One to One Discipling
DISCIPLESHIP
WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?
1. State in your own words what you think Jesus meant when he made the following claims:
Q-1a. John 10: 30-33
John 10:30-33 (NLT)
The Father and I are one.”
31Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill him. 32Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many things to help the people. For which one of these good deeds are you killing me?”
33They replied, “Not for any good work, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, have made yourself God.”
A-1a. This is the clearest statement of Jesus’ divinity he ever made. Jesus and his Father are not the same person, but they are one in essence and nature. Jesus is not merely a good teacher—he is God. His claim to be God was unmistakable. The religious leaders wanted to kill him because their laws said that anyone claiming to be God should die. Nothing could persuade them that Jesus’ claim was true.
Q-1b. John 14:8-9
John 14:8-9 (NLT)
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied.”
9Jesus replied, “Philip, don’t you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see him?
A-1b. Jesus is the visible, tangible image of the invisible God. He is the complete revelation of what God is like. Jesus explained to Philip, who wanted to see the Father, that to know Jesus is to know God. The search for God, for truth and reality, ends in Christ.
2. State in your own words what others thought of Jesus Christ.
Q-2a. The Apostle John (John 1:1,14)
John 1:1 (NLT)
In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.
John 1:14 (NLT)
So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.
A-2a. What Jesus taught and what he did are tied inseparably to who he is. John shows Jesus as fully human and fully God. Although Jesus took upon himself full humanity and lived as a man, he never ceased to be the eternal God who has always existed, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and the source of eternal life. This is the truth about Jesus, and the foundation of all truth. If we cannot or do not believe this basic truth, we will not have enough faith to trust our eternal destiny to him. That is why John wrote this Gospel—to build faith and confidence in Jesus Christ so that we may believe that he truly was and is the Son of God.
Q-2b. Thomas ( John 20:25-28)
John 20:25-28 (NLT)
They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
26Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” 28”My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
A-2b. Have you ever wished you could actually see Jesus, touch him, and hear his words? Are there times you want to sit down with him and get his advice? Thomas wanted Jesus’ physical presence. But God’s plan is wiser. He has not limited himself to one physical body; he wants to be present with you at all times. Even now he is with you in the form of the Holy Spirit. You can talk to him, and you can find his words to you in the pages of the Bible. He can be as real to you as he was to Thomas.
Jesus wasn’t hard on Thomas for his doubts. Despite his skepticism, Thomas was still loyal to the believers and to Jesus himself. Some people need to doubt before they believe. If doubt leads to questions, questions lead to answers, and the answers are accepted, then doubt has done good work. It is when doubt becomes stubbornness and stubbornness becomes a life-style that doubt harms faith. When you doubt, don’t stop there. Let your doubt deepen your faith as you continue to search for the answer.
Q-2c. His enemies (John 5:18)
(John 5:18) (NLT)
So the Jewish leaders tried all the more to kill him. In addition to disobeying the Sabbath rules, he had spoken of God as his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.
A-2c. The enemies of Jesus thought he was a threat to their authority as religious leaders of the Jews.
3. Who do you say Jesus is and why?
A-3. Jesus is my Savior and Lord. He has tangibly changed me from the inside out. I have experience with many answered prayers and I know that I can trust him because of all the times He has helped me in the past. Jesus, The Father and The Holy Spirit are all one God.
WHY DID JESUS CHRIST COME?
Q-1. What problem does Romans 3:23 say we have?
Romans 3:23 (NLT)
For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
A-1. Some sins seem bigger than others because their obvious consequences are much more serious. Murder, for example, seems to us to be worse than hatred, and adultery seems worse than lust. But this does not mean that because we do lesser sins we deserve eternal life. All sin makes us sinners, and all sin cuts us off from our holy God. All sin, therefore, leads to death (because it disqualifies us from living with God), regardless of how great or small it seems. Don’t minimize “little” sins or overrate “big” sins. They all separate us from God, but they all can be forgiven.
Q-2. What solution does 1 Peter 3:18 offer?
1 Peter 3:18 (NLT)
Christ also suffered when he died for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.
A-2. Christ died for our sins. No matter how great or small, sin is sin and we need forgiveness because
we all are sinners. God supplied the answer to our sin debt by sending his son, Jesus, to die on the cross as a sin sacrifice for all who turn to Him in repentance.
Q-3. What is the significance to us of the resurrection of Christ from the dead? (1 Peter 1:3)
1 Peter 1:3 (NLT)
All honor to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is by his boundless mercy that God has given us the privilege of being born again. Now we live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead.
A-3. He has paved the way for all believers to be born again.The term born again or new birth refers to spiritual birth (regeneration)—the Holy Spirit’s act of bringing believers into God’s family. We’re called into a living hope of eternal life. Our hope is not only for the future; eternal life begins when we trust Christ. No matter what pain or trial we face in this life, we know that it is not our final experience. Eventually we will live with Christ forever.
EMOTIONAL COMMITMENT
Q-1. What was the apostle Paul’s experience in coming to know God (Acts 22:6-10)?
Acts 22:6-10 (NLT)
“As I was on the road, nearing Damascus, about noon a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8” ‘Who are you, sir?’ I asked. And he replied, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting.’ 9The people with me saw the light but didn’t hear the voice.
10”I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that you are to do.’
A-1. Paul fell to the ground as God appeared as a bright light and he spoke to Paul telling him to go into Damascus and wait to hear what God wanted him to do.
Q-2. What was Lydia’s experience in coming to know God (Acts 16:14)?
Acts 16:14 (NLT)
One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.
A-2. Lydia’s heart was opened and she listened to Paul. After following the Holy Spirit’s leading into Macedonia, Paul made his first evangelistic contact with a small group of women. He preached to these women, and that’s when Lydia, an influential merchant, believed. This opened the way for ministry in that region. God often worked in and through women in the early church as He still does today.
Q-3. What was Timothy’s experience in coming to know God (2 Timothy 1:5)?
2 Tim. 1:5 (NLT)
I know that you sincerely trust the Lord, for you have the faith of your mother, Eunice, and your grandmother, Lois.
A-3. Timothy’s mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois, were early Christian converts, possibly through Paul’s ministry in their home city, Lystra. They had communicated their strong Christian faith to Timothy, even though his father was probably not a believer. Don’t hide your light at home: our families are fertile fields for planting gospel seeds. Let your parents, children, spouse, brothers, and sisters know of your faith in Jesus, and be sure they see Christ’s love, helpfulness, and joy in you.
DO NOT DEPEND ON FEELINGS; EMOTIONS CAN DECIEVE (top page 7 in blue book)
Q-1. FACT: The facts about the Christian life are in the Bible. Does a fact change?
A-1. No
Q-2. FEELINGS:
Q-2a. Do our feelings change?
A-2a. Yes
Q-2b. What determines whether our feelings are up or down?
A-2b. Our emotions
Q-3. FAITH:
Q-3a. If we put our faith in our feelings and our feelings are determined by circumstances, what will our faith do?
A-3a. Change around.
Q-3b. If we put our faith in facts (and a fact is true and does not change), what will our faith be like?
A-3b. Unchanging and strong.
THREEFOLD CONFIRMATION
1 John 5:9-13 (NLT)
Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. 10All who believe in the Son of God know that this is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son.
11And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12So whoever has God’s Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life.
13I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.
Col. 1:6 (NLT)
This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is changing lives everywhere, just as it changed yours that very first day you heard and understood the truth about God’s great kindness to sinners.
1 John 2:3-6 (NLT)
And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. 4If someone says, “I belong to God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth. 5But those who obey God’s word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him. 6Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.
1 Thes. 1:9 (NLT)
for they themselves keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the true and living God.
VOLITIONAL COMMITMENT
FACTS TO PUT YOUR FAITH IN
- God sent His Son; faith in Him saves you. John 3:15-18,36
John 3:15-18 (NLT)
so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life.
16″For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
18″There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God.
John 3:36 (NLT)
And all who believe in God’s Son have eternal life. Those who don’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them.”
Q-1a. To whom does the “world” refer?
A-1a. To all people who do not know Jesus. The unsaved.
Q-1b. What does God promise?
A-1b. There is no judgment awaiting those who trust Him.
Q-1c. What is our part?
A1-c. We must trust in God.
Q-1d. What is His part?
A-1d. He sent His son to die for our sins.
Q-1e. If you, by faith, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, will you have eternal life or condemnation?
A-1e. We will have eternal life.
2. Your sins are forgiven. Read Colossians 2:12-14.
Col. 2:12-14 (NLT)
For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
13You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. 14He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross.
Q-2a. How many of your sins were forgiven?
A-2a. All our sins – past and present.
Q-2b. If God has forgiven you, why are there times when you might be haunted by quilt feelings?
A-2b. Because Satan tells us that we are not forgiven and we sometimes listen to him.
Q-2c. What can be done about unconfessed sin? (1 John 1:9)
1 John 1:9 (NLT)
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.
A-2c. We can confess sins as we commit them so that none go unforgiven and forgotten.
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3. You became a child of God. Read John 1:12,13
John 1:12 (NLT)
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:13 (NLT)
They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God.
Q-3a. What people are spiritually born into God’s family?
A-3a. All who welcome Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives are reborn spiritually, receiving new life from God. Through faith in Christ, this new birth changes us from the inside out—rearranging our attitudes, desires, and motives. Being born makes you physically alive and places you in your parents’ family. Being born of God makes you spiritually alive and puts you in God’s family. Have you asked Christ to make you a new person? This fresh start in life is available to all who believe in Christ.
Q-3b. When you received Christ what did you become?
A-3b. A child of God.
4. You received eternal life. Read 1 John 5:11-13.
1 John 5:11-13 (NLT)
And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12So whoever has God’s Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life.13I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.
Q-4a. According to this passage, where is eternal life to be found?
A-4a. In Jesus, the Son.
Q-4b. If a person has Christ in his life, what else does he have?
A-4b. Eternal life.
Q-4c. 1 John 5:13 states, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God, in order that you may (hope that, feel like, guess that, work towards, or know that) you have eternal life.” Mark out the incorrect words.
Q-4d. Do you know that you have eternal life?
A-4d. Yes.
Q-4d. On what basis?
A-4d. Because Jesus died to save me from my sins and He bought me eternal life with the sacrifice of His life on the cross.
Q-4e. If you have eternal life now would it be possible for you not to have it tomorrow?
(John 6:37-40) (Hebrews 13:5)
John 6:37-40 (NLT)
However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want. 39And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them to eternal life at the last day. 40For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life—that I should raise them at the last day.”
Hebrews 13:5 (NLT)
Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
“I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.”
A-4e. Once you are saved, you are forever saved.
DECIDING ON THE BASIS OF THE FACTS
Q-1. Is salvation something you earned? (Ephesians 2:8-10)
Ephes. 2:8-10 (NLT)
God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
A-1. No. On what basis did you obtain it? It is a gift of God. How do good works relate to your salvation? We can not obtain salvation through good works.
Q-2. Do you have the assurance that Christ is in your life? Yes. Are you sure that if you died right now, you would spend eternity with God in heaven? Yes
Q-3. If you have invited Christ into your life, now or earlier, where is He right now? He abides within my heart. By what authority do you know? By the authority of the Word of God.
ADDITIONAL THOUGHT QUESTIONS
Q-1. How does a marriage relationship illustrate requirements for our relationship with Christ?
A-1. We need the same commitment to Christ.
Q-2. A simple head knowledge of the facts of the Gospel is not enough for salvation. However, these facts must be believed intellectually. What are the facts? (1 Corinthians 15:3-6)
1 Cor. 15:3-6 (NLT)
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me—that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said. 5He was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles. 6After that, he was seen by more than five hundred of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died by now.
A-2. Christ died, was buried and rose again on the third day. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.
Q-3. How might your emotions cause you to doubt that you have a relationship with God?
A-3. If we listen to our feelings, Satan has an inroad by which he can confuse us.
Q-4. What is the threefold confirmation God gives us that Jesus Christ is in our lives?
A-4a. Trustworthy Word
A-4b. Confirming Holy Spirit
A-4c. Changed Life.
DISCIPLESHIP
APPOINTMENT #2
ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
Read John Chapters 1-7
Psalm 96:1-13 (NLT)
Sing a new song to the Lord!
Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
2Sing to the Lord; bless his name.
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
3Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
4Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
He is to be revered above all the gods.
5The gods of other nations are merely idols,
but the Lord made the heavens!
6Honor and majesty surround him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7O nations of the world, recognize the Lord;
recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
8Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come to worship him.
9Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
Let all the earth tremble before him.
10Tell all the nations that the Lord is king.
The world is firmly established and cannot be shaken.
He will judge all peoples fairly.
11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice!
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
12Let the fields and their crops burst forth with joy!
Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise
13before the Lord!
For the Lord is coming!
He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and all the nations with his truth.
Psalm 46:10 (NLT)
“Be silent, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
1. GOD IS SOVEREIGN
Psalm 103:19 (NLT)
The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
from there he rules over everything.
2 Samuel 7:28 (NLT)
For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to me, your servant.
1 Chron. 29:10-13 (NLT)
Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly: “O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! 11Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12Riches and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and it is at your discretion that people are made great and given strength.
13″O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name!
2. GOD IS ETERNAL
Isaiah 44:6 (NLT)
“This is what the Lord, Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty, says: I am the First and the Last; there is no other God.
Rev. 1:8 (NLT)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One.”
1 Tim. 1:17 (NLT)
Glory and honor to God forever and ever. He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.
3. GOD IS OMNISCIENT
Hebrews 4:13 (NLT)
Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done.
Job 42:2 (NLT)
“I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.
Isaiah 40:12-14 (NLT)
Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed out the mountains and the hills? 13Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to be his teacher or counselor? 14Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good or what is best?
4. GOD IS OMNIPRESENT
Jeremiah 23:24 (NLT)
Can anyone hide from me? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” asks the Lord.
Proverbs 15:3 (NLT)
The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.
Deut. 31:6 (NLT)
Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid of them! The Lord your God will go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you.”
Col. 1:17 (NLT)
He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.
5. GOD IS OMNIPOTENT
Philip. 3:20-21 (NLT)
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21He will take these weak mortal bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same mighty power that he will use to conquer everything, everywhere.
Psalm 147:5 (NLT)
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!
Ephes. 3:20 (NLT)
Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
Romans 1:16 (NLT)
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—Jews first and also Gentiles.
Genesis 1:1 (NLT)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Hebrews 1:3 (NLT)
The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven.
Hebrews 1:3 (NLT)
The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven.
6. GOD IS IMMUTABE. God never changes in his nature or attributes.
Numbers 23:19 (NLT)
God is not a man, that he should lie.
He is not a human, that he should change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
Psalm 102:27 (NLT)
But you are always the same;
your years never end.
Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Romans 8:37-39 (NLT)
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
7. GOD IS RIGHTEOUS. It is impossible for him to do or cause anything that is wrong.
Deut. 32:4 (NLT)
He is the Rock; his work is perfect.
Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong;
how just and upright he is!
Isaiah 45:20-25 (NLT)
“Gather together and come, you fugitives from surrounding nations. What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save! 21Consult together, argue your case, and state your proofs that idol worship pays. Who made these things known long ago? What idol ever told you they would happen? Was it not I, the Lord? For there is no other God but me—a just God and a Savior—no, not one! 22Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other. 23I have sworn by my own name, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will confess allegiance to my name.”
24The people will declare, “The Lord is the source of all my righteousness and strength.” And all who were angry with him will come to him and be ashamed. 25In the Lord all the generations of Israel will be justified, and in him they will boast.
Psalm 111:1-3 (NLT)
Praise the Lord!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart
as I meet with his godly people.
2How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.
3Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
2 Cor. 5:21 (NLT)
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
Matthew 19:23 (NLT)
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
8. GOD IS JUST. It is impossible for his to do anything that is unfair, either to himself or to man.
Rev. 15:3-4 (NLT)
And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:
“Great and marvelous are your actions,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations.
4Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”
2 Thes. 1:3-10 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, we always thank God for you, as is right, for we are thankful that your faith is flourishing and you are all growing in love for each other. 4We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. 5But God will use this persecution to show his justice. For he will make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering, 6and in his justice he will punish those who persecute you. 7And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power 10when he comes to receive glory and praise from his holy people. And you will be among those praising him on that day, for you believed what we testified about him.
2 Tim. 4:8 (NLT)
And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.
Romans 1:18 (NLT)
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves.
9. GOD IS OVE. God is perfect infinite love, his love is given freely and without any consideration of the loveliness or merit of the object.
John 3:16 (NLT)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 8:37-39 (NLT)
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 John 3:16 (NLT)
We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters.
Romans 5:8 (NLT)
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
10. GOD IS VERACITY. He is absolute truth.
Psalm 33:4 (NLT)
For the word of the Lord holds true,
and everything he does is worthy of our trust.
Titus 1:2 (NLT)
This truth gives them the confidence of eternal life, which God promised them before the world began—and he cannot lie.
John 18:38 (NLT)
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.
Romans 1:18 (NLT)
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves.
Romans 1:25 (NLT)
Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.
THE HOLINESS OF GOD
Rev. 4:1-11 (NLT)
Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.” 2And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it! 3The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. 4Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. 5And from the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven lampstands with burning flames. They are the seven spirits of God. 6In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.
In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. 7The first of these living beings had the form of a lion; the second looked like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth had the form of an eagle with wings spread out as though in flight. 8Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
9Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one who lives forever and ever. And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
11″You are worthy, O Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created everything,
and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created.”
Isaiah 6:1-8 (NLT)
In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew. 3In a great chorus they sang, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 4The glorious singing shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke.
5Then I said, “My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and a member of a sinful race. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord Almighty!”
6Then one of the seraphim flew over to the altar, and he picked up a burning coal with a pair of tongs. 7He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
8Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?”
And I said, “Lord, I’ll go! Send me.”
1 Peter 1:14-16 (NLT)
Obey God because you are his children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn’t know any better then. 15But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God—who chose you to be his children—is holy. 16For he himself has said, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
Psalm 139:1-24 (NLT)
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
2You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my every thought when far away.
3You chart the path ahead of me
and tell me where to stop and rest.
Every moment you know where I am.
4You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
5You both precede and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to know!
7I can never escape from your spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
8If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there.
9If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
11I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
12but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are both alike to you.
13You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it.
15You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
17How precious are your thoughts about me, O God!
They are innumerable!
18I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up in the morning,
you are still with me!
19O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!
Get out of my life, you murderers!
20They blaspheme you;
your enemies take your name in vain.
21O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you?
Shouldn’t I despise those who resist you?
22Yes, I hate them with complete hatred,
for your enemies are my enemies.
23Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
24Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Psalm 145:1-21 (NLT)
A psalm of praise of David.
I will praise you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2I will bless you every day,
and I will praise you forever.
3Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
His greatness is beyond discovery!
4Let each generation tell its children
of your mighty acts.
5I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
6Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
7Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy of your righteousness.
8The Lord is kind and merciful,
slow to get angry, full of unfailing love.
9The Lord is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation.
10All of your works will thank you, Lord,
and your faithful followers will bless you.
11They will talk together about the glory of your kingdom;
they will celebrate examples of your power.
12They will tell about your mighty deeds
and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
13For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule generation after generation.
The Lord is faithful in all he says;
he is gracious in all he does.
14The Lord helps the fallen
and lifts up those bent beneath their loads.
15All eyes look to you for help;
you give them their food as they need it.
16When you open your hand,
you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
17The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
18The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
19He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
20The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.
21I will praise the Lord,
and everyone on earth will bless his holy name
forever and forever.
DAVID SMOTHERS 