Quiet Times Search

Paraphasing: Since salvation is so awesome, get you heart right! - 1 Peter 2:1-2

Are you craving pure spiritual milk?

• Daily time in Bible study and prayer
• Read the entire Bible?
• How quickly can you shake off the grogginess when you think about God and your mission?
• Do you take notes during sermons?
• Does your enthusiasm rub off on others? Non-Christians take your walk with God seriously?

• Paul had an encounter with Jesus
  • Encounters with Jesus are significant
  • Paul understood he was living in opposition to Jesus - killing Christians (people following Christ)
    
  • Don't want to be on the opposite side of the battle from God
  • Where are you at today? Do you know?
  • Share
    • Grow up religious - Every Sunday - through High School
      
    • Ask to come to church, study the Bible
    • Saw life and heart wasn't matching; my sin was in opposition to God
    • Tried to make it personal - mean and angry (Hoping the standard would changed)
    • They were there to help
• Paul had the humility to ask "What shall I do?" - v10
  • Paul had a heart of humility to be taught - Bible
    
  • Could have brought up his religiousness or accomplishments
  • Opened himself up to anything, Not "I'm sorry, won't do that again"
    
• Paul was religious all this life and had the heart to immediately obey and be baptized - v16
  • Perhaps, God uses the life of Paul to prepare our hearts for surrender
    
  • What have you been holding on to instead of Jesus? What is stopping you?

Better to:

• Go to class
• Read the textbook
• Study for the test
• Go to study groups
• Talk with the teacher

1 Peter 1:13-14

• Be disciplined
• Non-studying types will not do well

1 Peter 2:1-2 - Crave spiritual milk

1 Peter 3:15 - Tested with questions

1 Peter 4:1 - Get your attitude ready

1 Peter 4:7-12 - Love others with self-control

Cause with fighting for

John 18:36

• Who have you been fighting?
  • The battle isn't the person in front of you
• If we are not fighting for our faith then something is wrong.

2 Timothy 4:7

• Fight for your faith:
  • Fight for Quiet Times
  • Fight for Reaching Out
  • Fight for Purity
  • Fight for Self Discipline

2 Corinthians 10:4-6

• Not with machine guns or cannons
• Fighting through prayer and studying the Word
  • Destroys arguments

To overthrow Satan in your life...You must first be a Zealot of God.

Ephesians 1:11-14

• We eat to get energy
• We need to eat to healthy spiritually too
• What are we feeding the spirit?
  • What is your spiritual diet?
  • Are you eating junk food?
• Do not forget the Holy Spirit! - get to know him better
• We will die if we continue to gratify the sinful nature

Ephesians 3:14-19

• We desire to be filled
• Fullness = satisfied (not looks for more)

Ephesians 4:11-13

• Leaders help us
• Let other into your life

Ephesians 4:17-29

• All these sins are poisonous to our health
• Put on new self - start a new diet

General healthy spiritual food items

1. Obedience
2. Prayer
3. Bible Study
4. Singing
5. Encouraging Others
6. Serving
7. Contribution
8. Graduated
9. Fasting
10. Confessing Sin
11. Discipling

1. Weak - poison = no, good food = no, eats little
2. Sick - poison = some, worldly, impure
3. Dying - not eating much, lots of poison
4. Strong - lots of food, consistent, wide variety

1. Scheduled meals
2. Decide what meals should go
3. Decide what to start eating

• They all love the same thing
• They all wanted the same thing
• They were bound together to find it come hell or high water

1. Time and Energy
How better to expend time and energy than investing into someone who will thank you for enternity?
What other investment will reap so high a reward?

2. Reading and Study
Some effect to make cetain you know what you are talking about

3. Money
The amount of hard cash spent is still relatively low in camparsion to the overwhelming rewards that result
Can't imagine a safer investment

4. Risk of Embarrassment, Rejection or Persecution
Blessed are you when people insult you - great is your reward in heaven - Matthew 5:11-12

5. Complication of Life
It entangles us in the concerns and activities of their lives
We have less independence
Add to our overloaded schedules
But so does getting married, having children, and buying a house
The most important things complicate our lives, but they are worth it!

1. Introduction
   "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail"
   As Christians, we often fail to have a plan for our finances. Prior to doing this study, you may have even thought it unspiritual to spend time focusing on your finances. Hopefully, by now you have developed convictions as to God's plan for your finances. In this study, we will look at the need for us to establish a budget for our spending. A budget is a reasonable written plan for your giving, spending, and saving based on your income. It is a tool to help you to be a good steward of that which God has entrusted to you.
2. The Need for a Budget
   1. God expects you to know the condition of your flocks and herds (money, possessions, debts) Proverbs 27:23
   2. We must have a plan and commit it to God. Proverbs 16:3, 3:9
   3. Jesus teaches us to know the cost of something before we begin. It is foolish not to budget. Luke 14:28-30
3. Guidelines
   1. Plan first to give to God.
   2. Plan to live sacrificially, not beyond your means.
   3. Plan to have something to share, to be able to be generous with others.
   4. Plan to save for occasional or emergency expenses (e.g. special contributions, auto repairs, medical expenses, family trips).
   5. Plan to eliminate debt - Romans 13:8

1. Do I have a written budget that I use to plan my giving, spending, and saving?
2. Do I compare my actual spending to my budget?
3. Have I adopted a standard of living that enables me to stay out of debt and have enough to be generous with others?

• Some daring act of evangelism - although He did this almost daily
• Being baptized  - although it is commanded and can never be omitted

• Every person is either in the darkness or the light. This study will show us that outside of Jesus we are all in the darkness.

• What is the consequence of sin? Sin hurts others, hurts ourselves, but ultimately sin hurts and separates us from God.
• God is light. As long as the wall of sin remains, we are in the darkness.
• In order to have a relationship with God, the barrier of sin must come down.

• We will come back to other ideas in this text later, but focus on v23. Who has sinned?
• Use illustrations to show that some are better than others, but all sin and fall short.
  
• Examples: Swimming to Hawaii, graph showing piles of sin.
  
• Who is more lost? There is no “good person” who is without sin.

• Sin is not simply wrong actions, but a problem of the heart.
  
• Who is responsible for our sin? Despite genetics, parenting, peer pressure and socio-economic conditions, we are responsible for our own sin, which comes from our own hearts and makes us unclean.
  
• What is the consequence of being unclean before God?
  
• Discuss the sins Jesus talks about here.

• Written about 700 years before Jesus, this chapter predicted what the Messiah would do at the cross and why. (Note: In Luke 22:37, Jesus quotes from Isaiah 53 and says it was about him.) Read entire chapter. Points of emphasis:
  
  • Verses 1-3 – despised and rejected
  • Verses 4-6 – pierced for our transgressions; crushed for our iniquities; by his wounds we are healed. Suggestion: read this passage again putting in your own name.
  • Verses 7-9 – like a lamb to the slaughter; for the transgressions of my people he was stricken. You may want to remind the person of the sins he/she described in earlier study.
  • Verses 10-12 – he is a guilt offering; but after the suffering of his soul, satisfaction (resurrection)
    

• Why did Jesus die on the cross for us? So that we might die to sin and live for righteousness.
  
• This is our whole-hearted response to the cross.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

• God’s plan to bring salvation to the world culminated in the death, burial and resurrection of his Son,Jesus Christ.
• This is the heart of the “gospel” or good news about Jesus.
• Draw picture - Through Jesus, the forgiveness of sins is now available.
• In this study we will look at the Bible’s teaching about baptism, a crucial link between Christ’s sacrifice and the forgiveness of our sins.

Acts 2:36-41

• The first proclamation of the good news of Jesus after his departure.
• What did Peter instruct those to do who believed the message about Jesus?
• When do we receive the forgiveness of sins? The Holy Spirit? (More on this later.)
• Those who accepted this message were baptized, thus they were saved.
• Let’s look at some passages that describe more fully what takes place in baptism…

Romans 6:1-4

• In baptism, we are united with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection.
• Through baptism, we die to sin and are raised to a new life.

4. Initiate in friendship

• Calls, cards, encouragement
• Need to be giving
• No “OK, here I am, now disciple me.”

5. Initiate in evangelism

• Bring people to older Christians to study with
• This is how you’ll learn to be abundantly fruitful

6. Initiate in thinking

• Learn to be independent thinkers, not independent spirit
• 1 Timothy 4:7 - Train yourself to be Godly

• v12 - Everyone that want to live a Godly life will have to go through persecution
• Question: What do you think that means - being persecuted for living a Godly life?
• v14-15 - Apostle Paul instructs Timothy to continue to believe to believe in the scriptures because it is able to make you wise in the choices of life
• v4:4 - Bible says that people will start to listen to and follow man (ideas and myths) rather than God
• If we read the Bible daily then we will know God's will for our lives. If we don't we will start to follow what people say, think, and feel.
• Question: How can reading the Bible daily change your life? What happens if you don't read daily?
• Question: Why do you think God wants you to read his word daily? So you can know him!

• Jesus is talking to the Jewish people and tells them that is they don't hold to his teachings, then they are not really his disciples
• Just because someone acts religious or know a lot about the Bible does not mean they are following Jesus
• Question: What does Jesus say it takes to be his disciple? Then you'll know what? Then what?
• When you read someone's journal you get to know that person more and more each day - same goes for reading God's word
• Question: How often do you read the Bible?
• Challenge: Read the Bible daily and make one decision each day.

• The Apostle Paul tell Timothy that godliness through spiritual training by holding to his teachings has great value for this life and the next
• v10 - We must put our hope in God not self
  
• Question: What does the Bible say that we should set an example in? What area do you need to change the most?
• v16 - Your life and Bible must be equal (doctrine = beliefs)
• Not just know the Bible but live it out
• Do you have any questions so far? Do you understand so far?
• Question: Is this something you want to really go after every day?
• Briefly share about when you first started studying to be a disciple - the challenge, hope and desire

• Question: How do you think the Word is living and active today?
• The Bible judges the everything:
  • thoughts
  • attitudes
  • insecurities
  • criticalness
  • impurities
• Nothing is hidden from God sight. Do you realize that?

• God knows what you and I have done but he wants to help us get our lives in order
• The more we read, the more we understand God is merciful and loving
• He is serious about us changing our lives to fit His will vs us trying to change the Bible to fit our will

• Jesus is the ultimate reflection of God on earth
• Just as Jesus didn't come with a critical judgment = God does not either
• v46 - He shows us the way out of darkness - when we don't have a close relationship with him
• Question: What does Jesus say will actually judge us? God's words

1. Read the Bible daily so we can know him
2. We must apply the Bible to our lives, let it change us, and let our lives change others
3. Let's study the Bible together at least once a week for the next 3 weeks

• Question: What is Jesus saying to you in v26? What relationship would be the most challenging? Why?
• Question: In v28-30, if you start to follow Jesus then stop how will that effect the people that have seen you start?
• Question: In v31-33, which king will win? Will the losing king still be a king? No, stop fighting God and serve him
• Question: What do you see as something that will be a cost for you in following Jesus?

• Question: How much authority does Jesus have? What does His authority exclude? Nothing!
• Question: What does Jesus commission us to do? Who should you start with in fulling this commission from Jesus? Yourself

1. Get to know someone = read the Bible and pray daily (Word Study)
   
2. Dating stage = commit to coming to church, Bible discussion group, and studying the Bible (Discipleship study)
   
3. Engagement = making a decision to commit your life to God (Sin and Repentance study)
   
4. Wedding ceremony = baptism

Luke 7:36-50

A. Simon the Pharisee

• Knew about Jesus but did not KNOW Jesus
• Not a disciple (didn't even welcome Jesus into his house)
• Not broken over his sin (felt bad but not convicted enough to change his life)

B. Sinful Woman

• Only concerned with her relationship with Jesus (not a people pleaser)
• Convicted about her sin the closer she got to Jesus (didn't pull away after seeing her sin)
• She was broken over her sin (wanted to change and did something about it)

Question: Which type of heart would YOU SAY youv'e had toward YOUR SIN until we started studying the Bible?
If Sinful Woman - then this study will help to expose the heart in many ways

Isaiah 59:1-3

• Question: According to the Bible, what has separated man from God? God | SIN | You
• How are our sins forgiven?
  • God must forgive
  • Man must repent
• Both must occur in order for your sin NOT to keep you separated from God
• Question: How do you define sin and repentance? Let how the Bible does.

Definition of Sin
Romans 3:21-25

• The Law and the Prophets (Old Testament) testify about the righteousness from God (Jesus)
• Questions
  • What has sinned?
  • Who is separated from God then?
  • Where does our redemption come from?

Sins of Omission
James 4:13-17

• Involves inward things that people don't nessarily see
  • Bitterness
  • Hatred
  • Procrastination
  • Looking down on others
  • Unwillingness to help/serve
• Question: What sins of ommission would you say have been or are currently in your life?

Sin of Commission
Galatians 5:16-25

• Go through the list and define each sin to paint a clear picture
• Person leading the study share their own sin (5-6 minutes), then 1 or 2 others for 2-3 minutes
• After the person studying shares then suggest meeting again to talk about things further

Romans 6:23

• We deserve death because of our sins but God is willing to forgive us in spite of who we are (God's gift to us)
• Question: After studying these scriptures, would you say the Bible describes your heart in response to your sin more like the Pharisee or the Sinful woman?

John 3:1-7

• Question: What did Jesus say MUST happen in order for someone to be born again?
• Question: We should born of what? Spirtual birth not a physical birth - not being religous but living a righteous life
• Question: What do we need to have convictions on in order to be born again?

Acts 2:22-24

• Jesus is God's son (miracles prove it)
• Jesus died for our (YOUR) sins
• God raise Jesus on the 3rd day
• Question: So how should we respond to the fact that our (YOUR) is why Jesus died on the cross?

Acts 2:36-41

• Repent and be Baptized (wall is removed)
• Then we can have a relationship with God (what happens at baptism)

Romans 6:1-4

• Question: What are you baptized into? If you were baptized into Jesus' death, what else does that allow us to have? New Life
• You can go from the heart of the Pharisee to the heart of the Sinful Woman by understanding the forgiveness through Jesus
• Encouraged to write a letter to God thanking him for forgiving you of your sins (write the sins out)

• If a person sins against you (go and talk to them one on one), if it does not go well get help.
• If they refuse to stop sinning it's better that they leave the body than for the whole body to be hurt.
• Question: How do you feel about what Jesus is telling his disciples to do with someone who refuses to repent?
• This won't happen to someone if they continue to seek advice and imitate Jesus.

• Question: When these people found the kingdom of God what was their response?
• They were willing to give up any and everything to possess the kingdom of God
• God wants you to experience this same joy, are you willing to give up anything for the kingdom?

• Resist the devil - James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9
• Stand firm in the faith - 1 Corinthians 15:58; 1 Corinthians 16:13;1 Peter 5:9
• Store treasures in heaven - Matthew 6:20-21
• Submit to the governing authorities - Romans 13:1
• Submit yourself to God - James 4:7
• Submit yourself to each other - Ephesians 5:21
• Test everything - 1 Thessalonians 5:21
• Walk with the Spirit - Galatians 5:25
• Warn those who are idle - 1 Thessalonians 5:14
• Watch your life and your doctrine closely - 1 Timothy 4:16

• Abounds In Goodness - Psalms 31:19; Psalms 52:1; Romans 11:22
• All Powerful - Jeremiah 32:17, 27
• All Knowing - 1 John 3:20
• Does Not Change - Numbers 23:19; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17
• Eternal - Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17

• Everywhere - Psalms 139:7-12
• Forgiving - Psalms 86:5; Daniel 9:9; Ephesians 1:7
• Good - 1 Peter 2:3
• Gracious - Exodus 33:19; Psalms 111:4; 1 Peter 5:10
• Hates Sin - Psalms 5:5-6; Habakkuk 1:13

• Holy - Psalms 99:9
• Incomprehensible - Psalms 145:3; Romans 11:33
• Infinite - Jeremiah 23:24; Psalms 147:5
• Invisible - 1 Timothy 1:17
• Just In All His Judgment - Nehemiah 9:32-33; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7

• Light - 1 John 1:5
• Long-suffering - Psalms 86:15; 2 Peter 3:15
• Love - 1 John 4:8, 16
• Merciful - Exodus 34:6; Psalms 103:8-10; James 5:11
• Most Wise - Romans 16:27; Jude 25

• Most Holy - Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8
• Most Free - Psalms 115:3
• Most Absolute - Isaiah 44:6; Acts 17:24-25
• Most Pure Spirit - John 4:24
• Most Loving - 1 John 4:8-10

• One - Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4
• Perfect - 1 Kings 8:27; Psalms 139
• Receives Glory - Romans 11:36; Revelation 4:11
• Rewards Those Who Seek Him - Hebrews 11:6
• Shepherd - Genesis 49:24

• Isaiah 1:2 - God created us and cared for us but we rebelled agianst him
• Jeremiah 29:11-14 - Will find God if you seek me with all your heart and soul
• Proverbs 4:7 - Wisdom is supreme but it will cost you all you have
• Psalms 10:4 - The arrogent say 'God won't hold me accountable'
• Psalms 42:1-2 - David thirst for God
• Psalms 62:1 - David waited patiently for God
• Psalms 63:1 - He longed, thristed, yearned for God
• Psalms 61:2 - He called out to God in despair

• Lord of all - Acts 10:36
• Lord of glory - 1 Corinthians 2:8
• Lord of Lords - Revelation 19:16
• Lord Our Righteouss - Jeremiah 23:6
• Mediator between God and men - 1 Timothy 2:5
• Messenger of the covenant - Malachi 3:1
• Messiah - Daniel 9:25; John 1:41

• Son of man - John 5:27; 6:37; Matthew 18:11
• Son of the blessed - Mark 14:61
• Son of the Highest - Luke 1:32
• Star - Numbers 24:17
• Sun of righteousness - Malachi 4:2
• Surety - Hebrews 7:22

• Witness - Isaiah 55:4
• Wonderful - Isaiah 9:6
• Word - John 1:1; 5:7
• Word of God - Revelation 19:13
• Word of Life - 1 John 1:1

Starting to study the names of the church as

• Assembly of the saints - Psalms 89:7
• Assembly of the upright - Psalms 111:1
• Body of Christ - Ephesians 1:22,23; Colossians 1:24
• Branch of God's planting - Isaiah 60:21
• Bride of Christ - Revelation 21:9
• Church of God - Acts 20:28
• Church of the Living God - 1 Timothy 3:15
• Church of the first-born - Hebrews 12:23

• Inheritance - Psalms 28:9; Isaiah 19:25
• Israel of God - Galatians 6:16
• King's daughter - Psalms 45:13
• Lamb's wife - Revelations 19:7; 21:9
• Lot of God's inheritance - Deuteronomy 32:9
• Mount Zion - Psalms 2:6; Hebrews 12:22
• Mountain of the Lord's house - Isaiah 2:2
• New Jerusalem - Revelations 21:2

1. Pillar and ground of the truth - 1 Timothy 3:15
2. Sanctuary of God - Psalms 114:2
3. Spiritual house - 1 Peter 2:5
4. Spouse of Christ - Song of Solomon 4:12; 5:1
5. Sought out, a city not forsaken - Isaiah 62:12
6. Temple of God - 1 Corinthians 3:16,17
7. Temple of the Living God - 2 Corinthians 6:16
8. Vineyard - Jeremiah 12:10; Matthew 21:41

• Believers - Acts 5:14; 1 Timothy 4:12
• Beloved of God - Romans 1:7
• Beloved brethren - 1 Corinthians 15:58; James 2:5
• Blessed of the Lord - Genesis 24:31; 26:29
• Blessed of the Father - Matthew 25:34
• Brethren - Matthew 23:8; Acts 12:17
• Brethren of Christ - Luke 8:21; John 20:17
• Called of Jesus Christ - Romans 1:6

• Children of the Lord - Deuteronomy 14:1
• Children of God - John 11:52; 1 John 3:10
• Children of the Living God - Romans 9:26
• Children of the Father - Matthew 5:45
• Children of the Highest - Luke 6:35
• Children of Abraham - Galatians 3:7
• Children of Jacob - Psalms 105:6

• The Lord's freemen - 1 Corinthians 7:22
• Trees of righteousness - Isaiah 61:3
• Vessels to honor - 2 Timothy 2:21
• Vessels of mercy - Romans 9:23
• Witnesses for God - Isaiah 44:8

• Abaddon - Revelation 9:11
• Accuser - Revelation 12:10
• Adversary - 1 Peter 5:8
• Angel of the bottomless pit - Revelation 9:11
• Apollyon - Revelation 9:11

• Evil spirit - 1 Samuel 16:14
• Father of lies - John 8:44
• Great red dragon - Revelation 12:3
• Leviathan - Isaiah 27:1
• Liar - John 8:44

• Lying spirit - 1 Kings 22:22
• Murderer - John 8:44
• Old serpent - Revelation 12:9; 20:2
• Piercing serpent - Isaiah 27:1
• Power of darkness - Colossians 1:13

• Prince of this world - John 14:30
• Prince of the devils - Matthew 12:24
• Prince of the power of the air - Ephesians 2:2
• Ruler of the darkness of this world - Ephesians 6:12
• Satan - 1 Chronicles 21:1; Job 1:6

• Serpent - Genesis 3:4,16; 2 Corinthians 11:3
• Spirit that works in the children of disobedience - Ephesians 2:2
• Tempter - Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5
• The god of this world - 2 Corinthians 4:4
• Unclean spirit - Matthew 12:43
• Wicked-one - Matthew 13:19,38

1. God is righteous and perfect in all His ways

• His way is perfect and flawless - Psalms 18:30
• The LORD is righteous in all his ways - Psalms 145:17

2. Man is unrighteous and sinful

• There is no one righteous, not even one - Romans 3:10, 13
• The heart is deceitful above all things - Jeremiah 17:9

• Fix your thoughts on Jesus - Hebrews 3:1
• Let us fix our eyes on Jesus - Hebrews 12:2
• Come to me - Matthew 11:28-30
• Study His life so devotedly that I am able to see

The first requirement of growing in fear is having an undivided heart

Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name - Psalms 86:11

It dentoes singleness of purpose, aim, and affections
No one can have two masters

Second requirement is regular, consistent exposure of our minds and hearts to His Word:

• Reading it for ourselves
• Hearing it taught
• Studying it for ourselves

Saul fell down in fear before Christ
"He asked Who are you, Lord?" and "What shall I do, Lord? - Acts 22:8,10

1. Teachable spirit
2. Spirit of dependance
3. Diligence

• Applying your heart to understanding
• Looking for it as for silver
• Searching for it as for hidden treasure

• Think of 2 of the most convicting sins in your life
• What do you deserve for them?
  • Punishment (not being trusted, retribution, etc…)
    

• We owe God a debt we could never repay.
• God has given us grace so we need to extend it to others as well.
• The more you see your sin the more you can understand God’s grace.