Thought Provoking Bible Studies About God

(developed by Bill Stevenson)

Introduction:
One of my main concerns is that most Christian churches don’t have very much Bible teaching. So I
have tried to encourage many to study the Bible more and even begin home group Bible studies.
Recently, I have had opportunities to share about my logical indent method of formatting Scripture with
some leaders in a world-wide denomination and they thought it was good and could help the indicated
Bible study revival. In the last part of August 2007, I re-organized about 140 complete and partial Bible
studies for making some MS Word files of Bible studies which could be used as “springboards” for
personal or group Bible studies. Hope that you will enjoy all that follows.

Note: The following is about a way I have been logically formatting Scripture since September 1977.
Many of my Bible study courses have it because it causes reasoning which helps for better
retention. After reading the directions, try your favorite Bible chapter. The man I learned this
from even did his personal letters this way.

Introduction:
Proper Bible study is so important because it is the best way to discover
"the mind of Christ" (Philippians 2) or how Jesus Christ thinks.
That is the way to get to know Jesus Christ intimately
which the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3 is so important.
For your e-mail ministry, you can share any of my Bible studies (which are free for the asking)
or even uses parts of them in counseling or for your website.
But if you want to develop your own inductive Bible studies or Bible study tools,
below are some advice from me.

Studying and using Scripture suggestions:

First in responding to any Bible verse or Scripture passage you hear in a sermon,
skim the verse or passage and then check the verses before and after
to make sure that was is being said really relates to the verse quoted.
Sometimes after the sermon and I am at my computer,
I will download any meaningful verses' passages and at least do the indent formatting to them
to understand better the logic of them.
If you are just typing Scripture without using Bible software to copy/paste from,
be very careful and double and triple check what you have written.
One letter missing or one letter added can change the meaning of a verse.
For each verse, think:
“Does it just tell me something I believe already
or does it indicate something I should change in my life to be more Christ-like?”
If it is the latter, you should copy it onto a 3 x 5 card
in your own words in a commitment form.

Back in 1977-78, I learned to do a special logical formatting.

The above and the below are samples of it:
This method of Bible study
will help the formatter learn new understanding of God’s Word
and can be used
for inductive teaching for Bible study discussion groups and
for easier memorizing of Scripture.

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This way of writing Scripture can be done using any translation of the Bible
but please show respect in and capitalize the first letter of
deity pronouns,
Earth (for God’s special planet),
Christian, and
other words that indicate uniqueness (like "Bible" and "Apostle").
This will almost look sort of like the outline format
with the verses or groups of verses that seem to be of equal importance
indented the same positions from the left of the page.
A definite paragraph should have a blank line above its first line.

For producing inductive study for a Bible chapter or passage:

Download the Bible chapter or passage into a MS Word document.
Type the reference title above the first verse.
Press the Enter key and that is where the first verse number goes.
If the verse number is one digit, put a space in front of it.
Then press the space bar 4 times.
Be in the frame of mind as Proverbs 3:5-6 in order to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit
Determine how much of the first verse should be on the first line.
Most likely there will be a comma or semi-colon at the end.
In most cases, you will want to get as much on each line as possible,
but any equal important phrases usually should be separate lines
indented the same positions from the left of the page.
Continue as this page indicates.
Phrases or verses which seem to be just a clarification of a word in a previous verse
most likely should be indented at least 7 spaces to the right compared to the previous line,
so that the next line can start as it is a continuation of the previous line.

Then sometimes
I will bold or/and underline important verses or phrase or/and
I will insert thought provoking questions.
For producing subject studies:
After I sense a need (from the Holy Spirit, a sermon, a TV program, a conversation, etc.),
I use a Bible software to download verses using a key word to search with.
I usually have to such several times using different tense forms of a key word
and synonyms of that key word.
The software I usually use is from the free e-Sword downloads (usually KJV red letter edition)
or from the Lockman Foundation downloads of the Amplified and NASB Bibles.
Two other good sources for subject study verse references are
the Naves Topical Bible and Thompson Chain Bible References.

For Bible study #1

Ephesians 1 (NASV from the Lockman Foundation) and Bible Study Questions

*A) Read Ephesians 1:1-2 and Galatians 2:20.

****What is being faithful in Christ Jesus?
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are at Ephesus and {who are} faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and The Lord Jesus Christ.
*B) Read Ephesians 1:3-14. [In the KJV version, this passage is punctuated as one sentence.]
****Why should God be praised?
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****What spiritual accomplishments of His should we be thankful for?
****What else are you thankful for?
****How many past tense verbs are there in this passage?
****How many pronouns (words that represent nouns) are there?
****How many times is the word “all” used and what does each usage mean?
****What is the major promise or guarantee for true Christians?
****What are God's purposes in being involved with humanity now?
****What excites you most about God's relationship to you?
****How do you know if you are “chosen”?
****When you are able to praise God freely, what are the reasons?
****How can you feel like praising Him much more often?
3 Blessed {be} the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing
in the Heavenly {places} in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,
that we would be holy and blameless before Him.
In love
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the kind intention of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace,
which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of His grace
8 which He lavished on us.
In all wisdom and insight
9 He made known to us the mystery of His will,
according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him
10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times,
{that is,} the summing up of all things in Christ,
things in the heavens and things on the Earth.
In Him
11 also we have obtained an inheritance,
having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things
after the counsel of His will,
12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ
would be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him, you also,
after listening to the message of truth, the Gospel of your Salvation--
having also believed,
you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 Who is given as a pledge of our inheritance,
with a view to the redemption of {God's own} possession,
to the praise of His glory.
*C) Read Ephesians 1:15-17.
****In what ways do you think the Ephesus Christians showed their love for all the saints?
****How do you give thanks for such Christians?
****Why are they an encouragement to you?
****What kinds of wisdom and revelation are there? Describe some examples.
15 For this reason I too,
having heard of the faith in The Lord Jesus which {exists} among you
and your love for all the saints,

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16 do not cease giving thanks for you,
while making mention {of you} in my prayers;
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give to you a spirit
of wisdom
and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.
*D) What do verses 18-21 mean to you?
****What is the indicated resurrection power? Describe some examples in your Life.
****Why would you need such power in the future, for what possible situations?
18 {I pray that} the eyes of your heart may be enlightened,
so that you will know
what is the hope of His calling,
what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
{These are} in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
20 which He brought about in Christ,
when He raised Him from the dead
and seated Him at His right hand in the Heavenly {places,}
*E) Read the rest of the first chapter.
****What does the position of Jesus Christ personally mean to you?
****What do you think Paul means by the word “church”?
****How do you think man-formed churches can be better “channels” for “God's pleasure”?
****How can you be such an improvement in your daily living?
21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion,
and every name that is named,
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet,
and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

For Bible study #2

How much do you love God?

Abba Father

Jesus Christ said--

Mark 14:33-36
"And He took with Him Peter and James and John,
and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
and said unto them,
'My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry you here, and watch.'
And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground,
and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.
And He said,
'Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee;
take away this cup from Me;
nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt.'"

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Holy Spirit said--
Galatians 4:3-7
"Even so we, when we were children,
were in bondage under the elements of the world.
But when the fullness of the time was come,
God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the Law,
to redeem them that were under the Law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons and daughters.
And because you are sons and daughters,
God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying,
'Abba, Father'.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son [or daughter];
and if a son [or daughter], then an heir of God through Christ."

For true Christians to say--

Romans 8:12-15
"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors,
not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
For if you live after the flesh, you shall die;
but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the children of God.
For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;
but you have received the Spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, 'Abba, Father'."

Do you love God this much?

Consecration of Jonathan Edwards
(Good Daily Challenge)

“I claim no right to myself—

no right to this understanding, this will, these affections that are in me.
Neither do I have any right to this body or its members—
no right to this tongue, to these hands, feet, ears, or eyes.
I have given myself clear away
and not retained anything of my own.
I have been to God this morning
and told Him that I have given myself wholly to Him.
I have given every power,
so that for the future I claim no right to myself in any respect.
I have expressively promised Him,
for by His grace I will not fail.

“I take Him as my whole portion and felicity [great happiness],

the joys of Heaven, prosperity;
looking upon nothing else as any part of my happiness.
His Law is the constant rule of my obedience.
I will fight with all my might against the world, the flesh, and the devil to the end of my life.
I will adhere [stick] to the faith of the Gospel,
however hazardous [or dangerous] and difficult the profession and practice of it may be.
I receive the blessed Holy Spirit as my Teacher, Sanctifier, and the only Comforter,
and cherish all monitions [cautions or warnings] to enlighten, purify, confirm, comfort, and assist me.
This I have done.

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“I pray God,
for the sake of others,
to look upon me as a self dedication and receive me as His own.
Henceforth I am not to act in any respect as my own.
I shall act as my own
if I ever make use of any of my powers
to do anything that is not to the glory of God,
or to fail to make the glorifying of Him my whole and entire business.
If I murmur in the least at afflictions,
if I am in any way uncharitable,
if I revenge my own case,
if I do anything purely to please myself or omit anything because it is a great denial,
if I trust to myself
if I take any praise for any good which Christ does by me,
or if I am in any way proud,
I shall act as my own and not God's.
Therefore, I purpose to be absolutely His.”

[Emphases and definitions purposely added.]

For Bible study #3

Divine Glory and Proper Human Glorifying

(compiled by Bill Stevenson)

Directions: Determine the reasons for the formatting of the Scripture and answer the questions about
the following Bible verses and passages.

Exodus 15:11
“Who is like unto You, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
 What other gods exist today?
 How is God glorious in holiness?
 How is God fearful in praises?
 What wonders does God do now?

Exodus 24:15-17
“And Moses went up into the mount,
and a cloud covered the mount.
And the glory of The Lord abode upon Mount Sinai,
and the cloud covered it six days;
and the seventh day He called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
And the sight of the glory of The Lord
was like devouring fire on the top of the mount
in the eyes of the children of Israel.”
 How do you think the glory of God was on Mount Sinai and why was it covered by clouds?
 What is witnessing the glory of God like?
 What does the word “devour” mean?

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Exodus 29:42-43
God said, “‘This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations
at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation before The Lord:
where I will meet you, to speak there unto you.
And there I will meet with the children of Israel,
and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory.’”
 What did God’s glory do in the Old Testament times?
 What does the word “sanctify” mean?

Exodus 40:31-35
“And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat.
When they went into the tent of the congregation,
and when they came near unto the altar,
they washed; as The Lord commanded Moses.
And he reared up the court round about the Tabernacle and the altar,
and set up the hanging of the court gate.
So Moses finished the work.
Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation,
and the glory of The Lord filled the Tabernacle.
And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation,
because the cloud abode thereon,
and the glory of The Lord filled the Tabernacle.”
 Who and when said, “It is finished.”
 How does that relate to this passage?
 How was this passage similar to one above about the glory of God?
 Why wasn’t Moses able to go into the Tabernacle again?

Leviticus 9:22-24
“And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them,
and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
And Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle of the congregation,
and came out, and blessed the people:
and the glory of The Lord appeared unto all the people.
And there came a fire out from before The Lord,
and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat:
which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.”
 What had to be done before the special blessing of witnessing the glory of The Lord?
 How was the power of the divine glory demonstrated?
 Which verse above had a similar description?

Numbers 14:21-24
God said, “‘But as truly as I live, all the Earth shall be filled with the glory of The Lord.
Because all those men [and women and children]
who have seen My glory,
and My miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness,
and have tempted Me now these ten times,
and have not hearkened to My voice.
Surely they shall not see the land which I swore unto their fathers,
neither shall any of them that provoked me see it.
But My servant Caleb,
because he had another Spirit with him,
and has followed Me fully,
him will I bring into the land where into he went,
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and his seed shall possess it.’”

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  Why was God disappointed in the first delivered Israelites?
 Why was He thankful for Caleb?
 How did he live his daily life?

Numbers 20:6
“And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly
unto the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation,
and they fell upon their faces:
and the glory of The Lord appeared unto them.”
 What did Moses and Aaron have to do before God’s glory appeared to them again?
 How could this relate to you now?

Deuteronomy 5:22-29
“‘These words [The Ten Commandments] The Lord spoke unto all your assembly in the mount
out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice;
and He added no more.
And He wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
And it came to pass, when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness,
(for the mountain did burn with fire,)
that you came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders.
And you said, ‘Behold,
The Lord our God has showed us His glory and His greatness,
and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire;
we have seen this day that God does talk with man, and He lives.
Now therefore why should we die?
For this great fire will consume us;
if we hear the voice of The Lord our God any more, then we shall die.
For who is there of all flesh,
who has heard the voice of the living God speaking
out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
Go near, and hear all that The Lord our God shall say;
and speak unto us all that The Lord our God shall speak unto you;
and we will hear it, and do it.’
And The Lord heard the voice of your words, when you spoke unto me;
and The Lord said unto me, ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people,
which they have spoken unto you:
they have well said all that they have spoken.
Oh that there were such an heart in them,
that they would fear Me,
and keep all My commandments always,
that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!’”
 Why did God approve of what the surviving Israelites said to Moses?
 Again, how was the glory of The Lord described?
 Why were and why are all of the Ten Commandments important for even true Christians? Before
answering, read John 14:15, James 1:22 & 2:17-20, and Revelation 12:17 & 14:12-13.

1 Samuel 2:1-10
“And Hannah prayed, and said,
‘My heart rejoices in The Lord,
mine horn is exalted in The Lord;
my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies,
because I rejoice in Thy salvation.

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 There is none holy as The Lord; for there is none beside Thee.
Neither is there any rock like our God.
Talk no more so exceeding proudly;
let not arrogancy come out of your mouth,
for The Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by Him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty men are broken,
and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
They that were full have hired out themselves for bread;
and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven;
and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
The Lord kills, and makes alive.
He brings down to the grave, and brings up.
The Lord makes poor, and makes rich;
He brings low, and lifts up.
He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill,
to set them among princes,
and to make them inherit the throne of glory.
For the pillars of the Earth are The Lord's, and He hath set the world upon them.
He will keep the feet of His saints,
and the wicked shall be silent in darkness;
for by strength shall no man prevail.
The adversaries of The Lord shall be broken to pieces;
out of Heaven shall He thunder upon them.
The Lord shall judge the ends of the Earth;
and He shall give strength unto His King,
and exalt the horn of His anointed.”
 What does this prayer by Hannah indicate about the glory of God the Father?
 What do you think “the throne of glory” is?

1 Kings 8:9-12
“There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone,
which Moses put there at Horeb, when The Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel,
when they came out of the land of Egypt.
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place,
that the cloud filled the house of The Lord,
so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud;
for the glory of The Lord had filled the house of The Lord.
Then Solomon said, ‘The Lord said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.’”
 What can the glory of God do?

1 Chronicles 16:1-36
“So they brought the ark of God,
and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it
and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.
And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings,
he blessed the people in the name of The Lord.
And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman,
to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.
And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of The Lord,
and to record, and to thank and praise The Lord God of Israel.

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Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah,
and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps;
but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;
Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually
before the ark of the covenant of God.
Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank The Lord
into the hand of Asaph and his brethren:
‘Give thanks unto The Lord,
call upon His name,
make known His deeds among the people.
Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him,
and talk of all His wondrous works.
Glory in His holy name.
Let the heart of them rejoice that seek The Lord.
Seek The Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.
Remember His marvelous works that He has done, His wonders,
and the judgments of His mouth.
Oh you seed of Israel His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones.
He is The Lord our God; His judgments are in all the Earth.
Be mindful always of His covenant;
the word which He commanded to a thousand generations.
Even of the covenant that He made with Abraham, and of His oath unto Isaac.
And has confirmed the same to Jacob for a law,
and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying,
‘unto you will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance’,
when you were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.
And when they went from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another people,
He suffered no man to do them wrong.
Yes, He reproved kings for their sakes, saying,
‘Touch not Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm.’
Sing unto The Lord, all the Earth; show forth from day to day His salvation.
Declare His glory among the heathen;
His marvelous works among all nations.
For great is The Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he also is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the people are idols, but The Lord made the heavens.
Glory and honor are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place.
Give unto The Lord, you kindreds of the people,
give unto The Lord glory and strength.
Give unto The Lord the glory due unto His name.
Bring an offering, and come before Him;
worship The Lord in beauty of holiness.
Fear before Him, all the Earth;
the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the Earth rejoice;
and let men [and women] say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns’.
Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of The Lord,
because He comes to judge the Earth.
Oh give thanks unto The Lord; for He is good;
for His mercy endures for ever.

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 And say you, ‘Save us, O God of our salvation,
and gather us together,
and deliver us from the heathen,
that we may give thanks to Your holy name, and glory in Your praise.
Blessed be The Lord God of Israel forever and ever.’”
And all the people said, ‘Amen’, and praised The Lord.”

1 Chronicles 29:10-20
“Wherefore David blessed The Lord before all the congregation; and David said,
‘Blessed be You, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
Thine, Oh Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory,
and the victory, and the majesty;
for all that is in the Heaven and in the Earth is Thine;
Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and You art exalted as head above all.
Both riches and honor come of You,
and You reign over all;
and in Your hand is power and might;
and in Your hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.
But who am I,
and what is my people,
that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort?
For all things come of You and of Your own have we given You.
For we are strangers before You, and sojourners, as were all our fathers;
our days on the Earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared
to build You a house for Your holy name come of Your hand, and is all Your own.
I know also, my God, that You try the heart,
and have pleasure in uprightness.
As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart
I have willingly offered all these things;
and now have I seen with joy Your people, who are present here,
to offer willingly unto You.
O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers,
keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people,
and prepare their heart unto You.
And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart,
to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies, and Your statutes,
and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.’
And David said to all of the congregation, ‘Now bless The Lord your God’.
And all the congregation blessed The Lord God of their fathers,
and bowed down their heads, and worshipped The Lord, and the King.”

 What actions of God were His glory according to David?

 How should we glorify God?

Final Conclusions:
 What were the most important things you learned in this lesson?
 What personal applications can be made by you in future living?

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For Bible study #4

Upward For Intimate Communion with God for Intercessory Purposes

(by Bill Stevenson)

Directions: Use the Bible passages to carefully answer the questions.

Lessons from Mount Sinai

Exodus 19

True prayer is more for the needs of others than for ourselves, and requires special preparation by
concerned, compassionate individuals who are called to be intercessors. The best place to commune with
God is to mentally place ourselves on the mount of prayer. We can also do this by going up a hill or a
mountain, but our main objective should be to get away from the distractions of the world so we may
focus on God. We may kneel, sit, stand, or walk while we intercede for others in prayer. To be focused,
we need to be comfortable.
The following is a Bible study guide of how Moses learned to intercede for God’s people. Moses had
led the Israelites through the Red Sea to where they were camped at the foot of Mt Sinai. Three months
after their deliverance, Moses was engaged from morning to evening in intercession and judgment for the
people. Jethro his father-in-law advised him to delegate this work amongst the leaders of the Israelites, or
he would wear himself out. Moses needed time to go to a higher place from the Desert of Sinai to
commune and receive important information from God.

 The Israelites were thankful after being delivered from the Egyptians but were they righteous?
 Why did they need judges to be trained and appointed by Moses?
 Is our society any better when law enforcement officers and judges are essential for our safety?
 Are the Ten Commandments believed and lived in our community?
 Why do our churches and community need us to intercede for them in prayer?
 What do we need to do before leaving the “Desert of Sin” to go to the ‘mountain’? (1 John 1:9)
 Why is such preparation necessary?
 In what ways are we different to Moses?
 How can we be like him and learn from his life the secrets of intercessory prayer?

Exodus 19:1-6
“[1] In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt--
on the very day-- they came to the Desert of Sinai.
[2] After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai,
and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
[3] Then Moses went up to God,
and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said,
‘This is what you are to say
to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:
[4] ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,
and how I carried you on eagles' wings
and brought you to Myself.
[5] Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant,
then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession.
Although the whole Earth is Mine,
[6] you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’
These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.’”

 How do you think Moses knew exactly where to meet God?

 What do we learn from Proverbs 3:5-6 and Romans 8:16 that can help us know?
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 Has God spoken to you as He did to Moses about the good of the people you are concerned about?
[Usually parents will be quick to tell their children of their mistakes and sins, rarely about their good
qualities or good behavior.]
 In verse 5 God prefaces His first Mt Sinai message for the Israelites? What type of response did He
want? (Every promise of God has a condition, ie. Romans 8:28 requires loving God.)

Exodus 19:7-8
“[7] So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people
and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak.
[8] The people all responded together, ‘We will do everything the LORD has said.’
So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.”

 When the Israelites promised to obey God in the First Covenant Commitment, do you think they
meant what they said?

Exodus 19:9-13
“[9] The LORD said to Moses, ‘I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,
so that the people will hear Me speaking with you
and will always put their trust in you.’
Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.
[10] And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow.
Have them wash their clothes
[11] and be ready by the third day,
because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai
in the sight of all the people.
[12] Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them,
‘be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it.
Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
[13] He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows;
not a hand is to be laid on him.
Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.’
Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain.’”

 Why do you think the people had to take special precautions and prepare themselves, before God
would come down on Mt. Sinai? What was the difference between them and Moses?
 Have you ever needed proof that God has spoken to you when praying for others?
 If you did receive proof, were they convinced your message was from God?

Exodus 19:14-23
“[14] After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people,
he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.
[15] Then he said to the people, ‘Prepare yourselves for the third day.
Abstain from sexual relations.’
[16] On the morning of the third day
there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain,
and a very loud trumpet blast.
Everyone in the camp trembled.
[17] Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God,
and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
[18] Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire.
The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,
the whole mountain trembled violently,
[19] and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder.

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 Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
[20] The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai
and called Moses to the top of the mountain.
So Moses went up
[21] and the LORD said to him, ‘Go down and warn the people
so they do not force their way through to see the LORD
and many of them perish.
[22] Even the priests, who approach the LORD,
must consecrate themselves,
or the LORD will break out against them.’
[23] Moses said to the LORD, ‘The people cannot come up Mount Sinai,
because You Yourself warned us,
‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”
[24] The LORD replied, ‘Go down and bring Aaron up with you.
But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the LORD,
or He will break out against them.’
[25] So Moses went down to the people and told them.”

 What made the people afraid as God descended on the mountain?

 Have you ever been afraid of God? …………… Why?
 Should we show respect for the sanctuary area of our churches?
 Why should we have a special, private place where we can commune without interruption and focus
on God, a place that cannot be unsanctified by others?
 Why did God have to rewrite the Ten Commandments on stone again?
 Do you think that we displease God in the way we sometimes respond to the actions of others? Has
God had to repeat situations in our lives to teach us how to relate correctly to those who anger or
upset us?
 What precautions do we need to make when preparing to commune with God in relation to those we
are praying for? 2 Chronicles 7:14, Matthew 7:1, Mark 11:26, Ephesians 6:10-18
 What was Moses’ greatest quality that made him such an outstanding leader and one whom God used
mightily?

Lessons from the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5-8

So far, we have learned that a intercessory prayer warrior needs to have a special place to commune
with God like Moses did on Mt. Sinai, desire to know Jesus Christ more and more, and be willing to pray
for others and sacrifice as He did. Only with Bible study and Holy Spirit guidance, can we do this, in this
anti-Christian world. What the Son of God taught on a mountain to the multitude in the beginning of His
ministry as Jesus Christ, and later to His disciples just before He died for our sins, (John 14-17) can help
us become better Christians and know what and who to pray for. (The latter Bible reference will not be in
this study, but I recommend that you read it for the indicated purposes.)

 List the highlights of Matthew 4:1 to 5:1.

 Have you experienced temptations, challenges to your faith, sad news about persecution of other true
Christians, and others wanting supernatural help from you?
 Have such experiences encouraged you to share wonderful truths and promises from the Bible that
would encourage others to make changes in their thinking and behavior that would be more pleasing
to God like Jesus did in “The Sermon of the Mount”?
 When doing such sharing, did you feel that you had to temporarily go upward on a spiritual mountain
before sharing?
 What did Jesus do before he began teaching?
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 How can such sharing of God’s Word help you pray better?
 Why is Matthew 4:17 so important, even before interceding for others? Remember what John the
Baptist’s preaching emphasis was? (See Matthew 3 & Romans 14:17.) What is lacking in most
churches?

In a sermon on this topic delivered by a Pastor Mark Mitchell of the Central Peninsula Church in
Foster City, CA, USA, he introduced these important Beatitudes as follows: “What does it mean to be
blessed? The most obvious thing about this passage is that it is a list of who it is that can be called
blessed. Eight times Jesus begins with that same word. What did Jesus mean when He said they are
blessed? Did He mean they are happy? This is what we often are told He meant, but that doesn’t seem to
fit, at least in the way we use the word. How can those who mourn be happy? That's like Jesus saying,
‘Happy are the unhappy, for they shall be made happy.’ Happiness is determined by circumstances.
Happiness is an emotion that goes up and down like a roller coaster. Jesus is talking about something
deeper and more constant than happiness. It seems to me that Jesus is making a declaration, not about
how these people feel, but about what they are in God’s eyes. In the Old Testament, when God blessed
people He was giving them His approval. It's almost a way of saying ‘congratulations’. In secular Greek,
the island of Cyprus was called the ‘blessed Isle’. That's the exact same word that Jesus uses here. The
idea behind this word was that those who lived there never had to leave its shores because they had all
they needed to be content; the island was self-contained. When we are blessed by God we are in a sense
self-contained; our joy does not come from circumstances, it comes from the fact we stand approved
before God. To be called ‘blessed’ by God in this way certainly impacts how we feel about our lives. It
results in a kind of ‘sacred delight’ that no one or nothing can take away from us. We all want to be
called ‘blessed’ in this way. We want to be affirmed. We want our lives to be worthy of God's
congratulations.”
So how can we be divinely blessed? By being the type of Christian that the Beatitudes indicate. So
this first part of the “The Sermon of the Mount” is very important. The character qualities seem very
good, but despised by most secular people. Also, as we reread the Beatitudes, (thinking of them in
chronological order), we will see that they indicate what the formation of every conviction is that we
have. They first require internal thinking, then external living, (where we apply what we believe to our
actions). Read again Matthew 5:3-12 in these two ways (internal thinking and external living) and write
whatever comes to mind as indicated by the following suggestions:

 List first the character traits and the rewards.

 Then write a personal response to each.
 Then go back to verse 3 and think about how your conviction or belief about intercessory prayer
developed in your life. Write a statement or two describing each development step (when in your life
and why). If this is too difficult, you might try doing it backwards from verse 12.
 Finally, read the rest of “The Sermon of the Mount” to clearly determine the importance of Matthew
5:20 for you as a member in God’s spiritual army of unselfish, intercessory, prayer warriors ready to
share God’s truth and expectations. Personally relate to each point Jesus spoke about. Think in
relation to what is happening today in the secular world and in churches. The more time you spend
in doing all of the above exercises, the more your prayers will improve too.

Lessons from the Mount of Transfiguration

Matthew 17:1-13

Another very important requirement for prayer intercessors is to have a correct understanding of the
divinity of Jesus Christ. Peter, James, and John had to learn this before they could become leaders and
intercessors of the Christian church after the death and resurrection of Jesus.

 What happened six days before the Mt Transfiguration event?

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 What was Jesus’ major concern that He really wanted to make sure His disciples believed and
understood? [See Matthew 16:13-28]
 Why do you think Jesus only chose Peter, James and John to accompany Him to this high mountain?
(Think about how they were mentioned later in Acts and Revelation).
 What happened to Jesus?
 Why do you think this proved His deity?
 Why do you think that Moses and Elijah appeared?
 How had they each left Earth?
 What were the highlights of their ministries as spokesmen for God while they were on Earth?
 What was Peter's response to this glorious sight?
 Why do you think he responded as he did?
 Do we need to be in tabernacles to pray or live like Christ?
 Why do you think that God the Father responded the way He did?
 When else did He make an almost identical statement?
 Have you ever had a wonderful experience while communing with God in prayer and did not want to
come out of it? Can you imagine just how Peter must have felt when he spoke as he did?
 What did the voice and touch of Jesus do for the three disciples?
 How does 1 John 4:18 relate to Jesus’ response to their fear?
 How can our intercessory prayer help others living in fear in different situations and places around
this world?
 Why do you think that Moses and Elijah disappeared before the disciples looked up again?
 What do you think their thoughts may have been as they walked down the mountain? [See verses.10-
13.]
 Why do you think that Jesus told them not to report what they had seen until after His Resurrection?
 Do you think it would have been difficult keeping the vision secret even though they did not
understand the significance or meaning of the whole experience?
 Is it important to obey God's voice when we cannot understand why?
 How do you think you would find holding a vision like that in your heart without sharing it with
anyone? Have you had to keep some of your wonderful “mountain top” prayer experiences a secret
(except from your prayer partners)? Why?
 Why do you think Jesus’ answer to their question about the prophecy concerning Elijah coming
before the Messiah was important?
 Is there a relationship between Paul’s passionate plea to really know Jesus Christ as a top priority,
and the Mt. Transfiguration event? Phil. 3:10
 How will learning more about the greatness and deity of Jesus Christ help us to be better intercessory
prayer warriors in our anti-Christian world?
 Can we relate this wonderful experiential knowledge of Jesus Christ within our hearts to the Mt
Transfiguration event?

Lessons from Mount Calvary

Luke 23:33-49, Matthew 27:33-54, & John 19:17-37

Our next very important requirement for prayer intercessors is to have a high understanding and
appreciation of what Jesus Christ did for us. (What He went through in the last week before His
sacrificial and undeserved death makes whatever we go through in being persecuted for our Christian
faith, very minor.) Jesus had to humbly come into Jerusalem for the P____________________
celebration. Then He had to teach some very difficult doctrine to His t______________ main disciples,
most of which they would not believe until later. It wasn’t just P__________ who had a problem with
prophecies in Isaiah about Jesus conquering the Romans. Judas wasn’t the only one who had difficulty
with Jesus’ teachings about His resurrection and the future K______________, and the resurrection of
believers at the Second Coming. So, as a teacher, Jesus could be considered a failure in teaching the
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twelve to understand His mission. There were further difficulties and pressures mounted against Jesus in
the last week: His treasurer betrayed Him by informing the authorities about where they could
f___________ Him for a very small amount of money and committed t______________ in a shameful
way. Jesus had to undo Peter’s misuse of his s___________, knowing that Peter would deny even
knowing Him t___________ times. He was subjected to a farce of a legal t___________ in which over
60 civil and criminal laws were violated. This was by far the worst injustice in history. Can you imagine
how Jesus must have felt when the crowd responded to Pilate’s attempt to set Him free, shouted,
“c____________ Him”, instead? Soon after, Jesus was terribly b______________ and
m______________ by Roman soldiers before having to take that long walk to Calvary where He was to
be crucified on a c__________ (this was considered the worst form of capital punishment). So, what can
we learn about prayer in that horrible but necessary event on Mt. Calvary? It included Jesus Christ’s last
prayers before He experienced the horrors of our sins, separation from His Father, and finally, physical
death. There is no greater love!!!

 What does this picture reveal to us?

 John 19:17 states that Golgotha means the “Place of a Skull”. What part of the body is Jesus Christ
called a number of times in the New Testament?
 Where is the main battle held in each human being regarding spiritual beliefs?
 Where do temptations cause challenges in each of us?
 In what part of the human body is most prayer made?
 Why do you think that Jesus’ last prayers before He died had to be in a high place outside of
Jerusalem? John 8:28
 How would you feel watching the drama unfold?
 Could you watch the suffering Lamb of God or would you turn away?
 Can you see the blood flowing from His head, His hands and feet, or taste it in your mouth?
 Can you hear the labored, gasping breaths, feel the tearing of flesh with each movement?
 Can you imagine the torture and agony of being suspended in space by nails?
 Could you name three parts of this crucifixion that would be the hardest for you to watch?
 Would there have been any good parts of this awful scene?
 What kind of thoughts and feelings do you think Jesus’ mother had? Mary Magdalene? John? The
other missing, fearful disciples?
 If you had been there, who and what would you have prayed for?
 What would you have told Jesus if you could have been there?
 Who was blessed by Jesus and filled with hope just before the sixth hour
 What happened at the sixth hour and how long did it last?
 How do you think the people reacted to this?
 What broke the solemn and fearful scene? Matthew 27:46
 What was He experiencing that forced those words from His lips?
 What was the last prayer of Jesus before He cried out in a loud voice and died? John 23:46
 Describe what happened in the temple when Jesus died?
 What terrifying natural disaster occurred then and what was the result?
 Imagine the effect on the centurion and the other soldiers watching.
 What words escaped from the Centurion’s mouth?
 If you were facing an unjust death sentence, what would your last prayer be and what would you say
to the observers of your execution?
 What would your prayers be in response to the dramatic, and terrifying physical happenings just
before and after Jesus died? i.e. The sudden darkening of the sky; the ripping of the veil in front of
the Holy of Holies in the Temple from top to bottom; the earthquake, rocks splitting open and bodies
rising up from the graves?
 Do I see Jesus as the spotless Lamb of God paying the price for my sins?

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 What would you say if you were teaching someone about the significance or meanings of those
events?

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 Lessons from Mount Zion

Another very important requirement for Christian intercessory prayer is to have the understanding of
important Biblical history and prophecy. Mount Zion is important in both.

Directions: Read the following Bible passages, all but one mention Mount Zion. Figure out why they
are in the order they are in and formatted the way they are. How are they related to each
other? Then, write a summary about each. And finally write what each passage indicates
about God-pleasing living and prayer.

Psalm 78:67-72
“[67] Then He rejected the tents of Joseph, He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;
[68] but He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.
[69] He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the Earth that He established forever.
[70] He chose David His servant and took him from the sheep pens;
[71] from tending the sheep He brought him
to be the shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.
[72] And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
with skillful hands he led them.”

Psalm 48:1-14
“[1] Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, His holy mountain.
[2] It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole Earth.
Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.
[3] God is in her citadels; He has shown Himself to be her fortress.
[4] When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together,
[5] they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror.
[6] Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labor.
[7] You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish shattered by an east wind.
[8] As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD Almighty,
in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever. Selah.
[9] Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love.
[10] Like Your name, O God, Your praise reaches to the ends of the Earth;
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
[11] Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of Your judgments.
[12] Walk about Zion,
go around her, count her towers,
[13] consider well her ramparts, view her citadels,
that you may tell of them to the next generation.
[14] For this God is our God for ever and ever;
He will be our guide even to the end.”

Lamentations 5:1-22
“[1] Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace.
[2] Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens, our homes to foreigners.
[3] We have become orphans and fatherless, our mothers like widows.
[4] We must buy the water we drink; our wood can be had only at a price.
[5] Those who pursue us are at our heels; we are weary and find no rest.
[6] We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
[7] Our fathers sinned and are no more, and we bear their punishment.
[8] Slaves rule over us, and there is none to free us from their hands.
[9] We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the desert.
[10] Our skin is hot as an oven, feverish from hunger.
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[11] Women have been ravished in Zion, and virgins in the towns of Judah.
[12] Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders are shown no respect.
[13] Young men toil at the millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.
[14] The elders are gone from the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.
[15] Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.
[16] The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
[17] Because of this our hearts are faint, because of these things our eyes grow dim
[18] for Mount Zion, which lies desolate, with jackals prowling over it.
[19] You, O LORD, reign forever;
Your throne endures from generation to generation.
[20] Why do You always forget us?
Why do You forsake us so long?
[21] Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old
[22] unless You have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.”

Zechariah 8:1-8
“[1] Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me.
[2] This is what the LORD Almighty says:
‘I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.’
[3] This is what the LORD says:
‘I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem.
Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth,
and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.’
[4] This is what the LORD Almighty says:
‘Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem,
each with cane in hand because of his age.
[5] The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.’
[6] This is what the LORD Almighty says:
‘It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time,
but will it seem marvelous to Me?’ declares the LORD Almighty.
[7] This is what the LORD Almighty says:
‘I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.
[8] I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem;
they will be My people,
and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.’”

Ephesians 2:1-10
“[1] As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
[2] in which you used to live when you followed
the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,
the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
[3] All of us also lived among them at one time,
gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature
and following its desires and thoughts.
Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
[4] But because of His great love for us,
God, Who is rich in mercy,
[5] made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—
it is by grace you have been saved.
[6] And God raised us up with Christ
and seated us with Him in the Heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
[7] in order that in the coming ages
He might show the incomparable riches of His grace,
expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
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 [8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--
and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
[9] not by works, so that no one can boast.
[10] For we are God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Hebrews 12:22-13:6
“[22] But you have come to Mount Zion, to the Heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.
You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
[23] to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in Heaven.
You have come to God, the judge of all men,
to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,
[24] to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant,
and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
[25] See to it that you do not refuse Him Who speaks.
If they did not escape when they refused Him Who warned them on Earth,
how much less will we, if we turn away from Him Who warns us from Heaven?
[26] At that time His voice shook the Earth,
but now He has promised,
‘Once more I will shake not only the Earth but also the heavens.’
[27] The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken--
that is, created things--
so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
[28] Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,
let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
[29] for our ‘God is a consuming fire’.
“[1] Keep on loving each other as brothers.
[2] Do not forget to entertain strangers,
for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
[3] Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners,
and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
[4] Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure,
for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
[5] Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have,
because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’
[6] So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?’”

Revelation 14:1-16
“[1] Then I looked, and there before me was The Lamb, standing on Mount Zion,
and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father's name written on their foreheads.
[2] And I heard a sound from heaven
like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder.
The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
[3] And they sang a new song
before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders.
No one could learn the song
except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the Earth.
[4] These are those who did not defile themselves with women,
for they kept themselves pure.
They follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
They were purchased from among men
and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.
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 [5] No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
[6] Then I saw another angel flying in midair,
and he had the eternal Gospel to proclaim to those who live on the Earth--
to every nation, tribe, language, and people.
[7] He said in a loud voice,
‘Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come.
Worship Him Who made the heavens, the Earth, the sea and the springs of water.’
[8] A second angel followed and said,
‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,
which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.’
[9] A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice:
‘If anyone worships the beast and his image
and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand,
[10] he [or she], too, will drink of the wine of God's fury,
which has been poured full strength into the cup of His wrath.
He [or she] will be tormented with burning sulfur
in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.
[11] And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever.
There is no rest day or night
For those who worship the beast and his image,
or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.’
[12] This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who
obey God's commandments
and remain faithful to Jesus.”
[13] Then I heard a voice from Heaven say,
‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in The Lord from now on.’
‘Yes’, says The Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’
[14] I looked, and there before me was a white cloud,
and seated on the cloud was One ‘like a Son of Man’
with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.
[15] Then another angel came out of the temple
and called in a loud voice to Him Who was sitting on the cloud,
‘Take Your sickle and reap,
because the time to reap has come for the harvest of the Earth is ripe.
[16] So He Who was seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the Earth,
and the Earth was harvested.”

For Bible study #5

Romans 1:16-32 in relation to God's possible minimum requirements in being tolerant--

16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ:
for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:
as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all unGodliness and unrighteousness of men,
who suppress the truth in unrighteousness;
19 because that which may be known of God is manifest in them,
for God hath showed it unto them.

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20 For the invisible things of Him from the Creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even His eternal power and Godhead;
so that they are without excuse:
21 because that, when they knew God,
they glorified Him not as God,
neither were thankful;
but became vain in their imaginations,
and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God
into an image made like to corruptible man,
and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness
through the lusts of their own hearts,
to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:
25 who changed the truth of God into a lie,
and worshipped and served the creature
more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections:
for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature;
27 and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman,
burned in their lust one toward another;
men with men working that which is unseemly,
and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate [depraved] mind,
to do those things which are not convenient;
29 being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity;
whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters,
inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 without understanding, promise-breakers, without natural affection,
implacable, unmerciful:
32 and those who knowing the judgment of God,
that they who commit such things are worthy of death,
not only do the same,
but give hearty approval to those who practice them.”

Note: The below is from (the Amplified Bible)

1. Matthew 5:17-30-- self-righteousness, selfish motives, spiritual hypocrisy, anger, ridicule, and
character assassination
2. Galatians 5:15-21-- partisan strife, selfish cravings, immorality, impurity, indecency, idolatry,
sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, divisions (dissension), party spirit (factions, sects
with peculiar opinions, heresies), envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like.
3. 2 Timothy 3:1-5-- stress, troubles, self-love (self-centerness), loving of money, desiring for wealth,
pride, arrogance, contemptuous boasting, abuse, blasphemy, scoffing, disobedience of parents,
ungratefulness, unholiness, profanity, unnatural (callous) affection, promise breaking, slander (false
accusing and trouble making), intemperance, uncontrolled brashness, hating of those who do good,
betraying, self-conceit, loving of sensual pleasure and vain amusements more than and rather than
loving God, doing piety religion, denying the power of God for righteousness.

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 Good and Bad Tolerance and Intolerance with the Importance of Grace
(by Bill Stevenson, July 4-6, 2005)

One of the main things that has upset me the most in the last 20 years is the common demand of liberals
for tolerance and grace for actions and individuals who according to the Bible are not-pleasing to
God. But I also get very angry about the conservatives who are so intolerant and wrongly
condemn or rebuke others. At times I have rebuked such individuals in the prideful churches I
have been in when I was their victim. Let us look at the old definitions of these words, appropriate
Scripture, and some other concerns that I have in this subject area.

Appropriate definitions from the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary:

GRACE, n. [L. gratia, which is formed on the Celtic; Eng. agree, congruous, and ready. The primary
sense of gratus, is free, ready, quick, willing, prompt, from advancing.]
1. Favor; good will; kindness; disposition to oblige another-- as a grant made as an act of grace.
2. Appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits
men receive from Him. “And if by grace, then it is no more of works.” Romans 11
3. Favorable influence of God; divine influence or the influence of the spirit, in renewing the heart and
restraining from sin. “My grace is sufficient for thee.” 2 Corinthians 12
4. The application of Christ's righteousness to the sinner. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more
abound.” Romans 5
5. A state of reconciliation to God. Romans 5:2
6. Virtuous or religious affection or disposition, as a liberal disposition, faith, meekness, humility,
patience, and proceeding from divine influence.
7. Spiritual instruction, improvement, and edification. Ephesians 4:29
8. Eternal life; final salvation. 1 Peter 1:13
9. Favor; mercy; pardon.
10. Favor conferred.
11. That in manner, deportment, or language which renders it appropriate and agreeable; suitableness;
elegance with appropriate dignity. We say, a speaker delivers his address with grace; a man performs
his part with grace.
12. “Day in grace” in theology, time of probation, when an offer is made to sinners. “Days in grace” in
commerce, the days immediately following the day when a bill or note becomes due, which days are
allowed to the debtor or payer to make payment in. In Great Britain and the United States the “days
of grace” are three, but in other countries more; the usages of merchants being different.

TOL'ERABLE, a. [L. tolerabilis. See Tolerate.]

1. That may be borne or endured; supportable, either physically or mentally. The cold in Canada is
severe, but tolerable. The insults and indignities of our enemies are not tolerable.
2. Moderately good or agreeable; not contemptible; not very excellent or pleasing, but such as can be
borne or received without disgust, resentment or opposition-- as a tolerable translation, a tolerable
entertainment, or a tolerable administration.

TOL'ERABLENESS, n. The state of being tolerable.

TOL'ERABLY, adv. Supportably; in a manner to be endured. Moderately well; passably; not perfectly--
as a constitution tolerably firm. The advocate speaks tolerably well.

TOL'ERANCE, n. [L. tolerantia, from tolero, to bear.] The power or capacity of enduring; or the act of
enduring. Diogenes one frosty morning came to the market place shaking, to show his tolerance. [Little
used. But intolerance is in common use.]

TOL'ERANT, a. Enduring; indulgent; favoring toleration.

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TOL'ERATE, v.t. [L. tolero, from tollo, to lift.]
1. To suffer to be or to be done without prohibition or hindrance
2. To allow or permit negatively, by not preventing; not to restrain-- as, to tolerate opinions or
practices. The Protestant religion is tolerated in France, and the Roman Catholic in Great Britain.
The law of love tolerates no vice, and patronizes every virtue.

TOL'ERATED, pp. Suffered; allowed; not prohibited or restrained.

TOL'ERATING, ppr. Enduring; suffering to be or to be done; allowing; not restraining.

TOLERA'TION, n. [L. toleratio.] The act of tolerating; the allowance of that which is not wholly
approved; appropriately, the allowance of religious opinions and modes of worship in a state, when
contrary to or different from those of the established church or belief. Toleration implies a right in the
sovereign to control men in their opinions and worship, or it implies the actual exercise of power in such
control.

INTOL'ERABLE, a. [L. intolerabilis; in and tolerabilis, tolero, to bear.]

1. Not to be borne; that cannot be endured-- as intolerable pain; intolerable heat or cold; an intolerable
burden.
2. Insufferable, as intolerable laziness.

INTOL'ERABLENESS, n. The quality of being not tolerable or sufferable.

INTOL'ERABLY, adv. To a degree beyond endurance, as intolerably cold; intolerably abusive.

INTOL'ERANCE, n. [from intolerant.] Want of toleration; the not enduring at all or not suffering to exist
without persecution-- as the intolerance of a prince or a church towards a religious sect.

INTOL'ERANT, a. [L. in and tolero, to endure.]

1. Not enduring; not able to endure. The powers of the human body being limited and intolerant of
excesses.
2. Not enduring difference of opinion or worship; refusing to tolerate others in the enjoyment of their
opinions, rights and worship.

INTOL'ERANT, n. One who does not favor toleration.

INTOL'ERATED, a. Not endured; not tolerated.

INTOLERA'TION, n. Intolerance; refusal to tolerate others in their opinions or worship.

For Bible study #6

Grace Verses in the Bible

(compiled by Bill Stevenson)

In a computer search in King James Version Bible software, 159 verses with “grace” were found. I did
not use any possible controversial or inappropriate verses. Try to determine why each verse is in the
group I put it in. Also, see if any verse justifies tolerance of sin or intolerance.

Grace from God in the Old Testament:

Genesis 6:8; Exodus 33:12-13 &16-17; Exodus 34:9; Judges 6:17; Ezra 9:4-9; Psalms 84:11; Proverbs
3:33-34; Jeremiah 31:2; Zechariah 12:10
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Grace from God the Father in Jesus Christ:
Luke 2:40; John 1:14-17; Hebrews 2:9

Grace of God in the lives of the Apostles:

Romans 1:5; Galatians 1:15-16; Galatians 2:19-21; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Acts 14:3 & 26, Acts 15:11;
Galatians 2:9; 2 Corinthians 1:12; Ephesians 3:1-2 & 7-8; Acts 15:40; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Romans 12:3 &
6; 1 Corinthians 10:30; Acts 20:24; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Acts 20:32;
Philippians 1:7

Grace for New Testament believers:

Acts 18:27-28; Romans 3:23-24; Romans 4:15-16; Romans 5:1-2 & 15-20; Romans 6:14-15; Romans
11:5-6; 1 Peter 1:10-13; 2 Corinthians 4:14-15; 2 Corinthians 8:9; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Ephesians 2:4-10;
Ephesians 4:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:14-17; 2 Timothy 1:8-9; Titus 2:11-14; Titus 3:4-7; James 4:5-8; 1 Peter
5:5; 1 Peter 5:10-12

Away from divine grace:

2 Corinthians 6:1; Galatians 1:6; Galatians 5:4; Hebrews 10:28-31; Hebrews 12:15-17; James 1:10-11;
Jude 1:3-4--

Grace from human beings:

Genesis 32:5; Genesis 33:8- 15; Genesis 34:11; Genesis 39:4; Genesis 47:25-29; Genesis 50:4, Numbers
32:5; Ruth 2:2 & 10; 1 Samuel 1:18; 1 Samuel 20:3; 1 Samuel 27:5; 2 Samuel 14:22; 2 Samuel 16:4;
Esther 2:17

Grace in written Apostle greetings and salutations:

Ephesians 1:1-7; Romans 1:7; Romans 16:20-24; 1 Corinthians 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 16:23; 2 Corinthians
1:2; 2 Corinthians 8:1; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 1:3; Galatians 6:18; Ephesians 6:24; Philippians
1:2; Philippians 4:23; Colossians 1:2; Colossians 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:28; 2
Thessalonians 1:2 & 12; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; 1 Timothy 1:2; 1 Timothy 6:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:2;
2 Timothy 2:1; 2 Timothy 4:22; Titus 1:4; Titus 3:15; Philemon 1:3 & 25; Hebrews 13:25; 1 Peter 1:1-2; 2
Peter 1:1-2; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 John 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4; Revelation 22:21

Grace from learning:

Proverbs 1:8-9; Proverbs 3:21-22; Proverbs 4:7-9; Acts 4:33-35; Colossians 1:5-6

Observed grace of human beings:

Psalms 45:2; Proverbs 22:11; Acts 11:22-23; 2 Corinthians 8:6-7; 2 Corinthians 8:17-19; 2 Corinthians
9:14; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6 & 3:16

Exhortations related to God’s grace:

Acts 13:43; Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 12:28-29; Hebrews 13:8-9; 1 Peter 3:7-9; 1 Peter 4:10

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For Bible study #7

Galatians 1-2 Bible Study

Directions: Write the answers to the following questions from the information stated in Galatians 1-
2. This assignment is worth 2 units, so write at least 2 quality pages (single spaced lines
and no redundancies).

Note: I wrote this study for one of my E-mail friends 1999.

I am glad we are both still teachable for understanding God’s wisdom more. Our teacher is the Holy
Spirit and Scripture. Our subject today is the first two chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians. According
to the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, the main themes of this letter of the Apostle Paul are: “A defense
of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith and warnings against reversion to Judaism”. The Epistle to the
Romans deals with the former. On the Allan Keyes talk show I heard the interesting concept: the law is
compulsive, but only with the help of the Holy Spirit can we really keep moral and ethical. There is a
verse in the New Testament that says the Law is the school master and Jesus Christ said that He came to
fulfill the Law and that obeying the Two Great Commandments fulfill the Law. But still most professing
Christians are living like many of the Galatia Christians and the Pharisees. For this e-mail class lime, let
us not focus on the theological themes of the letter, but let us answer some personal questions in relation
to it. The Serendipity Bible has some very good questions and I have quoted some of them. From these
questions, you should be able to determine some of my beliefs, concerns, and even some of my answers.
I will respond to your answers as soon as I receive them:

1. How do you define the words “grace” and “peace”? [See 1:3.]
2. Reread the next verse. How does redemption of our sins “rescue us from the present evil age”?
How is the “evil age” in Apostle Paul’s time similar to now and how is it different?
3. How does Jesus Christ now “rescue us from the present evil age”? [NIV]
4. How does God get glory from your example to others?
How have you given Him glory this month?
5. Did you have any times in your life, after becoming a Christian, a pastor could have said to you
something like 1:6-7?
When have you been temporarily been confused theologically? Elaborate please.
6. What ‘distorted gospel’ upsets you? Why?
What non-Biblical requirements disturb you?
Why do individuals accept such extra requirements for “salvation”?
7. Why would some see Apostle Paul as a ‘people-pleaser’?
Why would some see you as a “people-pleaser’? Explain personally 1:10.
8. Reread the next verse. “Who contributed to your spiritual beginnings? How so?”
9. How long were you in the ‘cocoon’ stage before you were ready to fly?
10. How do you now try to convince others that you are not just passing on human-created, second-hand
information to them?
11. If you had to argue to the reality of the Gospel by giving one example of how faith in Christ has
changed you, what would you share?
12. In what ways do your relate to Jesus Christ? How is the Holy Spirit involved? How do you share
testimonies about this relationship with others? Please give me some encouraging examples.
13. If you were on a Christian school board or your church’s pastor-search committee, what statements
in 1:13-2:21 by Apostle Paul, would you disqualify him from being hired as a Christian day school
teacher or as a church pastor? What statements would you use to urge others to vote to hire him?
14. How have you corrected others for wrong relating or wrong behavior? Describe three examples, if
you have that many.
15. How is the word ‘justified’ commonly used today? How does Paul use the term as compared with
his opponents?” How does Hebrews 6:1-6 relate to or help explain Galatians 2:15-17?

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16. What difference would it make to you if you had to earn your way to God by keeping the Jewish
laws? Conversely, imagine if you are a self-made person who likes to see everyone ‘pay their own
way’ or ‘earn their fair share’, how doe this Gospel of unmerited favor grace strike you? What
additions to faith might outsiders sense in your Christian circles, regarding what they should do to be
approved? How can you help break down these barriers and avoid the performance trap?”
17. What does Galatians 5:19-21 mean to you?
18. What verses in Hebrews l0 excite you the most?

For Bible study #8

Why Do I Believe in a Unseen Being

Who Allows Unjust Suffering and Earlier-Than-Expected Death of Good People

Note: After serving two tours of Army duty in Iraq, seeing his favorite cat die, and seeing one of his
best high school friends, my oldest nephew asked his mother how could she believe in a God Who
allows so much suffering and death to good people and animals.

Bad things happen to good people and animals because of

1. “natural disasters”.
2. flues and other diseases
3. being in a war zone (Iraq is still a war zone and now many countries are actually now in war zones
because of the Muslim terrorists so that even favorite vacation places are dangerous).
4. crimes by others like murder, robberies, rape, incest, verbal and physical abuse in the home, extreme
neglect of children or/and animals, fraud, malicious activity via the Internet, etc.
5. mistakes like eating the wrong foods or/and drugs, pollution, driving a car wrongly (which could have
innocent passengers who become victims of the driver’s mistake), doing wrong movements in sports,
etc.
6. Satan or the fallen angels caused bad things.
7. God caused bad things for discipline (see Hebrews 12), judgment, or/and supernatural warning.

So, God cannot be blamed for the first 6 items and should be thanked for what is mentioned in number
seven. See 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 and Romans 8:28 (the whole chapter is wonderful for those who are
adopted children of God). He allows things to happen that are indicated in the first six types above
because He is not limited by the time we are in and He knows about how much each of His children can
take and who needs to see good testimonies of suffering true Christians. The latter will still have divine
peace and occasional joy and humor too, instead of complaining being angry etc. The true Christian
testimonies during suffering (like Joni Erickson/Tada) or before dying (like Rachel Scott who was one of
the Columbine High School tragedy victims) have persuaded many to commit their lives to God too. So
God should not be despised or even questioned about bad happenings. He promises a time coming when
all of His children will have no more suffering and have a wonderful life forever with Him and His Son.
Not even any current church can provide such a wonderful atmosphere that is indicated in Revelation 21-
22.

Note: Try to see the links between the verses and determine the reasons why they are in the order they
are in. Also try to determine the reasons why each line is indented in the position it is. Look for
relationships of coordinate and subordinate ideas. Finally, there are reasons why some
words/phrases are in bold print and some words/phrases are underlined. You could use this study
for a spiritual inventory of your lifestyle.

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“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ,
for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,
for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
For in it the righteousness of God
Is revealed from faith to faith;
As it is written,
‘The just shall live by faith.’” [Romans 1:16-17] (See also Hebrews 11.)

“Blessed be God, even

the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies, and
the God of all comfort; (The Holy Spirit was called the Comforter by Jesus Christ.)
Who comforts us in all our tribulation,
that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble,
by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us,
so our consolation also abounds by Christ.” [2 Corinthians 1:3-4]

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
It teaches us
to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and
to live self-controlled, upright and Godly lives in this present age,
while we wait for the blessed hope—
the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Who gave Himself for us
to redeem us from all wickedness and
to purify for Himself a people that are His very own,
eager to do what is good.” [Titus 2:11-14]

“For God so loved the world

that He gave His only begotten Son
that whoever believes in Him
should not perish (be forever destroyed)
but have everlasting life.
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world,
But that the world through Him might be saved.” [John 3:16-17]

“Knowing that He Who raised up The Lord Jesus

shall raise up us also by Jesus,
and shall present us with you. (See also 1 Corinthians 15.)
For all things are for your sakes,
that the abundant grace might
through the thanksgiving of many
increase to the glory of God.
For which cause we faint not;
but though our outward man perish,
yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, (a relatively brief time in history)
works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen.
For the things which are seen are temporal,
but the things which are not seen are eternal.” [2 Corinthians 4:14-18]

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“Nevertheless, in keeping with His promise,
we are looking forward to
new heavens and
a new Earth, the home of righteousness
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this,
make every effort to be found
spotless,
blameless and
at peace with Him.” [2 Peter 3:13 &14]

“Don't let anyone deceive you in any way,

for that day (of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ)
will not come until
the rebellion (falling away) occurs and
the man of lawlessness is revealed,
the man doomed to destruction.” [2 Thessalonians 2:3]

“The Lord knows how

to rescue Godly people from trials and
to hold the unrighteous for the Day of Judgment,
while continuing their punishment.” [2 Peter 2:9]

“May The Lord make your love increase and overflow

for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
May He strengthen your hearts
so that you will be blameless and holy
in the presence of our God and Father
when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.” [1 Thessalonians 2:12 & 13]

“Be joyful always;

pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not put out the Holy Spirit's fire;
do not treat prophecies with contempt.
Test everything.
Hold on to the good.
Avoid every kind of evil.” [1 Thessalonians 5:16-22]

“But you, dear friends,

build yourselves up in your most holy faith and
pray in the Holy Spirit.
Keep yourselves in God's love
as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
Be merciful to those who doubt;
snatch others from the fire and save them;
to others show mercy,
mixed with fear--
hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Now unto Him Who is able to keep you from falling,
and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power,
both now and ever. Amen. [Jude 20-25]

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