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SALVATION - Study
SALVATION - Study
SALVATION - Study
SALVATION
(Genesis 1:27).
"So, God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (We are created with the capacity for a relationship with God who is the creator and with each other as fellow humans. The divine image makes us different from all the other creatures on earth. The image of God is the basis for defining human beings.
“And the Lord God commanded the man, “you are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17).
God created human beings to be free, but we have limits. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was prohibited. Evil entered our history when we refused to obey. The misuse of our freedom is frequently the direct cause of human suffering. Suffering may be from different things other than sin, but sometimes it is a divine punishment of sin.
THE FALL AND SEPARATION OF HUMAN BEINGS - (From God)
“Now the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:1-6).
Sin is now introduced in human history. Adam and Eve were faced with the options of obeying or disobeying God’s command and the consequences relating to sin. The serpent clouded the woman’s mind, distorting the consequences associated with this act of disobedience. The potential for death due to this action was introduced into the history of the human race. Satan is the one who introduced sin when he deceived Eve. Sin and separation from God are to be found in the rebellious actions of Adam and Eve. THE SIN TOOK AWAY OUR ETERNAL LIFE AND DISCONNECTED US FROM GOD. Nevertheless, DO NOT LOSE HEART THERE IS HOPE!
“Surely, I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”
(Psalm 51:5).
“Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb, they are wayward and speak lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the encounter may be.” (Psalm 58:3-5).
HOW DO WE CONNECT BACK TO GOD AFTER OUR SEPARATION FROM HIM
Salvation means deliverance from sin and its consequence.
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew. 1:21).
The revelation of God took place in human flesh, the conception of a Child to Mary. “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel – which means, “God with us.” (Vv 22-23).
HOW WILL THIS SON SAVE US?
The son is JESUS CHRIST whom God sent to save the human race from their original sin when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden.
How will Jesus save us from our sins and bridge the gap (separation) between God and us? _______________________.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this ” While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).
“There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
How can a man be born again? _________________________.
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?
'
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is the spirit. “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘you must be born again.’ “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
(John 3:1-6).
Salvation is to be born again (SAVED)For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works so no one should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9).
How are we saved? __________________________________.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).
How many have sinned? _____________________________.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).
What is the wages of sin? ____________________________?
What is the gift of God? ______________ _______________ ?
“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
“For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10)
With what do you confess that Jesus died for your sins?
_____________________________________________________.
With what do you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead?
_____________________________________________________.
“But as many, as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
(John 1:12-13).
You become a ________________________ when you receive and believe in Jesus Christ.
“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
You will ______________ if you do not believe in Jesus Christ.
BUT
You will have ____________ _____________ if you believe in
Jesus Christ.
SUPPOSE YOU WERE STANDING BEFORE GOD RIGHT NOW AND HE ASKED YOU, “WHY SHOULD I ALLOW YOU INTO MY HEAVEN?
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?____________________________
If you are saved and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then thank Him for your salvation.
If you are not saved, place your trust in Jesus Christ right now and receive his gift of eternal life (the greatest gift of all the ones you may have received during Christmas).
PRAYER OF SALVATION
Please pray this prayer aloud:
Father, I have sinned and I confess and repent of all my sins before you now, I have made my own plans and took my own paths in the past. Forgive me of all my sins. I believe that you sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins. I believe that you raised Him up from the grave. He is now my Savior and Lord. I give Him total control of my life as of now!
Thank you, God, for your plan of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Amen.
If you just prayed this prayer, could you please contact us and let us know by going to our contact page and contact us by email.
Go to Contact Page to:
NOTE: You can purchase my Journals by clicking the link below, if you do not already have one:
Rebecca A'dele
RISE Ministries, Inc.
THE BIBLE - Study
SALVATION - Study
SALVATION - Study
THE BIBLE
HE IS THE SAME GOD YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1).
The Bible is God’s Word. Before the Holy Spirit gave these topics, the prayer was that you would stay with these studies and not drop off.
A few years ago, I was a student and the course was “The New Testament Exegesis” . The book used is by Gordon D. Fee. In his introduction, the author said, “THE TERM EXEGESIS is used in this book in a consciously limited sense to refer to the historical investigation into the meaning of the biblical text. Furthermore, exegesis is primarily concerned with intentional: What did the author intend his original readers to understand? Therefore, the ultimate aim of the biblical student is to apply one’s exegetical understanding of the text to the contemporary church and world.”
I learned early in life from my mother that if I am going to get weak as I get older, and because I am not going to be able to do the things I can do now when old age arrives, I have to work hard while I am young.
The same principle applies to God and His Word. Before, God spoke directly to people. He still speaks now but through His written Word:
Therefore, you must start studying the Bible immediately and begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ because the Bible is all about Him. The Bible is God’s instruction, now is the time to start living your life according to His Words.
Make it your habit to meditate and study the Word of God every day
We must also obey the Scriptures to be the kind of Christians God wants us to be. There are many Bible versions in the market, choose the one that is easy for you to understand. There are also “Study Bibles” and many other materials to help you study.
THE BIBLE HAS 66 BOOKS - OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS:
OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS = 39
Books of Law/Pentateuch
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy
Books of History
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, II Samuel, I King, II King, I Chronicles,
II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.
Books of Wisdom/Poetry
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
Books of Major Prophets
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentation, Ezekiel, and Daniel
Books of Minor Prophets
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS = 27
Books of the Gospels
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Book of History
Acts
Books of Epistles
Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians, II Thessalonians, I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, I Peter, II Peter, I John, II John, III John, Jude
Book of Prophecy
Revelation
SUGGESTIONS BEFORE STUDYING
Start your study with a prayer. Ask God to give you insight and understanding of His words. Choose a quiet place without distractions.
SUGGESTED BIBLE STUDY TOOLS
NOTEBOOK
EXAMPLES OF BIBLE VERSIONS
1. NKJV (New King James Version)
2. NIV (New International Version)
3. NLT (New Living Translation – Modern)
CONCORDANCE
Some Bibles have a concordance in them. Choose one that is in accordance with the Bible translation you use.
BIBLE DICTIONARY
COMMENTARY
*************************************************************
“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130).
“Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22).
The owner of an Insurance Agency taught a Time Management class. He was always teaching this course because it was extremely important to him that projects are completed in an effective, efficient, and timely manner. Every time he teaches the course, he always starts by asking the class, “How do you eat an elephant? We always laughed and murmured among ourselves and asked each other the same question. Then the entire class would reply, “You can’t!” He always says, "you eat it one piece at a time, until you eat the entire elephant".
In applying that same principle to our Bible Study, the same question is asked here also – How do you study the Bible? You start by studying one verse, and then one chapter and ultimately one book at a time. You cannot jump around. Some areas of the Bible may not be interesting to you but others will. Whether they are interesting or not you must dedicate your heart and mind to read all God’s Words. There are insights in every word that God spoke in His Bible.
There are millions of instruction books, magazines, and pamphlets, as well as information on the internet. We read these materials because we want to find answers about different things, especially instructions for the products that we purchase. Most products come with their instructions. Also, there are books on health, raising children, making money, strengthening your marriage, finding a job, career, traveling and the list goes on. Well, if you have to read these books to obtain answers or instructions on “How To”, where do you get answers about your life and your purpose on earth? The Bible is God’s instruction for teaching, rebuking, reproofing and training in righteousness, in order to be equipped in doing God’s work and live righteously before Him.
“The grass withers, the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8).
The Bible has principles that you need to strengthen your spiritual life. The reason for this topic is to give you the basics of the Bible’s organization in order to find help in just about any situation. Applying Bible principles to your situation is the foundation of a strong spiritual life.
The Bible is used to help others in encouragement, counseling, compassion, and questions. It also helps believers to grow to spiritual maturity. It is our spiritual food, just as we eat food to give the body nutrients.
After Jesus returned from Jordan, the Spirit in the desert led him. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them, He was hungry. “And the devil said to Him, if you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” It is also our weapon to fight in spiritual warfare, to guide us as we walk in this life, and to do God’s work.
When you need common sense read the book of Proverbs
When you need to know what true love is read I Corinthians 13.
When you want to know how uniquely, God created you and His knowledge about you read Psalm 139.
When you feel guilty, read Psalm 51.
When you are depressed read Philippians 4:6-9.
When you want to know The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly read Psalm 1.
Our memory verse for the conclusion of this study is “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” (Luke 4:4).
Circle key words and phrases in the above verse
What does the verse say? In your own words, rewrite the verse
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
In what ways can you apply the truth of this verse to your life today?
God bless you with insights as you study His word through the Bible.
Rebecca A'dele
RISE Ministries
ASSURANCE - Study
SALVATION - Study
FORGIVENESS - Study
ASSURANCE means that you are very certain about your salvation and there is no doubt in your mind whatsoever!
In Hebrews 10:19-39 this scripture is a “Call to Persevere”. In verses 32-39, Eugene Peterson in His book “The Message” writes this way, “Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse – some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.
It won’t be long now, he’s on the way;
He’ll show up most any minute.
But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust;
If he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy.
But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.”
Do you remember when you became a born again Christian? If not, go back and revise the first study “SALVATION”.
Christians suffer just like everyone else, but we must not lose heart and be tempted to turn from our faith. Knowing what eternal reward is waiting for us should strengthen our faith and help us to endure hard times such as personal suffering, shame, loss of possessions, jobs, loved ones and many other difficult circumstances that we may encounter in this world that is full of turmoil and confusion. Sometimes past tragedy and trials can give us strong testimonies to face the future. Christians will continue to endure until Jesus’ return. We must stay with His plan and trust Him all the way.
Many forces in this world will come to your faith to stop you from your relationship with Jesus Christ. Satan is very tricky in this area. He will tempt you just as we see in Study 2 in our memory verse Luke 4:4 when he tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread. Jesus answered “It is written: ‘Man does not live by bread alone but by every word of God.’”
Moses explained to the Israelites the reasons for their long journey in the wilderness. This was a testing period for them because of their grumbling, inconsistency and weak nature. Sometimes the tough times in life may contain God’s revelation. If we meditate on His Word, open our hearts to receive, and be ready to learn from our experiences, God will reveal himself to us. The light will come on, and God will reveal new insights and discernment about our difficulties. Sometimes the tough times will test our commitments. Are you able to withstand the forces of life when they come?
God’s love is very strong. Nothing on earth can overpower your relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
Our memory verses for this study are Romans 8:38-39. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Memorize the verses referenced above
Underline key words and define them.
Rewrite these verses in your own words.
Apply these verses to your life now that you are a Christian.
Rebecca A'dele
RISE Ministries, Inc.
FORGIVENESS - Study
TRUSTING GOD - Study
FORGIVENESS - Study
JESUS WAS TEACHING HIS DISCIPLES HOW TO STAY IN GOOD FAMILY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER WHEN HE SAID:“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (NKJV - Matthew 6:14-15)
Eugene Peterson in his book “The Message” puts the above scripture passage this way: “In prayer, there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You cannot get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.”
A friend passed away in May 1998. She was a colleague in the insurance business. We shared ideas about our businesses and the industry. We ate lunch together on several occasions. One day, she said that she had to leave town to attend her sister’s funeral; her sister died of breast cancer.
When she arrived in Houston after a few days, she called but she sounded very upset. I asked her how the funeral service went. She screamed and said, “My mother and my siblings were not happy to see me. They put me down, talked negatively, and threw me out of the house. I had to find another place to stay until the funeral was over.” She said, “In my family, there was rivalry, jealousy, and envy towards me for no just cause.
One day we had lunch together with another friend. She ordered a bowl of soup, crackers, and tea. She excused herself and went to the women’s room. We waited for her but she took a very long time in the room. I was feeling very uncomfortable about her long stay there. I got up to check on her but she was coming towards me, I noticed something very peculiar about her from the time she left us and went into the room. She was staggering as she walked towards us. I asked her if everything was okay. She said, “No, take a look at my eyes.” I looked and they were very yellow. I said your eyes are very yellow, maybe it is jaundice. She told me that she was vomiting in the Women’s restroom. I asked her if she wanted me to take her home, she said, “No, I think I can drive myself home.” She left the restaurant on that Friday afternoon without eating anything. I called her after an hour, to make sure that she made it home safely. I also called her again on Saturday.
On Sunday, her son called me to inform me that an ambulance took his mother to the hospital because she was very ill. On Monday, I went to the hospital to see her and she told me that the diagnosis was Pancreatic Cancer. She went through all the difficulties of this disease. I went to see her very often while she was going through her suffering.
When I visited her one Sunday afternoon, I boldly asked her if she knew the Lord Jesus Christ and if she had a personal relationship with Him. She said, “Yes, I know that Jesus is my Lord and Savior and I believe that He died for my sins.”
The following Sunday, I was unable to see her due to other activities which I was involved in. Therefore, I planned to visit her on Monday instead. When I came home, I tried to call her and her son said, “My mother passed away today.” I was sad because I missed seeing her that Sunday, but happy about her relationship with Jesus Christ.
The main point of this story is “Forgiveness”. These sisters that passed away exactly 10 months apart never forgave each other, never solved their differences. They demonstrated a lot of hate towards each other. They had the opportunity to solve their problems but none of them saw the need to resolve it. They were too involved in themselves and having their own pity party. SELFISH, I called it. They died without forgiving each other.
Refusing to forgive others is a sin that bars us from God’s forgiveness. One of God’s character traits is FORGIVENESS. Sin ruins our relationship and fellowship with others. God forgave us when He allowed His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.
As disciples, we should not retaliate against others when they oppress us. We should leave retaliation to God, “for it is written: '' It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”
(Romans 12: 19).
Every one of us has someone in our family or circle of friends who we need to forgive today! I pray that the Holy Spirit empowers us to have the guts to confront, confess, repent and ask for forgiveness of our own sins and for others who have sinned against us. We are to love each other as we love ourselves. The second greatest commandment that Jesus told one of the Pharisees is: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I am praying that the Holy Spirit will give us a heart of forgiveness. Time is very short. If you have the opportunity to forgive someone today, please do so very quickly. Life is too short to be trapped in a web of unforgiveness.
PERSONAL APPLICATIONS
a) Pray
b) Make a decision to be reconciled with everyone in your life.
c) Ask God to forgive you.
d) Ask God to forgive others and set them free in your heart.
e) Begin with a decision to forgive and the healing will follow
NOW CHOOSE TO FORGIVE ONE PERSON IN YOUR LIFE WHO HAS HURT YOU THE MOST. THINK ABOUT THE ONE THAT YOU ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY TO FORGIVE. PRAY AND ASK GOD TO FORGIVE THEM AND FREE THEM TODAY!
God bless you
Rebecca A'délé
Rise Ministries, Inc.
HOLY SPIRIT - Study
TRUSTING GOD - Study
TRUSTING GOD - Study
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS WORKS GOD LIVES IN US THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE HOLY SPIRIT WANTS TO CONTROL US AND MAKE US HAVE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF JESUS CHRIST.
The one and only true God has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
If we study Acts 2 – we see that the Holy Spirit revealed Himself on the Day of Pentecost. The Spirit took over the entire meeting and overwhelmed the followers of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit gives power to those who are children of God. On the day of Pentecost when the Spirit formed the disciples into a church, He gave them prophetic gifts. The Spiritual Gifts helped them to begin the great commission task of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus commissioned them to go into the entire world and preach the word. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20).
The Holy Spirit according to the above passage shows us the association of the Spirit with the Father and the Son in the line that read, “Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” This is an affirmation of the deity of the Spirit. Therefore, the Spirit is equal to the Father and the Son and is not to be confused with either the Father or the Son. God is one in three persons.
The Holy Spirit leads those that are children of God. God is Spirit and He leads us through His Spirit. Jesus said, the Holy Spirit is your guide and He gives you everything. Jesus’ promise “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” was fulfilled by the Spirit. He is the spirit that reveals the truth and He is your only source of victory. He will never lead you on the wrong paths. The Spirit gives us the power to understand and not to go astray but to act and walk righteously before God.
He is the spirit of love and love never fails (I Corinthians 13:8). Therefore, be led by the spirit who is a person, not a thing and you will never fail! “Life is controlled by sin or by God’s Spirit. Sin has always given us the death sentence but when Christ came and died for our sins on the cross, He immediately gave the death sentence to sin. He gave us a choice to choose life or death. We have the choice to be at peace with God or to be at war with Him. We can make a choice to live in the Spirit to please Him or live in sin to please death.”
OUR MEMORY VERSE FOR THIS STUDY IS GALATIANS 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”
The above passage lists the characteristics of the Holy Spirit. In this world, Satan is constantly tempting us to sin. As children of God, He will always give us an escape not to yield to Satan’s temptations but to yield to the Holy Spirit.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
When you are tempted to take revenge against another person, _____________ the person and leave the person to God. Remember the Lord says ”Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” (Romans 12:19).
If depressed, think of the _____________ of being alive. God wakes you up everyday to glorify Him and not to be depressed. “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5).
Make all effort to be at ______________ with people. Remember Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34).
Have _________________ and bear the burdens of others. Help them when they are struggling with their needs. In the book of Romans, Paul said, “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5).
Grow in the Faith by showing __________________ to others. “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7).
_______________ is a required characteristic of the Christian. Be a good person regardless of your situation. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6).
Praise and worship God at all times. His ____________________ is everlasting. He keeps His promises. He is worthy of praise no matter how you feel today. God is always there with you through good times and bad times. “Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you, I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things; your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” (Isaiah 25:1).
Show your _____________________ to all people regardless of their status in life. In addition, have fellowship with other believers and seek to have joy and prayer together. “Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.” (Philippians 4:5).
Be ________ - _____________ in your day-to-day walk with God. In order to live a victorious life, you must be self-controlled. You cannot let this world system beat you down and cause you to fall. “But hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” (Titus 1:8-9).
God bless you.
Rebecca A'délé
RISE Ministries, Inc.
TRUSTING GOD - Study
TRUSTING GOD - Study
TRUSTING GOD - Study
“TRUST AND OBEY FOR THERE IS NO OTHER WAY”
There is no other way to live in this world happily and peacefully without Trusting in God.
Psalm 37:3-7 will be our memory verses for this study:
(3) “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pastures.
(4) Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart,
(5) Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
(6) He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn and the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
(7) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
The wicked people of this world may look as if they have more success and riches than the righteous, but the righteous are better off with the perspective of eternity. There is hope for eternal life, which is permanent. So being on God’s side is better than being rich without the hope of eternal life.
Trust, faith, perseverance in the ways of God will be rewarded in due time. The evil in this world is always prowling around and very often haunts our existence. We are not to worry because everything in this world is temporary except the Kingdom of God. Our mortality is a common human characteristic (whether you are a good or bad person). Eternal life is a gift from God to us who believe, it is not something we possess by nature. Our good works will not earn us eternal life. We must believe in Jesus Christ to receive it. No one will enter God’s kingdom by riches, high status, or good works except through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
The advice in the above verses is very important in gaining perspective regarding those who have less integrity but look as if they are gaining ground in this life.
Trusting in God will be rewarded in due time. Only time and experience will validate God’s justice against the wicked. Therefore, God’s people should not be angry or envious of the wicked. We should trust God in His justice.
APPLICATION
Read the verses and write the conditions
Read the verses again and write the promises
As you can see, for every promise there is a corresponding condition. If we choose God’s pleasures, He will choose ours.
God bless you.
Rebecca A'délé
RISE Ministries, Inc.
Site Content
THANKSGIVING - Study
THANKSGIVING - Study
THANKSGIVING - Study
Gracious Father: Let what you say today touch others through me. Help your people to seek you with all their hearts. Help them to leave this site not the same way they came to visit but to leave with the Holy Spirit inside of them. Deliver your message to me, use me to teach your truth. Speak your word God, and let me step aside so that your people will hear you.
In Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Thanksgiving is praising God. According to the dictionary, “It is a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness.”
God loves us and gives us grace and mercy, which we do not deserve.
During my morning devotions these past months, I thought about the many blessings, which God is giving me. I started thanking and praising Him with all my heart, soul, and strength. As I was doing that, the Scripture passage which came to mind was Psalm 103:1-5, I opened the pages of my Bible and read it.
Falling in love with Jesus is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Yes, you can have a degree, good home, good job, good children and good family, money, material goods, business, career, and the list continues, but none of these will replace the love that God has for you.
Many of us seek things in this temporary and material world first. However, I say, SEEK GOD FIRST! “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you!
I praise God and I have asked Him to allow me to proclaim His name on this website. Praise the Lord and thank Him!
After browsing this website, please take your bible and find Psalm 103, verses 1 to 5 with me. I love the way Eugene Peterson puts it in his translation called “The Message” and it reads:
1 - “O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I will bless his holy name!
2 - O my soul, bless God, Do not forget a single blessing!
3 - He forgives your sins – every one. He heals your diseases – every one
4 - He redeems you from hell – saves your life! He crowns you with love and mercy – a paradise crown.
5 - He wraps you in goodness – eternal beauty. He renews your youth – you are always young in his presence.”
The entire chapter tells us that all His benefits reach far beyond individual experience, God is always present and he intervenes in His world on behalf of the oppressed, the depressed, and reaches down to the sick who calls on him. Oppression, depression, loss of employment, loss of homes, loss of loved ones, but he promised us that if we call on him, he will never leave us or forsake us. Thank Him.
All of God’s benefits in this Scripture reveal His character. He is described in this Scripture as loving, gentle, forgiving, compassionate, kind, and good. Each one of us has a brief life span, as the flowers in a garden; but God’s love is everlasting and His justice is steadfast. He will not change through the generations who keep covenant with him
God’s kingdom stands behind his benefit and character. Of course, everything must praise him: the powerful messengers in his Kingdom, all who are behind His throne, the hosts of servants everywhere obeying His commands, the works He does throughout His dominions, including David’s grateful and surprised soul.
Anytime you have trouble praising the Lord we should turn to this psalm, get down before God, and recite it back to Him. It is a Psalm of perfect praise.
Thoughts of God’s grace flashes before the soul of the Psalmist. He loves God! His thoughts reach to God as he thinks of the praise he owes to God and of the benefits he receives from God, therefore he says: “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”
There is not much that we can bring to God based on verses 1 and 2. Can we offer Him our money? He can create galaxies of gold in a second. Can we offer Him our service? His ministers in His Kingdom are far greater and more gifted than we to attend His throne. What can we offer Him? Well, Nothing, except praise. We can bring Him thanksgiving and praise. David counts five reasons in verses 1 to 5 for which the believer can offer praise as he or she comes before the Lord.
We all have our personal stories. Now is the time to open them. Confess in your heart to God, He hears. Open your heart and repent, ask for forgiveness and receive His saving grace.
I give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His love raised me up from death to praise and proclaim His name today! Help me give thanks to God because he has given me new life and He continues to heal me. I am glad today because I was minutes away from death from an unexpected illness.
One of the things that have changed in my life is that my illness helps me to see more clearly what are the important things to look at and accomplish while I am still here. I want to encourage people to handle the big issues in their lives and begin to take care of them immediately. I will give you examples of some things that we need to make sure we do while we are still here. Begin to do it now! They are:
1) Seek God’s Kingdom with the resources that He entrusted to you to manage
2) Treat others with respect and kindness
3) Help those who are in need.
4) Love your family (they are gifts to you).
5) Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
As you thank the Lord, recite this scripture within your soul and give it your best. Use every organ, every cell, every molecule, neuron, blood vessel, nerve and artery in your created body, every part of your being to praise God! Honor Him, Glorify Him, and Acknowledge Him as the God of this world. He made everything beautiful including you! So praise Him and thank Him for His goodness and mercies. Great is His faithfulness and they are new every morning.
Maybe you do not feel like thanking God today, well, search deep down inside your heart, sometimes it is difficult to be thankful, joyful, or hopeful when you are hurting. Begin to recite or memorize this Scripture. Be very attentive to the words as you say them. Think about the One you are praising. Let go of your fears, let them disappear because God the One who you are thinking about as you pray is able! He is able to take your fears away. He is able to take away your anxieties and anger. He is able to let the frustrations and depressions of your life dissolve because in Philippians 4:6, He urged you not to be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. So praise God!
HE WOKE YOU UP TODAY, PRAISE HIM
HE BROUGHT YOU TO THIS SITE, PRAISE HIM, HE PUT CLOTHES ON YOUR BACK, PRAISE HIM, HE GIVES YOU SHELTER, PRAISE HIM, AND HE Satisfies YOUR MOUTH WITH GOOD THINGS. TO GOD BE THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HATH DONE. GIVE GOD PRAISE AND THANK HIM!
There are many people today who do not have clothes to wear, food to eat, a place to sleep. I need someone who will help me daily. Someone who has the power to change my situation and that someone is the Lord. I give him praise because He is an Awesome God.
If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, now is the time to make the decision. Brothers and Sisters, Jesus is waiting. He said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20). Please stop browsing and return to Lesson One “Salvation” and pray at the bottom of the lesson. If you do so, please contact us and let us know about your decision to let go and let God take care of you from now on. We would like to rejoice with you, and then thank him for his saving grace.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Write Your answers in a journal so that you will always refer to your answers as you apply this study to your life.
NOTE: You can purchase my Journals at this link, if you do not already have one.
If you read the Scripture in Psalm 103: 1-5 then write it in your own words. As you do so, ask God to help you understand it and start counting your blessings. You will be surprised to see what the Lord has done!
We started posting new topics and inspirations on our "Blog Page". Please feel free to join the discussion and leave your comments there. We love hearing from you and thanks for studying with us. Please refer others to these studies and continue to browse through our website for new updates.
We love you.
God bless you.
Rebecca A'délé
RISE Ministries, Inc.
DISCIPLESHIP - STUDY
THANKSGIVING - Study
THANKSGIVING - Study
A disciple is a “learner – a follower of Jesus Christ.” Disciples recognize Jesus Christ as Lord and He is first in everything in their lives. In other words, a disciple is an ambassador called to preach the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
Our study for this lesson is Romans 10:14-15:
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Because of God’s Grace towards us, this ministry has decided to be Disciples of Jesus Christ and take the responsibility of representing the Kingdom of God on earth. We thank God for His Grace and Mercy, therefore; we will fulfill the role as Ambassadors for Christ. We have made the decision to connect to Jesus Christ who gives us the power to serve Him and to bear much fruit. This is the essential work of Christians. The branches of a tree are useless without the vine. God’s intentions for His children are to bear fruit that is to lead others to Christ. Fruit bearing is possible only for believers who live in constant, powerful relation to Christ. Ambassadors for Jesus Christ are His representative on earth. A representative of Christ is also an Evangelist. We speak for the King of heaven; or rather let Him speak through us. Our message is clear: be reconciled (connected) to God through Jesus Christ! See Lesson 1 above on Salvation - how to be connected back to God. Evangelism is not an option; it is our primary role as Christians or followers of Jesus Christ.
One thing about proclamation or preaching is that individuals like us do it. God has set or called apart certain individuals to proclaim His truth. If you go back to Old Testament times you will see that there were Prophets who were willing and some that were reluctant to proclaim God’s Word, but God use whomever He wants to use regardless of our attitude or status in life. Personally, to teach and preach the gospel is a privilege to Christians. God still calls individuals to stand in the pulpit to “preach” regularly. He calls others to serve in different capacities where people need to hear. Your place of service can be inside your own home, neighborhood or subdivision, workplace, community, city or town, country or the world. You can proclaim the gospel in any of these areas and therefore be able to help many people to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and be saved.
APPLICATIONS:
1) Who is the source of all life?
2) Read John 15:2-8 - What are some of the consequences that we can experience if we do not bear fruit?
a) Who do Christians relate to as the vine
b) Bearing fruit depends on remaining in Christ and drawing on His sustaining grace. Bearing fruit ______________God.
3) Read John 13:35 - The lack of love for one another raises confusing questions for others about Christian discipleship. Hatred, fighting, jealousy, and snobbery have no place among disciples. What will overcome such worldly feelings? ______________.
God bless you.
Rebecca A'délé
RISE Ministries, Inc.
PRAYER - Study
THANKSGIVING - Study
NEXT GEN CORNER
PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING
We are praying for you, that you will open your heart to receive what God has to say to you as we take you through these topics.
“IN THIS MANNER, THEREFORE, PRAY:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom comes. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
(NKJV – Matthew 6:9-13)).
Jesus taught His disciples to pray the above prayer; when they prayed. This is the Model Prayer. Prayer must be first in our agenda each day. We need to start every morning with prayer and then continue to pray throughout the day. God communicates with us through His written words from the Bible and we communicate to Him through prayer. Our purpose is to worship God at all times. “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. “God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24).
The Model Prayer is our scripture reference for this study; let us look at it in a systematic way:
IN THIS MANNER, THEREFORE, PRAY:
“OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME.”
This is how we should adore God. It shows us how we should praise, worship and glorify Him. Every time we begin to pray, we must begin with ADORATION.
Praise God for who He is and what He has done for you in the past, present and His plan for your future life.
Praise Him for what He has done for your Salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Praise Him that He is God of Righteousness, a God of Love, peace, and joy, a God who heals. God is our refuge and strength. Praise God that He keeps you safe night after night when you are sleeping and then wakes you up every morning. The Father is seeking those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth… (John 4:24).
These are some examples of God’s attributes:
He is unique in nature
He is the only God and He is holy
God is intimate and relates to His people as Lord and Father
God is righteous; He is love, wisdom, power, and always present.
He is the creator of everything in His world.
In the beginning of the prayer (Matthew 6:9), we have praised the names of God. We have now entered the Throne Room and in His presence where we can receive mercy and find grace.
“YOUR KINGDOM COME. YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.”
We now acknowledge that God reigns in a Kingdom. We ask Him to come and rule our lives. Our lives involved ourselves, family, church, others, and nations of the world. We have to start with praying for ourselves because if the Kingdom of God is to come, it must begin to function in our lives and then extend to everything else. In other words, a prayer must be effective, so start by praying with emphasis on God’s attributes and His will to be done in your life today. When I pray, I affirm that Jesus Christ is first in my life and He is the LORD. You should pray for your husband, wife, children, grandchildren (name them individually), and relatives. Pray for your Pastor and His family and the church. Pray for others (co-laborers in ministries, friends, neighbors and those who need healing). Pray for nations and their leaders.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD.”
We ask God to provide our physical and material needs. Some of the reasons why our prayers are hindered are because when we pray we are not in God’s will, we have not forgiven those who hurt us, and when we ask, we ask so that we can spend it on our own pleasures (asking with the wrong motives).
“AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.”
We ask God to forgive us of sins that the Holy Spirit points out. We are guilty and then convicted of the sin. We now bring our relationship and attitude to God. We must agree with Him about the sin that we have committed. WE must move on to CONFESSION of our sins after reverencing and adoring God. Forgive and release others. Set your heart to forgive those who hurt you. “Forgiveness” is our next topic and we will spend more time on this subject. We must ask God to forgive others who have hurt us also. In Matthew 6:14-15, after teaching His disciples how to pray the model prayer captioned above, Jesus went on to say, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
“AND DO NOT LEAD US INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE.”
We must thank God for being our only true God! Thank Him for His grace and mercy. Thank Him for His power of protection and deliverance. When we move to this portion of THANKING God, remember that He has to give you the full armor of protection against the devil’s schemes. The Bible tells us how to have Victory over fear in Ephesians 6:14-18 – The Armor of God:
“Stand firm, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. In addition, pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
Jesus also taught His disciples to pray for deliverance from evil. As we pray, we ask God to put a hedge of protection around our lives. Remember that one of His attributes is “refuge and strength, a present help in times of trouble. Pray that when the devil comes to trouble you, especially when he tries to tempt you, that God will give you an escape and you will take His escape and not yours. You cannot fight Satan alone; you need to fight with the armor of God.
Thank God that we can call Him “Our Father” in the beginning of this prayer, because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We can praise God for His promises throughout His written words His way of communicating with us. Thank Him that you can communicate with Him through your prayers. Thank Him for waking you up every day and for health and strength to move about, to drive your car, for your house, job, family, and friends.
“FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY FOREVER.”
In an article, dated December 20, 2004, in U.S. News and World Report, Titled: “HOW WE TALK TO GOD” Stated in the article about what people pray for the writer said, “People pray for everything from the divine to the selfish and profane. What do people actually pray about when they bow their heads, close their eyes, and begin to share their most personal thoughts, worries, desires, yearnings, adoration, and gratitude?” She said, “The short answer it seems is that they pray about nearly everything. A cancer cure. Divine inspiration. One person “asks/him/her to dazzle me.” Another says, “My prayers are always based on blessing God and thanking God for things. Frequently, someone needed help to pay bills and answered prayers came in the form of cash. She also said people pray for wisdom and healing and for a closer relationship with God.” She said, “One woman prayed for her pet chicken after a dog mauled it, and the chicken lived.”
Each SUPPLICATION (Petition) is asking God to fulfill their needs. Believe that you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer (Matthew 21:22). Jesus taught His disciples to ask, seek, and knock. “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you. (Matthew 7:7). When we ask God, it suggests that we are dependent on Him for our needs. Remember one of His attributes is Provider.
PERSONAL APPLICATION
When you are ready to pray and before you ask God for anything:
1) You must confess your sins. Agree with God about your hidden or past sins. (Psalm 51).
2) Repent of your sins. Begin to walk in righteousness. (Psalm 139:23-24).
3) Forgive yourself. Put your burdens of past sins away.
(Ephesians 1:7-8).
4) Forgive others who have hurt you. Forgive the specific person who hurt you the most. (Mark 11:25)
5) Make sure that you are tithing to your church, and giving an offering to others for the expansion of the Kingdom of God. He owns everything (Psalm 24, Malachi 3:6-12).
6) Be in the right position - asking with wrong motives, without boldness and without faith (James 4:3, Hebrews 4:16, Matthew 17:20, 21:21-22).
7) Ask in Jesus’ Name – “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
(John 14:13-14).
“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name, ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:24).
NOTE: When you pray: Adore God. Confess your sins. Thank God for everything. Present your Supplication.
Remember the acronym – “ACTS.”
Let us pray:
Father, we adore you. Thank you for being our one and only true God. You are awesome, magnificent and holy. We confess and repent of our sins. Forgive us, Lord, when we hurt others, by words or deeds. Forgive those who have hurt us. We thank you for what Jesus did on the cross for us when he shed His blood for our sins. Thank you for your Saving Grace.
Father, we ask you for protection from the moment we rise up every day until we go back to sleep every night. Protect us from evil because you are our refuge and strength, a present help in times of trouble.
In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen.
Rebecca A'délé
Rise Ministries, Inc.
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(Micah 6:8)
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