Modeled Generosity

Monday, December 21, 2015
John 1:10-18 KJV 

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the Apostle John write about our Lord and those who received Him? (v.10-13)
2) What does the apostle write about the Word? (v14)
3) What does John write about John the Baptist and his testimony concerning our Lord? (v.15)
4) What else does John the Beloved apostle write about our Lord? (v.16-18)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Have you been born-again?
6) If so, how do you know?

LIFE LESSONS
7) The greatest manifestation of the new birth experience is a change in the believers' behavior, character and/or nature.

Test the Spirits

Friday, April 17, 2015
1John 4:1-6 KJV 

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the Apostle John tell followers of Christ to do? What are we to do instead and why? (v.1)
2) How will we know whether the Spirits are of God or the antichrist? (v.2-3)
3) What does John write about the children of God? (v.4)
4) What does he write about the children of world? (v.5)
5) How will we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error? (v.6)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Are you a child of God, or a child of the world? How do you know?

LIFE LESSONS
7) The Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth) indwells, leads, guides, and directs every child of God.

Those Who do not Love

Friday, April 10, 2015
1 John 3:6-10 KJV 

6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the Apostle John say about those who continually practice sin? (v.6,8a)
2) What does he say about those whose acts are righteous? (v.7)
3) What does John write about the devil? (v.8b)
4) Why did our Lord Jesus manifest on earth the first time that He lived among humans? (v.8c)
5) What can one born of God not do and why not? (v.9)
6) How are the children of God and the children of the devil manifested? (v.10)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) Do you willfully and continually sin? If so, will you confess your sins to the Father, repent of your sin, and ask the Lord to forgive you?

LIFE LESSONS
8) Our Lord died on the cross and rose again so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.
9) Those who willfully practice sin have not been born of God.