Week Thirteen, Day One

People

It may seem silly to study people when you are learning about God, but in some way we understand the creator more when we understand His perspective on His creation. God created people with both a tangible (touchable) body and an intangible (untouchable) soul and spirit.

Let’s discuss the tangible first. Man’s body is fragile, and, sooner or later, every person will die a physical death. Following that death, a person’s body is buried, but the spirit of a person lives on. After death, those who have accepted Christ as their Savior will go to Heaven, and those who have rejected God will go to hell and endure eternity separated from God. That may sound harsh, but it is just and fair. Mankind is the one who rejected God and His way. In reality, it is God’s grace and mercy to any person that defies logic.

Study Genesis 1:27, Hebrews 9:27-28.

Include the following in your personal prayer time:

• Thank God for creating you and giving you the opportunity to know and love Him.
• Thank God for His mercy.

Are you still using your ACTS acrostic to be sure that you are praying in the following ways?

A Adoration

C Confession of Sin

T Thanksgiving

S Supplication (requests) for yourself and others

Do your prayers center mostly on yourself and your own relationship with God? If so, it is important to remember that we play a vital role in the lives of others when we pray for them.

Today we will start a new rotation of people to pray for each week. It is important that you develop the habit of praying consistently for your family, your friends, the people around you that do not know Christ, people around you with needs and your church.

Each Monday remember to pray for your family. Pray for their needs, your role in the family, extended family, etc.

Remember it this way…I pray for My family on Monday.

FOR FURTHER STUDY: John 5:28-29

 

Week Thirteen, Day Two

More about People

The intangible part of a person is complex. In the Bible, many parts of a person are discussed; soul, spirit, heart, conscience, mind, strength and flesh. As you study the passages below, write down in your journal how God affects all the parts of a person when Jesus comes into their life. Think about how God is changing all of you because of your time each day reading and studying the Bible.

Study Mark 12:28-31, 1 Peter 2:11, and Romans 12:1-2.

Include the following in your personal prayer time:

• Ask God to rule in all parts of you.
• Ask God to help you follow Him more in one of the areas of your life (heart, soul, mind or strength).
• Commit to listen to His voice and obey.

Today we will begin adding prayer time for your church each Tuesday. You can pray for the leaders at your church, teachers, staff, etc. Also, remember to pray for the mission of your church. Ask God to help your church to know the right thing to do to reach people. Also ask God to continue to allow you to serve in some role at your church.

Remember it this way…I pray for the Church I belong TO on TUESday.

FOR FURTHER STUDY: Hebrews 4:12-13.

 

Week Thirteen, Day Three

“I am reminded how much I need Jesus when I have tried to operate under my own power and realize He would have done a better job than I did.”

Bob, High school teacher

The Fall of Mankind

 

When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, He gave them the option to disobey. Adam and Eve were not prisoners of obedience. God told them not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil to test their obedience. Satan appeared in the form of a snake and convinced Eve that there was another plan for her other than God’s plan. Like so many of us, she believed that her way was better than God’s way and so she ate the fruit. Then she convinced Adam to eat the fruit. Adam’s disobedience to God introduced sin into the world. It brought death and caused separation between man and God. The issue was not the fruit, it was doing what they knew was wrong.

Read Genesis 3.

Include the following in your personal prayer time:

• Praise God for rescuing you from your sin and making a way for you to have a relationship with Him.
• Commit to make the most of the grace that God has shown you.

Witness Wednesday is a weekly time when you can pray for people that do not know Christ and for your role in helping them know God. God designed us to represent Him, so it is natural for us to pray that we would share His truth and His love consistently.

Remember it this way…On Wednesday, I pray for my Witness.

FOR FURTHER STUDY: Romans 5:12.

 

Week Thirteen, Day Four

Sin (Everyone Has It)

Sin is a condition that you are born with; everyone from childhood has a desire to sin. Sin is anything that doesn’t match the character or plan of God. While some of the sin committed by individuals is intentional, it is possible to sin without knowing that you have sinned. You do things wrong without even thinking about it. Even after accepting Jesus as your Savior, you will continue to struggle with sin. Your only defenses against sin are God’s Word, prayer, and the Holy Spirit within you.

Study Psalm 19:12-13 and Psalm 119:11.

When you choose sin over God, you will feel far away from Him. Fortunately, there is a way to make that relationship right again. For the believer, forgiveness is always just a prayer away.

Include the following in your personal prayer time:

• Thank God for setting you free from sin. Ask Him for the strength to stand up against the temptation to sin and the desire to live like He wants you to.
• Thank God for His forgiveness. If anything in your life is making you feel far away from Him, confess it and put it behind you.

Each Thursday you can spend time praying for people that are “thirsty” around you. It may be people that are overlooked, people with pain or specific needs, people who do not know Christ around you, families that are in trouble, or any other need that you know of around you.

Remember…pray for the thirsty on Thursday!

FOR FURTHER STUDY: Study 1 John 1:6-9

 

Week Thirteen, Day Five

The Substitute

When a teacher is gone, you have a substitute. To make a drink sweet without sugar they add a substitute sweetener. When the time comes to pay for sin, either a person pays for their own sin or they find a perfect sinless substitute. The penalty for sin is death, or separation from God. Since death is required to pay for your sin, your substitute must be perfect and sinless, and they must be willing to pay death for you.

Study Romans 3:23, 6:23.

Only the shedding of blood, the giving of life, can “atone” for (pay for) sin and restore a person to God. A long time ago, people used to sacrifice clean animals every year as payment for their sin. But when Jesus came, He became the one perfect, sinless sacrifice for all of us. Jesus is our divine substitute. He endured the punishment that we deserved, shedding His blood and giving His life on the cross to pay for our sin. His “substitutionary atonement” made it possible for us to be freed from the bondage of sin and gave us the opportunity to become God’s children.

Study Hebrews 9:22 and 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Include the following in your personal prayer time:

• Praise God for sending Jesus to be your divine substitute.
• Thank Jesus for enduring the punishment that you deserved on the cross.

Each Friday is a day to pray for your friendships and how God can help you in your friendships. Ask God to help you represent Christ faithfully to your friends, for God to take care of your friends and for them to make great choices.

Remember it this way…On Friday, I pray for my Friends.

FOR FURTHER STUDY: Study 1 John 5:18

 

The Weekend

Suggested Reading: Matthew 27

This is the crucifixion story. As you study, consider what your freedom from sin cost Jesus. Express your love and appreciation to Jesus for what He has done for you. Is the way that you are living your life an appropriate response to His sacrifice?

Make sure that you know this month’s memory verse. We will learn a new one next week!