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Adultery

Adultery

 

Exodus 20:14 You shall not commit adultery.

 

What is adultery?

Only married people can commit the sin of adultery.  When one person (or both) in a marriage is unfaithful to their partner and has a lover-type relationship with another person, this is adultery.

 

Why is adultery so bad?

Adultery deeply hurts all members of the family, most especially the betrayed spouse.

 

What are the possible consequences of adultery?

  1. Divorce
  2. Financial hardship (everything may have to be split)
  3. Much sorrow and weeping.
  4. Murder (if the betrayed person responds violently.)
  5. Children suffer because sometimes their parents are so occupied  with their own problems they don’t see or meet the emotional needs of their children.

 

What are marriage vows?

Marriage vows are promises that the husband and wife make to each other when they get married.  There can be different promises made, but the universal one is the promise to cleave to each other, forsaking all others.

 

How could a marriage stay together and be better even after adultery happened?

The Adulterer could demonstrate true repentance and remorse for the unfaithfulness and the pain caused.  The betrayed spouse could forgive.  The couple could receive counseling and begin to communicate and get to the root of the problem.

 

What is God’s purpose for marriage?  Why not go from partner to partner?

 

Malachi 2:15          “What does he want from marriage?  Children of God, that’s what.  So guard the spirit of marriage within you. Don’t cheat on your spouse.  I hate divorce, says the God of Israel.  (The Message)

 

Scriptures to Study:  Leviticus 20:10, Proverbs 4:23, Matthew 5:28, Song of Solomon 8:4, 2 Corinthians 10:5, 2 Tim 2:22

 

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Compassion

Compassion

 

1 John 3:17 But whoever has this world’s stuff, and seeing his brother in need, shuts up his heart of compassion from him, how does the love of live God in him?

 

We should be moved with compassion to help those in need.  God is full of compassion and his people for the most part are also full of compassion.   Christians are usually one of the first to respond with help for disasters, poverty and famine.  The closer to Jesus we are, the more filled with concern we become for others.    Also, much as we don’t like it, our own personal pain in life can also become a source of empathy for others.  It is my hope that this lesson inspires kids to begin to see the hurting people in their spheres of influence.  They should be reminded that not all pain is physical.   There is much emotional and mental pain in our world today and kind words can help so much.

 

What is compassion?

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance) Compassion:  To have the bowels yearn, to feel sympathy or pity, inward affection, tender mercy.

 

Compassion is love in action.

God loved humanity so much that he gave his only begotten Son.  Jesus was moved with compassion and he healed.  Jesus saw the people as scattered sheep.   He gathered them together and taught them God’s word.  Jesus gave money to the poor. (John 12:5-6, John 13:29)

 

Ways to show compassion.

Giving stuff to those in need.   These could be things like money, clothing, food, a place to live etc.  (meeting peoples’ physical needs)  Giving your time to visit.   Many people are lonely.  Giving your time to pray.  Some problems only God can solve.   It means so much to know that someone is praying for you.  Stepping out in faith and praying for the people while they are with you.

 

The best motivation to do good, is compassion.

When you do something to help, just because you love people, your motives are pure.  Never give grudgingly or out of necessity.   God loves a cheerful giver.  Never give to impress others.   God is not impressed.  Never give out of guilt.   There is no joy in it then.

 

Who needs compassion?

  1. The Poor. “The poor will always be among us,” Jesus said.  
  2. The fatherless.

3.       The Widows

  1. The Sick
  2. The Prisoners
  3. The broken-hearted and persecuted. Some kids get picked on a lot by bullies.  If you are a popular kid, you could show true compassion and befriend kids who don’t have friends.

 

We are called to be salt and light in the world.

Pure religion (true faith) takes care of people in need.In Bible days widows and orphans were the most needy people.  (James 1:27)  Ezekial 16:49   One of the great sins of Sodom was that they did not take care of the poor people.  (Remind the kids of what happened to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.)  If you really know God you will take care of the poor.  Jeremiah 22:16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy and so all went well.  Is that not what it means to know me? declares the Lord.  (NIV)  1 John 3:17-18  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need, but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.  The Good Samaritan was more godly than the religious people of his day because he took care of a needy person.   The religious people just passed by and left him there.  Sometimes people even get too busy doing church stuff that they pass by needy and lonely people who live near them.

 

Scriptures to Study:  Zechariah 7:10, John 12:8, Deuteronomy 15:10-11,

Luke 3:11, Matthew 25:31-46

 

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Excuses

Excuses

 Isaiah 1:19  If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. (KJV)

 When we procrastinate doing God’s will and give him excuses we move off His plan for our lives.  All of us have things we don’t like to do.  We may put them off for a while, but always they need to be done and there is a great sense of relief once they are accomplished.  Not everything God wants us to do is easy on our flesh.

 What are excuses?

Websters Dictionary definition:  Excuse – The reason offered or pretext (a reason put forward to conceal the real one).

 

What does it mean to procrastinate:

Websters Dictionary definition:  Procrastinate – to put off action, to delay, putting off to a future time

 

Why do people procrastinate or make excuses?

To avoid hardship or inconvenience.  Sometimes God wants us to change and change can be hard.  To conceal the truth

 

Why is it futile to make excuses to God?

He knows all things.  He knows the truth.  He will give us the ability to do anything he requires of us. You might get away with excuses that you use on parents and teachers, but you won’t with God.

 

What are the results of procrastination and excuses?

You won’t accomplish God’s Will for your life.  Don’t waste time.  Time is precious.  Once it is spent you cannot make more time or get that time back.  Be productive with your time.  Each part of our life is important for the end result.  There are very important things to do when you are a kid.  Some of these things are hard to start when you are old and married and have big responsibilities.  Examples:   undistracted prayer time, physical fitness, music lessons etc.  Some people put off receiving the Lord, thinking they’ll do it when they are older.  This is dangerous.  What if a person dies before they receive the Lord?  You develop a sense of shame.  When you know you are supposed to be doing something and you are refusing, you are walking in disobedience.James 4:17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.  Sin brings a sense of shame.  Your confidence and self-esteem suffer.  You begin to see yourself as a failure.  When you rise to the occasion and meet each challenge in your life, your confidence in yourself and in God increases.  You develop bad habits.  Example:  If you put off doing hard things like cleaning up your room and you watch TV instead, you’ll soon become comfortable living in filth.  This could cause big problems when you are older and want to get married.  This kind of stuff could cause lots of spats.  Not everyone wants to live in a mess.  You won’t be able to find things when you need them.  You end up getting stressed out for no good reason.

 

If you put off studying and barely squeak by on tests, you’ll get used to living below your best.  This is a bad habit for the future when you want to get a good job.  Give 100% of yourself to everything you do.  You miss out on the blessing God had planned for you.

 

We can have a complete change of attitude.

Moses became zealous for the very thing he tried to avoid.  Moses’ excuse for not wanting to obey God’s call was that he talked slow.  Perhaps he had a stutter or speech impediment. At least he was honest with God.  We should be honest with God and with ourselves.  God made provisions for him to ease his fears.  God promised to be with his mouth – to give him the words and help him.  God brought Aaron to him and told him Aaron could do the talking for him.  If we be truthful and tell God the real reason we don’t want to do something, God may have a way to make it easier for us.   Moses reluctantly agreed to obey.  As Moses became involved in God’s purpose, he seemed to lose his fear of speaking before people.  By the end of his life, he was giving long orations before the people.  He didn’t need Aaron to do his talking for him.  He went from reluctance to whole-hearted obedience and service to God for the people of Israel.  His father in law told him to spread the work around as Moses was carrying too much of the load.  If we obey even though we are reluctant, we will most likely find that the things we dreaded weren’t so bad after all.  We may become zealous to do the thing we didn’t want to do at first.

 

Scriptures to Study:       Luke 13:6-9, Luke 14:7-24, Exodus 3 & 4

 

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Honour Your Father and Mother

Honour Your Father and Mother

 

Exodus 20:12  Honour your father and your mother.   Then you will live a long time in the land.

 

There are several people to whom the bible commands us to pay proper honour and respect.  Some of them receive this honour because of what they do, and others must be honoured because of who they are.   Parents fall into the second category.  Children must be taught that it is not a choice.   They must honour their parents if they want God’s blessing upon their lives.

 

Honour is deeper than just obedience.

Honour is deep deep respect.  Children are commanded to obey their parents in the Lord.  When we are adults we no longer have to obey our parents but we do still have to honour them (highly esteem them).  Some people have parents who do not follow the Lord.   Some parents are even mean and do bad things to their children.  Although it may be hard, God promises to bless those who honour their parents.  Don’t answer back your parents in a nasty way, even if they are being nasty to you.

 

There are promises attached to honouring our parents.

We will live a long time in the land.  It shall be well with us.

 

Not honouring your parents will stunt your spiritual and social growth.

When Jesus was 12 years old he was doing what he should be doing, studying God’s word in the temple, when his mother burst in and rebuked him for making them worry about him.  (They didn’t know where he was.)  Jesus went home and submitted to his parents.  Jesus grew in wisdom and stature with God and man.  God respects those who honour their parents.  People respect those who honour their parents.  People who don’t take care of their family members are looked down on in society.

 

If we don’t take care of our families we are worse than unbelievers.

Our parents took care of us when we were young, we should make sure they are taken care of when they get old.  The church should not be taking care of old people if they have Christian children to take care of them.  Some people in Jesus day were trying to get out of honouring their parents by saying that anything that may have been used to help their parents, was dedicated to the temple.   Jesus disapproved of what they were doing.  Give to God what belongs to God and give to your parents what should be given to them.

 

When you honour someone you never say anything bad about them.

Some kids say they hate their parents.  Some kids call their parents bad names.

 

Our parents are a gift from God. 

Enjoy them while you have them.  Parents don’t live forever on this earth.  Pray for them.   You can win them to the Lord by your lifestyle.   They are watching you and when they see how much you have changed, it may cause them to come to the Lord too.

 

Scriptures to Study:  Exodus 20:12, Luke 2:41-52, Mark 7:11, 1 Timothy 5:8, 1 Timothy 5:16, Ephesians 6:1

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Kingdom of God Ways

Kingdom of God Ways

 

Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

 

Kingdom of God ways are higher and better than earthly ways.  

Kingdom of God people live by a higher standard. The sermon on the mount covers a lot of things, but the thread that weaves through every verse is that believers in Jesus should be different than the world.  Our differences aren’t necessarily outward in the way we dress, but in the inward man of the heart.  The spirit of God in us will help us to forgive and bless our enemies, go the extra mile and be joyful in hardships.

  

Jesus’ kingdom is a different kind of kingdom than the kingdoms of this world.

 

God’s ways are higher than our ways.  God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  In order for God’s kingdom to come and his will to be done as Jesus told us to pray, we need to start thinking like God does.

 

God’s Kingdom has higher standards.

Under the old covenant (The Law of Moses) many things were permitted because of the hardness of people’s hearts.  It was never God’s best.   Examples are

  1. Divorce
  2. Retribution and vengeance (eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth)

In order to live by these higher standards that Jesus talked about, we need to have new, soft hearts.  When we ask Jesus to come into our heart, he makes our heart new and it is soft towards the things of God. With Jesus in our heart we are able to do these commands.   Jesus would not tell us to do something we could not do.

 

Human Nature

Human nature is self-centered, and when we are hurt our natural response is to hurt back.  Human nature is very often greedy.  We should not react with our human nature, but respond with our new born again nature (the nature of Christ).  Remember Christ asked Father God to forgive the people who were crucifying him.

  

We need to be filled with God’s Word and Spirit.

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind by the Word of God.  By meditating on the bible you will begin to think like God.  You will know how Jesus would act in your situation.  By God’s precious promises we partake of the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:3-4)

 

Scriptures to Study:       Isaiah 55:7-9, Romans 12:2,

 

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God’s Name

God’s Name

Exodus 20:7  You must not use the name of the Lord your God in a worthless way.  The Lord will hold people guilty who use his name like that. 

God’s name is Holy.  Anyone who says or associates himself to God’s name should reverence him and live a live worthy of being called by his name.

In studying for this lesson I have come to believe that taking God’s name in vain is more than just saying his name in a disrespectful fashion.   When we receive Christ we take his name.  We become “Christian”.   We must live a life worthy of him so that others do not blaspheme, say bad things about our Saviour on our account.

God wants his name declared in all the earth.

 The name of the Lord declares who he is.  God is represented by his name.

Hallowed be thy name.   God’s name is holy, special, separated from every other name.  God’s presence is associated with his name.  Whenever the people were in trouble they would go to the temple and pray in God’s presence (because God’s name was there).

We can cause people to blaspheme (say bad things about) God’s name by our behaviour

People would promise things falsely and swear by God’s name that they would do it.   God does not like when people use his name to make themselves look good, when really they have evil motives.  It is God’s will that all the nations of the world reverence and fear God’s name.  We cannot treat his name like any other regular name.  Servants (employees) should honour their masters so that the name of God and His doctrine are not blasphemed (talked bad about.)    When people don’t respect the people they should respect, people talk bad about our God.  Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Put faith in the name of Jesus.

Don’t just use Jesus name like a tag onto the end of your prayers.   Release your faith into that name when you say it.  David fought Goliath in the name of the Lord.  Cast out devils and do many wonders in his name.  Jesus has a name above every other name.  Jesus has a more excellent name than any angel.  Do everything you do in the Name of our Lord Jesus.

What does God think about those who honour his name?

God has a book of remembrance written for the people who fear him and meditate on his name.   God considers those people who love his name as his jewels.

One day we will see God’s face and his name will be written on our forehead.

 

Scriptures for Study:  Exodus 9:16, Exodus 34:5-7, Leviticus 19:12   Numbers 6:22-27, Leviticus 24:10-16, Deut 21:5,  1 Samuel 17:45,  2 Chronicles 20:9, Malachi 1:11-14, Malachi 3:16-17, Matthew 6:9, Matthew 7:22, Philippians 2:10, Col 3:17, 1 Timothy 6:1,  2 Timothy 2:19, Hebrews 1:4, Revelation 22:4

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Worshiping Idols

Worshiping Idols

Exodus 20:3&4  You shall have no other gods before me.  You shall not make for yourselves any carved image … and bow down to them nor serve them.

 

We should not have idols.  God must have first place in our hearts.

God is a jealous God.   He is devoted to us so much he sent his only Son to die for us.   He wants our total devotion.  If we seek first his kingdom and righteousness all these things will be added to us (material provision and blessing).  God considers himself married to his people.  When people worship idols, to him it is like they commit adultery.

 

People made idols because they want to worship something they can see with their eyes.

The true God is a spirit and the people that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.   God is looking for those kind of worshipers.   This is why it is impossible to please God without faith.  He that comes to God must believe he is real and he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

 

Idols are powerless.   Paul said they are nothing.   There is only one true God.

To worship idols is really to worship demons.  Sometimes when people worship idols a supernatural event may take place as a result of worshiping that idol.   The idol itself has no power.   Idols are made of wood, stone or metal, but it is demons that make the supernatural event happen.

 

You become like the thing you worship.

The more you worship God, the more you will be changed into his image and become like him.  People who worship idols can fall into terrible sin.   They become totally deceived and tricked by the devil.  They may do terrible things believing that they are making the “gods” happy and that they will bring blessings on their lives. There are some sins associated with idol worship ie human sacrifice, adultery, fornication even child prostitution.

The North American culture is not as accustomed to idol worship practices as are some other nations of the world.   We do have some things though that we should avoid such as “psychic powers”, “good luck charms” and games that encourage contact with the spirit world.   God must be first in our lives and then we will be blessed.

Once on a mission trip to India our group encouraged a man to “have no other gods before God” (he was worshipping idols).   His answer was that he worshiped God more than his statues but that he still worshiped his idols too.  He believed that various idols give various blessings.    According to the bible every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights. (1 John 1:17)

 

People can have heart idols.

The prophet Ezekiel told the elders of Israel that they had heart idols, places in their hearts that they put ahead of God.  Anything that we love more than God can be an idol to us.     We must love Jesus more than any one – athlete, singer, actor or any other famous person.  Covetousness, wanting things so much you cannot be content, is idolatry.

 

Idolaters will be thrown into the lake of fire. Ouch.

 

Scriptures to Study:    1 Corinthians 10:19-22, Revelation 21:8, Ezekial 14:3-4, 1 Corinthians 8:4-6, Hebrews 11:6, John 4:23, Isaiah 44:15-20, Psalm 115:8

 

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The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments

1 John 5:3   This is loving God, keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not too hard.

When we receive Jesus, our spirits experience new birth.   Our conscience becomes tender and we want to do God’s commandments.  This bible study is meant to be an overview of all of the Ten Commandments which we will study more in depth in future lessons.   The thing to stress is that we are not justified by keeping the Ten Commandments because none of us has been able to do it.   This is why Jesus came.   His paying our sin debt made a way for God to give us the gift of the new birth.  It is the new birth that makes the difference.  The new birth makes it possible to keep the Ten Commandments.

Sin was in the earth before God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses and the people of Israel.

Early in Genesis we have the account of Cain killing his brother Abel.   There were no Ten Commandments then.  There was no law that said, “You shall not murder”.  Did Cain know that what he did was wrong?   Yes.  How did he know?   His conscience told him.

Why did God give us the Ten Commandments then?

People didn’t always listen to their conscience.  God didn’t give these laws for the good obedient people.   He gave the Ten Commandments for the rebellious ungodly people.    The law or the Ten Commandments just make us know that we sinned when we break one of them.   The law or the Ten Commandments doesn’t help us to stop sinning.

The 10 Commandments were important to God.

He came down from heaven and spoke them audibly so that all the people of Israel could hear them.  He wrote them with his own hand on tablets of stone.  All the other laws he told directly to Moses and then Moses wrote them down.

The 10 Commandments was a school-master to keep us in line until Jesus would come.

If we could have kept all the Ten Commandments then we could have eternal life but no one has been able to keep the Ten Commandments.  The bible says that everyone has sinned.  Jesus kept the Ten Commandments.  He never broke a single commandment.  This is why he could pay our sin debt.  He didn’t owe a sin debt.   Jesus was always in right standing with God.  When we believe on him he imputes (gives) to us his right standing with God, just as if we had never sinned.

A new heart was the real cure for the sin problem.

When a person asks Jesus to come into his/her heart, God gives them a new heart.  They become born again.   God writes his laws on their hearts.  If we listen to our heart we will always do the right thing.

Let love be your guide.

Would love murder someone?  Would love steal from someone?  Would love lie to someone?  Would love covet someone else’s stuff?  Would love be unfaithful to their spouse?  If you really love God would you worship a statue?

Scriptures to Study:  Exodus 19 & 20, Romans 2:14, Romans 3:20, Romans 3:31,  Romans 4:15, Romans 7:12-14, Romans 8:1-2, Romans 10:4-5, Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 2:16, Galations 5:14, Galations 6:2, 1 Timothy 1:8-9, Hebrews 10:1, James 1:12, Hebrews 8:10, Hebrews 10:16

 

 

 

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The Seed of God’s Word

The Seed of God’s Word

Luke 8:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience. (KJV)

Let the seed of God’s Word take deep root in your heart, then your life will be fruitful.

In this uncertain world, nothing can be more important than taking time on a regular basis to plant God’s Word in your heart.  Nothing has the ability to truly change us like the seed of God’s Word.  God’s word keeps our priorities in line and gives us peace and purpose.

 It is important to understand the parable of the sower and the seed in Luke 8.

Jesus said if we didn’t understand this parable, we would have a hard time understanding all the parables he would teach.  This parable contained important spiritual principles.

  • The seed sown by the wayside.

  • God wants everyone to hear the Word of God, but not everyone receives it.
  • The devil wants to steal the seed of the word of God from people before they have the chance to truly understand and become rooted in God’s Word.
  • We should remember to pray for young believers. Remember they immediately come under attack of the devil.
  • When we hear God’s Word regarding any topic, not just salvation, we should take time to meditate upon it. We should make our best efforts to really understand.  Seek God for understanding.  Don’t let the devil steal a blessing from you.

 

  • The seed sown on rocky ground.

  • The people here received God’s Word with great joy. The word of God is good news.
  • These people did not process the Word in their hearts and let the seed of God’s word take deep root in them.
  • They only believed for a while. They weren’t committed to the Word.
  • In times of temptation or testing, they don’t follow the Word of God.

 

  •    The seed sown among thorns.

    The people here received God’s Word and believe.\

  • But they are distracted. They worry about things of this life.  They focus on becoming rich and having fun.
  • They are not able to be all that God intended for them to be.

  • The seed sown on good ground.

  • The good ground is honest, good-hearted people. They are people motivated by the love of God.
  • After they hear God’s word, they keep it. They protect the seed of God’s word in their hearts.  They consider God’s Word to be the most important thing in the world to them.  They meditate upon God’s Word and let his Word root deeply in their hearts.
  • They bring forth fruit with patience. They are patient.  They are committed to the things of God for a lifetime.
  • God is able to do in them, all that he wants to do. Some bring forth 30, some 60 and some 100 times.

 

  • God’s Word is Alive

  • God’s word is living and powerful. Sometimes people try to change themselves and it doesn’t work, but if they just fill their hearts with the seed of God’s word, they would find their lives transforming without all of the struggle.
  • Just like newborn babies desire milk, we are to desire the milk of God’s word in order to grow by it.

 

The Seed of God’s Word once it is deeply rooted is a powerful force.

The seed of God’s word was so deeply rooted in the apostles that they spread the gospel all over the then known world and most of them suffered or were martyred because of the message.   The apostle Paul the day after being stoned and raised up by God, immediately went to the next town and preached the Gospel.

If we let the seed of God’s Word take deep root in us, we also will be busy about our Father’s business and complete his work for us.

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