Christian Growth Series, Part B
Characteristics of a Christian

Understanding the problem from God's point of view:
Joshua 24:15 -The choice is yours to either serve Satan or to serve God. You cannot stay halted between two opinions, its one or the other, a question of life and death, blessings or curses.

Hope:
Jn. 1:12 , 5:24 ; Rom. 10:9-10 -To receive Christ is to receive power to become a child of God, the power to pass from death to life. Confessing with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord of your life, that Jesus lived on this earth, that he died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins, that He rose from the dead to give you eternal life, to receive this , to confess this, one commits himself to live totally for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Col. 1:10 , 2 Cor. 3:5, 4:4; Phil. 4:13 -Commitment means to progressively to think, to speak, and to act according to God's principles , no longer by my feelings or by my past. I am committed now to bear fruit worthy of the Lord, to do all things pleasing to Him, to study His word daily, and to gradually be strengthened by Him in order to live the spirit-filled life on this planet.

Change:
Matt. 7:5 ; Ps. 139:23-24 ; Gen. 1:26 ; Matt. 22:37-39 ; l Jn. 2:9-11 , Gen. 4:7 -We can no longer blame others, circumstances, genealogy or people for my problems. We will be held accountable for our own actions. We always looked to others to change, but we must do the changing. The meaning of life is for God to live out His fullest in us and thru us at the present moment in the areas of relationships and responsibilities. We are to develop our conduct and behaviour in such a manner as to give glory to God , no longer pleasing self.

l Tim. 4:7-8 ; Jn. 14:15 , 21 ; Phil. 4:8-9 ; Phil. 2:12-14 -We are to live obediently by our will regardless of feelings which takes discipline and practice involving planning , scheduling and working out the plan and schedule. Change demands discipline in our thoughts and in our deeds. Out of the heart the mouth speaks. First comes a thought, then an idea, then action, then habit, then character and finally destiny.

Lu. 9:23-24 ; Eph. 4:15-32 ; Matt. 5:23-24 -All life begins by denying self, putting-off our old habits and practices, and putting-on new habits and practices based on the principles of God's word. We learn to become a blessing instead of a curse, forgiving others instead of seeking revenge, forgiving offenses of the past, asking forgiveness of those I offended, and establish a regular pattern of being reconciled to myself, to God and to others.


HOMEWORK
Memory/Meditation/Prayer :
Lu. 9:23-24 .
Devotions :
BSAF for Eph. 4:22-32 .
Put-off and put-on:
Complete the "Change is a two-factored Process".

Forms and Worksheets
BSAF: Bible Study & Application Form
Think and Do
Love Is
VOSWS: Victory Over Sin Worksheet
Dying to Self
Problem Solving
PSW: Problem/Solution Worksheet
Freedom from Anxiety
Contingency Plan
Change Is a Two-Factored Process

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