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October 10, 2001 Family Training Hour
WHEN GOD SEEMS FAR AWAY
- There are many differing opinions as to the way a person becomes a true follower of God. Some say it is this way and some say it is that. One thing is usually consistent and generally agreed upon: the result of one becoming a true follower of God is intimacy with God; true believers experience a closeness with God. In your group, describe some of the methods that various religious groups use to become closer to God. [Note: please, we need not mention names of the groups or religions who have the practices you will use as illustrations.]:
- What does the Bible say needs to happen for a person to become a Christian and have intimacy (the Bible uses the word "fellowship") with God?:
- Revelations 3:20
- Galatians 2:20
- Ephesians 3:l4, 16-l9
- What do you think: If a person becomes a true believer in Jesus Christ and has fellowship - intimacy - with God, is it possible to lose that intimacy? How? Why?
- According to the following passages, what does the Bible say is the reason we lose our intimacy with God?
- Isaiah 59:2
- Ezekiel 14:5
- II Peter 2:15
- Isaiah 59:2
- When we feel as if we are far from God, the Bible describes some of the means by which we can again draw close to Him. In the following passages, identify the means by which we can draw close to God:
- Hebrews 7:18,19,25
- Hebrews 10:22
- James 4:8
- This week's focus on care and prayer.
The lesson this week is quite simple, so simple we can over look it with considerable ease: we drift quietly and silently away from God - like a boat adrift on the sea - when we sin and do not clear it up with God.
And how do we clear it up with God? That too is so simple we can very easily over look it too: "If we confess our sins... He will forgive us and cleanse us..." I John 1:9.
It must be distressing to God to see those He loves drift from Him when the remedy is so near at hand. With your group, read the passage in James 5:16 and apply it in a way that seems appropriate to you. And, may God bless you as you as you seek His fellowship.
October 17, 2001 Family Training Hour
God's Secret To Confident Living
- Humility. It is a wonderful characteristic, which is praised by many both of the past and of the present. But it is not something they teach in school and - while growing up - It did not always seem to be a good thing to practice. When you think of the way people generally look at humility, what words come to mind?:
- While reading the following scriptures - scriptures which demonstrate humility - try to define what the Bible means by this term: I Kings 3:7 (Solomon Is speaking); Matthew 8:8; Psalms 131:1.
- Sometimes It Is helpful to understand a concept, Idea or problem by looking at Its opposite and, of course, the opposite of humility Is pride. As we look at the following examples of pride, describe the aspect of pride that Is revealed:
- Exodus 5:2
- II Chronicles 32:25
- Isaiah 14:13-14
- Read Daniel 5:18-24,30. In this passage Is the story of two men who learned something about pride and humility:
- Who was the first man and what lesson did he learn?
- Who was the second man and what lesson did he fail to learn?
- Read the following passages and Identify what either pride or humility brings to tile one who practices them:
- Proverbs 11:2
Pride:
Humility:
- Proverbs 13:10
Pride:
Humility:
- Habakkuk 2:4
Pride:
Humility:
- Matthew 23:12
Pride:
Humility:
October 24, 2001 Family Training Hour
MEEKNESS: Putting The Spirit To Work
- It's the annual family picnic. All the relatives are there and everyone is poised for a good time. The weather is great and the food is abundant. At game time, the annual softball game has commenced when, rather unexpectedly, a dispute about a foul ball breaks out. There are some harsh words exchanged. Uncle Fred packs up the family and goes home. It was a long time before they again saw him or his family at the annual picnic.
- Using your sanctified imagination, describe the response of the rest of the relatives at the moment Uncle Fred left the picnic:
- Based on the information you have been provided in this story, do you think Uncle Fred did the right thing?
- What is it about us humans that makes us "take up our things and go home" like Uncle Fred?
- Read I Peter 3:8-17. How do you think Jesus would have acted if He had been in Uncle Fred's place? How would He have wanted us to act in a similar spot?
- The word "meek" appears a number of times in the Bible (31 in the KJV) and is always regarded as very positive thing. Using the context of the following passages as a guide, give what seems to be the meaning of "meek":
- II Corinthians 10:1-3, Zephaniah 3:11-13
- I Peter 3:15 [KJV; gentle, NASB]
- Numbers 12:14 [KJV]
- Read Galatians 5:22,23. In verse 23, one of the items mentioned is gentleness [i.e. "meekness].
- What is this list? How does one acquire the characteristics mentioned?
- Are the items mentioned automatically received or must they continually be sought?
- Read Psalm 37:8-15. Jesus said: "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." In this He was quoting Psalm 37:11 which says essentially the same thing. But in that Old Testament passage is a wonderful promise, a promise with a blessing and a curse. What is the blessing? What is the curse?
- Focus on care and prayer...
Meekness is not a popular concept because it usually is thought of as a liability rather than something good and beneficial. In the face of tension and hostility, the Lord teaches us that there is great blessing to everyone that would seek to take meekness and apply it, to stand before the enemy and say: "I refuse to quarrel with you and fight your fight. As far as it depends on me, I will be at peace with all men."
That takes courage and faith. That takes trusting in the Lord for His protection. It is not pacifism. It is a bold step into the fight to end it.
November 14, 2001 Family Training Hour
Making Peace With Everyone
- When we consider the word PEACE, we must face the fact that in this world there are many different ideas as to what PEACE is and where it can be found. Where do people seek for PEACE In our dines? Describe several methods used for attempting to achieve it:
- Read Romans 12:18 and 14:19. According to these two passages, describe the importance of the priority of peace in the church:
- The following passages tell us about the importance and source of peace; describe briefly what each verse says about obtaining it:
- Galatians 1:3
- James 3:17
- Romans 14:16-19
- Proverbs 3:13-17
- Psalms 119:165
- It has been said that: "When a man finds no peace within himself, It is useless to look elsewhere for it." What do you think, is this true?:
- Is there a difference between social peace, political peace and spiritual peace?:
- Read Ephesians 2:8-18. In this passage, Paul describes the method that God used to bring people together and to bring people together with God. Using the following questions, see if you can discern how Jesus becomes the means for solving the problems people have with their relationships - both with and without.:
- What is one of the basic reasons God has created us? (Ephesians 2:8-10)
- What barrier formerly stood between peoples that hindered effective and lasting peace? (Ephesians 2:11-12)
- What did God do to remove the barrier to peace? (Ephesians 2:13-15a)
- Once God solved mankind's peace problem, what did he do to help us take advantage of that solution? (Ephesians 2:17-18)
- Focus on care and prayer...
"Peace is the deliberate adjustment of my life to the will of God." That statement tells us much about the practical application of peace. God's provision is that we have harmony with him, harmony with each other, and harmony within. His provision makes it possible to have any one of these at any time, but His desire is that we have each of them all the time.
Is any one of these faces of peace missing in your life? Are the three in balance? If not, do you see what might be missing? If you are able, Share your perspective with your group, and may God bless you as you share.
November 28, 2001 Family Training Hour
Laws That Help Not Hinder
- You have just gone to the checkout counter with a gallon of milk at a store you frequent, and you are in a hurry. "Just put the change in the sack," you tell the clerk as you hand him a $5 bill. You're back at home and you sort through the change as you pour a glass milk for yourself. You discover that Instead of change for a $5, you were given change for a $10. Which law applies: "Finders keepers1 losers weepers" or "You shall not steal." How would you apply the rule you select?:
- What would you do if there were no rules concern keeping or returning the money?
- Read II Timothy 2:1-7. Why is it so important for a person to abide by the rules when in a struggle - especially If that struggle Is on behalf of God and against sin?
- Read Matthew 17:24-27. What was Jesus' attitude toward the various religious laws in His day? Did he - as a rule - keep them, even if they seemed Inappropriate or even unfair?
- According to the following passages, why did God make laws for us to follow?
- Read Romans 8:1-4 and Romans 5:20,21. What are at least two major weaknesses of the law as described in the Bible?
- Read Isaiah 55:9,10 and briefly summarize the thought given therein:
- Focus on care and prayer.
Many times we evaluate the value of an event based on initial information and first conclusions, but, as it turns out, the meaning after all the data is in is usually quite different. We are in danger If we jump to conclusions about what God Is doing with us!
Do you trust the Lord to do well in events you do not understand? Do you have the faith that the final outcome will be in your best Interests? As you share in prayer with your group, see if you can open your heart to being willing to accept and trust In His outcome.
December 5, 2001 Family Training Hour
Being A Light In A Dark Place
- Many of us, while still very young, experienced a certain amount of fear about the dark. What might have been some of the reasons for this fear?
- Often our parents provided us with a night light, which, though very small, seemed to help diminish our fears about the dark. What was it about such a tiny light that helped conquer what was some times an awesome fear?:
- Read John 3:19-21. We know and experience the physical darkness that rules the night. Is there a spiritual darkness that rules this world? If so, how do we know that it does exist?
- Read Ephesians 6:11,12. Is there something in that spiritual darkness that we ought to have some serious concern about? If so, what is it?:
- In the following passages identify the character of spiritual darkness (what is It like) and how we end up in the middle of it (describe the way it snares us):
- Proverbs 4:19
- Proverbs 2:12-15 (NIV)
- I John l:6
- Deuteronomy 28:15; 28-29
- II Corinthians 6:14-16
- Read Acts 26:15-18 and Ephesians 5:8-14a. If we find that we are in the middle of some spiritual darkness, what can we do to get out from the middle of it? What does God give us as a means of escape?:
- Based on our study thus far, what are some of the ways that a person can stay in the light and out of the darkness?:
- Read Matthew 5:14-16, John 8:12, and I John 1:5. Strictly according to these passages, who provides the light that the world needs in order to be able to see the truth?:
- Focus on care and prayer...
It is very important that we be sure to realize who the real enemy is when we are dealing with matters of spiritual darkness. Often we are tempted to look on people as the enemy rather than seeing them as victims of the enemy. We are told in scripture to love and bless our enemies - not judge or condemn them. Being a light in a dark place means shedding light on this fact.
December 12, 2001 Family Training Hour
LOVE Prevents All Sorts Of Trouble
- We often think of love as the starting place for relationships with the people that become special to us. "Isn't true love wonderful!" we say to ourselves and to others. But love also keeps difficult situations from becoming worse and can even turn bad situations around. Can you recall an example from your life or from history where love kept people from hurting each other?
- Read I Peter 4:8. [See also Proverbs 10:12 &17:9]. The phrase covers over" means "to build a bridge over" or to "obscure with a covering." Suggest what specific things might be "covered over" by love as Indicated by these verses. Try to think of things from everyday life:
- Read Colossians 3:14 and I John 4:16. When the Bible says we are to love others, it usually uses the word "agape" which means love that has no conditions, no limits, no deadlines. It is a love that does not quit. In your own words, describe the importance of the role this love can play in our every day relationships:
- Read I John 4:19 and I Thessalonians 3:12. Where do the Apostles John and Paul expect the ability to love - love in the face of antagonism and hatred - to come from?
- What are some of the blessings that come to those who practice sincere, genuine love of those around them - even those that might be called enemies?
- I John 2:10
- 1 Corinthians 8:1
- Romans 13:8
- Mark 9:41
- Read I John 2:9. [See also John 3:15 and 4:20.] According to the Bible, is it possible to walk with God and not love our brother? If we hate someone, what is true of our love?
- After examining the various passages that speak of the priority of love, do you think love is strong enough to overcome hate?
Can it prevent evil?
Can this type of love stop people from harming each other?
- Focus on care and prayer...
When we have a fever, we reach for the aspirin (or its substitute); when we are thirsty we reach for a glass of refreshing beverage; when we have a cut on our hand, we look for a bandage. If we have an outbreak of hate or contention, should we not look for love?
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