Spiritual Growth

What reconciles these two passages: Isaiah 59:2 and Psalm 103: 11-13 ?

Read Colossians 2: 6-8, Psalm 51: 10-13, 17, and Philippians 3: 7-14.  Then read Day 26 in your text.  Underline one key sentence that is meaningful to you.

Finish by reading these passages thoughtfully and prayerfully:  I Peter 2: 2-3, Luke 14:11, I Corinthians 3:1-2, 6-7, John 15:4-5, and Psalm 46: 10.

Obedience

Read the following passages of Scripture answering these questions for yourself on paper! :

John 8: 31-35 :    To be a disciple of Jesus Christ, in what must we live, submerging (or submitting) our daily and whole lives?  When we do, what 2 things follow?  From what are we set free?

Ezekiel 36: 25-27:  Do you know for certain that you have God's Spirit living in you?  If so, on a scale of 1 to 10, generally, how strongly would you rank yourself in yielding to the Holy Spirit to do what pleases Him?  Do you believe that He will help you to obey Him and you just don't want to obey Him, or have you not yet believed that He wills to help you be obedient to Him in your daily life?  Which one?  Whatever you  need to talk to Him about regarding these things right now, please so so now.

Read John 14:21 and Matthew 12: 33-35, and then read the text for Day 24.

Knowing God's Will

Read John 4:34.  Think about the word "meat" or "food" in this verse: why do you think Jesus chose that particular wording and what do you think He is saying to us?  Then, read John 17: 4.

Read the text for Day 23, answering these questions:  1) What are the conflicts within us that can keep us from experiencing God's will?  2) How do we overcome these?

Read Proverbs 3:5-6, I Corinthians 10:31, Romans 12: 1-2, John 10:3-5.

As you read 2 Chronicles 20: 1-30, make a sequential list of the actions each "character" took in this historical event.  The first item on the list would be:  1) the Moabites and Ammonites with their allies came to fight Jehoshaphat. (verse 1).

Remember that those who did not do so yesterday should be prepared to recite their memorized verse(s) in class this Friday.

Jesus Will Come Back!

Read Luke 17: 20-21.  Then read the first paragraph of Day 22.

Read I John 3: 1-3 and Revelation 21: 1-6 and Matthew 4: 17.  Then conclude the reading for Day 22.

Do the application assigned at the end of the reading in this way:  spend at least ten minutes brainstorming (writing them down), your imaginings about heaven.

Study and meditate upon the verses you wrote down to memorize; you will recite these this Friday.

God's Work - Telling Others!

Re-read the passages from the end of class:  John 6:44, 65; Romans 1:19-21, and Luke 19:10, 37-40.

Read the text for Day 21.

Write out a well thought out testimony according to the outline given in class.  Remember to write it as you would speak it in casual conversation.  Make sure the Gospel message is able to be understood and use at least 2 Bible verses within your testimony.

Who Will Testify?

Be sure to create space in your life that belongs to only your Father, to be with Him, in a focused way.  You will never regret having this time in your day, to seek His face, to hear His voice, and to receive within your very being, the convictions and joy He will pour into You by His Spirit what He has to give you personally from His very throne of grace.  Nothing else can replace this.

As you sit, reflect quietly before Him; worship Him.  Pray, asking Him to work in you, His will.  (Philippians 2:13)

Ask Him to bring to mind anything you need to agree with Him about that is sin and for which you need repentance; ask for His cleansing and refreshment of your soul.  (I John 1:9)

Read Psalm 66: 16-20.  What will holding willfully onto sins, treasuring them, do to your relationship with God?

What does John 12: 42-43 say was a reason many rulers would not testify that they believed in Jesus?

Now read the lesson in your text for Day 20.  Do the application:  write an outline for your personal testimony, thinking through the examples of the healed blind man and of Paul.  Your testimony should have 3 main parts:  your life before knowing Christ, how you came to know Him, and what characterizes your life now that you know Him.

Lastly, prayerfully think of 2 people with whom you could have the potential to share your testimony.  Write their names down and begin praying for them today and for the chance to witness to them.

More on Telling Others

Remember to approach this assignment reverently, seeking to learn of the Lord, to receive His love, and to understand His will and ways to obey Him.

Re-read the Scripture references at the top of Day 19.
Read the text for Day 19.  Underline the sentence that impacts you the most.
Read all the Bible passages at the end of the page.