Explore new horizons of a living faith
These pages are designed to aid study or investigation for Christian discipleship through individual Bible study, Cell groups, Home groups, or meeting one to one. The questions could be used alone allowing each person to use their own Bible.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Cor 5:17
Blog Site
Derek’s Blog which comes out weekly to fortnightly is at -
Go to the new more user friendly version - beingrecreated.org
Introduction
How would you respond to an invitation to meet with the supreme being of the universe? Wow! Wouldn’t that be amazing? Well the thing is, He has already made the offer and He is awaiting your response!
Bible Zone
- God loves us - In relating with God we start by knowing that God is for us.
- What difference does God make? - God acts for us and changes our hearts.
- How do I meet God? - Meeting God each day sustains life.
- How can I pray? - Use the Lord’s prayer to start you off.
- Get into the Bible - Read the Bible daily to be nurtured by God.
- Choose a Bible - An overview of Bibles to help you make a choice.
God loves us
In seeking to know God and relate with Him, we need to understand that He loves us and is for us. We are not approaching someone who ignores us, or wants to beat us up, but someone who cares for us and delights to be with us.
- What situations could suggest that God does not love us?
- What does the Bible say cannot separate us from God’s love?
- How confident can you be in God’s love.
Romans 8: 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?36 (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep."*)37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,* neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
A broader perspective on God’s love for us.
What difference does God make?
Choosing God changes our whole life now and in the future. Have a look at this passage from the Bible - 1 Peter 1:3-5
- What hope do we have because of God?
- How can we have this hope?
- How does God help us in our problems?
1 Peter 1:3-5 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
A broader perspective on Diference God Makes.
Just as we need physical food each day, so we also need spiritual food each day. This time is often called a devotional time or quiet time. The length of time we spend and what we do can be governed by our circumstances. A doctor working 16 hour shifts might just have time to look at a verse while taking a five minute breather. A student on holiday might take two hours. A young believer might find 10 minutes a struggle. A more mature believer might find anything less than half an hour rushed.
Here is an example of Jesus from Mark 1:35-37 -
- When did Jesus pray?
- What choice did Jesus make in order to have space to meet His Father?
- What choices would you need to make?
Mark 1:35-37 35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.36 Later Simon and the others went out to find him.37 When they found him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you."
A broader perspective on How do I meet God?
Jesus gave us a way of praying. There are two parts to it. First, encounter God as He is. (More) Second ask God to meet our needs. (More)
Start off with the words as they are. As you become more comfortable then you can develop it. Each phrase can be used as a prompt to develop your own prayer.
- Who are you praying to?
- How does that influence the rest of how you approach God?
- What range of needs are presented?
- Do you feel comfortable asking for these?
Matthew 6: 9 Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,*
12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don't let us yield to temptation,* but rescue us from the evil one.*
A broader perspective on How can I pray?
The process of meditation or reflection on Bible passages does more than merely give deeper insight. Have a look at the outworking of meditating on the Bible from Psalm 1.
- What sources of counsel are contrasted in the Bible?
- What is the writers’ attitude to the Bible?
- What impact does the Bible have? What is the Bible equated to?
- How could I meditate or reflect like that?
Psalm 1:1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
Meditation on the Bible is what we do as we get into the Bible. Listen to it, read, study and memorise it. Take the extra time to think about what has been said. Reflect on it and compare it to your life. Ask God how He thinks you are doing and what you should do about what is written.
A broader perspective on Get into the Bible.
Try reading passages from different Bibles using: www.biblegateway.com
Try comparing these passages - John 3 (A narrative passage.), Romans 3 (A teaching passage.), Psalm 45 (A poetic passage pointing to Jesus). The Biblegateway web site will also sell you a Bible.
A broader perspective on Choose a Bible.
RELATE WITH GOD