Book
Our Discussions 1
Our Discussions 2
Our Discussions 3
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100
What was our memory verse for chapters 9 & 10?
Joshua 1:8 (ESV) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
100
How can a believer grow spiritually?
James 1:25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
By hearing and applying the Word
We must make every effort to strive to apply the Word in order to grow!
100
What can we learn from Luke 18:9-14, the Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector about monologue versus dialogue in prayer?
One who comes to God assuming they are in the right (trusting in their righteousness) because of their works will have a monologue.
A dialogue happens when there is humility in the heart. The tax collector understood his justification came from God.
100
Share practical examples of how monologue and dialogue may look in a believer’s life? (Two examples for each)
Monologue:
Coming to the Word of God with questions, but never getting your answer.
Praying for a week and then forgetting about it/left it alone.
Dialogue:
Praying consistently until the request is granted/God answers.
Remaining on the question that one has is the Word of God until they have come to a full understanding of it.
100
✝️👑↔️👧🏽🌍 What is the main point?
We are co-heirs with Christ!
Isaiah 49:6
he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Acts 13:47
For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
200
Say the Lord’s Prayer from memory. (You can share it in any version of the Bible)
200
How does faith enable one to obey? Share 1 point and 1 verse reference.
Faith is what strengthens us.
Heb 3:14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.
- The book of Hebrews is all about finishing the race of faith.
200
What are the 2 types of reward one can receive from prayer? Who receives each one?
Proverbs 11:18 (ESV) The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
Deceptive wages - this is the reward of the hypocrites. They are praying but they will have no reward. They seem as though they are praying to God but they are not (Matthew 6:1)
Psalm 145:19 (ESV) He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.
The desire of one’s heart - God actually grants the desire of their hearts. Eg. 1 Samuel 1:27 - Hannah. She received a son. Consider how she prayed to the Lord. She was entirely focused on the Lord. Eg.2 Solomon - 2 Chronicles 1:11
Who receives this? Those who fear him.
200
Sally does well in her individual prayer life. She spends much time in prayer and has been growing in her faith. When asked to pray in the fellowship she says “I am not able to” most times. If she does pray, she restrains herself in her prayers and isn’t comfortable. As her sister in Christ, what would you say to her? Present this scenario with your sister.
She may be hyper aware of others. She’s changing the way she’s praying based on the presence of others. Explaining that prayer should never be to sound good. The “right words” is not what makes prayer prayer.
To know that God is present in the fellowship. Whether alone or in the fellowship, earnest prayer to God should be the same.
Psalm 65:2 (ESV) O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.
200
🌱 🧠➡️❤️✨🚶♀️ What is the main point?
Main Point:
A renewed mind transforms our belief system, which leads to transformed actions
300
Define the subject, complement and big idea and explain how one can arrive at each.
The subject is the main question to which the author is responding. To arrive at the subject one can ask “What is the author talking about?/What question is he answering?
The complement is the answer that the text gives to that question.
The Big Idea comes from the joining of the subject and the complement. It is the specific meaning the author wants the reader to understand.
300
Explain the following. Give references.
Testimonies
Rules
Law
Commandments
Precepts
Statutes
Testimony- God’s Witness about Himself (Joshua 4:5-7)
Rules- a standard of measure for life (Galatians 5:25, 6:16) One must align themselves with the rule for it to work
Law- the Torah; big picture of God’s will (Joshua 1:8)
Commandments- direct specific orders, no explanation, just authority. The focus is obedience to the command. (Exodus 20:13)
Precepts- precise practical guidance; focuses on how to live step by step (Psalm 119:15)
Statutes- prescribed law or decree established by God that are to be observed continually (Psalm 119:5)
300
What is the requirement for prayer to be heard by God? Bring examples and scripture.
John 9:31 (ESV) We know that God does not listen to sinners, but IF ANYONE is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
1. To be a worshipper of God - all shown in their lifestyle.
2. To do His will
Example 1:
Acts 10:1-4 (ESV) 1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
Example 2:
Acts 22:12 (ESV) “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
Conclusion:
1 John 3:21-22 (ESV) 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
Obedience is the requirement! Because we do what pleases him, we know he hears us! It is not about trying your hardest to believe but about your own walk before the Lord.
300
Scenario: You are meeting with a disciple at a coffee shop, they explain that they are having difficulty overcoming a sin. How would you encourage them? Demonstrate.
James 1:25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
To focus on obeying the Word of God that has been given to them.
The one who does the Word will be complete because it is the law of liberty that is able to set them free from sin.
300
“ __ the one who ____ ____ the ____law, the __ __ ______, and preserves, being __ ____ who ____but a ____ who ____, he will be ______ in __ _____”
____ __:__
“But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and preserves, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”
James 1:25
400
Read Luke 15:1-7. Identify the Big idea. Share your steps to the Big Idea outloud.
Subject: Why does Jesus sit and eat with sinners and tax collectors?
Complement: Because they were lost but have now been found (as they have repented) to His joy.
Big Idea: Jesus sits and eats with tax collectors and sinners because they were once lost but have now repented all to His joy.
400
Scenario: In evangelism, you come across a Christian named Lisa who mentions that she often becomes frustrated while studying the Word of God because she struggles to come to a clear conclusion. She has tried various Bible study methods in hopes of eliminating this frustration, but nothing seems to work.
We learnt about what identity looks like before activity. What encouragement would you give Lisa to help her overcome this frustration?
What needs to be changed is Lisa’s belief system.
1st Belief —> 2nd Behavior
Behavior (good or bad) comes as a result of a belief (Matthew 12:33-37, a tree is known by its fruits)
One waste their time trying to change the fruits, what must change is the belief system that lies in the heart
How to change belief system: Through the renewal of the mind (Romans 12:1-2)
Belief (that needs to be changed) → Instead of coming to the Word of God just to get and answer they should instead come to the Word of God to know Christ
Behavior → from this understanding frustration will turn into patience
400
Define and explain the difference between precepts and statutes. In addition, explain this in light of living a holy life.
Part I
Precept - precise practical guidance; focuses on how to live step by step
- Psalm 119:15 - carefully thinking on the instructions that guide specific behaviorStatutes - prescribed law or decree established by God that are to be observed continually
- Psalm 119:5
Part II
Precepts - specific ways to live holy daily, ex; in speech, thought, conduct, decisions
Statutes - the established, consistent practices on keeps to live a holy life
400
From James 1:25, explain the connection between and 1 Corinthians 13:12.
1 Corinthians 13:12 - now = we see dimly/only in part, then = we’ll see face to face/fully
Numbers 12:7-8 - Moses saw fully/completely, the Lord spoke to him mouth to mouth
James 1:25
The one who doesn’t do but only looks = incomplete
The one who looks and does the Word of God = complete & blessed
Complete = meaning liberty, you’ll be set free from sin because it is the law of liberty
Overall Conclusion:
One cannot arrive at completion or blessing if they don’t do
One grows spiritually when they do and apply the Word of God
400
🤍😁✨🧎🏾♀️➡️👑 Bring the Main Point and Verse
Psalm 145:19 - “He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.”
500
“One of the most widely used tools for studying the Bible is the SPECK method…You may not have something from all five categories for a given text.” Define each acronym for SPECK and explain how it enables one to put the Word of God into practice.
S - Sin to Confess or Avoid
Did the Holy Spirit convict you of any sin that you need to confess? How will you avoid any specific sins you were warned about in the text?
P - Promises to “Claim”
Did God make a promise in the text that you can “claim” for yourself?
E - Examples to Follow
What godly behaviors are modeled in the text? What false beliefs do you have that cause you to behave differently? What truths do you need to believe instead? How will you follow this example for living this week?
C - Commands to Obey
What is God commanding you to do or stop doing? Do you find yourself wanting to obey this command or justifying disobedience? What false beliefs do you have that cause you to obey differently? What truths do you need to believe instead?
K - Knowledge about God
What new insights did you learn about who God is, what He did, who we are, or what we do? What response does this call for? How does this truth compel you to worship and adore God more?
500
Why is it important to move forward by faith? Bring at least one example for one who moved forward and one who didn’t.
If you don’t move forward but turn back you will be destroyed
Hebrews 3:19 "So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief."
Looking back is not a character trait of those of faith.
Book of Hebrews: encouraging them to finish the race they started Heb 10:32-35 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
Examples
Those who moved forward:
Jairus - Because Jairus held fast to his faith the Lord raised his daughter from the dead (Luke 8:40-41,49-56)
Hebrews - author brings in Hebrews 11 those of the OT to show how they finished their race
Hebrews 12 - then brings Christ to show how He finished His race
Those who shrunk back:
Lot’s wife (Luke 17:31-33)
Israelites (Hebrews 3:19)
500
Explain the difference between Fatherhood and Sonship. What is the importance of a believer understanding this distinction in their walk? What points did we bring? Bring scripture.
Fatherhood - Matthew 6:8 (ESV) Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Verses 25-34 - We are of more value! The Father knows what is needed.
Isaiah 1:2 (NKJV) Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;
Fatherhood - to nourish and raise up the children.
There is much that goes behind a petition/prayer request being answered. Only God knows. We simply receive what we asked for!
Sonship - Genesis 24:34-35 (ESV) 34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys.
All the blessings of the Father went to the Son.
Psalm 2:7-8 (ESV) 7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
God wanted Christ to ask him for the nations. God gave everything to Christ because He is His son. We see the grandness of being a son!
Importance of a believer understanding this:
1. Matthew 6:7 - They will not be like those who do not know God as their Father, constantly making requests about needs, "heaping up empty phrases..."
2. They are confident in their identity in Christ. They understand the power that God has exerted to adopt them as sons. They know they are not weak.
Hebrews 2:11 (ESV) For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,
3. They know their inheritance. They know that they were made to share in the works of God (Galatians 4:1-5)
Eg. Paul - When rejected, Paul knew to go to the Gentiles. He knew his inheritance. In Christ Jesus, God had given everything. Acts 13:46-48 (ESV) 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
500
1 ____ faith is the ______ of things hoped for, the conviction of things ___ seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their ________. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is ____ was not made out of things that are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 ___ ____ Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And ______ ____ it is________ to ____ him, for ______ would draw near to God ____ _____ that __ _____ and that __ ______ those who ____ ___.
Hebrews 11:1-6
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:1-6
500
Identity the types of parallelism. Explain each.
1. Psalm 119:15 “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.”
2. Psalm 29:1 “Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.”
3. Psalm 1:6 "for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."
4. Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
1. Synonymous: the second line states the first line in a different way.
2. Climatic: second line repeats part of the first line then expands.
3. Antithetical - the 2nd line contrasts the first line.
4. Synthetic - the first line introduces an idea, and the second line builds on, completes, or extends that thought rather than just repeating it.