LIFEGROUP TEACHINGS BOOK 2

MATURITY SERIES G. The Holy Spirit reveals what is to come

CONTENTS The Holy Spirit will not only reveal secret things but also things that
are to come. His revelation may not be complete in details but He surely
gives visions and prophesies on what God will do in our lives, family, and
Lesson 1: Prayer - Part 1
ministry and even in our working place. Vision is the language of the Holy
Spirit.
Lesson 2: Prayer - Part 2

Lesson 3: Prayer - Part 3 "13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all
truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and
Lesson 4: The Word of God he will tell you what is yet to come." John 16:13

Lesson 5: The Foundation APPLICATION:

Lesson 6: Repentance
1. Mention two things that are impressed to you in this lesson. Explain.
2. Is it possible to befriend the Holy Spirit even if He cannot be seen?
Lesson 7: Faith - Part 1
3. Can we successfully live Christian lives without the Holy Spirit?

Lesson 8: Faith - Part 2 What must we do to have close fellowship with the Holy Spirit?

Lesson 9: Giving

Lesson 10: The Lord's Day

Lesson 11: The Holy Spirit - Part 1

Lesson 12: The Holy Spirit - Part 2

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D. The Holy Spirit helps us live holy lives
The Holy Spirit is the one who sanctifies and makes us remain
blameless. Through Him, we can overcome temptations and carnal atti-
tudes.
"13For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if
by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,"
Romans 8:13
"16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of
the sinful nature." Galatians 5:16
E. The Holy Spirit teaches and guides us in all things
There are instances when we cannot distinguish what is Godly and
what is of the flesh. The Holy Spirit then comes to our rescue. His guid-
ance is not only limited to the spiritual aspect. He is our counselor in all
things such as our family, business, study, work, marriage and more. He
reveals and teaches us what steps to take in accordance to God's will.
"13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into
all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears,
and he will tell you what is yet to come." John 16:13
F. The Holy Spirit reveals the secret things of God
If the Holy Spirit is our close friend, we are filled with heavenly
wisdom and knowledge. He reveals God's will in our lives if we give
enough time to seek and listen to the Holy Spirit.
"10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches
all things, even the deep things of God." I Corinthians 2:10
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PRAYER - Part 1
(Maturity Series: Lesson One)
"12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Romans 12:12
"2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."
Colossians 4:2
I. WHAT IS PRAYER?
Being a Christian is not just joining a certain religion. First and fore-
most, it is a living relationship with the living God. Fellowship and constant
communication are needed for a relationship to grow. PRAYER is the way
to communicate with God. It is a two-way process. In prayer, we talk to
Him and He speaks back to us. There are times when we speak to Him and
there are also times when we simply listen to Him. There are many ways
God speaks to us, but the clearest way is through His living word that in-
spires, rebukes, teaches and guides (Hebrews 4:12).
II. WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?
There are two main reasons why we should pray:
1. To deepen our relationship with God
"8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your
hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
James 4:8
Even though we are God's children, our relationship with Him does
not become immediately deep and intimate. A relationship needs to be
worked out in order to grow deeper and sweeter. Through prayer, we can
know God more. The more consistent we are in our prayer, the closer we
get to Him, just like what Moses and Joshua did (Exodus 33:11). We must
pray so we make our connection with God stronger.
1
2. To receive from God
"7Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and
the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7
There are more than 3,000 promises of God written in the Bible,
and these would simply remain as promises if we do not know them.
However, we can claim and receive these promises through prayer. The
Bible says:
"6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Philippians 4:6
III. WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF PRAYER?
1. Pray in secret
"5And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love
to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by
men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when
you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who
is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward
y Matthew 6:5-6
ou. The motive of our prayers is not to be a venue for showing off our
"
spirituality.
2. Pray with a correct understanding of who God is
"7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for
they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like
them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
Matthew 6:7-8
Many Christians are acting like pagans. They believe that through
their long and repetitious prayers, God will answer them. They view God
as without concern nor interest in meeting their needs. This mindset is
wrong. Jesus said, "Before we even ask, God the Father already knows
what we need." This means that God is concern and is ready to meet our
needs when we ask Him (Matthew 7:7).
2
HOLY SPIRIT - Part 2
(Maturity Series: Lesson Twelve)
We have learned in the previous lesson that the Holy Spirit is God,
and we need to worship and praise Him. He is also a person who has feel-
ings, so we must fellowship and be intimate with Him. The Holy Spirit is the
God who goes with us. We can feel the presence of the Father and the Son
through Him. He is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son (Matthew 10:20;
Romans 8:9). Now, let's continue to learn more about the person and acts
of the Holy Spirit.
IV. THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES
A. The Holy Spirit testifies deep inside us that we are God's children
 If we have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit al-
ready dwells in our hearts and testifies that we belong to God.
"16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's chil-
dren." Romans 8:16
B. The Holy Spirit enables us to pray
 It is important to ask the Holy Spirit's guidance on what to pray and
how we should pray. He is the one who intercedes in our behalf.
"26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not
know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us
with groans that words cannot express." Romans 8:26
C. The Holy Spirit conveys God's word to us
The Holy Spirit helps us
1. Understand and remember God's word
It is difficult to understand the bible in our own understanding, so
we need to rely on the Holy Spirit who is our teacher.
"26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in
my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have
said to you." John 14:26
2. Live out God's word
The Holy Spirit compels and empowers us to obey the Word.
"27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my de-
crees and be careful to keep my laws." Ezekiel 36:27
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III. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE "GOD OF THE NOW" 3. Pray with faith

 The Father and the Son are in heaven (Mark 16:19) but the Holy Spirit "6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone
is here with us (John 14:16). He is the God who is here with us and who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those
who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6
dwells within us (1 Corinthians 3:16). Through Him, we can experience
We can receive from God through our faith (Matthew 9:29). God
real change and liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17)
will only answer prayers coupled with faith (Mark 11:24).
"18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are 4. Pray to the Father in heaven
being transformed into his 38
likeness with ever-increasing
glory, which
comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

"22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things
there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

APPLICATION:
1. What new thing do you learn in the lesson today? Why?
2. What must we do to get close to the Holy Spirit?
3. Can we experience the Father and the Son without the Holy Spirit?
 "9This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hal-
lowed be your name," Matthew 6:9
Jesus taught his followers to call directly to the Father when pray-
ing. He instructed them not to look for images or idols, rather to call to the
Father "who cannot be seen" (Matthew 6:6). We must follow what Jesus
teaches so that our prayers will be effective.
5. Pray in the Name of Jesus
"20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20
Jesus Christ is the only mediator between us and God because He is
the only one who paid for our sins on the cross (1Timothy 2:3-6). No one
can go to the Father except through Him. Through our union with Christ,
we can go to the Father's presence using the name of Jesus who is our Sav-
ior and advocate, and the Father will hear us (John 16:23; Ephesians 5:20; 1
John 2:1).
6. Pray with the guidance of the Holy Spirit
"26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not
know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us
with groans that words cannot express." Romans 8:26
"18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers
and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all
the saints." Ephesians 6: 18a
3
 Even if we pray directly to the Father, yet we are not guided by
the Holy Spirit, our prayers will not be answered. Prayer is not asking for
what you want, but it is asking for what God wants for you. Our prayer
will be answered if it is according to His perfect will (1 John 5:14). We can-
not know God's will on our own, so the Holy Spirit helps us in this area
(Romans 8:26). He is the one who intercedes on our behalf (Romans
8:27). That's why before we pray, we must ask for the help of the Holy
Spirit who is our guide.
7. Pray earnestly
"12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will
listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all
your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, who teach the Law because they
worship only with their lips, but not with their hearts (Matthew 15:8). We
need to understand that God is not impressed with our words when we
pray, but what impresses Him is the condition of our hearts (1 Samuel
16:7).
APPLICATION:
1. Have you heard the voice of God? When?
2. How do we see God- strict or compassionate?
3. Can you say that your relationship with God is already deep? Why? 4.
Which of the seven principles in prayer have you taken for granted?
4 37
II. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON
God is three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We do

not have three Gods; we have one God having three persons. Many do
not find it hard to believe that the Father and the Son are persons, but
they cannot accept that the Holy Spirit is a person too. They look at the
Holy Spirit as merely the power of God. This is a false unbiblical teach-
ing.
 True, the Holy Spirit has power, but first, He is a person. He does not
have a physical body because He is Spirit, but He has a personality. The
Holy Spirit is a person
He has a mind - Romans 8:27
A.
B. He has a will - 1 Corinthians 12:11
C He has emotion - Ephesians 4:30
. He speaks - Revelation 2:7
D
.
The Holy Spirit has a very sensitive character. This means that He has
emotions that can be affected by our actions and attitudes. This is why

the Bible warns:
Do not lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4)
Do not disobey the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:10; Acts 7:51)
A. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)
B. Do not quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
C Do not insult the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 10:29)
. Do not blaspheme the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32)
D
.
The Holy Spirit is a person. He has emotion and will, so we need to give
E.
F. Him importance. We are called to fellowship with Him (2 Corinthians
13:13,14; Philippians 2:1. We should make Him a close friend. We can-
not see Him, but we can feel His presence and hear His voice. We must

learn to walk with Him (Galatians 5:25).
 HOLY SPIRIT - Part 1
(Maturity Series: Lesson Eleven)
"16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot
accept him,
because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives
with you and will be in you." John 14:16-17
God said that the unbelievers do not know the Holy Spirit, but we
know Him because He lives in us. We need to know who the Holy Spirit is.
We will discuss three things about Him.
I. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD
 The Bible shows that our God has three persons - the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit. Just like a married couple, they are two but one
(Genesis 2:24). God is not God if He is only one or two persons. There
are many verses in the bible that prove that these three persons are
part of one God, and they cannot be separated (Matthew 28:19; 1 Co-
rinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:13).
 We have the God the Father (Ephesians 4:6), God the Son
(Hebrews 1:6-8), and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4), but there is only one
God. This is difficult to understand, but this is what the bible says, so
we must believe it. We cannot fully grasp everything about God, but
what He reveals about Himself belongs to us. What He doesn't reveal
though we must not bother with (Deuteronomy 29:29).
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD
BECAUSE
 He is everywhere (Omnipresent) - Psalm 139:7
 He knows all things (Omniscient) - 1 Corinthians 2:10-11
 He is all powerful (Omnipotent) - Psalm 104:30
 He has no beginning and no end - Hebrews 9:14
The Holy Spirit is not less than the Father and the Son but is
equal (Matthew 28:19). Because the Holy Spirit is God, He can be glori-
fied, worshipped, and praised just like what we do with the Father and
the Son. The Father and the Son will not be jealous if we do this because
there is no rivalry among them. In fact, they will be pleased because we
PRAYER - Part 2
(Maturity Series: Lesson Two)
IV. HOW SHOULD WE
PRAY?
"9This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hal-
lowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it
is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread.12Forgive us our debts, as we
also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from the evil one." Matthew 6: 9-13
This is the pattern Jesus set for all believers to follow. The Lord's
Prayer is not to be memorized. It is simply a guide or outline on how to
pray. If we follow its pattern, then our prayer is complete. What are the
steps that should comprise our prayer?
1. Give worship to God
"9This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hal-
lowed be your name," Matthew 6:9
This step is the most important because we worship our Father by
giving
thankfulness for what He has given us (Psalm 95:2).
praise for who He is in our lives (Psalms 103:1-5).
reverence for His glory and magnificence (Psalm 95: 6-
7).
In this step, we are not asking from God, but we are giving Him
know the Holy Spirit for who He is- God.
36
what He seeks-true worship (John 4:23-24). This kind of prayer stems
from
a heart who truly seeks God for who He is, not for what He can do.
The
motive of this prayer is to bless God and to dwell in His presence.
2. Intercede for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done
"your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"
Matthew 6:10
5
 Not all that surrounds us and happens to us are God's will. There D. Ministering to the needy
are happenings caused by the devil and man, and we are called to pray "14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to
against these. We must pray that God's will be done on earth as it is being
pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the
done in heaven. We must pray that God's kingdom and will be fulfilled in
prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him
our
up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven." James 5:14-15
1. Life 5. Community/Neighborhood
2. Family 6. Government
3. Work/Livelihood/Business 7. Country IV. WHERE SHOULD WE WORSHP EVERY SUNDAY?
4. Local Church 8. Whole World
3. Ask for daily needs A. Where we can be satisfied with spiritual food?
"1Give us today our daily bread." Matthew 6:11 "Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on
If our earthly father desires to provide the needs of his children, every word that comes from the mouth of God.' Matthew 4:4
how much more our Father in heaven desires it? (Matthew 7:9-11). Jesus
encourages us to ask from the Father for what we need everyday. There
B. Where we can feel the presence of God?
are those who have not received because they simply did not ask (James
4:2). There are reasons why our petitions are not answered: "2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory."
Psalm 63:2
 Sin (Isaiah 59:1-2; 1 Peter 3:12)
 Doubt (James 1:6-7) C. Where we can be changed, grow and used for service?
 Wrong motive (James 4:3) "12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar
 Strife / Fighting / Discord (1 Peter 3:7)
of Lebanon; 13planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the
 Resistance to God's Perfect Will (1 John 5:14)
 Weak Relationship with Christ (John 15:7) courts of our God. 14They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh
4. Ask for Forgiveness and green," Psalm 92:12-14
"12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."
M
a It is not God's desire for us to sin, but if we sin, we are called to
t come to Him through our advocate who is Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1). We
t are called to confess and to repent of the sins we committed (Proverbs
h
28:13). Don't confess to God the sins you do not want to give up. If we
e
w sincerely ask for forgiveness, there are two things that will happen to us:
"He will forgive our sins" and He will cleanse our hearts from all unright-
6 eousness" (1 John 1:9).
:
1 6
2
 worship every Sunday?
APPLICATIO
N: 3. What are the reasons why others do not give time to worship every
Sunday?
1. Is it your habit to worship in church every Sunday?
2. Have you experienced change and satisfaction in the church where you 35
B. This is the first day of the week
The first day of the week is not Monday but Sunday. This is proven
in the Bible which states that Saturday (day of rest) is the 7th day of the
week and the 1st day is Sunday (Matthew 28:1; John 20:1). Our calendar
also shows this. We must therefore worship God on the first day of the
week in order to follow the principle of "seeking first the Kingdom of
God"(Matthew 6:33).
If Sunday is the 1st day of the week, then it is appropriate to give it
to God. Sunday is not the time to work or play, but this is the time for
God and His family. If we give the first day to God, then we can be as-
sured that the remaining days of the week will be blessed. Many things
will be added to us if we put Him first.
C. This is one of the days when the early Church gathered
There are verses in the bible which show that the early Church
met on a Sunday for the "Lord's Supper" (Acts 20:7). The church in Cor-
inth met every Sunday to give financially to the Lord's work. This does not
mean though that the early church met only every Sunday. They met eve-
ry day (Acts 2:46).
III. WHAT HAPPENS AT EVERY SUNDAY MEETING?
There are four good things that believers do on Sundays as shown
in the bible. As long as these are all present, they need not to be system-
atically ordered.
A. Worship through songs
"1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2Worship the LORD
with gladness; come before him with joyful songs." Psalms 100:1-2
B. Worship through tithes and offerings
"10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be
food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I
will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much bless-
ing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10
C. Worship through listening of God's words
"7On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul
spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept
on talking until midnight". Acts 20:7
34
5. Forgive Others
"12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."
Matthew 6:12
Because God has forgiven us through Jesus Christ, we too must re-
lease forgiveness to others who wronged us (Ephesians 4:32). This is the
ultimate reason why we should forgive others even if they have not asked
for our forgiveness. Because we have freely received, then we must freely
give. We have no right to ask forgiveness from God until we learn to for-
give others (Matthew 6:14-15).
6. Ask for Protection
"13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
Matthew 6:13
God wants to protect us from evil and harm (Psalms 91: 9-10). Pro-
tection is God's will for us, but we must pray for it to happen. We must ask
for His angels to cover us wherever we go (Psalms 91:11). It is equally im-
portant to walk in His will or else our prayer for protection is useless if we
place ourselves in situations where we are vulnerable to the attacks of Sa-
tan (Ephesians 4:27).
7. Give Praise
"13 For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
Matthew 6:13
If we start our prayer with praise and reverence to God, then we
should end it in the same manner. If we have started by praising Him for
His wonderful deeds, then we should also end praising Him for He hears
and answers what we ask.
"6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Philippians 4:6
In this last step, we also declare His kingdom, power and majesty.
We must acknowledge that everything is His. If we start with humility in
our prayer, we should also end with the same humble attitude. Worship is
our humble adoration to our glorious God.
7
APPLICATION:
You may only answer/discuss three out of the following:
1. Out of the seven steps of prayer, how many have you not yet done?
2. Do you give time to praise and worship God everyday?
3. Do you give time to pray and intercede for others? Whom do you
pray?
4. What have you asked that has not been answered yet? Why so?
5. What hindrances to prayer do you still have in your Christian walk?
6. Can we be forgiven if we don't forgive others?
7. Is it right to pray without giving thanks?
8. What hindrances to prayer do you still have in your Christian walk?
9. Can we be forgiven if we don't forgive others?
10. Is it right to pray without giving thanks?
8 33
THE LORD'S DAY
(Maturity Series: Lesson Ten)
I. MUST WE SET ASIDE A DAY FOR THE LORD?
"5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another
man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his
own mind. 6He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He
who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who
abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God." Romans 14:5-6
In the above passage, we are free to choose which day we consider
as sacred. What is important is that this day be set aside to glorify God. Ac-
tually, all days are special because these are made by God (Psalm 118:24).
But it is important that we should set aside a day which is distinct from the
other days of the week. This is the day when we stop working to worship
God together with our family and other believers. This is the Lord's Day
which is Sunday.
II. WHY SUNDAY?
A. This is the resurrection day of Jesus Christ
"1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magda-
lene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the
entrance." John 20:1
Jesus was buried but on the third day, which was Sunday, he rose
up. Apostle John called the resurrection day as the Lord's day (Revelation
1:10). We worship Him on the Lord's day because this is the day when
death was defeated.
Sunday is not the Rest Day. In the Old Testament, Saturday is the
day of rest, but in the New Testament, our rest is in Jesus Christ (Matthew
11:28-30; Colossians 2:16-17). Our rest is not on a day but is found in a per-
son, the person of Jesus Christ. He is the God of Rest (Mark 2:27-28). This is
not a physical rest but a rest of our souls. We do not only rest on Saturday
but we find rest everyday in Jesus Christ.
 The tenth must only be given to our local church (Malachi 3:10), but PRAYER - Part 3
the offering can be given in any of God's work as the Holy Spirit leads (Maturity Series: Lesson Three)
us (Philippians 4:18). We may also give our offering, together with our
tithe, to the local church. Paying of tithes is not enough. We must also
V. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR PRAYER LIFE?
g "35
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the
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e
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i
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.

IV. GUIDELINES FOR GIVING shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with
the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38
A. Give with joy
"7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give,
not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
2 Corinthians 9:7
B. Give with faith
"4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By
faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his
offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead."
Hebrews 11:4
C. Give with right motive
"4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is
done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:4

V. THE REWARDS OF GIVING

"25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself
be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25
"38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
 house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." Mark 1:35
Our spiritual growth depends on our prayer growth. A prayerful
Christian constantly grows in the things of God. We will now talk of seven
things that will improve our prayer-life and fellowship with God.
1. PUT GOD FIRST IN EVERY THING
Jesus Christ first talked to His Father before he would do any thing
(Mark 1:35-39). He is our example. We have so many tasks in our day, but
the first thing we must do is to seek the face of our Father. When we
wake
up in the morning, our minds should be focused on God first before we
 Progress, blessings, protection, and favor are the rewards of giving!
APPLICATION:
1. Do you accept that you are only a steward, and God is the Master and
Owner?
2. Which of the three types of giving have you not done yet? Why?
3. What are the reasons why some cannot give their tithes and offering?
32
start thinking about work, family and other things. He is the one we talk to
before we sleep at night and He must also be the first one we look for in
the morning. Deepening and maintaining our relationship with God must
be our top priority above other things.
2. TIME TO PRAY
Jesus Christ prayed in the early hours of the morning (Mark 1:35).
We can pray anytime but it is better to give Him time first thing in the early
morning. King David sought God every morning (Psalm 5:3; 59:16; 88:13).
Prophet Isaiah was also awakened and talked to God in the morning (Isaiah
50:4). We cannot strictly say though that morning is the only appropriate
time to pray. In fact, Daniel prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10). It is also
very important to set our exact prayer time- 4 o'clock in the morning, 5
AM, 6 AM or any other time. Peter and John prayed at 3 o'clock in the
afternoon (Acts 3:1). Setting our prayer time is important so we can impose
discipline to our selves.
9
3. HOW LONG SHOULD WE PRAY?
Aside from setting our prayer schedule, we must also determine
how long our prayer should be. We need to have a plan and a goal in our
prayer time. How many minutes or hours must we talk to God? When Je-
sus prayed in Gethsemane, He pleaded with His three disciples to pray
with Him even for just one hour (Matthew 26:40). Maybe some of us
could not pray that long but it is beneficial if we make one hour a day our
goal in prayer. We can probably start with 15 minutes today, 20 minutes
the next day, 30 minutes next week, 45 minutes the second week and
one hour after three weeks of discipline. We start from small then we
must move on to improve our prayer life. Time will come that even three
hours of prayer seems so short.
4.DISCIPLINING THE FLESH (OUR BODY)
Our spirits want to pray but our bodies are weak (Matthew 26:41).
We must overcome the "flesh" so we can grow in our prayer. The flesh is
our number one enemy in prayer. Our spirit wants to commune with God,
but our bodies wants to sleep, rest, work, eat and play. So many times a
Christian follows the flesh and not the spirit urged by the Holy Spirit to
pray. We need to discipline and master our bodies like what Apostle Paul
did (1 Corinthians 9:27). To master our bodies would take about six to
eight weeks. It is difficult to discipline the body but this will lead to a good
habit. Our prayer may be forced at the start but time will come when we
will achieve a disciplined prayer life, much to our joy.
5.PLACE OF PRAYER
Jesus went to a lonely place to pray (Mark 1:35). We must look for
a place where we cannot be disturbed. Daniel prayed in his room (Daniel
6:10). There were times when Peter prayed on the roof deck (Acts 10:9).
If there is no appropriate place inside the house, one may go out and find a
lonely like what Jesus did.
10
B. Tithe to the House of God
"10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be
food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will
not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing
that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10
"30 A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil
or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD."
Leviticus 27:30
Ten percent (10%) of our income belongs to God. Our tithe is sacred to
Him. If we use this amount for our needs, we are robbing God and putting
curse upon ourselves (Malachi 3:8). Giving our tithes brings two benefits:
protection from the curse and opening the door to God's blessings
(Malachi 3:10). We must bring the whole tenth to the house of God or to
the church where we are planted.
C. Offering to God's work
"6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should
give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under com-
pulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
"8 'Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.' But you ask, 'How do we
rob you' In tithes and offerings." Malachi 3:8
 We can see from Malachi 3:8 that the tenth is different from the offer-
ing. The offering must be taken from the 90% of our income after we
have set aside the tithe. In giving the tithe, it is God who determines
how much-10%, but in giving the offering, it is we who decide how
much to give. The giving of offering is our investment in God's king-
dom. If we sow little, we also reap little, but if we sow much, we also
reap much (2 Corinthians (:6-7). When we pay our tithes, we are not
actually giving to God; we are simply returning what is His (Leviticus
27:30). But in offering, we are giving to God from what we have.
31
III. GOD COMMANDS, WE OBEY
"14 "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able
to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have
given you only what comes from your hand." 1 Chronicles 29:14
 If we truly understand that God is the owner and we are only stew-
ards, it is not difficult to give and let go of what we have in our hands
for the purposes of God. We need to worship God with our lives, wis-
dom, worthiness, possession and all that we have. What He wills, we
must do. He knows what is best for us, and He will not command us to
do what will harm us. Obedience glorifies God and brings to us many
good things in life.
IV. GIVING OF MONEY
In financial aspect, we are called by God to give for His glory
(Matthew 6:4). There are many kinds of giving mentioned in the Bible, but
we will now discuss the main three. These three types of giving must be
done by all of God's children.
6.KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WORD
Our knowledge of God's word affects our prayer life. Most of what
we pray are stated from and guided by the Bible (Psalm 119:47; 149, 164,
170). The more you know of God's words, the more you can converse with
God. If we want growth in our prayer life, we must increase our study of
God's word.
7. COMMITMENT TO PRAYER
Commitment is needed to build up the prayer habit. Make it a prac-
tice to pray always anytime and anywhere. We can pray without ceasing
(1Thessalonians 5:17). We can talk with God at all times, so let's make
prayer a part of who we are.
APPLICATION:
1. Do you have a daily prayer schedule? How long is your prayer time?
2. What are the hindrances why you can't pray as often as you want?

A. Help to the poor 3. Do you read the Bible in your prayer time?

"2 So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trum- 4. Is it appropriate to pray anywhere all throughout your day or should it
pets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be hon- be done only at home? Do you converse with God anywhere?
ored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what
your right hand is doing," Matthew 6:2-3
 We are called to help the poor in our community. God is pleased and
moved every time we aid the needy (Matthew 25:35-40). The bible
says that each help we offer to the poor, we are lending to God
(Proverbs 19:17).

30 11
 THE WORD OF GOD
(Maturity Series: Lesson Four)
"4
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word Matthew 4:4
that comes from the
mouth of God."
The word of God is our spiritual food. In the same way that
our
physical bodies hunger for food, the true children of God desire to feast
on God's word. What happens if we do not eat?
1. We get weak
If there is not enough food, our body becomes weak. So will our
spirit be if we neglect God's word. The scriptures give us spiritual strength
(Psalm 119:28).
2. We get sick
Aside from weakness, we also get vulnerable to many diseases
if
we fail to nourish ourselves with God's word. There are many Christians
who are "sick in attitude and spirit" because they don't give time to God's
word. As a result, they fail to produce the fruits of the Spirit. They need
the Word to be healed inwardly. (Psalm 107:20).
3. We die
Many Christians lose their love towards God because of many
things, and one of these is taking for granted or forsaking God's word. The
Bible commands us to guard our lives with sound teachings and doctrines
that we may make it to the end of our Christian walk (I Timothy 4:16). If
we daily meditate on his words every morning and evening, we will be
like a tree planted on a riverside. Such tree always blooms and never
dries up (Psalm 1:2-3).
GIVING
(Maturity Series: Lesson Nine)
I. GOD IS THE OWNER OF ALL THINGS
"1The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all
who live in it;"
Psalms 24:1
 All things seen and unseen belong to God (Psalm 89:11). All animals,
birds, fish, vegetation, trees, ocean, river, moon, sun and many more
are all made by God (Genesis 1). There is nothing we own in this earth.
The air we breathe, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the
house we live in are all His. All things are owned by the Creator of all
things.
II. MAN IS THE STEWARD
"1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as
those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2Now it is required that
those who have been given a trust must prove faithful." I Corinthians 4:1-2
 Man is the keeper or the custodian of all God's creation. After He fin-
ished creating the world, he made man in charge of everything. God
entrusted us with much - ability, beauty, wisdom, knowledge, time,
family, work, business, ministry, wealth, and our lives.
 God entrusted us according to our ability and capacity (Matthew 25: 14
-15). God wants us to manage well what He has entrusted to us be-
cause a time will come when we will give an account to Him (Matthew
25:16-30). Those entrusted with much will give account of much, and
those entrusted with much more will also give account of much more
things (Luke 12:48)
12 29
V. FAITH MUST BE NOURISHED
When doubt attacked Abraham, God visited him to remind Abra-
ham that he and his wife will definitely have a son whom they will name
Isaac (Genesis 17:1-22). Sometimes when our faith is weak, God wants to
encourage us by reminding us of His promises. To have an enthusiastic
faith, we need to meditate on God's promises to us.
VI. FAITH MUST BE WORKED OUT
The Bible says that Abraham and Sarah were unable to bear a
child, but God enabled them to receive His promise of an offspring. The
enablement came from God, but Abraham and Sarah acted their part on
the birth of Isaac. God's enablement becomes useless unless we act on it.
True faith exhibits good deeds, and good deed result from faith (James
2:14-26)
VII. FAITH BRINGS RESULTS
In God's appointed time, the promised son Isaac was born. The
fulfillment of God's promise gave much joy to the couple and their friends
because they all knew that Isaac is God's miracle. The meaning of Isaac is
"laughter": Real faith brings about the fulfillment of God's promise, much
to our joy and to those who hear it. A person full of faith is always joyful
because God's promises are always accomplished in his or her life.
APPLICATION:
1. Give two points that move you in this lesson? Why?
2. Have you heard of God's promises in your life? Are these already ful-
filled?
3. Are there "Ishmaels" in your life as a result of wrong decisions?
4. Do we take care of our faith by hearing God's word?
28
I. How do we digest God's word?
1. OWN A BIBLE
One must personally own a Bible. When buying it, make sure it is in
the language and version that you find easy to understand. Choose also a
large-printed Bible to motivate reading. The Bible should be our most
treasured possession because it reveals God's purposes and plans for us.
The Bible is called the "the book of all books".
2. GIVE TIME TO BIBLE READING
No matter how many Bibles we have at home, they are useless to
us if we don't open and read them. The first thing to do is to allot our best
time of the day for reading the Bible so that the mind is still fresh to re-
ceive from God. It is also helpful to read first the New Testament before
the Old Testament. It is easier to understand the Old Testament after read-
ing the New Testament.
3. RECEIVE GOD'S MESSAGE IN THE BIBLE
Reading God's word is not only for learning but also for hearing
from Him. The Lord wants to speak to us through the Bible. While reading,
some verses will seem to jump out of the page to speak directly to us. The-
se are living words that are sharper than double-edged sword (Hebrews
4:12). This is called "rhema" in Greek and translated as "spoken word" or
"now word" in English. This is the voice of God which strengthens, encour-
ages, rebukes, or gives visions. If there are verses that speak to us while
reading the Bible, receive these as God's message.
4. MEDITATE ON GOD'S WORD
After receiving the "rhema" word, we must give time to meditate
on it. Meditation is pondering for the meaning or implication of the mes-
sage in relevance to a particular situation in our life. Meditating on God's
word makes us wise (Psalms 119:98-100). We can meditate on the follow-
ing: God's command that should be followed:
 A Principle to follow  A
Sin to repent from
 A Promise from God to receive
 An Example to follow
13
5.MEMORIZE GOD'S WORD
It is very beneficial if we can memorize the verses the Holy Spirit
will give us. In the Old Testament, God commanded His people to keep
His words close to their minds and hearts (Deuteronomy 11:18). The vers-
es can be memorized if we repeatedly read them loud. Determine to
memorize daily a verse from the Bible. These words are the sword of the
Spirit that God can use in our lives (Ephesians 6:17).
6.LIVE OUT GOD'S WORD
We must be doers and not just hearers of God's word. A person
who always listens to the Word but does not obey what it says is foolish
(James 1:22). We are called not only to listen to God's word but also to
apply it to our lives. Knowledge without application is hypocrisy in God's
eyes (Matthew 23:2-3).
7. CONTINUE TO LIVE OUT GOD'S WORD
Living out God's word must be continued until Jesus Christ re-
turns. There are Christians who started well in their faith, but they fail to
persevere in the long run. They are full of knowledge, but what they know
cannot be seen in their lives. We must continue to apply what we know in
the Lord even if we are long-time Christians (1 John 2:24). Application is
the mark of a true disciple (John 8:31).
APPLICATION:
1.What must we do to develop a disciplined Bible- study habit?
2. What are the hindrances why some people cannot obey God's word?
14
III. OUR FAITH WILL BE TESTED
"12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who
through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.13When God
made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to
swear by, he swore by himself, 14saying, "I will surely bless you and give
you many descendants." 15And so after waiting patiently, Abraham re-
ceived what was promised." Hebrews 6:12-15
God's promise to Abraham was not immediately fulfilled. In fact, it
took 25 years before it happened. Abraham's faith went through a test of
time. If God promises us one thing, testing will come before we receive the
promise, so our character can be molded to His own character. We are
seeking for our blessing or reward, but God is looking for a right attitude so
that whatever He will give us will not be wasted. In this test, we need pa-
tience and not merely faith to receive the promises of God. (Hebrews 6:12-
15).
IV. FAITHLESS ACTIONS
In the test of time, there were instances when Abraham and Sarah
resorted to actions outside the will of God. Sarah allowed Abraham to
sleep with her servant named Hagar so they may have a son through her.
As a result, Ishmael was born (Genesis 16:1-16). Ishmael is the fruit of hu-
man effort which brought problems to Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 16:4-
5; Genesis 21: 8-14).
Sometimes we are like Abraham and Sarah who were not patient
enough to wait for God's promises. Our impatience will lead us to actions
that are not in accordance to His will. These ungodly actions can bring
many "Ishmael" or chaos in our lives which can only stop if we repent of
our wrong decisions.
27
 FAITH - Part 2
(Maturity Series: Lesson Eight)
"11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah
herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he consid-
ered Him faithful who had made the promise" Hebrews 11:11
Abraham wanted a child, but He was too old and so was his wife.
There was nothing they or others could do about their situation. We too
have problems in life that cannot be solved by man but by God alone. Let
us now study how God helped Abraham and Sarah and how Abraham al-
lowed God to work on his difficult situation. Through this study, we can
learn so much about faith.
I. FAITH COMES FROM HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD
"17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the
message is heard through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17
Abraham did not just instantly believe God, but he first received a
promise from Him (Hebrews 11:11; Genesis 12:7). True faith comes God
(Romans 12:3) which we will receive after hearing His message (Romans
10:17). This is the "rhema" messages which is not just plain words but are
anointed by the Holy Spirit. The words spoken to us is relevant to our situ-
ation. If we confess our faith and put it into action, we will accomplish
great things in accordance to what God says. When we received a mes-
sage from God (spoken words) faith will be birthed in our hearts
(Matthew 14:29).
II. THE BASIS OF FAITH IS THE CHARACTER OR ATTRIBUTE OF GOD
Abraham had a complete understanding of who God is, so he fully
trusted Him (Hebrews 11:11). A person who totally understands the char-
acter of God will not waver in faith. There are three things we need to
understand about the character of God.
A. God never changes (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17) B.
God never fails (Job 42:2; 1 Chronicles 28:20)
C. God never lies (Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:18)
Because of these, we can be confident that what God says, He will
really do. Our Father does NOT change, fail, or lie.
26
THE FOUNDATION
(Maturity Series: Lesson Five)
In this lesson we will talk about the importance of building a strong
foundation for our lives. Like a house or a building it cannot stand without
a foundation. The strength of the house depends upon the strength of its
foundation. If the foundation is weak that house is also weak but if the
foundation is strong that house is also strong. In like manner, a person
who has a strong spiritual foundation will also live a strong and victorious
life. In the book of Matthew 7:24-27, our Lord Jesus talks about two kinds
of people who are building their houses in two different kinds of founda-
tion. (Please read Matthew 7:24-27)
TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE
Here in this story we see two kinds of people. The wise man and
the foolish man. The basis of Jesus calling this person wise is not because
he is intellectual or a brilliant thinker but because he has chosen a firm
foundation to build his house. House here speaks of our lives. If we build
our life on the right foundation, we are perceived and called wise by our
Lord.
TWO KINDS OF FOUNDATION
We see here that there are two kinds of foundation. A rock, which
speaks of a firm foundation and sand, which speaks of a very weak founda-
tion.
1. Rock - signifies our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). He is the Rock
eternal (Isaiah 26:4). Jesus Christ is pictured in the Bible as a rock because
He is strong and will never ever change. He is the same yesterday, today,
and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is the chosen and precious cornerstone (1
Peter 2:6). He is the only foundation given by God the Father to which we
can build our lives upon (1 Corinthians 3:11).
15
2. Sand - speaks of anything that is apart from Christ. Sand signifies
those weak and lifeless foundations that men have built their lives on.
What are some of these weak foundations?
A. Religion - some people are so proud on their church that they be-
lieved that if you will not join to their group you will not be saved.
They exalt and magnify their sect more than they magnify Christ.
There trust is on their denomination and not on God our savior.
B. Money - many people are so obsessed on worldly wealth that their
whole life is focused on gaining material possessions. The top priority
of their lives is money and not Jesus. They love money more than
they loved God. They based their worth and identity on there accu-
mulated possessions. Their trust and focus is on things and not on the
Living God.
C. Man - some are so dependent on other people that they feel they
could not continue living if these people whom they look unto for help
and satisfaction are no longer be there. The foundation of their lives is
based on their spouse, parents, friend, or others and not on Jesus
Christ.
D. Man made doctrines - some people based their beliefs and values
on man-made teachings rather than on the Word of God. Any doc-
trine that is based to the teachings of the Bible is not worthy of listen-
ing much more believing.
E. Self - many people are self reliant and independent of God. In-
stead of trusting and living for God, they live a life that is totally void
of the presence of God. They set their own laws, standards, and vi-
sions instead of walking in the ways of the Lord. They focus on self
and not on Christ.
16
B. He will reveal Himself through His presence
1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one
place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from
heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what
seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of
them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in
other tongues as the Spirit enables them." Acts 2:1-4"
The early Christians did not only preach the scriptures but they
made the presence of God visible to and felt by the new converts (Acts
8:14-18).
C. He will perform miracles in us and through us (Hebrews 2:4)
"And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name
they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they pick up
snakes with their hands, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their
hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16: 17-18
APPLICATION:
1. Of the five types of faith, which are already in you and which are not?
2. Why do we need to call the things that God promised as already there
even if they are not yet seen? What is the difference between truth
and reality?
25
IV. Faith endures and perseveres (Faith Perseveres)
"35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others
were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better
resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were
chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned; they were sawed in two;
they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and
goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated - 38the world was not
worthy of them. Thy wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves
and holes in the ground. 39They were all condemned for their faith, yet
none of them received what had been promised." Hebrews 11:35-39
True faith enables us to endure and finish the race.
V. Faith based on the power of God (Faith Experiences)
"So that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."
1 Corinthians 2:5
Real faith is not based on doctrines of men but on the power of
the Living God. If our faith is secured in God, He will start to reveal to us.
There are three ways God reveals Himself to us:
A. He speaks to us
"When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them,
and his sheep follow him because they know his voice." John 10:4
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree
of life, which is in the paradise of God." Revelation 2:7
God will not only hear us but we too can hear Him if we take time
to listen to and recognize His voice.
24
THE STORMS OF LIFE
In the story, the heavy rain and the strong winds hit both houses,
which simply means that all of us will really experience problems. It
doesn't mean that if you are one with God you will not face tribulations.
Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33). As long as we
are still in this fallen world we will always be bombarded with all kinds of
pressures. From time to time we will experience problem in our family,
finances, work, and health. Trials and attacks will always be part of our
life here on earth.
HOUSE ON THE ROCK
Our house must be established on the Rock, who is Jesus Christ, so
that we will stand firm in the midst of the storms that will come to us. The
house that we are building can mean our life, our family, our work, our
business, our ministry or any other endeavor we try to achieve. Everything
we have and everything we do must be rooted in Christ so that it will flour-
ish and prosper. Apart from Him we are nothing and can do nothing.
BUILDING OUR HOUSE ON THE ROCK
How do we build our house on the rock? Jesus gave us this princi-
ple in Matthew 7:24: HEAR AND OBEY. If you take time to hear the word of
God and apply it, then you will be established in Christ the rock. The more
you hear and obey the Lord the more you will be rooted and grounded in
Him.
TAKE TIME TO HEAR THE WORD
Before we can fully obey God we must first know His command-
ments and principles. We need to take time in reading, studying and hear-
ing the word of God. If we are ignorant to the teachings of the Bible then
we cannot really obey God. We must first hear before we can obey.
17
PRACTICE WHAT YOU HEAR
Hearing the word of God is not enough we need to apply it. If we
are just fond of hearing the word but we fail to practice it, then we are
called "foolish" by Jesus Himself (Matthew 7:26). We need to be doers of
the word and not hearers only (James 1:22). Wise men practice what
they know (Matthew 7:24).
RESULTS OF APPLYING WHAT YOU HEAR
If we constantly hear and obey the word of God our relationship
with Christ goes deeper and deeper. The more we are established in Him
the more we gain spiritual strength, enabling grace and supernatural
power. And when the storms of life comes to us, it would not affect us
because we are strong on the inside. Our hearts are founded on Jesus
Christ. Doers of the word are possessed by the Holy Spirit. God is with
them. And if God is for us who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).
18
A. Real Salvation and Righteousness (James 2:14; 23-24)
We cannot be saved by human effort but only through faith, but we
must understand that real faith produces good works. This is the faith that
saves. It means if we are truly "saved or have faith" it will be clearly seen in
our fruits. If we are attached to the vine, we will really bear good fruits
(John 15:5).
We need to note that bearing fruits is not instantaneous but gradu-
al. So we must be careful not to judge others who do not have as much
fruits as we have. There are changes that we already experience but have
not been experienced yet by others, or it may be the other way around.
B. Helping the needy
"15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
16If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but
does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same
way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
James 2:15-17
C. Giving God what he desires (James 2:20-22)
Abraham sacrificed his only son to God even if this is against his
will. Because of his faith he was willing to sacrifice anything for God.
D. Service & accomplishment of great things before God
"31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies,
was not killed with those who were disobedient. 32 And what more shall I
say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, Da-
vid, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms,
administered justice, and gained what was promised; shut the mouths of
lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escape the edge of the
sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful
in battle and routed foreign armies." Hebrews 11:31-34
23
 FAITH - Part 1
(Maturity Series: Lesson Seven)
FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT FAITH:
I.Faith calls those things which are not as already there (Faith Assures)
Faith is trusting that the things you have been hoping for will hap-
pen, even if you have not yet seen it with your physical eyes
(Hebrews
11:1). True faith "calls those things which are not as already there". This is
the kind of faith we need so we could claim the things we have been ask-
ing from God. Believing it's already there even if we do not see anything
yet. (Mark 11:24).
We are called to walk in faith and not through our physical eyes (2
Corinthians 5:7). Our faith is based on our hope (Hebrews 11:1). This
hope is based on God's promises that He impresses on us when we give
time to pray and to meditate on His words.
II.Faith trusts in the ability of God (Faith Trusts)
There are problems that God allows to happen in our lives, so we
will depend on Him instead of ourselves. This kind of faith brings us to:
prayer and asking (2 Corinthians 1:10-11)
asking of guidance (Proverbs 3:5-6)
the power of God (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
III. Faith is acting upon (Faith Acts)
"Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17
Faith without deeds is like a body without a spirit, dead (James
2:26). Even Satan and his demons believe that there is one God, however
this kind of faith is not accompanied by obedience to God's principles
(James 2:19). True faith shows actions. This kind of faith leads us to:
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REPENTANCE
(Maturity Series: Lesson Six)
I. GOD IS LOOKING FOR GOOD FRUITS
THE TWO TYPES OF FRUITS
A. Fruits of Righteousness
Isaiah 5:1-7 talks about a man who plants good variety of grapes in a

fertile soil. He carefully watches over the grape vines and tends them
with much care in order to bear fruits. He expects the vines to yield
sweet grapes but the fruits turn out very sour (v.2). The Bible says that
the owner of the vineyard represents God and the vineyard pictures us
His people (v. 7). The Lord has been so good in taking care of us, and He
hopes to see fruits of righteousness in our lives. Sadly, we do not yield
good fruits.
B. Fruits of Wickedness
"19The acts of the sinful nature is obvious: sexual immorality, impurity
and debauchery; 20Idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of
rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, or-
gies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this
will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21
 Apostle Paul wrote the above verses to the believers in Galatia. It is
possible for a believer to still cling to a sinful lifestyle. But God clearly
says that we the "branches" must produce good fruits, or else, we will be
cut off from Him who is the Vine (John 15:2).
II. REPENTANCE THAT LEADS TO FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
A "good character" is a mark that we have truly been converted to
the Lord. These good fruits can only be visible in our lives if there is true or
"genuine repentance".
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Two Types of Repentance: 2. Repentance - this word which is "metanoia" in Greek means "new
1.Self-centered - There are people who repent because their sins have understanding" (meta-"new"; noeo-"understanding"). It is a new under-
been exposed causing them much shame. There are also those who re- standing or perspective that comes after the previous one. It is a new
pent because of heavy guilt feelings. Others do so because of the nega- "mindset". This means that repentance is a "change of mind".
tive consequences of their deeds. Still, others repent in order to be
blessed. They repent believing that they can be rewarded with good. The
3.Turning - the Greek equivalent of this word is "epistrepho" which means
motive of such repentance is self-centered.
"turning to a new path". Turning is a result of revelation and repentance
2.God-centered - Repentance comes after a realization that God is hurt (Acts 3:19).
by our sins.
"Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your
 We must include all these three in our repentance before God. We
sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you
judge." Psalm 51:4 need to accept God's view and understanding on our sinful state that
This is the prayer of David when he sinned before God. He repent- we may be able to return and walk in His ways.
ed because He knew that he hurt God, and he wanted to please God  God will remove the covering in our minds by giving us information
again. This is a God-centered repentance. that comes from a godly perspective (revelation) that we may receive
III. FALSE REPENTANCE the mind of Christ (repentance) that will enable us to turn away from
our sins (turning). This is the process of true repentance that brings real
Repentance is not only feeling remorse or being sorry for sins and
mistakes done. There are people, just like Esau (Hebrews 12:17) and Ju- change in us. Both we and God have a role in repentance. God's part is
das (Matthew 27:3-5), who regret their wrong deed but their actions have to reveal His mind and will, and our part is to accept and live out this
not changed at all. Because not all people understand true repentance, new mindset.0
many repeat the same sin they want to rid themselves of. Misunderstand-
ing of repentance is also the reason why many were not able to continue
following the Lord.
IV. REPENTANCE IS A PROCESS
APPLICATION:
For a better understanding of true repentance, here are three
1. Have you experienced a real God-centered repentance?
terms taken from the New Testament:
2. Is there real repentance without God doing His part in the process?
1. Revelation - called "apokalupsis" in Greek, this term means "to remove
Why?
the covering or to open" (kalupsis-"covering", apo-"remove". This talks
about God who removes the veil or covering in our eyes that we may re-
ceive knowledge that comes from a godly perspective.

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