Spiritual Gifts Bible Study Bible Passage: I Corinthians 12 The human need this passage meets is: To be a vital

part of Christ's followers. Learning Goals: By the end of this "Spiritual Gifts Bible Study", each learner should be able to. . . (Know) Know the origin and purpose of spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ. (Feel) Feel a sense of belonging to the church - Christ's body (Do) Surrender your will to God so He can use you in the way He chooses Hook "How many of you have played on a baseball team? Or at least watch baseball? You know that there are nine players on a team. When the team is in the field, there are nine different jobs. Which is the most important? Discuss this with the people around you." After a few minutes, ask some people to share their answers. "In reality, every position is important. The same is true in the Body of Christ. We all have one or more spiritual gifts - gifts given by the Holy Spirit. In this "Spiritual Gifts Bible Study", we'll learn that we are each a part of the Body of Christ - an indispensable part.

Transition In our Spiritual Gifts Bible Study, we'll look at I Corinthians 12-14 where Paul instructs the Corinthians regarding spiritual gifts. Chapter 12 - The Gifts of the Spirit Chapter 13 - The Fruit of the Spirit (which is love) Chapter 14 - The Desire of the Spirit These concepts were of extreme interest to the believers in Corinth and they are still important to us today. But, frankly this is a complex subject and it raises complex questions. As we begin our spiritual gifts Bible study, I want you to commit yourself to this principle: I will not let truths I don't understand keep me from the truths I do understand. Any spiritual gifts Bible study brings up truths that are hard to understand. Bible Input Let's read I Corinthians 12:1-31. First, we need to note that Paul is probably talking about more than just spiritual gifts: v.1 Literally read: "now about the spirituals" it doesn't say "gifts" -- Bible translators added that word because of the context "spirituals" are things, people, matters, gifts, and spirituality in general In v.2-3 Paul clarifies the basis for being a spiritual person. Paul's point is that true spirituality becomes a reality when the Holy Spirit Himself takes up residence within our human spirits. Before they were believers, the Corinthians were following idols that couldn't speak.

Now they were inhabited by the true Spirit of God and God's Spirit can and does speak. The mark that a person has truly heard the voice of the spirit of God was found in how he spoke about his relationship with Jesus. In Acts 26 - before Paul became a Christian, he said that not only was he a blasphemer, he went into different synagogues and tried to force Christians to blaspheme. That probably meant to get them to say, "Jesus be cursed." If they did, he'd leave them alone. If not, he'd arrest, imprison, and persecute them. Paul knew that until the Spirit of God showed Him that Jesus was alive and was Lord, he was only practicing religion. He was a religious person, but not a spiritual person. Paul's point is that there is no way a person can be spiritual without the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit breaks the heart of a man, the man surrenders and says: "Jesus is Lord." At this juncture I want to belabor a simple point that is often ignored and that I believe is desperately needed in any spiritual gifts Bible study. The Holy Spirit is a Person - not a force or an impersonal influence. The Holy Spirit is always referred to as He True, He is described as: wind (John 3) spring and river (John 4 and 7) fire (Matthew 3 and Acts 2) BUT He is not an impersonal force like nature, but the Invisible Spirit of God Himself.That's why in v. 4, 5, 6 Paul talks about the same Spirit, the same Lord Jesus, and the same God. God is a divine person. Jesus is a divine person. The Holy Spirit is a divine person. One role of the Holy Spirit on earth today is to take the place of Jesus on earth. Jesus taught His disciples that it was better that he go away

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

real person - He will be able to think, feel, decide just like Me. divine person - He would come directly from My Father; coequal with God and Jesus. indispensable person - Just as with Me, apart from Him you will be able to do nothing. loving person - He'll be your friend and make His home with you and love within you. wise person - He'll remind you of everything I taught you and lead you into all truth. strong person - He'll be able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you could ask or dream faithful person - He'll never leave you or forsake you; He'll be permanently sealed within your spirit. You'll never be alone in any circumstance or situation. It's not the force be with you. It's He'll be with you Because of that He will be worthy. - Worthy of your love, your confidence, your hope, and your all. He's a person! - Our first priority is to know the person of the Holy Spirit. Then, learn about the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit. Frankly, many people have that backwar We offer three lessons on the ds. Continue this "Spiritual Gifts Bible Holy Spirit in Study" by learning more about the What's Missing Inside You? Holy Spirit - through Sermons and a Sunday School Lesson

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

think of Him as a force and not a person. It is this Divine Person who has given Himself to you and gifted you to be a functioning member within His Body. In I Corinthians 12:7-11 Paul stresses that the Person who lives in you and has given you spiritual gifts lives in all believers and has gifted them, too. He's the same, but His gifts are different and vary from believer to believer. Let's continue our spiritual gifts Bible study by listing some of the different spiritual gifts: word of wisdom word of knowledge special faith healing miraculous power prophecy distinguishing of spirits tongues interpretation of tongues

Then, at the end of the chapter Paul describes roles in what seems to be a priority order: First, apostles Second, prophets Third, teachers then, workers of miracles gifts of healing helps administration tongues

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

gifts in personality traits alone. One of the most amazing and sometimes frustrating realities of this text is that Paul doesn't spend any time defining or describing these gifts, he simply lists them. He assumed that the Corinthians believers knew what he meant. The Point is - You may discover and recognize your gift, but you don't decide your role in the Body of Christ - the Holy Spirit does. He decides how you will be gifted and how you will contribute to the spiritual health of the Body of Christ. He will choose your purpose and place in His Kingdom. Now I'll continue this spiritual gifts Bible study with examining three of Paul's clear and practical points for the Corinthians and us. 1. The Church is one body. Though a physical body has many different parts, it still forms only one body. How many parts are in a human body? The Lever 2000 commercial says that there are 2001! I don't know if that's correct, but I do know that the American board of Specialities and Subspecialties lists 145 physician specialities and subspecialties for taking care of those many, many parts. Yet, all the parts of our bodies have unique, important functions to work together to make every single body function. With Christ we are all included in His body. We were all baptized by one Spirit We were all given one Spirit to drink This happened when they became followers of Jesus. I Corinthians 10:1 - the Israelites were baptized into Moses -- a figurative description of their salvation and deliverance from Egypt. In the church, when a person acknowledges that Jesus is his Lord they receive the forgiveness of sins. They receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. They are added to the Lord's Body, the Church.

They are baptized into the Lord's body and they are inhabited by the Lord's Spirit. We call this new birth; regeneration; being baptized by the Holy Spirit. 2. Every member of the body belongs. When my wife was in grade school, her class would play softball in physical education. The teacher would choose two students to be captains of the teams. The captains would choose their teams - one student at a time. Peggy vividly remembers the humiliation of always being the last chosen. She didn't have softball skills, so she wasn't wanted on anyone's team. She definitely didn't feel that she belonged. However, she had exactly the opposite experience when the class had spelling contests. Peggy was the first person chosen. Now, she belonged on that team! What she lacked in softball she had in spelling. In the Body of Christ, no one should compare himself to someone else and say, "Because I'm not like them, I don't really belong here." We need to affirm each other and help each other feel safe and secure in the church. God designed the body of Christ to have an immense variety of members and everyone belongs. 3. Every member of the body is indispensable. No one can look down on another member and say, "We don't really need you!" It is also equally wrong to think, "They don't need me." God designed the body so that every member would play a vital role. You have no double. No one can take your place. Some people serve within the four walls of a church building. Some people serve in their communities. Some people serve in another country. All are needed. Now that we know that we have a spiritual gift, we are naturally curious as to what it is. How do we find out what spiritual gifts we have? There are many questionaires and studies designed to do this. One simple way is to simply ask several people who know you well, "What am I good

at?" If there is a concensus of opinion, that's a good indication that God has gifted you in that area. Ask God to show you where He can use you to His glory. Think about the places where you have served where you "felt God's blessing." Keep in mind that many times God puts us in a situation, then gives us the necessary skills to do the job! Can you imagine a parent who says, "I don't have the spiritual gift of child-raising"? If God has given you children, He will give you the skills and the heart that are necessary. Every spiritual gifts Bible study should emphasize that a person's gifting can change through their lives. That's because God has a unique purpose for you. He is also developing the fruit of the Spirit in you. A spiritual gift is from the Holy Spirit. He decides what you'll be given and how you'll use it. Consider this quote from Oswald Chambers' book, My Utmost for His Highest. Are you willing to be offered for the work of the faithful - to pour out your life blood as a libation on the sacrifice of the faith of others? Or do you say, - "I'm not going to be offered up just yet, I do not want God to choose my work. I want to choose the scenery of my own sacrifice; I want to have the right kind of people watching and saying, 'Well done.' " It is one thing to go on the lonely way with dignified heroism, but quite another thing if the line mapped out for you by God means being a door-mat under other people's feet. Suppose God wants to teach you to say, "I know how to be abased" are you ready to be offered up like that? Are you ready to be not so much as a drop in a bucket - to be so hopelessly insignficant that you are never thought of again in connection with the life you served? Are you willing to spend and be spent; not seeking to be ministered unto, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work and remain saints because it is beneath their dignity.

Discussion Questions: 1. What was part of this "Spiritual Gifts Bible Study" applied the most to you?

2. How does realizing that the Holy Spirit is a person, not a force help you? 3. How you find out how the Holy Spirit has gifted you? 4. How does this "Spiritual Gifts Bible Study" help you answer a person who doesn't think he is vital to the Lord's ministry? 5. How does comparing yourself to others hinder your acceptance of your spiritual gifts?

Dynamic Ministry Jobs

Bible Passage: Luke 9:1-17 The human need this passage meets is: all ministry jobs can influence others through depending on God. Learning Goals: By the end of this session, each learner should be able to. . . Know: Understand that Jesus leads all disciples into personal ministry jobs. Feel: Feel the desire to have a miraculous influence on others. Do: Either begin or continue a personal ministry through reliance upon God. Hook Think about two words: Spectators & Participants. We all know that spectators are watchers; participants are doers. At your tables, share some individual thoughts around these two statements.

Name an activity that you dislike doing yourself, but enjoy watching others do. Name an activity that you enjoy doing yourself, but dislike watching others do. Transition There are two reasons I wanted us to think along these lines this morning: 1. For the first year or so within Jesus 3 year ministry on earth, his disciples were primarily spectators. They saw Him preach, teach, heal the sick, and raise the dead. But today, we are going to see a turning point in their spiritual development. Instead of merely watching Him minister, he is going to send them out for a brief ministry tour to do what they had seen Him do. 2. There comes a point in every Christian's life when he must stop being a spectator, and start being a participant. Sadly, many believers never read that point. But the truth is, unless you let Jesus lead you into ministry jobs your Christian life will be unfulfilling, unchallenging and boring.

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

is not learning more about the Bible, though thats important is not enjoying the fellowship of the church, though thats important Its finding a personal ministry where He uses you to influence the world for Him. So, the way Jesus would look at our Sunday School Class would be to ask --

is your class a holding tank or a launching pad? is your class a Christian club or a ministry team? Habitually coming together and turning inward -- without habitually going back into the world and turning outward is not real Christianity. We might have fun, learn a lot, and enjoy our fellowship, but without personal ministries, were only existing for ourselves. Bible Input Let's read: Luke 9:1-17 Life Application Lets discover two truths about all ministry jobs: 1. All ministry jobs should have a miraculous influence on others In modern Christianity, Success usually involves numbers, buildings and programs. But to Jesus, success means one word - influence. Luke 9:2 He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick. Luke 9:6 So they went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere. But, it was more than mere human influence. It was a miraculous, supernatural influence. By miraculous, we dont mean something that is spectacular, or sensational. A miracle is merely something that has no possible explanation apart from God. If it can be explained in human terms, its not a miracle. NASA can send a man to the moon; thats pretty spectacular,

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

In this text everyone recognized this influence as supernatural. Herod was perplexed because people were saying that John the Baptist, whom he had beheaded, had been raised from the dead. Others wondered whether Elijah or another prophet had appeared. Everyone who heard about what Jesus and the apostles were doing knew that these things were humanly impossible. In Robert Lewis book The Church of Irresistible Influence he says that a fitting description for the church would be -- A community of people who present living proof of a loving God to a watching world. Now, isnt that what the 12 disciples were doing?

Jesus merely equipped them to present living proof of a loving God to a watching world. Jesus can equip you and me to do the very same thing! Today, we dont have to be able to heal the sick to present living proof to a watching world. But we do have to: connect with people invest time in people show concern for people It is going to take all of us. We cant afford many spectators. We need people available to be His salt & His light in His world. 2. All ministry jobs require dependence on God In Luke 9:12-17, we see the miracle of how Jesus fed 5,000 men plus women and children. This is the only miracle of Jesus recorded in all four gospels. What was the vital principle that Jesus wanted the disciples to learn? I believe it is found in v. 12 - 13. Verse 12 says that it was getting late and the apostles came to Jesus and said, Send the crowd away. But, in Luke 9:13, Jesus replied, You give them something to eat. The disciples' reaction to those words illustrated how unreasonable they thought that idea was.

First, Philip said, eight months wages would not be enough money to buy bread for this crowd. Secondly, their only resource was one boy with a small lunch. Andrew said, Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many? In other words, its still impossible. If we cant feed all of them, why feed any of them? Finally Jesus showed them the principle he was trying to teach them. Luke 9:16 Taking the loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. That was the principle he wanted them to learn and the principle he wants us to learn. When you learn to depend on God, nothing is impossible Our tendency is to get a little cynical and say, "Sure that was easy for him to say because He was God. But I want you to realize that you think that way, you are wrong. NOT in saying that Jesus was God (for God he is, was, and always will be) but wrong in saying the reason he was able to perform a miracle was because he was God. When Jesus came into the world he became a man. The reason that Jesus could perform miracles as man, is that in everything He did, He perfectly depended on His father as God. This is the secret Jesus kept trying to reveal to His disciples. John 14:10 It is the Father, living in me who is doing His work. Acts 2:22 Jesus of Nazareth was a man, approved of God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him. Jesus never intended for the 12 disciples to perform this miracle by their own power, because he never intended to do the miracle by His own power. He simply wanted them, and us to recognize that nothing is impossible for the person who depends on Jesus the way Jesus depended on His Father. So, when Jesus gives us a personal ministry, hes expecting us to count on him to produce the results. Major Ian Thomas, in his book The Saving Life of Christ tells this illustration. Suppose Jesus found an atheist in the crowd and said to him, Excuse me are you an atheist? "Yes" "Good. You are just the person Im looking for. We have a little dilemma here and I want your advice. As you know, its very late in the day and my disciples want me to send the people home, but I want to feed them. What do you suggest?" What is the first question the atheist would ask Jesus? "Well, how much money do you have? Since the atheist didnt believe in God, the only resources he ever considered

counting on were resources he could see. Its easy to explain how an atheist would think God was irrelevant for any situation, but the disciples had Christ himself standing right in front of them, yet for that situation He was irrelevant. And thats what we still have today. Believers who are professing Christians but practicing atheists. Unbelieving Believers. Think about your own life today, this past week, this past month, past year. Are you facing a situation where you feel that your human resources are inadequate? If you are a Christian, Christ Himself is living within you. Can you count on Him or is He irrelevant? Finally, how do you know that you are totally depending on him? When you pray the prayer Jesus prayed here in Luke 9:16. Thats the kind of faith Jesus is looking for -- the kind that simply says, Lord, I knew that you can handle this situation, Thank you.

Discussion Questions 1. What does it mean to depend on Jesus as He depended on His Father? How do you know that you are not relying on yourself and your resources? 2. What miraculous influences have you experienced - either influencing someone or being influenced? 3. How do people get involved in their personal ministry jobs? How do you know what ministry God wants you to be involved in? Is it true that Christianity without a personal ministry is boring? Need help in motivating believers to fulfill their ministry jobs? Kingdom-Driven Discipleship will meet this need.

4. What ministry jobs are you now involved in or want to be involved in? What steps will you take this week?

To Follow Jesus Disciples Must Obey

Bible Passage: Luke 14:25-35 By the end of this session, each learner should be able to. . . . (Know) Understand the difference between being a believer and being a disciple (Feel) Recognize the questions that a disciple of Christ must address (Do) Demonstrate loyalty to Jesus through your obedience Hook Ask each member of the class to ask their neighbor the following question: What is the difference between joining a club and being an active member? Transition Today, we are going to focus on the teaching that in following Jesus disciples must obey his commands. In Luke 14 large crowds began following following Jesus. His reputation had spread. His popularity had grown. But in reality the crowds were not on the same page as Jesus. We have all seen interviews on television or in the newspaper that go something like this: "I believe theres only one Creator, and that everyone should be praying. No matter what you call your God, whether you call Him he, a she, or it, you should pray. Some call him Allah, some Christ, and Buddah. The important thing is for people to pray regardless of who or what they think God is. I believe in peace and Humanity. I believe in including everyone." Initially, the idea of one Creator and the importance of prayer sounds good. But beyond that, you discover religious beliefs that are inconsistent with the teachings of Christ. What we will notice from our Bible text today, is that the longer the large crowds listened to Jesus the more they realized that to follow Jesus disciples had to make choices. They realized what little they had in common with Him. Jesus spells out in the clearest language possible, what must happen to be his disciple.

Bible Input Read: Luke 14:25-35 Just because a person was traveling with Jesus, doesnt mean he wanted to become one of Jesus disciples. And today, just because people attend church doesnt mean they are following Jesus. When Major Ian Thomas would hold his week-long meetings in various congregations, he often said, "On Sunday, I would always meet the church goers. But on Monday, I would meet Jesus disciples." Being a disciple assumes that a relationship with Christ exists. Luke 14 teaches us that the essence of being Christs disciple is a willingness to give up everything for Him. A disciple claims no rights, and makes no demand. A disciple is totally willing, totally available, totally confident and totally obedient. Life Application Jesus asks his "would be" disciples four questions that we must also ask ourselves: First question for Jesus disciples: Wheres your loyalty? Luke 14:26 - If anyone does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life he cannot be my disciple. Jesus wants us to place him above our closest relationships. Can anything be more emotionally difficult to accept than the notion of risking the approval of your family? Even Jesus understood the opposition that can come from family members. Mark 3:21 - When Jesus family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, He is out of his mind. Mark 3:32 - A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you. Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. They he looked at those seated around him and

said, Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does Gods will is my brother and sister and mother." Second question for Jesus disciples: Will you let Me lead your life? Luke 14:27 - Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Read a devotional about being loyal to God.

The two key words are cross and "Me". The cross represents death. Following ME refers to who will be determining the direction of your life. Were simply talking about dying to your own plans and giving Jesus credit for knowing how best to use you. In Gal. 2:20 - The Apostle Paul said, I am crucified with Christ, I no longer live. One thing true of a person hanging on a cross -- he has made no further plans. Jesus was crucified between two thieves. Can you imagine one of them turning to the other and saying, What are you doing tomorrow? Every disciple of Jesus must ask and answer this question: "Will you let me lead your life? OR will you insist on being in charge?" Third question for Jesus disciples: Do you understand the cost? Luke 14:28-30 - If a builder doesnt estimate the cost of building a tower, he may not be able to finish to task. Luke 14:31-33 - If a king is about to go to war, but then realizes that he is outnumbered, he should stop the war before it ever begins. The cost of being Jesus' disciple is giving up anything and everything that would come between you and Him: Every human relationship that would compete for your loyalty. Every future plan that would be contrary to Christs leading.

 Everything else that doesnt come under those two areas. He wants us to be convinced that if we give up everything -- the cost will be worth it. Jesus doesnt want you to begin something only to later say, "Its not worth it." Im not sure theres a way to totally eliminate every possibility of doubt. Life is long & unpredictable. But the one thing you can do that will minimize any regret, is to make sure you're giving up everything to Christ. In other words, dont give your life to a cause, a need, an organization, a program, or to a pastor. When we say to ourselves, Im never gonna get involved like that again. What they are saying is, "it wasnt worth it." But why? Very likely because they were giving everything they had to an organization, not to Christ Himself. Examine your dedication tospiritual disciplines. Fourth question for Jesus disciples: Who are you influencing? Luke 14:34 - Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is thrown out. The true follower of Jesus influences others. This is perhaps the simplest litmus test of see if someone is really following Jesus, or just pretending. Simply ask them, "Who are you influencing for Jesus? Who you are discipling?" There is a very serious warning in these final verses. Jesus is warning us to be careful. A disciple could easily lose his influence. How could that happen? If his loyalty was wavering If he was unwilling to let Jesus lead If he was beginning to give up or give in Learn to be a disciple through practicing the Christian disciplines.

If all of that was happening, there would be nothing distinctive about his life. For that moment, his influence would be gone. This is the picture of the Apostle Peter in the courtyard right after Jesus was arrested. He was more loyal to protecting himself than identifying himself with Jesus. He relied on his own will power rather than listening to Jesus. He felt the pressure and decided that giving up his life was not worth it. Peter did not lose his relationship with Jesus, but in that Who are we moment, he lost his influence. influencing? Learn more about influencing We can easily see that when Jesus asks others through friendships and for: relationships. our loyalty our submission to His leading a cost to be paid an influence to others He isn't asking us to just "join a club." He's asking us to be active. He's asking us to be disciples - followers and learners.

Discussion Questions 1. Which one of the four questions of discipleship presented today is most relevant to your life? Why? Ask several members of your group to share. Which of these questions have you been struggling with in your own relationship with Jesus? 2. If a believer is interested in pursuing a discipling relationship with Jesus, how would he/she go about it? 3. Being Jesus disciple is not based on our enthusiasm, dedication, or will power. How does the presence of Gods Spirit provide the power to live the life described in Luke 14? 4. Give examples of being an influence for Jesus.

Are You Devoted to Following God?

One of our Short Devotions Joshua and Caleb faced this same attitude I heard a business consultant tell about the training he was doing for a companys employees. After 15 minutes, he could tell that everyone was totally disinterested. He stopped his session and said to the entire group, You arent going to implement any of these ideas are you? Finally one employee said, No were not. Why not? the speaker asked. The employee said, Because we dont want to, and they cant make us. In no way were they devoted to the consultant's cause. No Way! God told Moses to send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. (Numbers 13:1) When they returned and gave their report to the people, ten of the twelve leaders said, We cant do it. The people are too big. All of the people believed this bad report and said, We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt. (Numbers 14:4) The Israelites were in effect saying We dont want to and you cant make us. What they probably didnt realize is that God took that personally. God concluded that they had quit following Him. God said to Moses, They have treated me with contempt. They have tested my patience ten times. They have lost confidence in my power and my leading. God's Response In light of this, Gods initial response was to destroy all of them and start over, but Moses begged God not to do that. So, in effect God said, Ok Moses, tell the people that I am not abandoning them, but Im done leading them. Everyone who is age 20 and over will die in the wilderness except Joshua and Caleb because they have a devoted spirit. They have followed me wholeheartedly. Joshua and Caleb were the only two who knew what God wanted and were willing to follow His leadership. They were devoted to God despite being in the minority.

What does God do with a Christian who has quit following Him? He never stops loving him, but after a while, he stops leading him. What does God do with a church that has quit following Him? He never stops loving that church, but after a while, he stops leading them. What does God do with a nation that has quit following Him? He never stops loving that nation, but after a while he stops leading them. Trust and Devotion Perhaps many people in the United States who claim to be Christians have quit following Jesus. God sees our hearts. He knows who is devoted to his purposes, and who has quit following. Following Jesus is a choice that requires wholehearted commitment. Are you willing to stand for what God wants regardless of the opposition? He is worthy of our trust and devotion.

Discipleship Training is like Training for a Marathon Illustrated with Inspirational Sports Quotes One of our Short Devotions Just like training for a marathon or a football game, discipleship training requires practice. People learn by doing. No one becomes like Jesus by merely thinking about him. In August 2008, Nebraska football player Phillip Dillard was quoted in the Omaha World Herald on what Bo Pelini and the other defensive coaches at Nebraska were expecting. Theyre not really trying to correct stuff from last year; theyre just coaching their defense. They tell you what youre supposed to do and youre supposed to do it."

photo courtesy of Kiley Learn by practicing Is learning how to live the Christian life any different? Jesus told his disciples what to do and they were supposed to do it. Of course they didnt do things perfectly at first, and neither do we. Thats why we practice. The key to spiritual growth is more than learning Bible facts. We mature by practicing a godly lifestyle. Let's examine how Jesus encouraged the twelve to practice what they learned from him.

Jesus healed (Matthew 4:23) then sent the apostles out to heal.(Matthew 10:1) Jesus demonstrated his miraculous power in feeding 5,000 (Matthew 14:15-20) and then presented a similar task to the apostles.(Matthew 15:32-33) Jesus modeled a consistent prayer life (Matthew 14:23) and then asked the apostles to pray in the garden. (Matthew 26:40) Just do what I'm told? I'm sure you can think of many more examples. The post is: Jesus expects us to do what he says. That is the object of Christian disciplines. Paul taught the Philippian christian in the same way - Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put into practice. (Philippians 4:9) Just like training for a marathon, training in Christian disciplines is necessary. What are these disciplines? They are the practices that bring us more in fellowship with each other and obedience to Jesus. You know them prayer, Bible study, service to others, worship, etc. Are you practicing them? The infamous Rosie Ruiz In 1981, Rosie Ruiz was the first woman to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon. She achieved the third fastest time ever recorded for a female runner. But ironically, she was barely sweating. Race officials immediately began to question her victory and eventually she was disqualified. When the truth came out, it appears that soon after the race began, Rosie intentionally got off the course, took the subway to a point near the finish line, jumped back into the race and positioned herself to be the winner.

In the interview between Rosie and a sports reporter (before she was found out), a reporter asked Rosie, As you prepared for the race, what kind of intervals did you run? Rosie said, Whats an interval? Can you imagine a follower of Jesus asking, Whats a spiritual discipline?"

photo courtesy of Paul Keleher The key to spiritual maturity US Marathoner, Frank Shorter said it best. Literally minutes after Frank finished second in the Montreal Olympics in 1976, a reporter asked him, I know you must be disappointed with the silver. Do you plan to go for the gold medal again in 1980? Frank calmly looked at the reporter and said, Well of course I wanted to win the gold medal. But the question I have to ask myself now is, Will I commit myself to running 10 miles per day, every day, for the next 4 years? The reporter was looking at the end result. Frank Shorter was looking at the process. He knew that there is a vast difference between commiting to running a marathon and training for a marathon. Discipleship training leads to spiritual maturity. There are no short cuts. The Apostle Paul said it best I have fought the fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. We aren't training for a sprint - we're training for a marathon! Who are you training for a marathon? Who are you discipling? What spiritual disciplines are you modeling and asking of your disciple? Jesus said, A wise man hears my words and puts them into practice. Author: Paul Schlieker www.bible-study-lesson-plans.com

Discussion ideas for your small group or Sunday School class: 1. What skills are you currently practicing? 2. What practices did Jesus model for his apostles?

3. In what situations were the apostles asked to practice these Christian disciplines? 4. Just as any skill, some spiritual conduct comes more naturally to you than others. Name one Christian discipline that is easy for you to do. 5. Now name one spiritual discipline that you need to improve. 6. How has practicing godly behaviors brought you more into fellowship and obedience to Jesus? 7. Who will help you in your journey? Who is your spiritual mentor? Who are youmentoring? 8. Are you training for a marathon - in the Christian life?

Generous Giving

Bible Passage: II Corinthians 8-9 The human need this passage meets is: to develop generous giving that is based upon a person's relationship to God. Learning Goals: By the end of this session, each learner should be able to. . . (know) Understand the source of true generous giving. (feel) Gratitude to God for allowing you to give Him praise through your generous giving. (do) Make a plan to show generous giving. Hook In The Day They Shook the Plum Tree Arthur H. Lewis tells the strange, but true story of Hetty Green. She died in 1916, the richest and most detested female in America. She had $100 million dollars in the bank, but ate crackers and cold oatmeal because she was too cheap to buy good food. The last 20 years of her life she lived with a painful hernia because she would not spend the $150 for an operation. Her own son's leg had to be amputated because she was too cheap to take him to a doctor. One one occasion, she searched half the night for a lost 2 cent postage stamp. Once she tried to forge the signature of her deceased aunt in a vain attempt to accumulate a million dollars more. She cheated her employees and even withheld payment from her attorneys until they took her to court. She had two children: Ned and Sylvia. Ned spent $3 million dollars a year on: yachts, coins, stamps, diamond studded chastity belts, female teenage "wards", pornography, orchid culture, and Texas politics. Sylvia kept $31 million dollars in a bank that paid no interest. She employed a hard-working Italian laborer as her gardener for 34 years. In all that time she spoke to him twice: Once to tell him that he would be docked an hour's pay (40

cents) for being late to work. The other time to tell him to keep his daughter off the premises because she didn't like children. They're all dead now -- Hetty, Ned and Sylvia. Almost without exception, these millions were distributed where they were least needed and where they accomplished a minimum of good. Generally speaking many Christians (when it comes to their attitude toward money) are more like Hetty Green and her children than like Christ. I'm simply talking about being self-centered instead of Christ-centered; being stingy instead of generous. Transition The truth is that many Christians keep some places within their hearts off limits to Christ's control. Receiving the grace of God often provides a wonderful sense of relief, peace, joy and hope. Letting Jesus change us and transform us to be like Him requires a kind of surrender that often feels like death. As a result it seems easier to become a Christian than it does to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. And no where is this more true than in the area of being a person known for generous giving. Want to know the privilege and purpose of being God's child? What's Missing Inside You? is a Bible study with numerous real-life stories.

To help us, Paul describes the source of generous giving in II Corinthians 8. Bible Input Read II Corinthians 8:1-7 In Acts 11 the Bible tells of a severe famine that devastated Jerusalem and the surrounding area. The first offering taken to help the Jewish brothers in Judea came from the church in Antioch. The offering was sent to the elders by Barnabas and Paul. The book of Acts and Paul's own letters tell of his efforts to maintain a flow of funds to the people in Judea. With this concern in mind, Paul teaches the "New Covenant Theology of Giving" everywhere he went.

In II Corinthians 8 Paul explains that the only way poverty stricken people could be changed into selfless, sacrificing, generous giving people was the work of the grace of God in their lives. Simply put, the grace of God was greater than...

v. 2 - the severe trials they were experiencing v. 2 - their extreme poverty v. 3 - their own ability to give

Paul gives us the insight as to how exactly the transformation occurred.

v. 5 - they gave themselves first to the Lord, then to us in keeping with God's will There are two significant truths we need to see from verse 5: 1. Christians do more than confess sins, they offer God themselves.

a person who is a Christian is taught to offer God himself we become a Christian by repentance and faith. 2. The Macedonians' focused on the Lord, not a need. they gave themselves first to the Lord, then to the need at hand. We are motivated to give because of God's grace, not our guilt. That is why most people dislike discussions on stewardship -- it makes them feel guilty. This is the #1 problem in sermons, studies and programs on giving. A framework of grace is not seen, known or felt. The result is that average believers gives their money to relieve their guilt and to get God to like like them. Grace...

is being accepted by God just as you are. is God's incredible and unearnable love toward the unworthy and undeserving

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

When you give God your money...

it cannot be to repay God for what He has done for you, because you can't pay God back for giving you His Son. it cannot be to atone for your guilt, because that was done by Christ's blood. it cannot be to get God to love and accept you, because He has already done that through Christ. The "New Covenant" reason to give is to honor the Lord and demonstrate generosity. It is not done out of guilt, because from God's perspective, there's no debt owed. Christians' generous giving comes out of gratitude. God's Spirit is transforming us from being a "bucket" to becoming a "funnel". God is changing us into people who will be a channel that flows into the lives of others. Life Application Here are five common traps related to money: 1. Tithing Trap Tithing becomes a spiritual trap for us when we believe that God will not be pleased with us until we give 10%. Tithing is for spiritual infants and spiritual children - not the mature. God commanded the Jews to give 10% because they had been in Egypt as slaves for 400 years. They had to rebuild their whole religious identity. They were spiritual children who had no discipline, no religious habits, and no sense of sacrifice. When I was 8 years old, my parents gave me 50 cents a week for my allowance. They told me that I had to put a nickle in the offering plate every week. Why? Because I was a child and had no sense of what giving meant! The focus was on a specific, measurable amount.

There are wonderful benefits to tithing

Tithing teaches us the discipline of giving. It is a starting point. Tithing is often a difficult concept to accept. 10%? Are you kidding? Tithing teaches us how to lay a foundation for learning generous giving. Tithing is only a foundational concept. The goal is generous giving, not tithing! That is especially true for the rich.

I Timothy 6:17 -- Command those who are rich to be generous and willing to share Can you imagine God asking Hetty Green to give $10 million and to do her best to struggle along with the other $90 million? Tithing teaches us the importance of trusting God, not money Matthew 4:4 - Jesus said, Man doesn't live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Tithing teaches us the reality that God owns everything. The notion of tithing leads some people to conclude that 10% of their money belongs to God and 90% belongs to them. The reality is that God owns everything, we merely manage his property. We brought nothing into this world and we will take nothing out of it. In Isaiah's day their offerings had become so ritual that God said they were meaningless. In Matthew 23 Jesus condemned the Pharisees for being so preoccupied with the legal tithe that they completely neglected the more important matters of justice, mercy and faithfulness. Paul said, "If I give all I have to the poor, but have not love, I gain nothing." (I Corinthians 13:3) 2.Insurance Trap The notion that if you regularly give your money, bad things won't happen to you. In Job 29, the Bible says that Job was a father to the needy, rescued the poor, and took care of widows. He knew the principle of generous giving. Yet we all know what happened to him. Generous giving is not an insurance policy against difficulties and disappointments.

3. Money for Time Trap This is the concept that generous giving relieves you from having to give your time. It's often the way that people deal with their guilt for not being involved. Many a parent has bought his child an extravagant gift (out of guilt) to make-up for his absence. 4. Super Christian Trap This trap is based on the belief that real generous giving, real sacrifice is for ministers, missionaries, and other super-Christians, not for normal people. Luke 14:33 - Any of you that does not give up everything He has cannot be my disciple. 5. More Income Trap This trap assumes that if I made more money, I would be more

Years ago I remember telling God how much I would give Him, if he let me win the Reader's Digest Sweepstakes. I sensed God saying, "Why don't you show me how much you are willing to give out of the money I already let you have?" generous. The Macedonians had virtually nothing and yet found a way to be generous. In Luke 21 Jesus commend a poor widow who gave two copper coins at the temple. Our income doesn't matter as much as we think. In II Corinthians 9 Paul describes the marks of generous people. Read II Corinthians 9:1-14 1. Generous people always have a plan for giving v. 2-7 they had been planning this gift for over a year they had promised to give it each person should give what they had planned in his heart to give Generosity is planned. It is usually not given at the last minute.

We have all seen financial budget books. Perhaps you use one for your household budget. The purpose is to help people see where their money is going and plan where they want it to go. The budget page I saw had four major sections -- fixed expenses, living expenses, business expenses, and savings. Then it had a category for everything else -- Miscellaneous. On this list, giving to God's work would be listed under miscellaneous. Do we put giving to spiritual things under "miscellaneous?" Giving people do not consider their generosity as "miscellaneous." 2. Generous people always understand the principle of giving v. 6-11 Paul describes the principle behind New Covenant giving - the law of the harvest. He who sows sparingly reaps sparingly. He who sows generously reaps generously. This is what permits the Christian to be a cheerful giver. He knows that as he shovels out, God will shovel in and God's shovel is bigger than his. "Reaping generously" doesn't necessarily mean that God rewards us with money. There are many blessings other than cash. 3. Generous people always know the purpose of giving v. 11, 12, 13, 15 These verses teach that our generosity achieves two basic purposes:

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

(Hold up a blank check.) This is a check. In the lower left corner of a check we usually write what the check is for. If we give a check to God's work, what would we write on this line?

God's people -- that God's people will have their needs met Do we give because God is short of cash? No, it's for the name of God. It's for the kingdom of God.

It's for the glory of God. NOT the building payment NOT to impress someone. The Wise Men also worshiped NOT to meet the church budget with their generous giving. NOT for a tax deduction NOT to relieve guilt We give that God's name on earth may be exalted and expanded. We give that God's people may be helped, encouraged and served by our generous giving.

More adult Sunday School lessons about money Scriptures on Wealth - Seven Spiritual Truths Principle of Stewardship - Luke 12 Discussion questions: 1. Why do many Christians feel guilty every time the subject of giving comes up? 2. How do you move beyond focusing on a percentage to the concept of generosity? 3. What spiritual tips concerning giving have you learned? 4. How would you counsel a new believer on the importance of giving? Author:Paul Schlieker www.bible-study-lesson-plans.com A short devotion on Christian giving

Scriptures on Wealth - Seven Spiritual Truths Bible Passages: Genesis 1:1; Psalm 50:10; Luke 12:42; Deuteronomy 8:17; Ecclesiastes 5:19; Luke 16:13; Luke 18:22; Ecclesiastes 5:10; I Timothy 6:7, Matthew 26:14; Proverbs 3:9; Malachi 3:10; II Corinthians 9:6; Matthew 6:19; Psalm 49:16; I Timothy 6:6; Matthew 6:21; Mark 12:41. The human need this passage meets is: the need to view and handle our money in a way that is consistent to reality and pleases God. Learning Goals: By the end of this session, each learner should be able to. . . (Know) Identify the teaching of the scriptures on wealth. (Feel) Feel that he has not viewed his money in a way consistent with God's commands. (Do) Name one way he/she will manage God's property to honor Him. Hook Ask the members, "Tell your neighbor one thing you would never buy. Then tell one thing you'd love to have if you could afford it." Continue after a couple of minutes. Transition We live in a world that is obsessed with money. As a whole:

People love money People live for money People believe that money will solve all, or at least most of their problems. That's why thousands keep trying to win the powerball jackpot. It would not be an over-statement to say that many people actually worship money. They love to make it, have it, and spend it on themselves. On the other hand, God expect his followers to understand and reflect his view of money.

Bible Input and Life Application There are numerous scriptures on wealth both Old and New Testaments:

God's view of Christian Giving

In the New Testament, the words money, wealth, rich, and riches are used about 116 times. In the Old Testament, the same words are used over 300 times. Here's a brief summary of the scriptures on wealth: First spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth: 1. God owns everything and man manages His property. God owns: The concept of God's ownership is introduced in the very first verse of the Bible. Genesis 1:1 God created the heavens and the earth. Asaph (leader of the temple choir) quotes God in Psalm 50:10 Every animal of the forest is mine (God's) and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. The world is mine and all that is in it. Man Manages: While God's role is owner, Man's role is manager of God's property. All our possessions are on loan from God. The relationship between owner and manager was the theme of many of Jesus' parables. Luke 12:42 - Who then is the faithful and wise manager, who the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Whatever we think we own, we don't. We are merely managing the property that belongs to God. Second spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth: 2. God is the source of all wealth. Since God owns everything, everything we see comes from God's hand. The tendency is to think otherwise. Moses warned the children of Israel before

they entered the promised land that days of prosperity were coming. Deuteronomy 8:17 -- You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. Solomon, the wealthiest person, acknowledged this. Ecclesiastes 5:19 - When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work, this is a gift of God. There is more to making money than our hard work. All wealth ultimately comes from the hand of God. Third spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth: 3. You cannot serve both God and wealth. Luke 16:13 - No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Jesus saw people struggle with this choice. Luke 18:22 - A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Sell everything you have and give it to the poor. Then come, follow me." When he heard this he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God." God expects us to have money without becoming addicted to it. Several years ago I interviewed a young man for a job. I asked him, "If it came down to you and another qualified candidate, why should I choose you?" He said, "Because I have given myself to success." Then he elaborated, "Whatever it takes, I'll do it. However long it takes, I'll pay the price. I have given my life to one thing: Success." People give themselves to many things other than God. It is not a sin to be successful, it is a sin to worship success. No man can have two masters. Fourth spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth: 4. The love of money is a root cause of many problems.

The love of money robs you of contentment. Ecclesiastes 5:10 - Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.

The love of money hurts your relationship with God. I Timothy 6:7 - People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith. Nowhere is this more vividly illustrated than in the life of Judas, the Apostle who betrayed Jesus. Matthew 26:14 - Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and asked, "What will you give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. In the end, Judas loved money more than he loved Jesus. Many people rationalize and justify their behavior to satisfy their love of money. Fifth spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth: 5. God blesses the man who honors Him with his wealth. God teaches us to invest our money in His kingdom. A general promise Proverbs 3:9 - Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the fruitfruits of your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. A specific promise Malachi 3:10 - "Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty. "bring the whole tithe into the storehouse and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it."

A personal promise II Corinthians 9:6 - Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, for God loves a cheerful giver. God wants you to be a "funnel", not a "bucket". He wants us to give and share our money to honor Him. Sixth spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth: 6. Earthly riches are temporal; treasures in heaven are eternal.

We've all heard the investment principle: "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." Here's Jesus' version of it: Matthew 6:19 - Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. Anything in the "earthly basket" will be destroyed; anything in the "heavenly basket" cannot be destroyed. From this perspective, we are encouraged. Psalms 49:16 - Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, for he will take nothing with him when he dies. I Timothy 6:6 - We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. Two friends were attending the funeral of a multi-millionaire. As they were sitting in the chapel before the service, one asked, "How much do you think he left behind?" The other one quietly replied, "I think he left it all."

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

the other players go bankrupt. You buy houses and hotels and accumulate money. But, when the game is over, the board is folded up and all the money and houses go back in the box. It's not real. It's just a game. When it comes to material things, life is one big Monopoly game. The money and possessions aren't real. You can't take it with you. It doesn't matter how much you have when you die, it all goes back into the box. You leave it all.

Seventh spiritual truth of the scriptures on wealth: 7. When God has your money, He has your heart. One proof that God has your heart, is that he has your money.

Matthew 6:21 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. But, don't think that it's the amount of money that God is examining. Mark 12:41 - Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Jesus said, "This poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty put in everything - all she had to live on." The rich gave very large amounts, but they gave out of their wealth. The widow gave less than a penny, but she gave out of her heart. She gave all she had to live on and placed her life in God's hands. She trusted him to take care of her. That's what God wants. He gives us many things, but he expects us to ultimately trust HIM, not our stuff.

Discussion Questions: 1. Which of the scriptures on wealth help you realize that God is the owner and source of your wealth? 2. Which two truths about money do you find most difficult to believe? 3. Which two truths about money do you find most difficult to practice? 4. What blessings that "money can't buy" has God blessed you with? 5. How do these truths help you be honest and ethical in your dealings involving money?