CESAR CASTELLANOS D. Scanned with CamcannerWeek 1 LEARNING FROM OUR MISTAKES8 LifeCtass DAY 1 A NEW DAY Henry Ford was fired from his first job and had to leave his first two companies before finally becoming successful with Ford Motor Company. Beethoven handled the violin awk- wardly and preferred playing his own compositions rather than improving his technique, even though his teacher said he was hopeless as a composer. Walt Disney was dismissed from his first job as an art apprentice. Although he is said to have experienced numerous setbacks and financial strug- gles throughout his fife, he later went on to build the huge motion picture empire, Disney. Albert Einstein did not speak fluently until he was seven. His teacher described him as “mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in his foolish dreams,"[1] He was initially refused entry to the Polytech- nic Institute in Zurich and when he submitted his paper on relativity to support his application to become a tutor at the University of Bern, it was roeced: Acommon thread that runs through the stories of these four famous figures is that they decided it was never too late to start over; they Persevered in their dreams and did not allow their circumstances to determine their future. Ford is now one of the largest automobile com- Panies in the world; Beethoven's compositions are widely believed to be impossible to improve upon; Albert Einstein is the father of the Theory of Relativity and is considered to be the most influential phys- icist of the 20th Century; and Walt Disney has pushed the boundaries of animation and storytelling to ignite the imaginations of children and adults around the world, Failure can be a thing of the past when you decide that today is the beginning of a new success story. Scanned with CWeek 1. Day 9 The Bible tells the story of the prodigal son -"a young man who seemed to have it all: a father who loved him, a roof over his head, and everything he might need to live a stable life. But there came a time when this young man grew tired of the life he was living. He was bored of seeing the same faces and doing the same things every day. He decided it was time to explore. He asked his father for his share of the inheritance and he set out in search of his purpose - he wentse! to find out why he was alive. As soon as the prodigal son left home, he started down an unknown path, which eventually led him to a very distant land. Although the gardens there were full of roses, behind its walls lay only misery, sickness and pain. John spoke of three illusions that mislead many: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). These can be compared to deserts disguised as oases; they present a false reality, advertising the pleasures of the world as something that can satisfy us in life. However, in the end, they result in an unfulfilled life, without hopes and dreams. John explains that these are trademarks of the world and that they do not come from God the Father. What had at first appeared to be a garden of roses turned out to be a squalid pig-sty. Solomon said: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12) Have | been walking down the wrong path? Today, you have a new opportunity to re-examine your life and be honest with yourself. Although the prodigal son ended up in deep dis- tress, a light dawned in his thinking. That was when he could clearly see four precious opportunities in the spiritual realm that would not _ only restore his life, but also recover all that he had lost. Scanned with Camecanner Oo10 LifeCless Live the Lesson 1. What new things would you like to learn? 2. Do you know anybody who has learned something new (an instrument, language, sport, etc.), even though others thought they were too old to do so? 3. Look up the following words in a dictionary and write down their definitions: Decision: Change: [eteecee ce ST ae tT ee 4. If you could choose to change something in your life, what would it be? If you are unable to change it, what do you think God could do to bring about change? i \ a } Remember the Lesson SD No matter what mistakes you have made, it is never too late to start again. (x (a } Study the Word OPsaim 1 O)Psalm 2 Opsaim 3 O)Proverbs 1 (John1 Scanned with CamcannerWeek 1__Day2 n AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ENCOUNTER “Because you are a soul, as well as a body and a mind, you will never find an inward joy. peace, forgiveness.and sense of security with God until your soul has been satisfied; and your soul cannot be satisfied apart from God.) Billy Gra- 1. “Our de separated us from God.” {Sinful 2. “No bridgé reaches God... Except one.” PrOPLE {Sinful} Scanned with CamsLifeCiass 3. “God has provided the only way... Each person must make a decision.” PEOPLE (Sinful) 4. “WHERE ARE YOU?” Gop + Peace + Forgiveness + Abundant life «Eternal Life ham As human beings, we were created with the ability to choose. Every day of our lives is the fruit of our decisions. The prodigal son made some bad decisions, but the conse- quences that followed left him longing for change. He was faced with a new opportunity - to start over. While it was not easy for him because it meant humbling himself. swal- lowing his pride, and depending solely on the mercy of his father, his desire for something new helped him make the best decision: he said yes to an encounter with his father. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to Spare, and here /am starving to death! | will set out and go back to my father 8nd say to him: Father, | have sinned against heaven and against you.” (Luke 15:17-18a) Scanned with CamcannerWeek! Day2 3 The young man in the parable wanted to live life his own way, just like many young people today who allow rebellion. in their hearts. They think that submitting to the authority and discipline of their homes restricts their freedom. They consider themselves to be the authors of their own destinies and believe that their parents will never be able to. advise them on how to run their lives. That is exactly what happened to the prodigal son; he had the nerve to say to his father, “Give me my share of the estate” (Luke 15:12). Instead of arguing with his son, the father simply gave him all that he had asked. From the moment this young man left home, every step he took was not only further distancing him from his father, but also leading him toward a total wasteland. Everything he had owned at one point in his life disappeared as quickly as one awakes from a dream, and he found himself in a place of total abandonment and desperation, barely even able to feed himself: 1. He moved far away to a distant land. 2. He wasted his possessions by living frivolously there. 3. He squandered everything. Despite all his efforts, the only job he could find was feeding pigs? During one of the most dismal moments of his life, this young man started to compare his current situation to the very different life he had led in his father’s house. He realized that while he was feeding pigs and starving to death, all his father’s servants had food to spare. That thought then charted the course that led to his encounter with his father. The prodigal son was sure that his father would receive him, opening the doors of his house, despite the wrong decisions he had made, At the very least, he would take him on asa servant. It is so good that he realized in time! bbe hard for @ Jew to imagine @ more demeaning jcb, given that they consider pigs to be unclean hinigis. Th4 foct that the prodigal son accepted this job meant that he really had hit rack bottom Scanned with Camcanner4 Lieciass Live the Lesson 1. Have you lost anything in life because of bad decisions you made, which you would now like to recover? 2. Find out what “humbling yourself before God” means. You can use various resources, such as dictionaries or Bible reference guides, or you could ask your LifeClass guide. 3. Just as this young man humbled himself so that he could return to his father, the Bible says that God will never reject a broken and repentant heart (Psalm 51:17). Set apart some time today to humble yourself before God and desire to be reconciled to Him with all your heart. Remember the Lesson We have the opportunity to return to God’s loving arms - but doing so is a personal decision. Study the Word OPsaim 4 OPsalm 5 (OPsalm 6 O) Proverbs 2 (CQ) vohn 2 Q)sohn 3 Scanned with Cam@cannerWeek I. bay 3 IS IT TOO LATE FOR RECONCILIATION? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word reconcilia- tion means “the action of restoring estranged people or parties to friendship.**! Reconciliation refers to the restoration of relation- ships. When God made us, He created us with the need to both give and receive love. What He desires most for humanity is genuine friendship - both with Him, and between each person and their neigh- bor. That was why God made a plan: He created the idea of marriage and family. However, because of Adam's disobedience, the plan was disrupted and rebellion and selfishness entered instead. God still longs for there to be complete harmony; He wants us to be reconciled to Him and to the people around us. “I will set out and go back to my father and say. to him: Father, | have sinned against heaven and against you.” (Luke 15:18) This young man determined that he would confess his sins, accepting responsibility for them whilst also seeking mercy. The writer of Prov- erbs said, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). John wrote, “IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and (just and will for- Scanned with Camecanner O16 Litedtoss give us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The prodigal son decided to tell his father, “../ have sinned against heaven and against you” (Luke 15:18). When a person sins and offends God, they also offend those around them. Confession is the result of a repentant heart that knows it has strayed from the path and decides to turn around to get back on the right track. Our future is defined by such crucial moments. The word crucial comes from the Latin word for cross.) It is no coin- cidence that the cross was made of two pieces of wood: one placed vertically and the other horizontally. The vertical beam speaks of us lifting our eyes to God, while the horizontal beam speaks about an awareness of the needs of our neighbor. The cross both reconciles people to God and helps us restore our relationships with others. | am confident that the best medicine in existence is the forgiveness we receive through the cross. Paul said, “For Christ's love compels us. because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). There is unlimited power available at the cross of Calvary; it has be- come the only door through which man can be reconciled to God. The first couple sinned when they disobeyed the Lord's instructions: “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Because of their dis- obedience, they had to leave paradise; they lost everything and had to face a world they did not know. Thousands of years later, another tree was planted = the cross of Calvary - and its fruit is life and life to the full, God has also given us the opportunity to be reconciled to the peo- ple around us through the cross. When Jesus was teaching His dis- Ciples to pray. the only additional comment He made was about Scanned with CamcannerWeek! Day 3 ” forgiveness. He said, “For if you forgive other People when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15). Lewis Smedes, a renowned author and theology. professor, once wrote, "When we forgive, we set a prisoner free and then discover that the prisoner we set free was us.’®! The best medicine that exists for the human heart is forgiveness, as much for those who grant it as for those who receive it. Forgiveness breaks the strongest chains, opens the securest doors, and demolishes the sturdiest walls. There is nothing comparable to forgiveness, and the best way to both receive and grant forgiveness is through the cross. Remember that the cross was made of two pieces of wood - one horizontal and the other vertical. The vertical beam represents rec- conciliation between God and man and the horizontal beam speaks of reconciliation with others. The work of the cross is complete! Live the Lesson 1. The best medicine in the world is the forgiveness we receive at the cross. Write a list of the people you need to forgive. In prayer, forgive those who have hurt and offended you. 2. What mistakes do you think the prodigal son made that kept him far away from his father? Can you identify with any of those mistakes, and if so, which ones? O Scanned with Camecanner3 LifeClass Remember the Lesson The cross was made of two pieces of wood - one horizontal and one vertical. The horizontal beam represents forgiveness between people and the vertical beam represents reconciliation with God. i (hi | Study the Word eae O Psalm 7 (Proverbs 3 (John 4 Scanned with CamecannerWeek 1 Day 9 AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESTORATION “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.”” (Luke 15:22) The clothes a person wears can say a lot about them. Our wardrobe often reflects our personality, our profession, our internal or external condition, or even how we feel on a certain day. Rachel Roy, a US fashion designer, said, “What / found through clothing is that when you put on the right dress or you put on the right pair of glasses or suit, it can really make you remember what is beautiful about life." However, there are many who do not feel beautiful, regardless of what they wear. This is because they are wearing the wrong spiritual clothes. Just as in the natural, we all also have spiritual clothes that give beauty to who we are and reflect our spiritual condition. Having made the decision to return home, this young man was sur- prised by the way his father welcomed him. The father told his. ser- vants to replace his son's filthy clothes with fine. garments. This rep- resents what the Lord does for. every person who decides to restore their relationship with their heavenly Father. We need to understand that the clothes of the young man in the parable are an allegory for how we have misused the precious life God has given us - permitting20 LiteCtese sin in our hearts has soiled our spiritual clothes and left us with many physical and emotional wounds. When the father saw the condition of his son; he had compassion on him and calléd for his rancid, thread- bare rags to be immediately exchanged for robes fit for a banquet. When the prophet Zechariah had a vision of Joshua, the high priest, he said, “Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes'‘as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, | have taken away your sin, and | will put fine garments on you”” (Zechariah 3:3- 4). Those rags represented his past, sinful life, and were completely removed, The prodigal son arrived in his filthy clothes; he was unable to justify them before God, as they were the outward expression of all the evil he had been involved in since he had left his father’s house. However, the love of God is so great that He removes our old clothes, which represent our nature contaminated by sin, and He clothes us in fine, splendid garments, which represent righteousness: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). One of Job's greatest desires was deliverance from his own sins. He exclaimed, “Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins?" (Job 7:21). Later he himself answered, “But how can mere mor- tals prove their innocence before God?” (Job 9:2). The psalmist David said, “No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them - the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough” (Psalm 49:7-8). Despite our best efforts and good intentions, the stain of sin runs deep and we cannot remove it ourselves - only God can. The Psalmist later wrote, “As far as the east is from the west. so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him” (Psalm 103:12-13). Scanned with CamecannerWeek I_. Day-4 a Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord said, “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed” (Isaiah 52:3). Paul encour- aged the Corinthians by saying, “You were bought at a price. There- fore honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:20). Jesus paid the highest price that could ever be paid. Every area of the young man’s life was transformed; he was restored to his position as a son, his clothes were changed, and a ring was put on his finger (which represents the restoration of authority). Live the Lesson 1. What do royal robes represent and what do rags represent? Which do you think you are wearing today? }) Remember the Lesson The love of God restores me in every area of my life. . (Bll) ) Study the Word C)Psaim 8 Psalm 9 OpProverbs 4 (John 5 Scanned with Camcanner22 titties. AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PROVISION “Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:23-24) Speaking about provision, Derek Prince said the following: “One distinctive aspect of God, as He is revealed in the Bible, is His abundance. God is not poor. He is not stingy. He is not limited. He is a God of abundance. His grace is abundant. His love is abundant. His provision is abundant. [..] the consequence of sin, ultimately, is misery, poverty and destitution. There is no abundance in a life of sin. But God does not leave us, [...] He offers both pardon and provision.’ God offers us the opportunity to be reconciled to Him, to recover What has been lost and to receive the provision we need. Its interesting to see how the father in Luke 15 calls for the fattened calf to be brought and Prepared for a large feast and celebration. This speaks to us of provision.Week! _ Day S 23 In the time of the patriarch Abraham, God spoke to him saying, "Jake your son, your only son, whom you love - Isaac - and goto the re- gion of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain / will show you" (Genesis 22:2). Abraham did not argue with God; he obeyed Him immediately. The next day, he took his son, along with his donkey and provisions, and traveled for three days until they came to Mount Moriah. When they had almost reached the place God had specified, his young son stopped him and said, “Daddy, can | ask you something?” “Of course,” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here [...], but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7b). | believe that this was the most difficult moment of Abraham's life. Perhaps he remained silent, closed his eyes and lifted up a prayer, saying, “God, help me, | don't know how to answer my son. How can / tell him that he is the sacrifice? Lord, give me a word of wisdom so that | can answer him correctly.” That was when he received the great- est revelation anyone has ever had. He heard the voice of the Lord telling him, ‘Vehovah Jireh,” which means “God will provide” (Genesis 22:8). Abraham simply said to his son, ‘Jehovah Jireh.” When the time came for him to sacrifice his son, God spoke to him and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here | am,” he replied, “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now | know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son” (Genesis 22:11-12). God opened Abraham's eyes in a supernatural way so that he could experience the revelation of the cross. | believe that this is what Jesus was referring to when He told the Jews, “Your father Abraham re- joiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56). The patriarch understood that all of God's provision for man was to be found in the Son that the Lord would offer for the redemp- tion of the world. The prodigal son received all of the father’s blessings - including the fattened calf, which represents Christ crucified. God gave the best anyone could have given; He did not bring just any kind of offering, He gave the best. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one24 biteCtass and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The opportunity to experience an extraordinary life with Je- sus is yours. Simply make the decision with all your heart to keep that appointment, even though you may have been canceling or postponing it for a long time. Now is the time. When you have had that marvelous encounter with Jesus, tell others about the blessings that are ours because of His sacrifice on the cross. Live the Lesson 1. What offering did God give for us that allows us to be sure that He always gives the best? 2. Look up the following Bible verses: * Haggai 2:8 *2 Corinthians 9:8 * Philippians 4:19 3. Based on the verses you just read, what can you conclude about the provision of God? Remember the Lesson All of God's provision is found in Jesus, who offered Himself for the redemption of the world. Scanned with Cam@canner(OPsaim 10 Week 1__ Day 5 }) Study the Word (proverbs 5 (C)sohn 6 Scanned with Camcanner 25LiteCloss DAY 6 WHO IS JESUS? We have been speaking about the amazing opportunity we have to make a u-turn in our lives. An encounter with Jesus is the most won- derful opportunity a person can ever have. The historian Philip Schaff describes the uniqueness of our Savior: “This Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, con- quered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, He shed more light on things human and divine than all philos- ophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, He spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of any orator or poet; without writing a single line, He set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and sweet songs of praise, than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times."®! This Jesus, who has changed and impacted the lives of millions of people around the world, is now waiting for you to open the door of your heart so that He can take His rightful place in your life. “Here J am! | stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, | will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” (Revelation 3:20). The invitation is for everyone who hears this message of hope and faith, which is so real and so different from the Scanned with CamPcannerWeek I _ Day 6 27 messages of countless others who have tried to bring some kind of enlightenment to humanity. Budalha never claimed to be God. Moses never claimed to be Jehovah, Mohammed never claimed to be Allah. Yet Jesus Christ claimed to be the true and living Goa. Bud- dha simply said, “] am a teacher in search of the truth.” Jesus said, “lam the Truth” John 14:6). Confucius said, “1 never claimed to be holy.” Jesus said, “Who convicts me of sin?” (ohn 8:46). Mohammed said, “Unless God throws his cloak of mercy over me, | have no hope.” Jesus said, “Unless you believe in me, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). - Unknown Do not let another day pass by, Take some time now to pray to God and express the desire of your heart to have an encounter with Jesus Christ like never before. If you have never prayed a prayer of faith before, do not worry ~ it is very simple. The Bible says that, “It is with your heart that you be- lieve and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (Romans 10:10). The most important thing is that you believe. As faith is awakened in you, you will be able to take the second step - confessing with your mouth what you have already believed in your heart. Live the Lesson The gospel is comprised of three historical events,: defined by the apostle Paul: “For what I received | passed on to you as of first impor- tance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, [and] that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (| Corinthians 15:3-4). Scanned with Camecanner