses for Christ. God used them to change the course of history. This same Holy Spirit is living in us and is available to give us power to live holy and fruitful lives for Jesus Christ.
Before we can understand WHY the Holy Spirit is so important in a Christian's life, we need to know more about WHO He is.
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? The night before His death, Jesus spoke to His followers about the Holy Spirit.
Read John 14:16-18 then answer the following questions. What does Jesus call the Holy Spirit?
What does this mean in your own words? Where does the Holy Spirit come from? What does Jesus promise about the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is God. He is not an impersonal force, He is the THIRD person of the Trinity. ( Matthew 28:19) He has been at work in the world since creation, and is now continuing the work that Jesus began, in and through Christians ( John 14:16)
WHY DID THE HOLY SPIRIT COME? Read the following verses, and write down what they teach about the work of the Holy Spirit.
John 3:3-6 John 16: 13-14 Acts 1:8 Ephesians 3:16-17a
Summary: In your own words, who is the Holy Spirit and why did He come?
What Does It Mean To Walk In The Power Of The Holy Spirit?
From the moment that we invite Christ into our lives by faith, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, making Christ a reality to us. So, as we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ continues to live His life through us. The person who is walking in the Spirit is said to be FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.
THE SPIRIT FILLED LIVE RESULTS IN:
Love Gentleness Joy Self-Control Peace An Understanding of God's Word Patience Effective Power
Kindness A Growing Trust In God Goodness Victory Over Temptation Faithfulness A Faithful Witness.
What are the consequences of NOT walking in the power of the Holy Spirit?
Althoug the Holy Spirit lives within all Christians, not all Christians are submitting to HIM and experiencing His power in their lives. The life of such Christians will be characterized by some, if not all, of the following.
DISCOURAGEMENT WORRY POOR PRAYER LIFE GUILT NO DISER FOR BIBLE STUDY SELF-INDULGENCE LOSS OF LOVE OF GOD AND OTHERS LUST UP AND DOWN SPIRITUAL LIFE TEMPER
NOT LIVING BY RULES AND REGULATIONS JEALOUSY APATHY CONSTANT COMPLANING
DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISM How then can we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit?
How to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit 1. Be filled with the Holy Spirit moment by moment.
In Ephesians 5:18 we are COMMANDED: Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life, instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. In 1 John 5:14-15 we are given a PROMISE. And we can be confident that He will listen to us whenever we ask Him for anything in line with His will. And if we know He is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that He will give us what we ask for.
Summarize the assurance that God gives here concerning our requests. What is " the will of God" that is expressed in 1 John 5:14? Therefore, on the basis of these verses, how can we be filled with the Spirit?
That is what FAITH is: Seeing what God has said, accepting that it is true and acting upon it. On the basis of God's COMMAND and PROMISE we can claim the fullness of the Holy Spirit by FAITH.
2 Keep breathing Spiritually: When you realize you have done something wrong, first you need to CONFESS it,and then trust God will fill you ( control and empower you) with the Holy Spirit once again. This is like breathing. In normal breathing, we exhale the inpure air and inhale the pure. " Spiritual Breathing" takes this same principle and applies it to our relationship with God.
SPIRITUAL BREATHING: Exhale : confess your sin 1. I agree with God that I am wrong. 2. I thank God that I am forgiven ( 1 : John 1:9) 3. I repent ( change my attitude towards the sin and take action where ever neccessary) Inhale: Hand over control to the Holy Spirit according to... 1. God's Command ( Ephesians 5:18) 2. God's promise ( 1: John 5:14-15).
NOPE! This lesson isn't over yet. Please check back again, because there is much more to follow.
If you have been Blessed by what you have read so far, PLEASE, we want to hear from you. E-Mail the Ministry at wcmprisonoutreach@yahoo.com
ACTION POINT: Take a few minutes in silent prayer. Ask God to show you if there is any sin in your life, and if so, BREATH Spiritually. CONFESS your sinto God and ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit. You can put in your own words, or use this suggested prayer.
Dear Father: I need you. I acknowledge that I have been in control of my own life; and that as a result, I have sinned against you. I thank you that you have forgiven my sins through Christ's death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to take control of the throne of my life again. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as you commanded me to be filled, and as you promised in your word that you would do if I asked in faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I now thank you for taking control of my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit.
How to know you are filled with the Holy Spirit: REFLECT ON THESE QUESTIONS
Did you sincerely ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit? Do You KNOW you are filled with the Holy Spirit? How DO You Know?
Because God has promised and He can be trusted. Look again at THE PROMISE 1:John 5:14-15
According to this verse, if we ask God to do something which is His will ( such as fill us with His Holy Spirit) what will His answer be? Pick the correct answer below.
NO NOT UNTIL YOU'RE PERFECT PERHAPS (maybe) YES- sometime, but not right now YES-You have it right now, even as you ask.
God's promise is clear: We Know that we have what we asked of Him.
If you confessed all your known sin. and sincerely asked God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. THANK GOD THAT HIS SPIRIT NOW FILLS YOU.
If this web site has been a Blessing to you, won't you please make a donation to this Ministry. For a donation of just 100 dollars this Ministry will be able to send Bibles and Bible materials to 20 persons who request them.
What if I don't feel any different? Do not depend on feelings. Rely only on the promise of God's Word, not on your feelings. The Christian lives by faith ( trust ) in the reliability of God Himself and His Word.
The more fuel of faith ( trust) that is put into the facts of God's promises, the more His power will be released in your life. DO NOT ALLOW YOUR FAITH TO DEPEND ON FEELINGS. That is why we live by believing and not by seeing ( 2 Corinthians 5:7 )
NOW LIVE IN THE SPIRIT: Being filled with the Holy Spirit will make a difference in your life. The Holy Spirit is working in your life to develop Christian qualities. Read Galations 5: 16-23
What does it mean to be " doing what your sinful nature craves" ? ( Verse 16)
How can we avoid doing this?
List the FRUIT of the Spirit ( verses 22-23) and consider what the OPPOSITE characteristics would be.
Which of the fruit of the Spirit do you see God developing in your life?
Which of the fruit of the Spirit do you feel are lacking in your life right now?
As we grow in our relationship with Christ, we will begin to see the " fruit of the Spirit" become evident in our lives. The Christian who is only beginning to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit should not be discouraged if he or she is not as fruitful as more mature Christians, who have known and experienced this truth for a longer time.
STOP NOW AND PRAY ABOUT THESE ARES IN YOUR LIFE. THANK GOD THAT HE IS AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE BY HIS HOLY SPIRIT.
And I am sure that God , who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. ( Philippians 1:6)
Summary Questions: HOW are you filled with the Holy Spirit? WHAT is Spiritual Breathing? WHAT are some of the results of Walking in the Spirit?
This now ends lesson six (6). If your life has been changed by anything you have learned so far in this Bible Study , PLEASE, I want to hear from you. E-mail the ministry at wcmprisonoutreach@Yahoo.com
Telling Others About Christ (Lesson Seven of Eight)
Introduction: Have you ever heard of the four talks? The four talks represent four important aspects of the Christian Life:
1. God TALKS to us through the Bible 2. We TALK to God through prayer 3. We TALK to those who do not know Christ by sharing our faith. 4. We TALK to other Christians. This is called FELLOWSHIP.
Knowing Jesus is good news: Throughout the gospels, people who have met Jesus tell others about Him. This is the natural result of meeting Jesus. Read now Luke 5: 27-29 Who meets Jesus in this passage? Describe the situation. What is the result of their meeting Jesus?
Read Now John 4:7-10 , 28-30 & 39-42 Who meets Jesus in this passage? Discribe the situation. What is the result of their meeting with Jesus?
Have you ever had the oppertunity to explain to someone else what it means for you to be a Christian? How did it go? Let's look at Jesus' instructions to His disciples in Matthew 28: 18-20.
What does Jesus tell His followers to do? What authority do we have to do this? What promises does He give us?
Remember that every time God asks you to do something, He gives you the power to do it. Part of the Holy Spirit's work in your life is to help you WITNESS FOR CHRIST.
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 ( Acts 1:8)
The privilege of telling others about Christ: Let's think again about some of the things that Jesus has done for us.
What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! ( 2 Corinthians 5:17)
All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to Himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconcilling people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message He has given us to tell others. ( 2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ Himself were here pleading with you, " Be reconciled to God" ( 2 Corinthians 5:20 )
What is the role of an ambassador? Why are we called Christ's ambassadors? In light of the passage, what should be your attitude to telling others about Christ?
The more we understand what God has done for us, the more we will want to share with others what He can and will do for them.
Telling others about Christ through our lives and words: Read Matthew 5: 14-16 What impact does Jesus expect His followers to have on those around them? In what way can we shine as lights?
Read the following story and see what you can learn from it:
A young man hurried back from a Christian meeting to the room he shared with a friend. They had been room mates for several years.
" I must tell you something", he said to his friend. " For yearsI have been searching for meaning in my life. Tonight I found it: I asked Jesus Christ into my life as Saviour and Lord".
His friend was delighted and replied. " That's great! I'd been hoping you'd do that one day. I've been trying to live the Christian life in front of you all these years, hoping that one day you'd want to become a Christian too".
The new Christian was very surprised. He told his friend, " I didn't know you were a Christian. You seemed to be living such a good life, but I thought you were a better person than I am. Why didn't you tell me this before?".
God will use your life and your words to speak to others about Jesus. Both are neccesary- it is not enough just to live a good life. A non-Christian needs to know that you are not only living this way just because you are a nice person. The only reason for the difference in your life is the power of God working within you, through the Holy Spirit.
Read now Ephesians 2:8-10 & Philippians 2:13 If you want to tell others about Jesus, then GOOD WORKS and GOOD ACTIONS must go together.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT TELLING OTHERS ABOUT CHRIST?
Consider the following statements and reflect on any that are relevant to you.
I find it very difficult to talk about what I beleive. I am afraid people will think I am a fanatic. I am glad for the chance to talk to others about Jesus. I do talk to people about Jesus, but only if they ask me first. I'd love to be able to talk to people about my faith, but I just don't know where to start. Talking to friends about my beleifs is no problem , but I can not talk to strangers. I don't think I could answer all their questions.
Don't be afraid to admit to such thoughts. It is good to recognize our feelings of inadequacy, for this will help us to trust God and to depend on HIS power and resources. Remember, Jesus said, " For apart from Me you can do nothing ( John 15:5) " But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about Me everywhere ( Acts 1:8) and so it is vitally important that we are filled with the Holy Spirit ( see Lesson 6) . As we step out in faith, trusting God, He will give us the courage and confidence that we need.
Where Do I Begin?: There are many ways of explaining the gospel. One way is to read the " Four Spiritual laws" listed below with someone and ask what he or she thinks of it. Is there anyone with whom you would like to share the " Four Laws" ? Stop now and pray for this person. Ask God to give you the courage, and the opportunity to speak to him or her. If you feel hesitant, remember that others have felt this way before you. In 1 Corrinthians 2, the apostel Paul describes how he felt when he first met the Corinthians. ( 1Corinthians 2: 1-5) Read that Now!
The Four Laws: (Law One) God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life. { God's Love} John 3:16 { God's plan} John 10:10
( Law Two) Man is sinful and seperated from God. Therefore, he can not know and experience God's love and plan for his life. { Man is sinful} Romans 3:23 { Man is seperated} Romans 6:23
(Law Three) : Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life. { He died in our place} Romans 5:8 { He rose from the dead} 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 { He is the ONLY way to God} John 14:6
( Law Four) : We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord: then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives. {We must receive Christ} John 1:12 { We must receive Christ through faith} Ephesians 2:8-9
When we receive Christ, we experience new birth Read John 3: 1-8
We receive Christ through personal invitation ( Revelation 3:20)
Receving Christ involves turning to God from self ( repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree interllectually that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience, We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.
YOU CAN RECEIVE CHRIST RIGHT HERE AND NOW BY FAITH THROUGH PRAYER ( prayer is talking to God)
God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer, but you may pray your own words.
Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Saviour and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take Control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.
If you prayed that prayer, we belive you are saved and born again. This Ministry wants to help you in your new walk with Christ. E-Mail the Ministry at wcmprisonoutreach@Yahoo.com
How to know that Christ is in your life: Did you receive Christ into your life? According to His promise in Revelation 3:20, where is Christ right now in relation to you? Christ said He would come into your life. Would He mislead you? On what authority do you know that God has answered your prayer? ( The trustworthiness og God Himself and His word).
The Bible promisess eternal life to all who receive Christ. ( 1 John 5: 11-13).
Thank God often that Christ is in your life and that He will never leave you ( Hebrews 13:5). You can know on the basis of His promise that Christ lives in you and that you have eternal life from the very moment you invite Him in. He will not deceive you.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED CHRIST...
The moment you receive Christ by faith, as an act of the will, many things happened, including the following:
* Christ came into your life ( Revelation 3:20 Colossians 1 :27)
* Your sins were forgiven ( Colossians 1:14)
* You became a child of God ( John 1:12)
* You received eternal life ( John 5:24)
* You began the great adventure for which God created you. ( John 10:10 : 2 Corinthians 5:17 : 1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Can you think of anything more wonderful that could happen to you than receiving Christ? Would you like to thank God in prayer right now for what He has done for you? By thanking God you demonstrate your faith.
INTO ACTION: Now think of two people with whom you would like to read the " Four Laws" your learned in this lesson, or you would like to speak about Christ with. Begin to pray for them regulary ( every day) and ask God to give you an opportunity to share Christ with them, and the courage to do it.
This now ends Lesson Seven. If you have accepted Jesus Christ by waht you have learned in any of these lessons, we want to hear from you
Please, right here and now, E-mail the Ministry at wcmprisonoutreach@Yahoo.com by clicking on the letters to the left.
Lesson 8 to follow.
LESSON 8 Having Fellowship with other Christians
What is fellowship? Fellowship means " sharing, or having things in common". We have fellowship with other Christians because we share in a relationship with Jesus Christ. ( John 1:12) . He is our Father, and other beleivers are our brothers and sisters.
How does fellowship help me? Read Hebrews 10: 24-25
Why should we meet together with other Christians?
Read 1 Corinthians 12: 14-27 What does the human body represent in this illustration?
What does this passage teach us about our relationship to other Christians?
How do you think that being part of a body can help us?
What is God's desire for the body of Christ? ( Ephesians 4: 12-13)
The outworking of Christian Fellowship: We have seen that, as members of the Body of Christ, we belong to one another and need each other in order to grow as Christians. Read Now John 13: 34-35 and John 4: 19-21
What did Jesus say would be the hallmark of His disciples?
How does God's love for us affect our love for God and for one another?
How is our love for God related to our love for other Christians?
What will our love for one another communicate to those who do not know Christ?
THE FIRST CHRISTIANS: An earl example of this kind of loveing fellowship in action is found in Acts 2: 42-47 READ THAT NOW!!
What were these Christians in the habit of doing?
How did they show love (a) towards each other and (b) towards God?
What affect did this love have on outsiders?
As we meet with other Christians regularly, we can demonstrate love towards one another through what we say and do. From the following verses write down some ways in which we can do this.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Romans 15:7
Galatains 5:13
Ephesians 4:32
1 Peter 4:9
God's design for fellowship - the church: We have been consodering the importance of the body of Christ and the contribution we can make to it. Thid body represents the world wide church made up of local churches in which we can become involved.
Write your own one-sentence discription of these two local churches AFTER you have read these Bible verses: The church at Thessalonica ( 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10)
The church at Laodicea ( Revolation 3: 14-17)
As this shows, some New Testament churches were dynamic, others powerless. The same is true today. In order to stimulate your Christian growth, you should attend a church were the Bible is taught as God's Word, and were the members have a living relationship with God and a concern to make Christ know to others.
In the State of Connecticut, one such church is Cross Roads Community Church in Trumbull. If you are in Connecticut, and are seeking a good Christian church to attend, please check out Cross Roads. You will find a link to their web site from our home page.
May God continue to Bless you in your walk with Him.
This now ends the Bible Study " Christian Maturity" Other Bible Lessons will follow.
1. Read Matthew 25: 14-30
2. Which of the servents in this story do you most relate to?
3. What talents has God Given You?
4. What are you doing with these talents? How are you using them? How are you developing them?
5 Is there a talent you could be engaging in that you have buried?
6. PRAY: Thank God for all he has given you. Ask God to reveal anything you may have buried that He wants you to be using .
7 Make a commitment to God in prayer to begin to engage in one of your talents for Him.
You are doing very well. Now Read Matthew 25: 31-46
Think of a time when you helped meet the need(s )of another person.
Think of a time when you saw some one in need and lokked the other way.
DO YOU TEND TO NOTICE THE NEEDS OF OTHERS AS YOU GO THROUGH YOUR DAY, OR DO YOU TEND NOT TO SEE THEM?
What is one practical way you can offer a drink, feed or help someone else?
Read verse 40 several times during your day for 7 days to help you remember to tune into the needs of others.
Please note that as of February 1st 2008 World Christianship Prison, Outreach & Internet Ministries will now be known as
GOD"S LEADERSHIP PRISON MINISTRY U.S.A.
Pastor Marion Smith and I have joined our ministries together as one to better assist the inmates we serve world-wide
You have done very well, and I thank you so much for allowing God's Leadership Prison Ministry USA to be your sorce for Bible Knowledge.
If you enjoyed this Bible Study...Please tell others so they too may come to know Jesus Christ.
Other Bible Lessons will be posted soon... so PLEASE come visit this site often.
Be sure to sign our guest book also.
God's Grace, Love, Mercy, and Peace be yours always!
Pastor Dave
Looking for a FREE Bible course?
Are you an Inmate or Former Inmate?
Write to
EMMAUS CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL
P.O. BOX 99
GLENSIDE, PA 19038-9591
Emmuas offers one of the very best FREE Bible courses .
I should know... I took it myself.
This course covers all 66 books of the Bible in easy to understand lessons
You may request them in English or Spanish.
Please be sure ( if incarcerated) to include your
Full Name with inmate number
Full Institutional Address not just a post office box
Your cell and /or block number
and your date of birth
BE SURE TO TELL THEM
God's Leadership Prison Ministry sent you.
God's Leadership Prison Ministry U.S.A. is happy to be able to offer HEALING ON HIS WINGS. A healing Biblical Study for Emotional Woundedness from Physical and Sexual abuse.
A ten ( 10) dollar donation for each copy in the form of a postal money order is required to receive this.
Be sure to give us the following information when you order
| YOUR FULL NAME & ADDRESS including any postal zip code | |
| The Number Of Copies You Are Requesting |
Send your requests to us at God's Leadership Prison Ministry USA 238 Stagg Street Stratford, CT 06615
PLEASE BE SURE TO MAKE YOUR MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO Reverend Pastor David J. Dostiglio
DO NOT MAKE THEM PAYABLE TO THE MINISTRY