TheWord

Our desire "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Laymen, who have not been formerly educated in theology, have written this study. The purpose is to hopefully help to reveal to the "common man", the beauty and perfection of God's Word.

Unfortunately, some of those who are highly educated in theology, embedded in some church's doctrine, or who have been exposed to "God's Word" for a long period of time, seem to forget (or do not know), how to help those who are seeking the beautiful revelations of His perfect plan. We believe that people can, and will, come to understand His Word, through seeking the truth. The best way, is to sincerely pray for "the understanding of the scriptures", before we read the Bible.

Where words are not understood while reading the Bible, we encourage the use of a good concordance (Strong's or Young's) and a good dictionary for clarification.

The Bible is the perfect word of God. It was given to those who wrote it, chosen by Him, so that all people can come to the understanding of His plan. In psalm 138:2, David wrote, "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name". This is such a powerful statement! We must see the emphasis that God has put on His Word. The term "The Word" is used for Jesus (John 1:14).

As you study the Bible, read the scriptures before and after any that may be shown to you. In doing this we are able to grasp the true meaning in the message of a scripture. Be careful to not take just one verse, without seeing the message that surrounds it. This will keep God's Word in it's proper perspective.

The first of the Ten Commandments states "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:2). Since God is the only supreme being and power, we should understand that His Word is the most important guide that we should have to live by. We should study the Holy Bible often. Second Timothy 2:15 tells us "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth".

Many feel that they don't know where to begin reading the Bible. Both the old testament and new testament are important for study.

The old testament shows the creation of everything, and gives a chronological history of the world till the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The birth of Jesus is fore-told in the old testament by several prophets. Even in Genesis (3:15), God told Satan, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel". This will be discussed in detail later.

The new testament begins with the birth of Jesus and continues forward showing His works while on earth and contains accounts of those who witnessed His life. The first four books in the new testament, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, show the story of Jesus Christ from different perspectives. Each of these books shows what Jesus did with an emphasis slightly different, but all showing that Jesus is Lord. A good place to begin reading the Bible is in one of these books. The new testament ends with the book of Revelation, which was written by John as revealed to him, concerning what is to come in the last days.

"God created the heaven and the earth". This are the first words in Genesis. As we study Genesis we see also where God created everything, including man. In Genesis 1:26 we are shown that man was given dominion over the earth and everything on it.

While reading on deeper into Genesis, we see where God commanded to Adam to not eat from the tree of knowledge (2:16-17). In verse 2:17 God told Adam (first man), "But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die". Because of this command, we see that man was originally made to live forever.

We encourage all to read carefully and study this first part of Genesis because of the importance of it's content. The intent of these lessons is not to re-state scriptures, but to encourage people to read, study and understand them. Most who have studied the Bible believe that it is very important to have an understanding of Genesis (the beginning), so that the rest of the Bible is easier to comprehend.

Thus far we have seen that God made man to live forever, and eat from whatever he wished in the Garden of Eden except of the tree of knowledge. If man had followed these instructions he would have forever had the dominion over the earth.

Genesis chapter three tells of where man's trouble began. Satan, taking the form of a serpent tempted Eve, lying to her, telling her that "Ye shall not surely die". Believing this lie of Satan, Eve ate from the forbidden tree and gave the tree's fruit to Adam, who also ate some of it. In doing this, so came the "fall of man". And God drove Adam and Eve from the garden.

It is critical at this point to explain that when man (Adam & Eve) sinned, they gave away dominion of the earth, having followed Satan instead of God. Man also lost the gift of everlasting life. Earlier it was said that we would discuss Genesis (3:15), where God told Satan, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel". In this verse, God was telling Satan that He would make a way for man to escape this curse. This is the first inference of His sending Jesus Christ to give man a way to re-gain life eternal. All though Jesus is not mentioned by name at this time, God did tell Satan that he would put enmity (hostility, hatred, ill will-Websters definition) between mankind and Satan.

In lesson two we will cover how man today, is told how to re-gain everlasting life, through accepting Jesus Christ as his savior. This is called Salvation.

People need to be mindful of the fact that God gave man the ability to make choices, and to use reason. No other animal was allowed to do this. Thus, mans poor choice was the cause of his downfall.

All of mankind after the fall, were born under this curse. This is because we are all of the "seed of Adam", and the curse continued on unto all men. About 4000 years later, God sent man's redeemer to earth, to bare the burden of man's sin. This was possible only because Jesus Christ, was born, the son of God, not of the seed of Adam (man).

God had made a covenant with man whereby sins could be forgiven, only by man offering an animal sacrifice. When Jesus Christ was punished and crucified, He bore all of the sin of man. Animal sacrifices always involved the shedding of blood. The only perfect sacrifice was when the blood of Jesus was shed, thereby washing away man's sin. Jesus died for man's sin, and God raised him from the dead 3 days later.

Man must understand and accept this sacrifice as his only redemption. Once again, man must make the choice of Jesus as his redeemer. No person can save anyone. This salvation must be attained by surrendering ones self to Jesus, making him the Lord and Master of your life. In Romans 10:9-10 it is written "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him form the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." The choice must be made, and one must truly believe in their heart. Mumbling some words won't get the job done! Read and remember the words of Jesus in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." When we make Jesus our savior, we have the only intercessor there is to reach God.

When a person receives Jesus Christ as their personal savior, they should proclaim it, never being ashamed to tell others. Jesus said in Matthew 10:32-33 "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men. him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." It is also written in John 4:14-15 "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the savior of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God".

In lessons one & two we have moved rather rapidly, stating the basics of man's problem and giving a very brief explanation of how to overcome this problem. It will take more study from the Bible to clarify these basic truths. Ask God in prayer to help reveal His Word to you.

One key issue presented in the Bible is that of faith. Man must believe (have faith) in what God is telling us in His Word. Man is often discouraged because things don't go the way that he wants them to. We all need to grasp the concept of God's perfection. As we grow in faith, we need to learn that the things we want, may not be what is best for us. When we ask something of God, we should always seek that which is in His will. In Isaiah 55:8 it is written "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord".

Some have said that God always answers our prayers with yes, no or wait. Man is impatient. Man sees time frames where God doesn't have any need for time. God is eternal, so why should He be concerned with time? If we belong to God through Jesus, we should put no real emphasis on time.

Many don't know that a personal relationship with God is possible. A person who is saved has the ability to have this relationship with Him. We must earnestly seek God through prayer. Having this relationship is necessary to man. Once we are saved, our work for the Lord begins. We are told what we need to do, and how we should behave throughout the Bible. In lesson three we will begin to study how we should live.

Many have attended churches for years and still not discovered God's marvelous plan. A major problem is the teaching of church doctrine as opposed to the pure Word of God. For centuries man has interpreted the writings of the Bible to their own liking.

Jesus tell us in Matthew 24:4/5 "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Some believe that people will portray themselves as the savior. Others think that in saying this, Jesus warned of those who preach the word of God to their own liking. Look around today. Both scenarios are with us now. There are men who claim to be the savior. There are also "preachers" teaching messages that are un-scriptural. We need to prove what we hear by turning to the Bible and reading for ourselves.

Pastors, preachers and teachers should teach the pure Word of God, and put aside the doctrines of churches, sects and denominations. Nowhere in the Bible is it written that a person need to be of a specific denomination to belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. (be saved) It is heartbreaking to hear someone preach that anyone not belonging to their denomination, is condemned to eternal damnation.

All people must fight their "flesh". The term flesh, as used here, is to describe the original sinful nature of man after his fall from grace, through the original sin of Adam. Within each person dwells a sinful nature. Anyone who says that they don't have a sinful nature is in really big trouble. Satan is real and constantly attempting to lead us away from living as we should.

The Apostle Paul made statements like ....."Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief", and "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present within me". ( these are taken out of lengthier verses, but serve as an example. Read from First Timothy 1 & Romans 7). In First John 1:8-10 it is written "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

If then, we are saved, and belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, we don't need anyone but Him to hear our confession. Exceptions may be that if we have done wrong to someone, we need to tell them and ask their forgiveness. We are also told in James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much". James is telling us to admit our weaknesses and failures, and in doing so we can pray for others and be prayed for in our failures. In this passage, James uses the term "righteous man", meaning a saved person. Man of himself is not righteous. We are only righteous through the blessing of Jesus imparting His righteousness upon us when we are saved. (refer to Romans 3:8-10 and Isaiah 64:6, these are addressed to un-saved people)

With all the above in mind, we need to be cautious of what some say, (who believe that because they have been preaching for a long time, have attained some "position" in a church or have been "educated"). All that is preached needs to be straight from God's Word, and not "filtered" or contorted to someone's "doctrine".

When God convicts the heart of someone to be saved, the devil becomes infuriated. Remember, the devil (Satan) is real. If this was not so, there wouldn't be mention of him in the Bible.

We all should study to find out how we are supposed to live to please the Lord. A good place to find these instructions is in the sermon on the mount. (Matthew chapters 5-8, and Luke 6:20-49) It may be a good idea to refer to these often to refresh ourselves as to how we should live.

In the last part of John 16:33 Jesus said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Everyone on this earth has trials. Through total surrender to God, we are able to overcome all these problems. This surrender requires deep faith and trust in the Lord. When these trials come along, we must give them to Him. In Psalms 34:6 David wrote "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles". David did many wrong things, but God still called him "a man after his own heart" because he continually repented of his sins and sought to serve God.

We are instructed to seek God first. This means that we as individuals need to put God before everything else. When we do this He blesses us in all that we do. We must never compromise God's Word. In the gospel of John 1:1, he wrote, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Bearing this in mind we must see that the Word is God, as He is eternal and unchanging. We have God and His instructions in His Holy Bible.

The Bible is filled with instructions and promises for people. To those who believe, Jesus said in John 14:2-3 "In my father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also". Jesus is telling the saved people of this world that they already have a place in Heaven (in this scripture the word are is emphasized for this study). The word Heaven is used in the Bible 591 times.

The alternative choice for man is to follow the "ways of the world", seeking pleasure instead of God's will. If we make this choice we will spend eternity in Hell. This Hell is real, just as Heaven is. Hell was made by God for Satan and his angels. (read Matthew 25:41) It was not intended for man. When man chooses the ways of the world, instead of seeking God's ways, he will spend eternity in this everlasting fire. The word Hell is used in the Bible 54 times.

The choice is ours! Seek God first, serving Him in all that we do, or perhaps choose to burn. Our time on this earth is short. We may have difficulty understanding eternity, but we must grasp this concept of time without end. God is outside of the dimension of time. We need to ask ourselves, where will I be forever? God has given us the ability to reason and make choices. We need to make the choices that will profit us forever.

Jesus said in John 10:27-28, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life: and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand". The parable of the marriage feast ends with the words of Jesus saying, "For many are called, but few are chosen". (Matthew 22:16) Those "not chosen" are them that refuse to obey God's instructions! We hear Jesus through reading and studying the Bible. This is how God speaks to us today. Once again, the choice is ours. Please make the correct decision!

Always remember to read the verses before and after any scripture that anyone shows you, so as to reveal the entire meaning of a scripture's message.

Today many speak of accepting Jesus, trusting Jesus or depending upon Jesus to be secure. The word most used in the New Testament is "believe". If a person truly believes in what God did for man, it doesn't really matter how they express what they have received. The important thing is to have a full understanding of what was done for you.

One way to understand is to recognize that God is the creator of the world, the universe and everything that we see, including ourselves. All power is in God and He doesn't permit anything to happen that He himself doesn't allow. Despite the fact that people do things that are not right and un-scriptural, He still allows it. His reason is that He gave man the ability to reason and make decisions (right or wrong). Obviously, He wants all people to make the proper decisions but as man is of a sinful nature, we don't always do as would please God. If a person can't understand this, they should again remember Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord". With this in mind, consider that God is the supreme judge of everything everywhere.

Most of us know that a judge in the worlds system of courts, can do almost anything that they decide to. God is the supreme judge of everything! When we see this, we must know that God can, and did take the sin burden from us and place it on Jesus. Only God could do this! Romans 6:23 is a very often quoted scripture. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." In Isaiah 53:10 it says that it "pleased the Lord to bruise him". It pleased God because this was the only way for mankind to escape an eternity in hell, because of sin. Jesus paid the death penalty of our sin for us. To mankind, it is hardly possible to understand the perfect love that God has for us. Imagine letting one of your own children die for someone else. Mankind doesn't have the ability to give like God does!

Our only requirement is to truly believe in our hearts that Jesus is the resurrected son of God, confess Him with our mouth as our Savior, and ask him to forgive us our sin. Then we should forgive ourselves for past transgressions and try to live a new sinless life. We will always sin, but need to confess our sin as soon as we commit it. This is why a solid prayer life is crucial to us. Study I John chapter 1 and especially verse 8. We must not compromise God's word!

Baptism is a subject that is somewhat difficult to approach in today's world. The various denominations approach baptism from varying views. If the true believer is baptized, they are showing an outward declaration of "belonging to Jesus". We will try to approach baptism without offending anyone. Can a person be saved by just being baptized?

Infant baptism is popular in some denominations. Can an infant make a decision to accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior? No! As discussed in lesson five, believing is the critical aspect of salvation. Some have stated that if water alone saved a soul, anyone who fell into a pond or creek would have their sins washed away. This thinking is dangerous. Pastors in some denominations ask new attendees or visitors if they have been baptized as one of their first priorities.

Baptism is important for a believer. People need to be very careful to not tell a person that they are saved. Salvation is personal and nobody really knows the condition of another soul. We suggest that the following scriptures be studied. Acts 2:37-41. Acts 8:26-39. Acts 10:43-48.

Acts 8:36 & 37 reads, "And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

Again we encourage concentrated study of the scriptures, to clarify its true meaning. Please, read before and after the verses someone suggests as an answer to a question. This will keep God's word in perspective as to what is being presented. Try to always pray for guidance before bible study sessions. God will reveal to a person what He knows you are able to understand.

Satan is real! In the Bible he is called by many names, but here we will use Satan or the devil in discussing him. He is called the prince of this world (John 12:31), the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), the great dragon & that old serpent (Revelation 12:9), The thief (John 10:10). Obviously Satan is never spoken of in a positive or good manner. Remember, Satan, even now, is still ruler of this world. Adam gave the earth to him when he committed the "original sin".

While a powerful enemy, Satan has none of the special powers that God has, such as the ability to read peoples minds or be present everywhere at all times. Satan accomplishes his evil deeds by deceiving people. Satan uses people to accomplish his evil acts. Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly".

Paul wrote in Romans 7:18, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not". This profound statement which Paul made shows that he, (as is with all people), had the sin nature within himself. We need to always remember that this nature is present in everyone. Our flesh is unsaved, even though our souls have been cleansed of the sin burden, through accepting that Jesus Christ paid the debt we owed, for this sinful nature that we were born with and the sins we committed afterwards.

It is critical to know that all evil is of Satan. God does not prompt us to do things that are wrong! Satan will use people to attack others. Even those closest to us often will do things to hurt us. We must be very careful to not allow ourselves to submit to Satan's temptations by doing his work through the weakness of our flesh. When we are tempted, God always allows us a way to escape this temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Often we refuse to allow ourselves to submit to God's way and "fall for" Satan's deceptive ways. This is a weakness of our flesh.

When we realize that we have sinned, we must immediately ask God for His forgiveness and seek to amend anything that we have done to offend or hurt other people. When we sin, our greatest problem is that we have sinned against God, because we have been disobedient to him. In 1 Samuel 15:22 & 23 we are told "to obey is better than sacrifice", and "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry". Being disobedient to God's word is the worst thing we can do, because all instruction as to how we should live and behave, is in his word.

Satan is a master deceiver. He often uses subtle tactics to subdue people, gradually tempting us so we don't easily recognize that we are being led astray. If we allow Satan to "sneak up" on us, we can be deceived before we recognize it. We can allow ourselves to let things slowly build up inside us, until a major sin catastrophe occurs with us. This is why we need to maintain a very close relationship with God, through prayer and bible study. Even if we do this, we are sometimes subject to backsliding because of our weak nature. One of the most important things we can do is to search ourselves often, and ask God to search us also, to reveal, where we may be wandering away from being an obedient person.

Satan doesn't like it but, God will forgive anything (except as noted), as we repent, and are sincere in asking for forgiveness. The only unforgivable sin is blaspheme against the Holy Ghost (Mark 3:28 & 29). It is critical that we forgive others their sins against us, so that we can be forgiven. (Matthew 6:14 & 15, Matthew 18:35, Mark 11:25 & 26, Luke 11:4).

Study 1 Peter 5:8, and remember it, (Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour)

As we approach the subject of church, we will first address the two ways that the word church should be interpreted as we read the Bible.

First we will define church as it is used in the context of a local gathering of believers. This is the way that this word used mostly today. Local churches are usually associated with a specific location in the New Testament. (Examples=Acts 8:1, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Revelation 2:1)

Next we will address the (true) church, that body of believers that are saved no matter where they gather to worship. (Examples=Matthew 16:18, Acts 2:47, Acts 20:28, 1 Corinthians 12:28) Often the term, Body of Christ, is used to describe this elect group, (saved people). (Example=Romans 12:5)

Our intent here is to show why we as saved people, should attend a local, Bible believing and teaching church. God's word instructs us to come together with like thinking people to worship and praise God. (Example=Hebrews 10:25," Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.") When we are saved we are also instructed to separate ourselves from the unbelieving world, (unsaved people). (Example=2 Corinthians 6:14-18) This does not mean to ignore the unsaved (lost people)! We still are commanded to be witnesses to these lost people , hoping that they can be led to salvation through Jesus Christ. (Mark 16:15)

As a believer we are made a "new creature" and should not participate in the lifestyles we may have pursued before attaining our salvation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Our hearts should be burdened to see lost people saved. Remember, absolutely no person is born saved. We need to lead any lost person we encounter to the Lord Jesus Christ. We should do this under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Don't ever think that you are better than anyone else because you are saved. This kind of attitude will drive lost people away from the truth and you will be held accountable for this sinful behavior.

We can find many lost people in today's churches. This is because some preach political correctness today instead of line for line, word for word Bible scripture. If you encounter a pastor or preacher who doesn't preach this way, find another church to attend. Preaching the truth is far more important than filling a building with bodies.

Often God's word is not easy for some Christians to accept because our sinful nature is still within us. Mature Christians need to nurture and help young or questionable believers. When we do this we will reap rewards from the Lord. As Christians grow they should feel more and more desire to gather together with other saved people.

Christians should make it a first priority to be a member of a Bible believing local church. Families should worship together as a unit, not as some do, giving their children a choice. Raise your children in a good church! You will never regret your efforts in doing this. Your children are your responsibility only, until they are grown.

The Apostle Paul wrote in the first part of Romans 7:18, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:" Paul wrote this after being selected by Jesus Christ to evangelize the world. This powerful statement shows us that everyone is subject to the sinful nature of our flesh.

John wrote in 1 John 1:10, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us". (John was speaking of God and His son Jesus Christ.) What a terrible thing for anyone to do, in calling God a liar!

These great men that God used to write His words in the Bible, being fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, show us that we are all sinners. All people must constantly repent of their sins and do their best to avoid temptations and complacency. We must strive to never compromise God's Word.

Whenever we turn aside our eyes from a sinful situation, ignoring what the Bible says about a particular deed, we participate in that sin. Some examples of what many do to compromise sin can be seen in their not taking a stand against abortion, homosexuality, infidelity and the prevalent sin of unmarried people living together, just to name a few. There are many other examples visible today, especially in view of the destruction of the family unit.

John the Baptist and Jesus Christ preached "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". The entire Bible is filled with the instruction to repent. With every second that ticks away, everyone is that much closer to eternity (wherever they decide to spend it).

The best place to begin repenting is to look in a mirror to see where to start. Yes, start with yourself! Our pious natures are to finger point toward others who need to repent, when we first need to do so. (Matthew 7:3-5)

God is bringing judgment on the world, including the United States of America. God is as righteous and just when He renders judgment (punishes) as when He pours out His blessings! God has always removed His protection when people turned away from following His instructions. Study the book of Judges to see what happened when Israel, His chosen people, turned to "strange gods". Why should God change now? (Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.- Hebrews 13:8)

Jesus Christ is God, the judge of the world.(2 Timothy 4:1 "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom"). Repent and pray for God's mercy on our nation and the world. II Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance".

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." This is what the Apostle Paul wrote in Second Timothy 2:15.Note that Paul tells us to study, not just read. Jesus said in John 14:15, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

To be an obedient Christian, we must study the Bible. If we just randomly read the Bible we are probably not studying. Because we have been instructed to keep Jesus' commandments, we need to know them. Salvation is assured when a person believes in their heart that their sin was put on, Jesus and therefore the righteousness of Jesus is imputed unto the believer. (Romans 4:22) Obviously when someone is saved, there can be no loss of this gift of salvation. (Romans 8:38) A saved person becomes a "new creature". (2 Corinthians 5:17) This new creature should have the desire to study God's word.

Although a person attains salvation, the sin nature of their flesh remains with them. Salvation is of the soul. People are sinners because they were born that way. Nothing a person does makes them a sinner, we sin purely because we are sinners. As a person develops a good Bible study regimen, studying every day, they are much less apt to fall into the grasps of Satan's trickery, leading them into sinful behavior. Backsliding is real! Staying in the word of God is an essential part of fighting against backsliding. A strong prayer life is essential to complement Bible study.

There are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs. Even if someone has a bad schedule on a given day, they should be able to read "the chapter of the day" in Proverbs. (On the fourth day of the month, read Proverbs chapter 4, etc.) Proverbs shows us how to live, as it leads us to having "wisdom". Reading each day is not enough. Again we emphasize study.

Throughout the Bible we are instructed to seek the Lord. Some favorite scriptures which call for seeking Him are, II Chronicles 7:14, Psalms 27:8, Psalms 105:4, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 6:33 and Luke 11:9. These references are just a few out of many.

The reason we should seek the Lord is because He first sought us. When the Lord tugs at a person's heart through the Holy Spirit, He is seeking them. This is how a person is led to surrender themselves to Jesus in salvation.

Mortal (unsaved) man uses terms like "my conscience is bothering me", when they have chosen to sin. When we sin we are not seeking God, instead we are seeking the ways of the devil. We are told "But seek ye first the kingdom of God........" (Matthew 6:33), for our provision. Study Matthew 6:19-34 intensely to find out where the important things that God provides come from. If we seek to serve our Lord first in all that we do, we will be less prone to sin. Remember, we still have the sinful nature of man in us and we will always face a battle within ourselves to do wrong.

The way we should seek God is to pray often and study His word. The apostle Paul says in I Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing". We can pray at anytime no matter where we are. The Lord sees our thoughts no matter what we think or what we are doing. We are God's creation and He knows everything about us. It is written in Matthew 10:30 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered". This shows us how well our Lord knows us! Read the scriptures before and after this passage to grasp the full intention of what is being said.

We must seek God always, no matter where we are or what we may be doing. A popular question today is "What would Jesus do"? This is a good mind-set to have as Jesus never sinned, and sought The Father in all that He did during His earthly ministry.

In lesson eight the importance of church attendance was addressed. Many people proudly say "I am a Baptist or Presbyterian or Catholic" (or some other denomination). In II Peter 3:9 it is written, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Please note the words "all & any" in this scripture. All means just what is stated, everyone! Our Lord wants each person to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. (even former Hindu's, Moslems, Buddhists and others)

Denominations or sects have probably caused more disagreement, wars and deaths than any other cause in this world. If Brand-X church teaches God's pure word, the name of it's denomination doesn't matter. The sign out front or over the door shouldn't affect the message. Man's tendencies have always been to build up an organization in what they become involved in. If anyone tells you that you must be of a specific denomination to make it to heaven, they are tragically wrong. Make them show it to you in a bible. Don't let them show you their special version! Many say that these types are of a cult!

In the Book of Revelation seven churches are mentioned. Their location is named (of Ephesus, in Smyrna, in Pergamos etc.) and not any denomination. They are or were all of the "local body of believers" (believers in Jesus Christ as Lord). Paul's epistles were written to many "locations" (Galatians, Ephesians etc.). These were the local assemblies of believers, not denominations.

Satan is the author of confusion, not God. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." ( I Corinthians 14:33) Be extremely careful to not be part of those who would state that their denomination is the "correct" one.

A church should not be a business as some seem to have made them. A trend today is to attract people at any cost. Some pastors think that numbers are more important than the message preached. Often this type of pastor will use gimmicks or worldly lures to attract people. Pride may be their motive, to show others what a "great job" they are doing. Others may want a great financial reward because of the numbers of people. Let the Lord be their judge. If you see anyone using these tactics, pray sincerely for them.

In Matthew 28:19 & 20, Jesus told us to go into the world and win souls for Him. This is often referred to as the great commission. Winning souls to the Lord Jesus Christ is the most important thing we can do. This should be the greatest mission of any church, not having the best baseball team or festival.

Again it must be emphasized that all should find, attend and support a bible believing local church. If you don't attend one now, ask Our lord in prayer to lead you to a good church. No church is perfect as it is made up of people, and people are not perfect. Don't be "thin skinned" if everything doesn't go according to what you like. If you see some error in your church, pray sincerely about the problem. Don't forget, some of the problems in a church could be of your own making!

Much of this lesson has been stated previously in this study, but is being repeated because of it's importance.

The Holy Bible is man's instruction book, filled with God's promises and is the greatest history account ever written. All of the Bible is written for some specific purpose, even if most don't understand some parts of it. God doesn't and never has made any mistakes. Second Timothy 3:16 says "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:".

God has given us His word for the purpose of showing us how we should live. Studies will show how Satan fell from the grace of God and tried to establish his own dominion over this earth. It is written in Ezekiel 28:13-19 how Lucifer was the "anointed cherub" and what happened when he fell from God's grace. Read these scriptures and those before and after to try to grasp a picture of Lucifer (Satan). In these verses it is shown that he was perfect until "iniquity was found in him". Pride was the reason for this fall!

Man has the nature of the flesh within himself even if he is saved. Our souls are what is changed as we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. Pride, lust and greed are buried within every person to some degree! This is why we must surrender to the instructions of God's perfect word.

The apostle Paul said in Romans 7:18 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." Paul wrote in I Corinthians 9:27 "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." Paul saw that he needed to stay "surrendered" to God's will. We must work with all our might to be the same way. Pray often for our Lord to help you to be obedient to His will. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help us in our efforts to do good. Jesus called the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost), "The Comforter". (John 14:26) When Jesus ascended back to Heaven He sent Him in His place. The Holy Ghost is within saved people. (I Corinthians 6:19 & II Timothy 1:14) Even so, the will to sin is in our flesh!

The first step in surrendering is accepting Jesus as Savior. After a person truly believes in their heart, they must surrender themselves to God's will in all that they do!

Where would mankind be if God had chosen not to forgive us? Obviously we would all be condemned to a hell made for Satan and his fallen angels. (Matthew 25:41) We also are required to forgive anyone who has offended us. We are instructed to seek the forgiveness of those who we sinned against, hurt or offended. Study Matthew 18:21-22, Matthew 18:35, Mark 11:25-26, and II Corinthians 2:5-11.

We may wrong some person or offend them, but the sin we commit is really against the Lord because we have been disobedient to Him. In Matthew 6:14-15 it is written, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses". This is frightening! Jesus said this and His instructions on forgiving are throughout the Bible. If we choose to not forgive we will surely reap God's wrath in some way, such as the loss of His blessings and protection.

It is not easy for people to forgive those who have hurt them. This is a natural tendency of man's fleshly nature. We must work very hard to overcome this selfish behavior. Perhaps the easiest way to overcome an unforgiving nature is to recognize that all sin is of Satan and his influence on us through our flesh. Ephesians 6:12 says "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places". This scripture shows us that evil influences are all around us and we should constantly fight Satan's influences. Remember, these influences are what causes us to commit sins. We are all sinners! (I John 1:8-10) Study these scriptures and recognize that all bad behavior is of the devil. If we disobey the Lord's commandments, we are following Satan! Never forget that when a person does something to hurt or offend you, they have submitted themselves to the weaknesses of their own flesh. We are all capable of this!

In the "sermon on the mount" Jesus said "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" Mans nature is to see other peoples sins and shortcomings but to ignore their own! Study Matthew 7:1-5 thoroughly. It is critical for us to examine ourselves before we pass judgment on others! When we evaluate ourselves, we will find out that we are basically, terrible selfish creatures, if we allow it. In Psalms 139:23-24 David prayed "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Ask the Lord to help you to recognize the sin that is within you.

The Lord forgives all who will seek His forgiveness. We must be sincere when we ask and He knows our hearts. As we grow in Christ and become obedient to His commandments, Joy will fill our hearts. Seek the Lord continuously in prayer and study. Pray earnestly for those who may have offended you. Both of you will reap the benefits!

Jesus said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44) "Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you." (Luke 6:28) In doing this we become more like Christ.

Understanding God's will is often impossible, but we should always seek to understand His Word! The Bible, (God's Word) is His instruction to us as to how we should live. Read Isaiah 55:6-13 and study these scriptures intensely. These verses show us that we should seek God even though, often, we may not understand His will. Verses 8 & 9 plainly show us that His ways are far beyond our ways.

Remember, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Understand that the nature of people is to be selfish. Everyone is born with this tendency. This can be proven by watching children. This is not a learned behavior. While some people may exhibit greater selfishness than others, it is in each person to a degree. When a person accepts Jesus as their Savior, some of their fleshly tendencies may change, but all still have a sin nature within their flesh.

Some people show their sin nature by being possessive, using terms like I, Me, mine. This can be overcome by keeping a close watch on yourself. Proverbs 16:2 says "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits." This (usually) means that we believe we are correct, in our own self evaluations . Remember, if we try to impress someone with ourselves, we exhibit pride. Our Lord wants us to express our love and obedience to Him.

Greed is another example of selfishness. A "natural" person, often, is never satisfied with what they have and want "more". This is visible to a large degree in the world of business. Many people want to build "empires", instead of being satisfied with what God allows them to have. Our Lord will provide many blessings as we are obedient to His instructions. These blessings may not be in material possessions. Psalms 37:16 says "A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked." Psalms 37:25 says "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." It is written in Matthew 19:23, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." This is because many times people put their trust in riches instead of trusting the Lord. Study Luke 16:20-31. This not a parable. No parable mentions a person's specific name, as Lazarus is mentioned here. Understand though, some people have been richly blessed financially by putting the Lord first in their business.

Understand also, God is severely displeased with anyone who puts anything before Him. This not only includes material wealth, but can also be people, recreation, substance or any other thing that is given priority over Him. Read Matthew 6:24 & 10:37, Mark 10:24-30, II Timothy 4:10, Anything that we put before God is an idol! Throughout God's Holy Bible, man is told to turn away from idols!

Understand that God is the creator of the heavens, the earth and everything, including you and me! Understand that our Lord sees everything that happens, everywhere, including the good and bad that we do. No person can "pull the wool over" God's eyes. This fact alone should lead everyone to be obedient! We can't take part of God's word to live by and ignore other parts. Understand, everyone will be judged for their actions, by Jesus. Read Romans 14:11-12 and Philippians 2:10-11.

Remember, "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 1:21)

Today many people are skeptical of the Holy Bible, not believing that it is the pure Word of God. They state that it is just a collection of writings, written by men and assembled into a book. This view is held even by some pastors and preachers.

Proof of the Bible can be found in many ways, but perhaps one of the best ways is to review it's prophesies and see how many have thus far been fulfilled exactly as predicted. There will always be skeptics, and even this is prophesized! This is of Satan! (Second Corinthians 4:3-4) Many scriptures are only revealed to those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior. (Romans 1:16-17)

Prophesied in:	Fulfilled in:
Psalms 41:9	John 13:18 & 17:12
Psalms 69:4	John 15:25
Psalms 69:21	Matthew 27:34
Psalms 78:2	Matthew 13:34
Psalms118:26	Matthew 21:9
Isaiah 7:14	Matthew 1:23
Isaiah 42:1	Luke 3:22
Isaiah 49:5	Matthew 23:37
Isaiah 50:6	Matthew 26:67
Isaiah 53:1	John 12:38
Isaiah 53:5	Matthew 8:16-17
Isaiah 63:3	Mark 14:50
Zechariah 11:13	Matthew 27:9-10
Malachi 3:1	Matthew 21:12

The above references are but a few of the prophecies that were fulfilled when Jesus walked the earth. All were selected to show how prophesy is fulfilled. Some were used to show that many years may pass before prophesies are fulfilled. Isaiah was about 700 years before Jesus Christ, but his prophecy of the Coming of the Messiah were fulfilled exactly as written. All of God's word in prophecy will be fulfilled.

As we study, we should see the absolute proof of God's word. No other writings have ever survived like the Bible has. God's word says what it means and means what it says! The testimony of the Bible records back over 6000 years. In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke the lineage of Jesus is traced back to Adam. (Joseph in Matthew 1:1+ & Mary in Luke 3:23+) Obviously Jesus is not the son of Joseph, as He is the son of God. Even so, Joseph's lineage is included because women are usually never reckoned in genealogies (per Finis Dake's notes). This lineage of Jesus dates back 4000 years before He came. Can anyone today trace their lineage back even 2000 years? The obvious answer is no. This is because after the Messiah came there was no need for a trace back for anyone. The Savior of the World has already come! Nothing is more important than a person accepting Jesus as their Savior. His lineage is yet another great proof of the perfection of the truth of the Bible!

There will always be unbelievers as is so evident in the book of Revelation. (9:20, 16:9 and 16:11) The referenced verses state that they "repented not", even in the face of God's wrath which will be put upon them.

If saved people (believers) will ask God to reveal His truths in the Bible, they will have all the proof that they need to believe every word that is written in it. "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (I Corinthians 2:14)

Will you accept the proof of the Holy Bible as being God's perfect and complete word?

Many scriptures address the Book of Life. The first mention is in Exodus 32:32, where Moses told the Lord "Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written". God has a record, called the Book of Life, containing a list of every soul that has been born on this earth. In this referenced scripture, Moses was interceding for his people, Israel, because of their sin. This verse is important because the book is first mentioned and it also shows us that we can intercede for others. Read the scriptures before and after this one to see the full meaning of this scripture. Read I John 5:16 for another example of interceding.

Obviously your name and everyone else's is written in the Book of Life. Some say that at conception we are added to The Book of Life and this happens as we become "a living soul". Genesis 2:7 shows where Adam was given life and became a living soul, (not living flesh!).

The last reference to this book is found in Revelation 22:19. ("And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.") Other scriptures that reference The Book of Life include; Psalms 69:28, Daniel 12:1, Luke 10:20, Philippians 4:3, Hebrews 12:23, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 17:8, Revelation 20:12, and Revelation 20:15.

In Revelation 21:2 John wrote, "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.:" John also wrote in Revelation 21:27 "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life." Those who do not accept and acknowledge Jesus as their Lord, Master and Savior will not be in the Book of Life because denying Jesus is an abomination! Therefore, they can't go to the eternal resting place, called "the holy city, new Jerusalem". Instead they will spend eternity in "the lake of fire". Revelation 21:8 says "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

All sin is abominable behavior. Jesus Christ took the debt that we all owe upon Himself, allowing us to accept Him and be saved from this eternal punishment. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) We should note that this perfect gift must be accepted. Don't reject His gift. Don't let anyone you know reject this gift. We, as born again believers are told to evangelize the world, as part of our personal ministry.

Be sure that your name is written in "the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." This scripture is taken from Revelation 13:8.

In this age that we live in, the word power is used often. People in positions of authority or because of a persons financial posture believe that they have power. We hear people say " money is power" or "I have the power to" (do something), usually meaning that they can usurp authority over people or situations. This is prevalent among politicians and business executives.

Jesus told us to pray "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen". (Matthew 6:13) This is part of how we are told to pray, as Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. The entire prayer instruction is in verses 9-13. This is called by many, "The Lord's Prayer". Here Jesus is telling us to acknowledge God's sovereignty, power and glory.

There is no power other than that which is given by, or is of God. Jesus said "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God" (Romans 13:1) Jesus said to Pilate, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above": (this is taken from John 19:11) The Apostle Paul wrote, "For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God". (Romans 13:1) From these scriptures we should see that true power is only as allowed by God.

A profound example of God's power is found in Isaiah 37:36, where is written, " Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses". Notice that the "angel of the Lord" is referenced to a single being. This is power! A single angel with the power given by God to slay 185,000 people in one night.

People, in their sinful nature, may believe that they have power, but really only assume authority over matters. We all need to recognize and submit to God's power. Will you?

In Matthew Chapter 6, Jesus was preaching The Sermon on The Mount, instructing the multitudes as to how they should live. He was addressing the necessities of people, and gave the instruction "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you". (Matthew 6:33) God knows the needs of everyone and He will provide them if we follow this instruction. The term "kingdom of God" is used to refer to salvation, heaven, and the reign of the Messiah. (eternity)

If we constantly strive to seek God's will in everything we do, we will be fulfilling this instruction. Nothing can be more important than seeking to be obedient to His will and His instructions. No important decision should be made before praying about it. The way we seek God is in these prayers and supplications. Please remember to do this first! If we do something our way (in the flesh), and then go to the Lord asking Him to straighten out our messes, we will often be chastised for our disobedience. It is not fun to be chastened by the Lord, but it is always for our own good. (Hebrews 12:6-11)

Our time on this earth is so limited that we should always seek the Lord's desires in our lives. Eternity is much more important than where we are today. Consider the scripture "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away". (James 4:14) These words address our time spent in this life and not eternity. Still we have a difficult time in understanding eternal life.

In Psalms 34:4 David wrote "I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears". David had many troubles in his life, but he always returned to seeking God's will for himself.

If we seek God first and obey His instructions that are in the Bible, our lives will be blessed.

Again we recommend that where scriptures are referenced, read the verses before and after them to maintain their context.

Perhaps the most important thing a saved person can remember is that Jesus Christ has done the work for us, in our salvation. John 19:30 says, "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost". This statement shows that His work on this earth was finished.

Jesus came for the specific purpose of taking the sin debt that all men owe, upon himself, allowing any that will accept Him as Lord, Master and Savior, to be released from the reality of their spending eternity in Hell. It is finished!

The nature of mankind is to attempt to do everything for themselves. Only Jesus can take us to Heaven instead of Hell. It is finished! This is the gift of God to those who are saved. Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". It is finished!

Anything that a person does to try to impress God is foolishness. We can't do anything to enhance God's position or welfare! God is the giver and we are the takers! It is finished! The only thing that God wants from us is our obedience.

Whenever a saved person is suffering a trial, they need to remember, It is finished! The most important event that has ever taken place is the suffering and dying of Jesus Christ for the redemption of all mankind. If we always remember, no matter what we are enduring that, It is finished, we should be able to suffer through our problems with greater ease. Jesus said in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world".

Isaiah wrote in 53:5, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed". It is finished!

The term "The World", is used today to describe both this Earth (planet) that we live on and to describe unsaved people (who are not born again believers). Here the unsaved are what is being addressed.

In (John 15:18&19) Jesus said "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you".

Being "chosen out of the world" means being born again. When a person surrenders their heart to Jesus Christ in being saved, they are sanctified (set apart). A good example of this term is written in Jude 1:1 ("Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called"). Here Jude, in opening his epistle, is addressing the born again people. Any who have not chosen salvation are "of the world". Today, lost people (unsaved) are referred to as "worldly". When saved people sometimes choose to sin they are also called worldly, or exhibiting worldly behavior.

All sin is of the world. Satan is the ruler of the earth, being called "the god of this world" (II Corinthians 4:3&4). A person either belongs to Jesus Christ or Satan (the world).

When Jesus began to tell His apostles what suffering and death that He would endure, Peter said "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee". Jesus responded to Peter "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men". Study Matthew 16:21-23 and Mark 8:33. A very important lesson is to be learned from these scriptures because they show that Satan is able to speak through people. Peter's mouth uttered the words, but they obviously came from Satan. We should all be very careful to not allow Satan to use us to do his works. If Peter, a chosen apostle of Jesus Christ, could be used for the devil's service, why should any person today believe that they are above being influenced by Satan? Peter had walked with Jesus for about 3 years, witnessing His miracles and hearing His teachings.

Most don't understand how the devil does the things that he does to people. The battles we fight in our lives are influenced by the evil of Satan and his servants. Ephesians 6:12 states "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places". Paul wrote this to show us that all evil is of Satan and his servants.

Again, we should remember that when we offend someone, or some person (or persons) offend or hurt us, Satan is the instigator. We must fight the devils influences with all our might. The best way to fight Satan is with God's word. This is why Bible study is so important. Anyone who doesn't know the scriptures is left defenseless. Read and study Ephesians 6:13-18 often.

A favorite quotation of many is "We are in the world, but not of the world". This means that although we may be surrounded by worldly people, we must set ourselves apart, serving The Lord and not the devices of Satan and his world.

The word faith is used in many ways today. Here we use faith as belief. Salvation is all about faith. Paul wrote in Romans 10:17, "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God". Study Romans 10:9-15 to see the full context of the idea Paul was conveying.

The word faith appears in the Bible 251 times (249 in the New Testament). Jesus used this word often in His teachings. ( "O ye of little faith", "O woman, great is thy faith", "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed" ) Many of the uses of this word refer to the blessings that are achieved by having this faith (believing in Jesus Christ). Faith is also used to describe a person's faithfulness (in their service to God).

Often the mind set of people is to not have the amount of faith that they should. This is because of our "fleshly nature", that remains with us until we are taken from this earth. The most important aspect of having faith is believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ. If a person has enough faith, they can do things that are amazing. Jesus said in Luke 17:6, "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you" Why should things be different today? If we, in our faith, trust God to save our souls, why should we not have enough faith in Him to answer our prayers about other things? If we pray in belief, He will give us the best answers for our situations. Let God provide the best answers! Our sinful nature often causes us to ask for things that are not what is best for us. In James 4:3 it is written "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts". People's selfish natures often get in the way of their blessings.

Our faith needs to be in God. He is the provider of all our needs and healings. Some television preachers claim to be "faith healers". The faith that we should have, needs to be our own faith in God and not in some man. God is always present in any healing, even if the medical profession claims the credit for it. Nothing happens that God doesn't see and approve of (whether we consider it good or bad).

When some situation seem hopeless, ask The Lord for His intervention, and have the faith to accept what His answers are. Often we don't see the reasons for things that happen to us until long afterwards. God is sovereign and always in control of our situations, if we belong to Jesus Christ!

The book of Proverbs is called the book of wisdom by many. This is because wisdom, knowledge and understanding are stressed throughout the Proverbs. Wisdom is stressed because it is the knowledge that God wants us to have, to enable us to live according to His instructions. We are told to follow God's ways instead of the ways of the world. A prominent verse is "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5) Here we are being instructed to turn our problems and questions over to God.

Some of the wisdom in Proverbs states how we are to raise our children (Proverbs 22:6), treat other people (Proverbs 10:21 & Proverbs 20:22 ), be honest and fair in business practices (Proverbs 11:1) and much more. These are just a few of the instructions.

In Proverbs Chapter Eight, wisdom is stressed as what is needed for proper living. Verse 22 states, "The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old". This verse and all the remaining verses in this chapter (through verse 36) stresses how long wisdom has been around and it's power. For an interesting study read these verses and mentally substitute "Jesus Christ" for the words I, me and my. An example is shown below from the last two verses in Proverbs Eight (35 & 36), "For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death".

"For whoso findeth Jesus Christ findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against Jesus Christ wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate Jesus Christ love death".

Does the above example tell us that Jesus Christ is wisdom? Absolutely! Study Proverbs Chapter Eight intensely to prove to yourself this concept. Every person needs Jesus Christ (wisdom) to assure eternal life in Heaven, as opposed to one in Hell.

Jesus is the one and only way that God gives lost mankind a way to be redeemed from sin. It was His plan from the beginning. Study the following verse to assure yourself that Jesus was with God before the formation of the earth. "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was". (John 17:5) Our creator leaves no loose ends or problem undone if we have the wisdom to be obedient! Study to attain God's wisdom!

Psalms 56:9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.

Ps 57:2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Psalms 118:8* It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

I Peter 1:6-7 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”

I Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

II Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

Psalms 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

II Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

II Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

*Middle verse of the Bible. Notice that the middle of this verse is the Lord. Jesus is the very center of the Bible! Always read the scriptures surrounding any verses that someone may give you, to insure their proper meanings.

Read & Remember

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 I call this the love chapter- (“charity” is love here as, agape)Defined: agaph agape ag-ah’-pay, brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence. Our tendencies are to love ourselves!

Romans 8:28, all things for good. Study verses 26-28 (and more surrounding these)

Jesus dwells within us in the presence of the Holy Spirit “Comforter”- (John 14:26 & 15:26) Read & know 1 Corinthians 6:19. This is for saved people!

Total belief is mandatory! When we believe, (are saved-born again) we need to believe the following scriptures, John 14:14, John 15:16, 1 John 5:14, 1 John 2:15, 1 Peter 4:12. The list goes on, as all of God’s word is perfect. We must remember that it is God’s Word. 2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”

We must turn to The Lord in all things. As much as we want to help someone who is suffering, only our Lord can perform the healing. All we can do is to be an encourager, directing them to God.

Our best starting place for healing is on our knees or better still on our faces in our prayer closet. When we look at ourselves in the perspective that the Bible shows us, we should see our terribly sinful natures. (Genesis 6:5, Proverbs 16:2, Proverbs 19:3, Jeremiah 17:9) As we admit to ourselves that we are sinful creatures, and always have been, we should be humbled before the Lord. As we do this we come to God as “little children”, asking for His grace (unmerited favor), and when He sees our sincerity He will begin to work blessings and even miracles in us. Jesus has paid our sin debt and we need to call upon Him for comfort. (Isaiah 53:4-6) The healing has been done, we need to accept it and believe in it.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Lesson 1-In the beginning	Lesson 2-For God so loved	Lesson 3-Tradition	Lesson 4 Instructions	Lesson 5-Believe!
Lesson 6-Baptism	Lesson 7-Satan	Lesson 8-Church Attendance	Lesson 9 Repentance	Lesson 10-Study
Lesson 11-Seek	Lesson 12 Denomination	Lesson 13 Surrender	Lesson 14 Forgive	Lesson 15 Understand!
Lesson 16- Proof	Lesson-17 The Book of Life	Lesson 18-Power	Lesson 19 Seek ye first	Lesson 20-It is finished!
Lesson 21-The World	Lesson 22-Faith	Lesson 23-Wisdom	Lesson 24-We are Blessed