SUNDAT SCHOOL LESSONS.docx

7/28/2019 SUNDAT SCHOOL LESSONS.docx

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Spiritual Gifts Bible Study

Bible Passage: I Corinthians 12

The human need this passage meets is: To be a vital part ofChrist's followers.

Learning Goals: By the end of this "Spiritual Gifts Bible Study",each learner should be able to. . .

(Know) Know the origin and purpose of spiritual gifts in the Bodyof Christ.

(Feel) Feel a sense of belonging to the church - Christ's body

(Do) Surrender your will to God so He can use you in the way Hechooses

Hook

"How many of you have played on a baseball team? Or at least watch baseball?

You know that there are nine players on a team. When the team is in the field,there are nine different jobs. Which is the most important? Discuss this with the

people around you."

After a few minutes, ask some people to share their answers.

"In reality, every position is important. The same is true in the Body of Christ.

We all have one or more spiritual gifts - gifts given by the Holy Spirit. In this"Spiritual Gifts Bible Study", we'll learn that we are each a part of the Body ofChrist - an indispensable part.


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Transition

In our Spiritual Gifts Bible Study, we'll look at I Corinthians 12-14where Paul instructs the Corinthians regarding spiritual gifts.

Chapter 12 - The Gifts of the SpiritChapter 13 - The Fruit of the Spirit (which is love)Chapter 14 - The Desire of the Spirit

These concepts were of extreme interest to the believers inCorinth and they are still important to us today.

But, frankly this is a complex subject and it raises complexquestions.

As we begin our spiritual gifts Bible study, I want you to commityourself to this principle:

I will not let truths I don't understand keep me from thetruths I do understand.

Any spiritual gifts Bible study brings up truths that are hard tounderstand.

Bible Input

Let's read I Corinthians 12:1-31.

First, we need to note that Paul is probably talking about morethan just spiritual gifts:

v.1 Literally read: "now about the spirituals"

it doesn't say "gifts" -- Bible translators added that wordbecause of the context"spirituals" are things, people, matters, gifts, and spirituality ingeneral

In v.2-3 Paul clarifies the basis for being a spiritual person.

Paul's point is that true spirituality becomes a reality when theHoly Spirit Himself takes up residence within our human spirits.

Before they were believers, the Corinthians were following idolsthat couldn't speak.


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Now they were inhabited by the true Spirit of God and God'sSpirit can and does speak. The mark that a person has trulyheard the voice of the spirit of God was found in how he spokeabout his relationship with Jesus.

In Acts 26 - before Paul became a Christian, he said that notonly was he a blasphemer, he went into different synagoguesand tried to force Christians to blaspheme. That probablymeant to get them to say, "Jesus be cursed." If they did, he'dleave them alone. If not, he'd arrest, imprison, and persecutethem. Paul knew that until the Spirit of God showed Him thatJesus was alive and was Lord, he was only practicing religion.He was a religious person, but not a spiritual person. Paul'spoint is that there is no way a person can be spiritual withoutthe Holy Spirit.

When the Holy Spirit breaks the heart of a man, the man

surrenders and says: "Jesus is Lord."

At this juncture I want to belabor a simple point that is oftenignored and that I believe is desperately needed in any spiritualgifts Bible study.

The Holy Spirit is a Person - not a force or an impersonalinfluence.

The Holy Spirit is always referred to as He

True, He is described as:

wind (John 3)

spring and river (John 4 and 7)

fire (Matthew 3 and Acts 2)

BUT He is not an impersonal force like nature, but the InvisibleSpirit of God Himself.That's why in v. 4, 5, 6 Paul talks aboutthe same Spirit, the same Lord Jesus, and the same God.

God is a divine person.Jesus is a divine person.The Holy Spirit is a divine person.

One role of the Holy Spirit on earth today is to take the place ofJesus on earth.

Jesus taught His disciples that it was better that he go away


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because then He could send another Divine Person, the HolySpirit to take His place on the earth. Now, if you were the 12apostles, would you really think anyone could have taken Jesus'place? But Jesus insisted and tried to teach them these truthsabout the personality of the Holy Spirit.

He will be a:

real person - He will be able to think, feel, decide just like Me.

divine person - He would come directly from My Father; co-equal with God and Jesus.

indispensable person - Just as with Me, apart from Him you willbe able to do nothing.

loving person - He'll be your friend and make His home with

you and love within you.wise person - He'll remind you of everything I taught you andlead you into all truth.

strong person - He'll be able to do exceedingly abundantlyabove all you could ask or dream

faithful person - He'll never leave you or forsake you; He'll bepermanently sealed within your spirit. You'll never be alone inany circumstance or situation.

It's not the force be with you. It's He'll be with you

Because of that He will be worthy. - Worthy of your love, yourconfidence, your hope, and your all.

He's a person! - Our first priority is to know the person of theHoly Spirit. Then, learn about the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Frankly, many people have thatbackwards.

One of the main reason many people need a spiritual gifts Biblestudy is that they often come up with sincere, but misguidednotions about the Holy Spirit and His spiritual gifts. They often

Continue this "Spiritual Gifts Bible

Study" by learning more about the

Holy Spirit - throughSermonsanda Sunday School Lesson

We offer three lessons on the

Holy Spirit in

What's Missing Inside You?
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think of Him as a force and not a person.

It is this Divine Person who has given Himself to you and giftedyou to be a functioning member within His Body.

In I Corinthians 12:7-11 Paul stresses that the Person who livesin you and has given you spiritual gifts lives in all believers andhas gifted them, too.

He's the same, but His gifts are different and vary from believerto believer.

Let's continue our spiritual gifts Bible study by listing some of thedifferent spiritual gifts:

word of wisdom word of knowledge special faith healing miraculous power prophecy distinguishing of spirits tongues interpretation of tongues

Then, at the end of the chapter Paul describes roles in what

seems to be a priority order:

First, apostles Second, prophets Third, teachers then, workers of miracles gifts of healing helps

administration tongues

Life Application

Now, let's try to be practical in our spiritual gifts Bible study:A spiritual gift is a divine enablement that makes you valuable tothe body of Christ. It involves your personality, but is muchdeeper. Your giftedness comes from the Spirit of God, not arefined personality. You cannot define and discover your spiritual


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gifts in personality traits alone.

One of the most amazing and sometimes frustrating realities ofthis text is that Paul doesn't spend any time defining ordescribing these gifts, he simply lists them. He assumed that the

Corinthians believers knew what he meant.

The Point is - You may discover and recognize your gift, but youdon't decide your role in the Body of Christ - the Holy Spirit does.He decides how you will be gifted and how you will contribute tothe spiritual health of the Body of Christ. He will choose yourpurpose and place in His Kingdom.

Now I'll continue this spiritual gifts Bible study with

examining three of Paul's clear and practical points for theCorinthians and us.

1. The Church is one body.Though a physical body has many different parts, it still forms only onebody.

With Christ we are all included in His body.

We were all baptized by one SpiritWe were all given one Spirit to drink

This happened when they became followers of Jesus.

I Corinthians 10:1 - the Israelites were baptized into Moses -- a figurativedescription of their salvation and deliverance from Egypt.

In the church, when a person acknowledges that Jesus is his Lord theyreceive the forgiveness of sins. They receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Theyare added to the Lord's Body, the Church.

How many parts are in a human body? The Lever 2000commercial says that there are 2001! I don't know if that'scorrect, but I do know that the American board of Specialitiesand Subspecialties lists 145 physician specialities andsubspecialties for taking care of those many, many parts. Yet,

all the parts of our bodies have unique, important functions towork together to make every single body function.


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They are baptized into the Lord's body and they are inhabited by the Lord'sSpirit. We call this new birth; regeneration; being baptized by the HolySpirit.

2. Every member of the body belongs.

In the Body of Christ, no one should compare himself to someone else andsay, "Because I'm not like them, I don't really belong here." We need toaffirm each other and help each other feel safe and secure in the church.

God designed the body of Christ to have an immense variety of members -and everyone belongs.

3. Every member of the body is indispensable.

No one can look down on another member and say, "We don't really needyou!" It is also equally wrong to think, "They don't need me."

God designed the body so that every member would play a vital role. Youhave no double. No one can take your place.

Some people serve within the four walls of a church building. Some peopleserve in their communities. Some people serve in another country. All areneeded.

Now that we know that we have a spiritual gift, we are naturally curious asto what it is.

How do we find out what spiritual gifts we have?

There are many questionaires and studies designed to do this. One simpleway is to simply ask several people who know you well, "What am I good

When my wife was in grade school, her class would play softballin physical education. The teacher would choose two studentsto be captains of the teams. The captains would choose theirteams - one student at a time. Peggy vividly remembers thehumiliation of always being the last chosen. She didn't havesoftball skills, so she wasn't wanted on anyone's team. Shedefinitely didn't feel that she belonged. However, she hadexactly the opposite experience when the class had spellingcontests. Peggy was the first person chosen. Now, she belonged

on that team! What she lacked in softball she had in spelling.


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at?" If there is a concensus of opinion, that's a good indication that God hasgifted you in that area.

Ask God to show you where He can use you to His glory. Think about theplaces where you have served where you "felt God's blessing." Keep in mind

that many times God puts us in a situation, then gives us the necessaryskills to do the job! Can you imagine a parent who says, "I don't have thespiritual gift of child-raising"? If God has given you children, He will give youthe skills and the heart that are necessary.

Every spiritual gifts Bible study should emphasize that a person's gifting canchange through their lives. That's because God has a unique purpose foryou. He is also developing the fruit of the Spirit in you.

A spiritual gift is from the Holy Spirit. He decides what you'll be given andhow you'll use it. Consider this quote from Oswald Chambers' book, MyUtmost for His Highest.

Discussion Questions:

1. What was part of this "Spiritual Gifts Bible Study" applied the most toyou?

Are you willing to be offered for the work of the faithful - topour out your life blood as a libation on the sacrifice of the faithof others? Or do you say, - "I'm not going to be offered up justyet, I do not want God to choose my work. I want to choose thescenery of my own sacrifice; I want to have the right kind ofpeople watching and saying, 'Well done.' "

It is one thing to go on the lonely way with dignified heroism,

but quite another thing if the line mapped out for you by Godmeans being a door-mat under other people's feet. SupposeGod wants to teach you to say, "I know how to be abased" -are you ready to be offered up like that? Are you ready to benot so much as a drop in a bucket - to be so hopelesslyinsignficant that you are never thought of again in connectionwith the life you served? Are you willing to spend and be spent;not seeking to be ministered unto, but to minister? Some saintscannot do menial work and remain saints because it is beneaththeir dignity.


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2. How does realizing that theHoly Spiritis a person, not a force help you?

3. How you find out how the Holy Spirit has gifted you?

4. How does this "Spiritual Gifts Bible Study" help you answer a person who

doesn't think he is vital to the Lord's ministry?

5. How does comparing yourself to others hinder your acceptance of yourspiritual gifts?
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Dynamic Ministry Jobs

Bible Passage: Luke 9:1-17

The human need this passage meets is: all ministry jobs can influence others

through depending on God.

Learning Goals: By the end of this session, each learner should be able to. ..

Know: Understand that Jesus leads all disciples into personal ministry jobs.

Feel: Feel the desire to have a miraculous influence on others.

Do: Either begin or continue a personal ministry through reliance upon God.

Hook

Think about two words: Spectators & Participants. We all know thatspectators are watchers; participants are doers.

At your tables, share some individual thoughts around these twostatements.

Name an activity that you dislike doing yourself, but enjoy watching othersdo.

Name an activity that you enjoy doing yourself, but dislike watching othersdo.

Transition

There are two reasons I wanted us to think along these lines this morning:

1. For the first year or so within Jesus 3 year ministry on earth, hisdisciples were primarily spectators. They saw Him preach, teach, heal thesick, and raise the dead. But today, we are going to see a turning point intheir spiritual development. Instead of merely watching Him minister, he isgoing to send them out for a brief ministry tour to do what they had seenHim do.

2. There comes a point in every Christian's life when he must stop being aspectator, and start being a participant. Sadly, many believers never readthat point. But the truth is, unless you let Jesus lead you into ministry jobsyour Christian life will be unfulfilling, unchallenging and boring.


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In other words, with Jesus, you can only listen and watch so long. Theultimate goal that Jesus has for your life and mine --

is not learning more about the Bible, though thats important is not enjoying the fellowship of the church, though thats importantIts finding a personal ministry where He uses you to influence the world for

Him.

So, the way Jesus would look at our Sunday School Class would be to ask --

is your class a holding tank or a launching pad? is your class a Christian club or a ministry team?Habitually coming together and turning inward -- without habitually goingback into the world and turning outward is not real Christianity. We mighthave fun, learn a lot, and enjoy our fellowship, but without personalministries, were only existing for ourselves.

Bible Input

Let's read: Luke 9:1-17

Life Application

Lets discover two truths about all ministry jobs:

1. All ministry jobs should have a miraculous influence on others

In modern Christianity, Success usually involves numbers, buildings andprograms. But to Jesus, success means one word -influence.

Luke 9:2 He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick.

Luke 9:6 So they went from village to village, preaching the gospel andhealing people everywhere.

But, it was more than mere human influence. It was a miraculous,supernatural influence. By miraculous, we dont mean something that is

spectacular, or sensational. A miracle is merely something that has nopossible explanation apart from God. If it can be explained in human terms,its not a miracle.

NASA can send a man to the moon; thats pretty spectacular,
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In this text everyone recognized this influence as supernatural. Herod wasperplexed because people were saying that John the Baptist, whom he hadbeheaded, had been raised from the dead. Others wondered whether Elijahor another prophet had appeared. Everyone who heard about what Jesusand the apostles were doing knew that these things were humanlyimpossible.

Jesus merely equipped them to present living proof of a loving God to awatching world. Jesus can equip you and me to do the very same thing!

Today, we dont have to be able to heal the sick to present living proof to awatching world. But we do have to:

connect with people

invest time in people

show concern for people It is going to take all of us. We cant afford many spectators. We

need people available to be His salt & His light in His world.

2. All ministry jobs require dependence on God

In Luke 9:12-17, we see the miracle of how Jesus fed 5,000 men plus women and children. This

is the only miracle of Jesus recorded in all four gospels. What was the vital principle that Jesuswanted the disciples to learn? I believe it is found in v. 12 - 13.

Verse 12 says that it was getting late and the apostles came to Jesus and said, Send the crowd

away. But, in Luke 9:13, Jesus replied, You give them something toeat. The disciples'reaction to those words illustrated how unreasonable they thought that idea was.

but not miraculous.David Copperfield can make people disappear & reappear;sensational, not miraculous

In Robert Lewis bookThe Church of Irresistible Influence hesays that a fitting description for the church would be --A

community of people who present living proof of a loving Godto a watching world.

Now, isnt that what the 12 disciples were doing?
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First, Philip said, eight months wages would not be enough money to buy bread for this

crowd.

Secondly, their only resource was one boy with a small lunch. Andrew said, Here is a boy with

five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many? In other

words, its still impossible. If we cant feed all of them, why feed any of them?

Finally Jesus showed them the principle he was trying to teach them.

Luke 9:16 Taking the loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and

broke them.

That was the principle he wanted them to learn and the principle he wants us to learn.

When you learn to depend on God,nothing is impossible

Our tendency is to get a little cynical and say, "Sure that was easy for him to say because He was

God. But I want you to realize that you think that way, you are wrong. NOT in saying that Jesuswas God (for God he is, was, and always will be) but wrong in saying the reason he was able toperform a miracle was because he was God.

When Jesus came into the world he became a man. The reason that Jesus could perform miraclesas man, is that in everything He did, He perfectly depended on His father as God. This is the

secret Jesus kept trying to reveal to His disciples.

John 14:10 It is the Father, living in me who is doing His work.

Acts 2:22 Jesus of Nazareth was a man, approved of God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,

which God did among you through him.

Jesus never intended for the 12 disciples to perform this miracle by their own power, because henever intended to do the miracle by His own power. He simply wanted them, and us to recognize

that nothing is impossible for the person who depends on Jesus the way Jesus depended on His

Father. So, when Jesus gives us a personal ministry, hes expecting us to count on him toproduce the results.

Major Ian Thomas, in his bookThe Saving Life of Christtells this illustration.

Suppose Jesus found an atheist in the crowd and said to him, Excuse me are

you an atheist?

"Yes""Good. You are just the person Im looking for. We have a little dilemma here

and I want your advice. As you know, its very late in the day and my disciples

want me to send the people home, but I want to feed them. What do you

suggest?"What is the first question the atheist would ask Jesus?

"Well, how much money do you have?

Since the atheist didnt believe in God, the only resources he ever considered
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And thats what we still have today. Believers who are professing Christians but practicing

atheists. Unbelieving Believers.

Think about your own life today, this past week, this past month, past year. Are you facing a

situation where you feel that your human resources are inadequate? If you are a Christian, Christ

Himself is living within you. Can you count on Him or is He irrelevant?

Finally, how do you know that you are totally depending on him? When you pray the prayer

Jesus prayed here in Luke 9:16. Thats the kind of faith Jesus is looking for-- the kind that

simply says, Lord, I knew that you can handle this situation, Thank you.

Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to depend on Jesus as He depended on His Father? How do you know thatyou are not relying on yourself and your resources?

2. What miraculous influences have you experienced - either influencing someone or being

influenced?

3. How do people get involved in their personal ministry jobs?How do you knowwhat ministryGod wants you to be involved in? Is it true that Christianity without a personal ministry is

boring?

4. What ministry jobs are you now involved in -

or want to be involved in? What steps will you

take this week?

counting on were resources he could see.

Its easy to explain how an atheist would think God was irrelevant for anysituation, but the disciples had Christ himself standing right in front of them, yet

for that situation He was irrelevant.

Need help in motivating believers to fulfill

their ministry jobs?Kingdom-Driven

Discipleshipwill meet this need.
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To Follow Jesus Disciples Must Obey

Bible Passage: Luke 14:25-35

By the end of this session, each learner should be able to. . . .

(Know) Understand the difference between being a believer and being adisciple(Feel) Recognize the questions that a disciple of Christ must address(Do) Demonstrate loyalty to Jesus through your obedience

Hook

Ask each member of the class to ask their neighbor the following question:What is the difference between joining a club and being an active member?

Transition

Today, we are going to focus on the teaching that in following Jesus disciplesmust obey his commands.

In Luke 14 large crowds began following following Jesus. His reputation hadspread. His popularity had grown. But in reality the crowds were not on thesame page as Jesus.

What we will notice from our Bible text today, is that the longer the largecrowds listened to Jesus the more they realized that to follow Jesus discipleshad to make choices. They realized what little they had in common withHim. Jesus spells out in the clearest language possible, what must happen tobe his disciple.

We have all seen interviews on television or in the newspaper

that go something like this: "I believe theres only one Creator,and that everyone should be praying. No matter what you callyour God, whether you call Him he, a she, or it, you shouldpray. Some call him Allah, some Christ, and Buddah. Theimportant thing is for people to pray regardless of who or whatthey think God is. I believe in peace and Humanity. I believe inincluding everyone."

Initially, the idea of one Creator and the importance of prayersounds good. But beyond that, you discover religious beliefsthat are inconsistent with the teachings of Christ.


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Bible Input

Read: Luke 14:25-35

Just because a person was traveling with Jesus, doesnt mean he wanted to

become one of Jesus disciples. And today, just because people attend churchdoesnt mean they are following Jesus.

Being a disciple assumes that a relationship with Christ exists. Luke 14teaches us that the essence of being Christs disciple is a willingness to giveup everything for Him. A disciple claims no rights, and makes no demand. Adisciple is totally willing, totally available, totally confident andtotallyobedient.

Life Application

Jesus asks his "would be" disciples four questions that we must also askourselves:

First question for Jesus disciples:

Wheres your loyalty?

Luke 14:26 - If anyone does not hate his father and mother, his wife andchildren, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life he cannot be mydisciple.

Jesus wants us to place him above our closest relationships. Can anything bemore emotionally difficult to accept than the notion of risking the approval ofyour family? Even Jesus understood the opposition that can come fromfamily members.

Mark 3:21 - When Jesus family heard about this, they went to take chargeof him, for they said, He is out of his mind.

Mark 3:32 -A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, Yourmother and brothers are outside looking for you. Who are my mother andmy brothers?" he asked. They he looked at those seated around him and

When Major Ian Thomas would hold his week-long meetings invarious congregations, he often said, "On Sunday, I wouldalways meet the church goers. But on Monday, I would meetJesus disciples."
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said, Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does Gods will is my

brother and sister and mother."

Second question for Jesus disciples:Will you let Me lead your life?

Luke 14:27 -Anyone who does not carry his cross andfollow me cannot be my disciple.

The two key words are cross and "Me". The cross represents death.

Following ME refers to who will be determining the direction of your life.Were simply talking about dying to your own plans and giving Jesus creditfor knowing how best to use you.

In Gal. 2:20 - The Apostle Paul said, I am crucified with Christ, I no longerlive.

One thing true of a person hanging on a cross -- he has made no furtherplans.

Third question for Jesus disciples:Do you understand the cost?

Luke 14:28-30 - If a builder doesnt estimate the cost of building a tower, hemay not be able to finish to task.

Luke 14:31-33 - If a king is about to go to war, but then realizes that he isoutnumbered, he should stop the war before it ever begins.

The cost of being Jesus' disciple is giving up anything and everything thatwould come between you and Him:

Every human relationship that would compete for your loyalty.

Every future plan that would be contrary to Christs leading.

Readadevotionalabout

being loyal to God.

Jesus was crucified between two thieves. Can you imagine oneof them turning to the other and saying, What are you doingtomorrow?

Every disciple of Jesus must ask and answer this question: "Willyou let me lead your life? OR will you insist on being in

charge?"
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Everything else that doesnt come under those two areas.

He wants us to be convinced that if we give up everything -- the cost will beworth it. Jesus doesnt want you to begin something only to later say, "Itsnot worth it."

Im not sure theres a way to totally eliminate every possibility of doubt. Life

is long & unpredictable. But the one thing you can do that will minimize anyregret, is to make sure you're giving up everything to Christ. In other words,dont give your life to a cause, a need, an organization, a program, or to apastor.

When we say to ourselves, Im never gonna get involved like that again.What they are saying is, "it wasnt worth it." But why? Very likely because

they were giving everything they had to an organization, not to ChristHimself.

Fourth question for Jesus disciples:Who are you influencing?

Luke 14:34 - Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness,

how can it be made salty again? It is thrown out.

The true follower of Jesus influences others.

This is perhaps the simplest litmus test of see if someone is really followingJesus, or just pretending. Simply ask them, "Who are you influencing forJesus? Who you are discipling?"

There is a very serious warning in these final verses. Jesus is warning us tobe careful. A disciple could easily lose his influence.

How could that happen?

If his loyalty was wavering

If he was unwilling to let Jesus lead

If he was beginning to give up or give in

Examine yourdedication tospiritualdisciplines.

Learn to be adisciple throughpracticingtheChristian disciplines.
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If all of that was happening, there would be nothing distinctive about his life.For that moment, his influence would be gone.

Who are we

influencing?We can easily see that when Jesus asks

for:

our loyalty

our submission to His leading

a cost to be paid

an influence to others

He isn't asking us to just "join a club." He's asking us to be active. He'sasking us to be disciples - followers and learners.

Discussion Questions

1. Which one of the four questions of discipleship presented today is mostrelevant to your life? Why? Ask several members of your group to share.Which of these questions have you been struggling with in your ownrelationship with Jesus?

2. If a believer is interested in pursuing a discipling relationship with Jesus,how would he/she go about it?

3. Being Jesus disciple is not based on our enthusiasm, dedication, or will

power. How does the presence of Gods Spirit provide the power to live thelife described in Luke 14?

4. Give examples of being an influence for Jesus.

This is the picture of the Apostle Peter in the courtyard rightafter Jesus was arrested.

He was more loyal to protecting himself than identifying himselfwith Jesus.He relied on his own will power rather than listening to Jesus.He felt the pressure and decided that giving up his life was notworth it.Peter did not lose his relationship with Jesus, but in thatmoment, he lost his influence.

Learn more about influencing

others throughfriendships andrelationships.
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Are You Devoted to Following God?

One of our Short Devotions

Joshua and Caleb faced this same attitude

I heard a business consultant tell about thetraining he was doing for a companys

employees. After 15 minutes, he could tell thateveryone was totally disinterested. He stoppedhis session and said to the entire group, Youarent going to implement any of these ideasare you? Finally one employee said, No werenot. Why not? the speaker asked. Theemployee said, Because we dont want to, and

they cant make us. In no way were theydevoted to the consultant's cause.

No Way!

God told Moses to send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which Iam giving to the Israelites. (Numbers 13:1) When they returned and gave

their report to the people, ten of the twelve leaders said,We cant doit.The people are too big. All of the people believed this bad report andsaid, We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt. (Numbers 14:4)The Israelites were in effect saying We dont want to and you cant make

us.

What they probably didnt realize is that God took that personally. Godconcluded that they had quit following Him. God said to Moses, They have

treated me with contempt. They have tested my patience ten times. Theyhave lost confidence in my power and my leading.

God's Response

In light of this, Gods initial response was to destroy all of them and startover, but Moses begged God not to do that. So, in effect God said, Ok

Moses, tell the people that I am not abandoning them, but Im done leading

them. Everyone who is age 20 and over will die in the wilderness exceptJoshua and Caleb because they have a devoted spirit. They have followedme wholeheartedly. Joshua and Caleb were the only two who knew what

God wanted and were willing to follow His leadership. They were devoted toGod despite being in the minority.
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What does God do with a Christian who has quit following Him? He neverstops loving him, but after a while, he stops leading him. What does God dowith a church that has quit following Him? He never stops loving that church,but after a while, he stops leading them. What does God do with a nationthat has quit following Him? He never stops loving that nation, but after a

while he stops leading them.

Trust and Devotion

Perhaps many people in the United States who claim to beChristians have quit following Jesus. God sees our hearts. Heknows who is devoted to his purposes, and who has quitfollowing.Following Jesusis a choice that

requireswholehearted commitment.Are you willing to stand for what Godwants regardless of the opposition? He is worthy of our trust and devotion.

Discipleship Training

is like Training for a Marathon

Illustrated with Inspirational Sports Quotes

One of our Short Devotions

Just like training for a marathon or a football game, discipleship trainingrequires practice. People learn by doing. No one becomes like Jesus by

merely thinking about him.

In August 2008, Nebraska football playerPhillip Dillard was quoted in the Omaha WorldHerald on what Bo Pelini and the other

defensive coaches at Nebraska were expecting.Theyre not really trying to correct stuff fromlast year; theyre just coaching their defense.They tell you what youre supposed to do and

youre supposed todo it."
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photo courtesy of Kiley

Learn by practicing

Is learning how to live the Christian life any different? Jesus told his discipleswhat to do and they were supposed to do it. Of course they didnt do things

perfectly at first, and neither do we. Thats why wepractice.The key tospiritual growth is more than learning Bible facts. We mature by practicing agodly lifestyle. Let's examine how Jesus encouraged the twelve to practicewhat they learned from him.

Jesus healed (Matthew 4:23) then sent the apostles out to heal.(Matthew10:1)

Jesus demonstrated his miraculous power in feeding 5,000(Matthew 14:15-20) and then presented a similar task to theapostles.(Matthew 15:32-33)

Jesus modeled a consistent prayer life (Matthew 14:23) and then askedthe apostles to pray in the garden. (Matthew 26:40)

Just do what I'm told?

I'm sure you can think of many more examples. The post is: Jesus expectsus to do what he says. That is the object of Christian disciplines. Paul taughtthe Philippian christian in the same way - Whatever you have learned orreceived or heard from me, or seen in me, put into practice. (Philippians

4:9)

Just like training for a marathon, training in Christian disciplines isnecessary. What are these disciplines? They are the practices that bring usmore in fellowship with each other and obedience to Jesus. You know them -prayer, Bible study, service to others, worship, etc. Are you practicing them?

The infamous Rosie Ruiz

In 1981, Rosie Ruiz was the first woman to cross the finish line at the BostonMarathon. She achieved the third fastest time ever recorded for a femalerunner. But ironically, she was barely sweating. Race officials immediatelybegan to question her victory and eventually she was disqualified. When thetruth came out, it appears that soon after the race began, Rosie intentionallygot off the course, took the subway to a point near the finish line, jumpedback into the race and positioned herself to be the winner.
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In the interview between Rosie and a sports reporter (before she was foundout), a reporter asked Rosie, As you prepared for the race, what kind ofintervals did you run? Rosie said, Whats an interval? Can you imagine a

follower of Jesus asking, Whats a spiritual discipline?"

photo courtesy ofPaul Keleher

The key to spiritual maturity

US Marathoner, Frank Shorter said it best. Literally minutes after Frankfinished second in the Montreal Olympics in 1976, a reporter asked him, Iknow you must be disappointed with the silver. Do you plan to go for thegold medal again in 1980? Frank calmly looked at the reporter and said,

Well of course I wanted to win the gold medal. But the question I have toask myselfnow is, Will I commit myself to running 10 miles per day, everyday, for the next 4 years?

The reporter was looking at the end result. Frank Shorter was looking at theprocess. He knew that there is a vast difference between commiting torunning a marathon and training for a marathon. Discipleship training leadsto spiritual maturity. There are no short cuts.

The Apostle Paul said it best

I have fought the fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Wearen't training for a sprint - we're training for a marathon!

Who are you training for a marathon?

Who are you discipling? What spiritual disciplines are you modeling andasking of your disciple? Jesus said, A wise man hears my words and putsthem into practice.

Author: Paul Schlieker www.bible-study-lesson-plans.com

Discussion ideas for your small group or Sunday School class:

1. What skills are you currently practicing?

2. What practices did Jesus model for his apostles?
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3. In what situations were the apostles asked to practice these Christiandisciplines?

4. Just as any skill, some spiritual conduct comes more naturally to you thanothers. Name one Christian discipline that is easy for you to do.

5. Now name one spiritual discipline that you need to improve.

6. How has practicing godly behaviors brought you more into fellowship andobedience to Jesus?

7. Who will help you in your journey? Who is your spiritual mentor? Who areyoumentoring?8. Are you training for a marathon - in the Christian life?
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Generous Giving

Bible Passage: II Corinthians 8-9

The human need this passage meets is: to develop generousgiving that is based upon a person's relationship to God.

Learning Goals: By the end of this session, each learner shouldbe able to. . .

(know) Understand the source of true generous giving.(feel) Gratitude to God for allowing you to give Him praisethrough your generous giving.(do) Make a plan to show generous giving.

Hook

In The Day They Shook the Plum Tree Arthur H. Lewis tells the strange, but true

story of Hetty Green. She died in 1916, the richest and most detested female in

America. She had $100 million dollars in the bank, but ate crackers and cold

oatmeal because she was too cheap to buy good food. The last 20 years of her

life she lived with a painful hernia because she would not spend the $150 for an

operation. Her own son's leg had to be amputated because she was too cheap

to take him to a doctor. One one occasion, she searched half the night for a lost2 cent postage stamp. Once she tried to forge the signature of her deceased

aunt in a vain attempt to accumulate a million dollars more. She cheated her

employees and even withheld payment from her attorneys until they took her

to court.

She had two children: Ned and Sylvia.

Ned spent $3 million dollars a year on: yachts, coins, stamps, diamond studded

chastity belts, female teenage "wards", pornography, orchid culture, and Texaspolitics.

Sylvia kept $31 million dollars in a bank that paid no interest. She employed a

hard-working Italian laborer as her gardener for 34 years. In all that time she

spoke to him twice: Once to tell him that he would be docked an hour's pay (40


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Transition

The truth is that many Christians keep some places within theirhearts off limits to Christ's control. Receiving the grace of Godoften provides a wonderful sense of relief, peace, joy and hope.Letting Jesus change us and transform us to be like Him requiresa kind of surrender that often feels like death.

As a result it seems easier tobecome a Christian than it does tobe transformed into the likenessof Christ. And no where is thismore true than in the area ofbeing a person known forgenerous giving.

To help us, Paul describes the source of generous giving in IICorinthians 8.

Bible Input

Read II Corinthians 8:1-7

In Acts 11 the Bible tells of a severe famine that devastatedJerusalem and the surrounding area. The first offering taken tohelp the Jewish brothers in Judea came from the church inAntioch. The offering was sent to the elders by Barnabas andPaul. The book of Acts and Paul's own letters tell of his efforts tomaintain a flow of funds to the people in Judea. With this concernin mind, Paul teaches the "New Covenant Theology of Giving"everywhere he went.

cents) for being late to work. The other time to tell him to keep his daughter off

the premises because she didn't like children.

They're all dead now -- Hetty, Ned and Sylvia. Almost without exception, these

millions were distributed where they were least needed and where theyaccomplished a minimum of good.

Generally speaking many Christians (when it comes to their attitude toward

money) are more like Hetty Green and her children than like Christ. I'm simply

talking about being self-centered instead of Christ-centered; being stingy insteadof generous.

Want to know the privilege and

purpose of being God's child?What's

Missing Inside You?is a Bible study

with numerous real-life stories.
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In II Corinthians 8 Paul explains that the only way povertystricken people could be changed into selfless, sacrificing,generous giving people was the work of the grace of God in theirlives. Simply put, the grace of God was greater than...

v. 2 - the severe trials they were experiencingv. 2 - their extreme poverty

v. 3 - their own ability to give

Paul gives us the insight as to how exactly the transformationoccurred.

v. 5 - they gave themselves first to the Lord, then to us inkeeping with God's will

There are two significant truths we need to see from verse

5:

1. Christians do more than confess sins, they offer Godthemselves.

a person who is a Christian is taught to offer God himself

we become a Christian by repentance and faith.

2. The Macedonians' focused on the Lord, not a need.they gave themselves first to the Lord, then to the need athand.

We are motivated to give because of God's grace, not our guilt.That is why most people dislike discussions on stewardship -- itmakes them feel guilty.

This is the #1 problem in sermons, studies and programson giving. A framework of grace is not seen, known or felt. Theresult is that average believers gives their money to relieve their

guilt and to get God to like like them.

Grace...

is being accepted by God just as you are.

is God's incredible and unearnable love toward the unworthyand undeserving


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can never be earned or repaid. It is a free gift from God to us.

When you give God your money...

it cannot be to repay God for what He has done for you,because you can't pay God back for giving you His Son.

it cannot be to atone for your guilt, because that was done byChrist's blood.

it cannot be to get God to love and accept you, because He hasalready done that through Christ.

The "New Covenant" reason to give is to honor the Lord anddemonstrate generosity. It is not done out of guilt, because from

God's perspective, there's no debt owed. Christians' generousgiving comes out of gratitude.

God's Spirit is transforming us from being a "bucket" to becominga "funnel". God is changing us into people who will be a channelthat flows into the lives of others.

Life Application

Here are five common traps related to money:

1. Tithing Trap

Tithing becomes a spiritual trap for us when we believe that Godwill not be pleased with us until we give 10%.

Tithing is for spiritual infants and spiritual children - not themature. God commanded the Jews to give 10% because they hadbeen in Egypt as slaves for 400 years. They had to rebuild theirwhole religious identity. They were spiritual children who had nodiscipline, no religious habits, and no sense of sacrifice.

When I was 8 years old, my parents gave me 50 cents a week for my allowance.

They told me that I had to put a nickle in the offering plate every week. Why?

Because I was a child and had no sense of what giving meant! The focus was on

a specific, measurable amount.


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There are wonderful benefits to tithing

Tithing teaches us the discipline of giving. It is a starting point.Tithing is often a difficult concept to accept. 10%? Are youkidding?

Tithing teaches us how to lay a foundation for learning generousgiving.

Tithing is only a foundational concept. The goal is generous

giving, not tithing! That is especially true for the rich.

I Timothy 6:17 -- Command those who are rich to be generousand willing to share

Can you imagine God asking Hetty Green to give $10 million andto do her best to struggle along with the other $90 million?

Tithing teaches us the importance of trusting God, not money

Matthew 4:4 -Jesus said, Man doesn't live by bread alone, but byevery word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Tithing teaches us the reality that God owns everything.

The notion of tithing leads some people to conclude that 10% oftheir money belongs to God and 90% belongs to them. Thereality is that God owns everything, we merely manage hisproperty. We broughtnothing into this world and wewill take nothing out of it.

In Isaiah's day their offerings had become so ritual that God saidthey were meaningless. In Matthew 23 Jesus condemned thePharisees for being so preoccupied with the legal tithe that theycompletely neglected the more important matters of justice,mercy and faithfulness. Paul said, "If I give all I have to the poor,but have not love, I gain nothing." (I Corinthians 13:3)

2.Insurance Trap

The notion that if you regularly give your money, bad thingswon't happen to you. In Job 29, the Bible says that Job was afather to the needy, rescued the poor, and took care of widows.He knew the principle of generous giving. Yet we all know whathappened to him. Generous giving is not an insurance policyagainst difficulties and disappointments.


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3. Money for Time Trap

This is the concept that generous giving relieves you from havingto give your time. It's often the way that people deal with theirguilt for not being involved. Many a parent has bought his child

an extravagant gift (out of guilt) to make-up for his absence.

4. Super Christian Trap

This trap is based on the belief that real generous giving, realsacrifice is for ministers, missionaries, and other super-Christians,not for normal people.Luke 14:33 -Any of you that does not give up everything He hascannot be my disciple.

5. More Income Trap

This trap assumes that if I made more money, I would be more

generous.

The Macedonians had virtually nothing and yet found a way to begenerous. In Luke 21 Jesus commend a poor widow who gavetwo copper coins at the temple. Our income doesn't matter asmuch as we think.

In II Corinthians 9 Paul describes the marks of generous people.

Read II Corinthians 9:1-14

1. Generous people always have a plan for giving v. 2-7

they had been planning this gift for over a year

they had promised to give it

each person should give what they had planned in his heart togive

Generosity is planned. It is usually not given at the last minute.

Years ago I remember telling God how much I would give Him, if he let me win

the Reader's Digest Sweepstakes. I sensed God saying, "Why don't you show

me how much you are willing to give out of the money I already let you have?"


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2. Generous people always understand the principle ofgiving v. 6-11

Paul describes the principle behind New Covenant giving - the lawof the harvest.

He who sows sparingly reaps sparingly.

He who sows generously reaps generously.

This is what permits the Christian to be a cheerful giver. Heknows that as he shovels out, God will shovel in and God's shovelis bigger than his.

"Reaping generously" doesn't necessarily mean that God rewardsus with money. There are many blessings other than cash.

3. Generous people always know the purpose of giving v.11, 12, 13, 15

These verses teach that our generosity achieves two basicpurposes:

God's name -- that God's name will be thanked and praised

God's people -- that God's people will have their needs met

Do we give because God is short of cash? No, it's for the name ofGod.It's for the kingdom of God.

We have all seen financial budget books. Perhaps you use one for your

household budget. The purpose is to help people see where their money is

going and plan where they want it to go. The budget page I saw had four major

sections -- fixed expenses, living expenses, business expenses, and savings.

Then it had a category for everything else -- Miscellaneous. On this list, givingto God's work would be listed under miscellaneous. Do we put giving to

spiritual things under "miscellaneous?" Giving people do not consider their

generosity as "miscellaneous."

(Hold up a blank check.) This is a check. In the lower left corner of a check we

usually write what the check is for. If we give a check to God's work, what

would we write on this line?


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It's for the glory of God.NOT the building paymentNOT to impress someone.NOT to meet the church budgetNOT for a tax deduction

NOT to relieve guiltWe give that God's name on earth may be exalted and expanded.We give that God's people may be helped, encouraged andserved by our generous giving.

TheWise Menalso worshiped

with their generous giving.

More adult Sunday School lessons aboutmoney -Scriptures on Wealth - Seven SpiritualTruths

Principle of Stewardship - Luke 12

Discussion questions:

1. Why do many Christians feel guilty every time the subject of giving comesup?

2. How do you move beyond focusing on a percentage to the concept ofgenerosity?

3. What spiritual tips concerning giving have you learned?

4. How would you counsel a new believer on the importance of giving?

Author:Paul Schlieker www.bible-study-lesson-plans.com

A short devotion onChristiangiving
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Scriptures on Wealth - Seven Spiritual Truths

Bible Passages: Genesis 1:1; Psalm 50:10; Luke 12:42; Deuteronomy8:17; Ecclesiastes 5:19; Luke 16:13; Luke 18:22; Ecclesiastes 5:10; ITimothy 6:7, Matthew 26:14; Proverbs 3:9; Malachi 3:10; II Corinthians

9:6; Matthew 6:19; Psalm 49:16; I Timothy 6:6; Matthew 6:21; Mark12:41.

The human need this passage meets is: the need to view and handle ourmoney in a way that is consistent to reality and pleases God.

Learning Goals: By the end of this session, each learner should be able to. ..

(Know) Identify the teaching of the scriptures on wealth.

(Feel) Feel that he has not viewed his money in a way consistent with God'scommands.

(Do) Name one way he/she will manage God's property to honor Him.

Hook

Ask the members, "Tell your neighbor one thing you would never buy.Then tell one thing you'd love to have if you could afford it."

Continue after a couple of minutes.

Transition

We live in a world that is obsessed with money. As a whole:

People love money People live for money People believe that money will solve all, or at least most of their problems.

That's why thousands keep trying to win the powerball jackpot.

It would not be an over-statement to say that many people actually worshipmoney. They love to make it, have it, and spend it on themselves.

On the other hand, God expect his followers to understand and reflect hisview of money.


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Bible Input and Life Application

There are numerous scriptures on wealth -both Old and New Testaments:

In the New Testament, the words money, wealth, rich, and riches are usedabout 116 times.

In the Old Testament, the same words are used over 300 times.

Here's a brief summary of the scriptures on wealth:

First spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth:1. God owns everything and man manages His property.

God owns:

The concept of God's ownership is introduced in the very first verse of theBible.Genesis 1:1 God created the heavens and the earth.

Asaph (leader of the temple choir) quotes God in Psalm 50:10 Every animalof the forest is mine (God's) and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know everybird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. The world is

mine and all that is in it.

Man Manages:While God's role is owner, Man's role is manager of God's property. All our

possessions are on loan from God.

The relationship between owner and manager was the theme of many ofJesus' parables.

Luke 12:42 - Who then is the faithful and wise manager, who the masterputs in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the

proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so

when he returns.

Whatever we think we own, we don't. We are merely managing the propertythat belongs to God.

Second spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth:

2. God is the source of all wealth.

Since God owns everything, everything we see comes from God's hand. Thetendency is to think otherwise. Moses warned the children of Israel before

God's view ofChristian Giving
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they entered the promised land that days of prosperity were coming.

Deuteronomy 8:17 -- You may say to yourself, "My power and the strengthof my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lordyour God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

Solomon, the wealthiest person, acknowledged this.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 - When God gives any man wealth and possessions, andenables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work, this isa gift of God.

There is more to making money than our hard work. All wealth ultimatelycomes from the hand of God.

Third spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth:3. You cannot serve both God and wealth.

Luke 16:13 - No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the oneand love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.You cannot serve both God and money.Jesus saw people struggle with this choice.

Luke 18:22 -A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher what must I do toinherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Sell everything you have and give it

to the poor. Then come, follow me." When he heard this he became very

sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said,"How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God."

God expects us to have money without becoming addicted to it.

People give

themselves to many things other than God. It is not a sin to be successful, it

is a sin to worship success. No man can have two masters.

Fourth spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth:

4. The love of money is a root cause of many problems.

Several years ago I interviewed a young man for a job. I askedhim, "If it came down to you and another qualified candidate,why should I choose you?" He said, "Because I have givenmyself to success." Then he elaborated, "Whatever it takes, I'lldo it. However long it takes, I'll pay the price. I have given mylife to one thing: Success."


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The love of money robs you of contentment.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 - Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves

wealth is never satisfied with his income.

The love of money hurts your relationship with God.

I Timothy 6:7 - People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap.For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for

money, have wandered from the faith.

Nowhere is this more vividly illustrated than in the life of Judas, the Apostlewho betrayed Jesus.

Matthew 26:14 -Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and asked, "Whatwill you give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for himthirty silver coins.

In the end, Judas loved money more than he loved Jesus.

Many people rationalize and justify their behavior to satisfy their love ofmoney.

Fifth spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth:

5. God blesses the man who honors Him with his wealth.

God teaches us to invest our money in His kingdom.

A general promise

Proverbs 3:9 - Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the fruitfruits of your

crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brimover with new wine.

A specific promise

Malachi 3:10 - "Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty. "bring the wholetithe into the storehouse and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of

heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough roomfor it."


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A personal promise

II Corinthians 9:6 - Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reapsparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each

man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, for God loves a

cheerful giver.

Sixth spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth:6. Earthly riches are temporal; treasures in heaven are eternal.

We've all heard the investment principle: "Don't put all your eggs in one

basket."Here's Jesus' version of it:

Matthew 6:19 - Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, wheremoth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for

yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy andwhere thieves do not break in and steal.

Anything in the "earthly basket" will be destroyed; anything in the "heavenlybasket" cannot be destroyed.

From this perspective, we are encouraged.

Psalms 49:16 - Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, for he will takenothing with him when he dies.

I Timothy 6:6 - We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothingout of it.

God wants you to be a "funnel", not a "bucket". He wants us togive and share our money to honor Him.

Two friends were attending the funeral of a multi-millionaire. Asthey were sitting in the chapel before the service, one asked,

"How much do you think he left behind?" The other one quietlyreplied, "I think he left it all."

I know that many of us have played the game, Monopoly. Thegoal of the game is to get as much money as you can and make


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Seventh spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth:

7. When God has your money, He has your heart.

One proof that God has your heart, is that he has your money.

Matthew 6:21 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

But, don't think that it's the amount of money that God is examining.

Mark 12:41 -Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings wereput and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury.

Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put intwo very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Jesus said,

"This poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. Theygave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty put in everything - allshe had to live on."

The rich gave very large amounts, but they gave out of their wealth. Thewidow gave less than a penny, but she gave out of her heart. She gave allshe had to live on and placed her life in God's hands. She trusted him to

take care of her.

That's what God wants. He gives us many things, but he expects us toultimately trust HIM, not our stuff.

the other players go bankrupt. You buy houses and hotels andaccumulate money. But, when the game is over, the board isfolded up and all the money and houses go back in the box. It'snot real. It's just a game.

When it comes to material things, life is one bigMonopolygame.The money and possessions aren't real. You can't take itwith you. It doesn't matter how much you have when you die,it all goes back into the box. You leave it all.
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Discussion Questions:

1. Which of the scriptures on wealth help you realize that God is the owner

and source of your wealth?

2. Which two truths about money do you find most difficult to believe?

3. Which two truths about money do you find most difficult to practice?

4. What blessings that "money can't buy" has God blessed you with?

5. How do these truths help you be honest and ethical in your dealingsinvolving money?

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