Ten Lessons of Instruction in Christian Living

By Rev. Jon Byler

 INTRODUCTION

We're excited that you have chosen to take this discipleship course. It shows that you want to grow in
your relationship with the Lord. Whether you've been a Christian for days or years, this course will keep
you going on the right path. You'll be surprised at what you can learn in a short time.

This course is designed to be done with other believers who will meet together once a week for
discussion of the lesson material and encouragement.

The lessons are composed of several parts. First, there is the part of the lesson that you should read
and answer the questions. When you need to look up a verse or do any activity it will be in bold
printing. Secondly, there are the daily readings listed after all the lessons. These should be done every
day following the tips listed below. Tick each reading when you have completed it. Finally, is the
memory verse. Learn the memory verse before the class meeting each week. Remember to learn the
topic along with the reference and the verse. You may wish to cut the verses into small cards and
carry them with you everywhere you go.

TIPS FOR MEMORIZING THE SCRIPTURE VERSES

1) Take 5 Minutes on the first day of the week and go over and over the verse. Try to learn one phrase
at a time. Repeat the topic and the reference each time you say the verse.

2) Carry the verse with you everywhere you go or place it in a spot where you will see it every day.
When you have a few free minutes, revise the verse. You may do this while walking alone or when
riding in a vehicle.

3) The key to successful scripture memory is REVISION. The more you revise, the more the verse will
become a part of your mind.

TIPS FOR DAILY BIBLE READING

1) Try to use the same time and place every day. This will help to develop a good habit.

2) Begin with prayer, asking God to help you get something out of the reading that will benefit your life.

3) Read carefully, with a pencil or pen in your hand to underline an important verse or to write
something you learn in an exercise book.

4) Ask yourself questions as you read, like "What is the passage talking about?", "What is the lesson for
me today?" or "What do I need to change in my life?"

5) Don't quit! Some days may not be as exciting as others but keep going.
 LESSON ONE: "WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN?"

If your friend asked you, "What is a Christian?" what would you say?
____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

There are many ways to describe what a Christian is. A simple way to describe what it
means is to say that a Christian is a person who has decided to turn away from sin to follow Jesus
Christ.

Let us look at what the Bible teaches about what it means to become a Christian. Read John
3:1-18. What do you think Jesus means by saying that you must be "born again"?
______________________________________________________________

Part of what Jesus is saying is that it involves a change in your life that is so great that it is like
being born a second time. It is a brand new start in life. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul says that a
Christian is a "new creation." To become a Christian involves a great change. What are some
changes that have occurred in your life since you became a
Christian?_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________

When you became a Christian, you did not get a new name or a new body. Still, you are very
different inside. You no longer fear God. You no longer feel guilty. You want to do what pleases
God. Many people do not think that they need to make a new start in life so they reject Jesus' offer
to be born again. However, you have decided to follow Jesus. Why did you decide to be saved?
__________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

The Bible teaches that we all need to be "born again" or saved because of sin. This is an
important word that we will look at in a later lesson in more detail, but for now, Read Romans 3:23.
According to this verse, who has sinned? ___________ Does that include you? ________ Your
friends? _________ The church elders? _________ Yes, we are all just alike, sinners! Because
we have sinned, the Bible tells us that we deserve to die, but God has given to us a gift. Read
Romans 6:23. What is the gift? ________________ Our memory verse for this lesson tells us how
we can receive this gift. Do you remember Romans 10:9? What does this verse say we must do to
be saved? _____________________________ Have you done this? ______ Then are you
saved? _______

Do you sometimes wonder if you are really saved? _______ Often Satan will try to tell you
that you are not saved, especially when you are a young Christian. He may tell you that nothing
really happened in your life or that you can't be saved because of the wrong thing that you just did.
There are times that we feel good and we are confident that Jesus is living in us. But at other times
perhaps we have a bad day or we do something wrong and it seems like God is far from us. This is
not true! It is very important that we learn to fight Satan on this issue. God wants you to know that
you are his child. Read John 5:24. Does this verse have a "maybe" in it? _____ No, it doesn't! It
is a verse of confidence. Now put your name in the blanks in this verse: "I tell you the truth, when
______________ hears my word and believes him who sent me ______________ has eternal life
and will not be condemned; _____________ has crossed over from death to life." How does this
make you feel? _____________________

The key to victory in this area is to trust the word of God instead of our feelings. When
Satan tempts you to doubt your salvation fight him with a scripture verse! Quote Romans 10:9
aloud now.

Here are some more scriptures that can help you know you are saved: John 1:12; 3:16-18,36; 5:24;
1 John 3:1,2; 5:13. As a Christian you have begun an exciting relationship with God. Thank him for
saving you by writing out a short prayer as if you were talking to a friend.
_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
 LESSON TWO: "VICTORY OVER SIN"

In Lesson One we discovered that everyone is a sinner but that God has given to us the
wonderful gift of salvation. In this lesson we will study sin and learn how to have victory over it.
How can you describe sin? Sin is __________________________________.

Read 1 John 3:4. This verse says that sin is ________________. (The "law" in this verse
means God's rules in the Bible.) Write some common sins that people do.
________________________________________

Be ready to share these in your meeting. When you were saved you asked God to forgive
your sins. And he did! You felt clean inside because your sins were forgiven. It would be great if
you never had to think about sin again. However, until we get to heaven sin will always be around
us and we will always need God's help to forgive us and to keep us from sinning. What can we do
when we sin?

Read 1 John 1:9 (our memory verse for this week). What does this verse tell us to do when
we sin? ___________________. When we confess our sin what does God do?
________________________________. This sounds almost too good to be true. Do you really
believe this? _____ It is true; when you confess (or admit) your sins he will forgive you and
cleanse you (make you clean again). You must accept this promise and believe that God forgives
your sin. Stop and thank God for his forgiveness. It is wonderful that God has provided a way of
forgiveness for us, but as Christians we do not want to continue sinning and asking for forgiveness.
We want to have victory over sin. How can we overcome sin in our lives? Here are two ways.

1) USE GOD'S POWER. Read Ephesians 1:18-20. These verses tell us that as believers we
have God's power inside us. This is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Now it is
available to us to give us victory over sin. How does this make you feel?
________________________ We must trust God's power to help us. Read 1 Corinthians
10:13 and underline it in your Bible. According to this verse, will God allow any temptation to come
to you that is too strong for you? ______ When you are tempted to sin, remember this verse! Stop
right now and ask God to help you remember this verse when you face a temptation.

2) USE GOD'S WORD. The word of God is a powerful weapon that we have to overcome sin.
Read Matthew 4:1-11. What did Jesus say each time he was tempted by Satan? ____ ___
________ Where were these things written? _____________ Jesus was tempted just like we are
(Hebrews 4:15) but he did not sin because he used scripture to have victory. Now read Ephesians
6:10-17. What does verse 17 say that the sword is? ________________ Wouldn't it be great if we
had a super-panga to slash Satan when he attacks us? WE DO! It is the BIBLE. Jesus used the
Bible when Satan came to attack him. He already knew the scripture in his mind. That is why it is
so important for us to learn scripture by memory. With verses in our minds we are prepared to fight
Satan. Let's practice. If Satan tries to tell you that you are not saved what will you tell him?
__________________________________________
____________________________ (Hint: remember the verse you learned in the first lesson?)
What if he tells you that you cannot be forgiven of your sins?
________________________________________________________ (Remember this week's
verse).
 By the end of this course you will have 10 verses in your mind to use against Satan.

These are things that every believer needs to know about sin and how to have victory. We
must learn to confess our sin and believe that God forgives us as he has promised, and we must
use his power and his word to help us overcome sin. Stop now and talk with God. Ask him to
help you to have victory over sin.
 LESSON THREE: "THE BIBLE: OUR GUIDE"

If you are going on a safari to a place you have never visited before, you need someone to
guide you to the place or to give you good directions on where to find it. The person may draw a
map to show you the way. In our Christian lives the Bible acts as our guide or map by giving us
instructions on how to live our new life in Christ. What does Psalm 119:105 call the Bible?
_______________. For us to live a successful Christian life it is very important that we learn to use
this lamp, the Bible. That is the purpose of this lesson.

If you met someone who had never heard of the Bible, how would you explain to him what
the Bible is? _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Let's see what we can learn about the Bible from the Bible itself. Look up the following
verses and write on another paper what the verse says about the Bible: Isaiah 40:8, Jeremiah
23:29, Hebrews 4:12, Psalms 119:9,11, and Romans 15:4.

Now read 2 Peter 1:21. According to this verse where does the Bible (or scripture) come
from? _________. This is what makes the Bible different from any other book on earth: it comes
from God! Of course God used men to write it but they were speaking for Him. That is why it will
never fail; that is why it is so powerful; that is why it changes our lives; and that is why it is so
important that we learn to use it well. Don't ever allow Satan to tell you that the Bible is just an
ordinary book. It comes from _______. Since it comes from God it is good for us to learn more
about our Bible.

Many people get discouraged when they start reading the Bible because it is such a big
book. How many pages does your Bible have? ______ Now, turn to the "Table of Contents" in the
front of your Bible. This is a very useful page, especially if you are not familiar with the Bible. It lists
all the books in your Bible and the page number where you can find that book. Use the "Table of
Contents" to complete the next few questions. The Bible has two major parts, the _____ Testament
and the ____ Testament. Each of these major parts is divided into smaller parts that we call books.
How many books are in the Old Testament? _____ How many are in the New Testament? _____
This makes a total of 66 books in all. Each book is divided into chapters and each chapter is
divided into verses. Knowing these things helps you become more familiar with your Bible so that
its size does not scare you away from it. We'll talk more about this in our meeting together.

Besides being a big book the Bible is often difficult to understand. There are many new
words and ideas in the Bible. The names and places sound strange. Many things do not make
sense the first time you read them. Read 2 Peter 3:15-16. Here Peter says that the writings of
Paul are sometimes _______________ to understand. However, what does Jesus promise to us in
John 14:26? ________________________ How does it feel to know that the Holy Spirit will help to
teach you the things you need to know? __________ The more we read and study the Bible the
more the Holy Spirit will help us understand.

The Bible is very important to us because it is like the food that we need to grow. Read
Jeremiah 15:16. As we read the Bible our spirit is fed and grows stronger. Satan knows how
powerful the word of God is and he will always try to keep you from reading it. It will take much
discipline for you to faithfully read the Bible and learn more of what God wants to teach you. Read
the following verses and in the blanks write how often the person involved read or meditated on the
word of God: Acts 17:11 ____________; Deuteronomy 17:19 _________________; Joshua 1:8
_____________________ It is very important that as a Christian you develop a habit of reading the
Bible every day. Remember this: EVERY GROWING CHRISTIAN WILL HAVE TIME TO READ
THE WORD OF GOD.

The verse you read in Joshua 1:8 talked of meditating on the word of God. What do you
think this means? _____________________ To meditate just means to think seriously or to reflect
on what you have read. Sometimes the things we read do not really make sense to us until we
really stop and think about them. Often God speaks to us when we are meditating on his words.
Joshua 1:18 talks of meditating when? __________ A good way to meditate day and night is to
memorize scriptures so that when you are standing in a queue, waiting for a vehicle, or walking, you
can meditate on what you have memorized. Stop and practice meditating now. Use your memory
verse for this week (2 Timothy 3:16). Say it several times slowly to yourself, thinking about each
word. Repeat it and emphasize a different word each time. Think about the meaning of each word.
Be prepared to share what you learned with the class.
 LESSON FOUR: "POWER IN PRAYER"

In Lesson Two we learned that the Bible is a powerful weapon that we have to fight against
Satan. In this lesson we will look at another weapon that we have, this weapon is PRAYER. God
has given to us this mighty weapon and he wants us to learn to use it well. As we begin this lesson,
write out your definition of prayer. Prayer is ____________________. A very simple way of
explaining prayer is to say that prayer is talking with God. Think about this definition. Talking
means we are communicating. We express our thoughts and desires by talking. This
communication is not talking to God, but talking with God. When we pray, we need to remember
that communication involves more than just talking. We also need to learn to listen to God. Many
Christians look at prayer as a burden that they feel they must do. Actually, talking with God is a
tremendous privilege. If you had a direct telephone line so that you could talk to the president of
Kenya any time how would you feel? _______ Prayer gives us this instant access to the almighty
God any time of the day! Furthermore, God wants for us to be in constant communication with him.

Let's look at some scriptures to see what we can learn about prayer. First, observe the
prayer life of Jesus. Read Mark 1:35. Where did Jesus pray? ____________ When? _________
How long did he pray in Luke 6:12? __________ REMEMBER: JESUS PRAYED.
Now let's look at some examples from the life of the early Church. In Acts 1:14 what were
the disciples doing before the Holy Spirit was poured out? _________ What did they do in Acts
4:23-31 when they were having trouble? _________. In Acts 12:12 when Peter and John had been
threatened by the leaders what did they do? _______ REMEMBER: THE EARLY CHURCH
PRAYED.

Look up the following scriptures and on another paper write what the verse tells you to do.
Matthew 7:7, Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, and 1 Timothy 2:1-2. REMEMBER: WE
ARE COMMANDED TO PRAY.

We can see that prayer was an important part of the life of Jesus and the early church, also
that the Bible commands us to pray. Now let us learn some principles that will help us in our
praying.

Principle one: PRAYER IS A DISCIPLINE THAT MUST BE LEARNED. Read Colossians 4:12.
How does Paul describe the prayers of Epaphras? _________ Wrestling is a difficult sport that
requires much disciple and practice. Sometimes prayer is like wrestling or fighting a battle. So don't
be discouraged if you find it hard at first or if you feel that others pray better than you do. Keep
practicing and you will learn more and more about prayer. There is a special promise for us in
Rom. 8:26. What is it? _________________ Stop now and ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray.

Principle two: THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRAYERS. Most people think of prayer as
asking God for what they need. However, this is actually only one kind of prayer, petition. Read 1
Timothy 2:1 and list the different types of prayer found here.
_________________________________________. For this course we are going to learn about
three types of prayer.

i) Praise. A prayer of praise is a prayer that focuses only on whom God is and what he has done for
us. This kind of prayer helps us to focus our thoughts on God and brings glory to him. Read
Nehemiah 9:5-6 for an example of a prayer of praise.

ii) Confession. To confess is simply to admit our sin to God and ask for his forgiveness. What is a
scripture verse promising us forgiveness? ______ Read Nehemiah 1:5-7 for an example of a
prayer containing both praise and confession.

iii) Petition. To petition is simply asking God for something. It is letting him know our requests.
Read Nehemiah 1:11 for a short prayer of petition. As you talk with God it is helpful to use all three
types of prayer in the order that we studied them. If you use only one type all the time your prayers
will become dull. We'll talk more about that when we meet in class.

Principle three: THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN HINDER OUR PRAYERS. Read these verses
and write the things that will stop your prayers: Psalm 66:18,_______ Mark 11:24-25, _______
James 1:6-8,_________ and James 4:3. __________ Which one of these has hindered your
prayers the most? ____________

As we finish the lesson here are several practical tips that can improve your prayer life.
1)Ask God to help you learn to pray.
2)Have a regular time to pray each day.
3)Talk to God as if he were in the room with you. Don't worry about using special words.
4)Keep a list of the people you want to pray for and special requests that you make to God.
 LESSON FIVE: "THE HOLY SPIRIT"

Have you ever seen a car beside the road that had run out of petrol? It might be a very nice car,
but without petrol it will not run. In the Christian life the Holy Spirit is like the petrol in the car; He
gives power for us to live the Christian life. In this lesson, we are going to learn five things the Holy
Spirit does in the life of a Christian.

The first thing that the Holy Spirit does in our lives is to provide assurance that we belong to
God. Read Romans 8:9-16. According to verse 9, if someone does not have the Spirit in their life,
do they belong to God? _____ What does verse 16 say that we are? _______________ When we
have the Holy Spirit living inside us, we can know that we are children of God. What was the
reference to the memory verse we learned on assurance? __________ That verse gives us
assurance because we __________ with our mouth and __________ in our hearts. The Holy Spirit
is a second way that God assures us that we are His children. Stop and thank God for the
presence of the Holy Spirit in your life.

A second thing that the Holy Spirit does is to teach us truth. Read John 14:26 and 16:13.
These verses say that the Holy Spirit will ___________________. The Holy Spirit is present in all
areas of our lives to teach us the Christian way to live, think, and act. In what way has the Holy
Spirit taught you some truth in the last week?
____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ Read John 16:7,8.
Who reminds us of sin? _____________ (The "counselor" is the Holy Spirit.) This is one way that
the Holy Spirit teaches us truth; by making us feel guilt when we do something wrong.

Not only does the Holy Spirit teach us the truth, but He also gives us the power to change!
This is one of the most exciting things about the Christian life; the Holy Spirit can change us. Again,
look at Romans 8. This chapter talks about a life that is under the control of the Holy Spirit. Verse
9 says that we are no longer controlled by our ________ nature, but by the Spirit. Verse 11 adds
that if the Spirit is in us, He will give ______ to our bodies. This means that He gives us the power
to live a new life. Verse 13 describes this change as putting to ________ the misdeeds (sins) of the
body. This is what the Christian life is all about: change by the power of the Holy Spirit. One way
that we change is to begin to develop God's character in our lives. Read Galatians 5:22-23. This
is the "fruit" of having God's Spirit in our lives. When we see this fruit, we can know that we have
the Holy Spirit in our lives. Which ones have you seen in your life?
______________________________________________ Stop and ask the Holy Spirit to help you
change a specific area of your life.
A fourth way that the Holy Spirit works in our lives is to give us power for witnessing. What is
the reference for our memory verse this week? __________ This verse says that we will receive
________ when the Holy Spirit comes on us and we will be ___________ in many places. Now
read Acts 4:31. What happened when the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit?
_________________ We will learn more about witnessing in lesson eight.

The fifth thing that the Holy Spirit does in our lives is to give us spiritual gifts. Read 1
Corinthians 12:7-11 and write on another paper the gifts listed there. Now read Romans 12:6,7
and add the new ones to your list. God gives a special gift to each believer to be useful used within
the church. It is important that we discover our gift and how it can be useful in the church. If you
think you already know what your gift is, stop and thank God for it. If you do not know yet, stop
and ask God to reveal it to you.

Before we finish this lesson, let's learn how we receive the Holy Spirit. Read Acts 2:38.
What does this verse say is required before receiving the Holy Spirit? ___________________ This
verse teaches us that everyone who is saved has received the Holy Spirit. However, this does not
mean that everyone is controlled fully by the Holy Spirit. What does Ephesians 5:18 command us
to do? _________________________ This filling is something that happens continually and means
that we are to be completely controlled by the Holy Spirit. Read Acts 2:4 and 4:31. Now read
Luke 11:9-13. What does Jesus tell us to do? ___________ On another paper write a prayer
thanking God for the Holy Spirit and asking Him for more of His power in your life.
 LESSON SIX: "THE CHURCH"

Many people talk about going to church. We know that there are many different "churches."
But really, what is the church? Is it a building? We cannot completely describe the church in this
short lesson but we will try to answer two questions: "What is the church?" and "What happens at
church?" First, let us see what the church is. A favorite term that the writers of scripture used to
described the church is the body of Christ. Read Ephesians 1:22-23. Who is the "head" of this
body? _______ What does your head do for your body? _____________ Jesus is the head of the
church because, just as our head controls the rest of our body, Jesus directs the church. 1
Corinthians 12:12-31 describes the many different parts that make up the church. According to
verse 27 who are these parts? _____ Just as the human body is made up of legs, arms, and eyes
the church is made up of the special people who belong to Christ. Read 1 Peter 2:9 and list the
four things that Peter calls the church. ________________________________________________
This is a very unusual group of people, a people who belong to God! The church is made up of
people who are a part of God's family, people who have made a commitment to follow Christ and
have entered a new relationship with him. The word "church" means "called-out ones." This verse
says that we have been called out of ___________ into his wonderful __________. When we
become Christians, we no longer belong to the world. In fact, verse 11 says that we are _______
and ________ in the world. As believers the only place where we should feel completely at home is
in the church, among other "aliens and strangers." Do you feel at home in the church? ______

Now let us discover what happens in the body of Christ. Read Acts 2:42-47. What four
activities are mentioned in verse 42? _____________________________________________.
Each of these things is important in the life of the church.
First is teaching. The church is the place where God intends for his followers to receive the
instruction that they need to grow in their faith. Read Titus 2:1,15. What does Paul tell Titus to do
in verse 1? _____________ This whole chapter gives instructions about what should be taught.
Read Colossians 3:16. Who does the teaching in this verse? ____________ Although there are
people appointed to teach in the church, all of us are really teaching each other as we live our
Christian lives in the church. Write something that you have learned from another brother or sister
in the church. _________________________ It is important that we learn the word of God through
teaching in the church. Do you take advantage of seminars or Bible studies offered in your church?
________ Stop and ask God to give you a hunger to be taught so that you will also be able to
teach others.
The second activity of the early church was fellowship. Through fellowship God intends for
the church to experience the joy of walking together in his body. Read Ephesians 2:11-22. The
reason that we can come together in the same church body even from our different tribes,
education levels or economic status is because, according to verse 14, God has destroyed the
______ between all of us. An important part of fellowship is encouragement. Read 1
Thessalonians 5:11. How have you received encouragement from someone in the church?
_____________________ Stop and review your memory verse for this week. Meditate on what is
says about encouragement. Another part of fellowship is learning to use our spiritual gifts. Read
Ephesians 4:11-13. According to verse 12 God wants his people to be prepared for the work that
he has for them and the church is where this happens. How do you think the church can help to
develop your spiritual gift? __________________________________
The third activity of the church in Acts 2:42-47 is breaking of bread. This may mean either
that they ate food together or that they were celebrating the Lord's supper. Both activities are an
important part of the church. We will learn more about holy communion in a later lesson so for now
look at verse 46. Where did they eat together? __________ How do you think this helped the
church? _____________ Do you welcome others to eat with you? ___________
Another activity of the church is prayer. We learned about prayer in lesson four. Why do you
think it is important to sometimes pray together as a church instead of alone as individuals?
___________________________________________
The last activity of the church from Acts 2:42-47 is given in v. 47. What were the believers
doing in the first part of this verse? _______ Worship, or praising God is an important function of
the church that we will learn more about in our next lesson.
We have seen what the church is and what the church does. This should encourage you to
obey our memory verse. The church is not perfect but God expects every believer to be an
active part of his body.
 LESSON SEVEN: "WORSHIP"

Worship is one of the most exciting activities in which a Christian can participate because it
focuses our attention on God himself. Let's think about what it means to worship. If someone tells
you that John "worships" money he means that John places great value on money above other
things. In a similar way, worship is actively acknowledging the worth of God. Look at your
memory verse for this week. (To "ascribe" means to give). This verse describes what worship
is--giving God the glory or honor that he deserves. Notice that it does not say that we are to watch
others worship God but we are to be involved ourselves. Often Christians come to church to
receive a blessing. However, true worship involves us focusing on God and blessing him. Since
worship causes us to focus on God it is important that we continue to learn more about God. What
is something that you have learned in these lessons about God that will cause you to want to
worship him? _________________________________ Each lesson taught us something about
God that we can use to worship him. For example, in week two we learned about confession of our
sins. We learned that God is willing to forgive us of our sins. When we think about his willingness
to forgive, we should want to worship him more. In this lesson we will look at three more things
about God that make him worthy of our worship.

A) GOD IS THE CREATOR. Read Revelation 4:11. Why does this verse say that God is worthy
of "Glory and honor and power"? __________________. Now read Psalm 104:1-24 which
describes many parts of God's creation. As we look at God's creation we will want to worship the
God who made it all.

B) GOD IS HOLY. Your daily reading in Isaiah 6:3 says, "_____, _____, _____ is the LORD
Almighty . . . ." When we say that God is holy we mean not only that he has no sin, but also that he
is separate or completely different from us. Read Isaiah 55:8-9. We cannot even begin to imagine
how high God's ways are. As we learn about God's holiness we will want to worship him more.

C) GOD IS LOVE. Read 1 John 4:16. This verse says that God is ______. God not only shows
love toward us but he is love! Also, read 1 John 3:1 and 4:10,19. What would our lives be like
without the love of God? As we think about his love we will want to worship him more.

These three areas are just the beginning. God has many other qualities that cause us to
worship him: he is all-powerful, he is eternal, he knows everything, etc. There are many things that
make God worthy of our worship. Before you go on with the lesson stop and think about all the
reasons you have to worship God.

Now let's look at some things that will help us understand how we are to worship God. Read
Hebrews 12:28-29. It says to worship God with _________ and _______. What do you think it
means to worship God with "reverence and awe"? ________________________ Think about how
you would feel and act if you had a meeting with the president of Kenya. Surely God is worthy of
more honor than the president. How should this affect our actions in a worship service?
_____________________________________________________________

The Bible is full of instructions about how we are to worship God. Read the following verses
and on another paper write down what we are commanded to do in worship: Psalms 95:6; 100:1,2;
134:2; Habakkuk 2:20; Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 14:26; 14:40; 16:2; Colossians 3:16; 1
Timothy 2:1; 2:8; 2:9-10; and 4:13.

The book of Psalms is used a lot in worship because it is a collection of prayers and songs
used by God's people in worship. We can learn a lot about worship by reading the Psalms. Read
Psalm 150 and answer the following questions on another paper. Where do we praise God (v. 1)?
Why do we praise God (v.2)? From verses 3-5, list the ways we are to praise God. Who is to
praise God (v. 6)?

Stop and ask God to help you learn more about how to worship Him.
 LESSON EIGHT: "WITNESSING"

Until this point in our lessons we have focused primarily on developing our personal
relationship with God. In the next two lessons we are going to look at ways that our relationship
with God will be noticed by those around us.

As we begin our lesson today think about how you got saved. Did you just decide one day to
follow Jesus or did God use a friend or a preacher to talk with you about salvation? Who did God
use? _______________ Normally God uses someone to talk to us about salvation. What that
person is doing is witnessing and it is the subject of this lesson.

To understand what the word "witness" means picture in your mind a courtroom scene. The
advocate is presenting his case and he calls upon a witness to testify. What does this person do?
__________________ The witness is called because he or she has seen or experienced something
related to the case and is willing to tell others about it. Read Acts 2:32. In this verse what have the
disciples witnessed? _________________ In the same way when we tell others what we know
and have experienced we are being witnesses. This is exciting because it means that every
Christian can be a witness since every Christian has experienced the work of Christ in their lives.
Let us now answer several questions about witnessing.

First, why should we witness? We will look at four reasons that should motivate us to tell
others about Jesus. Read John 1:35-42. In verse 41 what was the first thing that Andrew did after
he met Jesus? _____________ This is the first reason we should tell others about Jesus: Sharing
with others is a natural result of our meeting Jesus. Stop and think about what Jesus has done in
your life. Is it something that you want to tell others about? _____

A second reason that we should witness is that we are commanded to share with others.
Read the following verses and on another paper write what the verse tells you to do. Matthew
28:19-20, Mark 5:19; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20. God does not normally use angels or
bright lights to speak with people; he uses ordinary people like you!

Another reason that we should witness is that the need is so great. Read Matthew 9:35-38.
How did Jesus feel when he looked at all the people? __________ What is the harvest that Jesus is
talking about? _____________ Stop and think for a moment about all the people around you who
have not met Christ. How will these people hear the good news according to Romans 10:14-15?
______________ When we see the needs of people as Jesus saw them we will be motivated to
share with others.

The fourth reason for us to share about Jesus with others is that witnessing will strengthen
our faith. Read Philemon 1:6. What does this say will happen if we are active in sharing our faith?
_______________________________ Sharing our faith will deepen our understanding of what
Christ has done for us. Every time we openly identify ourselves with Jesus our faith becomes
stronger. That is why it is so important that we do as Romans 10:9 says and _________ with our
mouth that Jesus is Lord. Have you done that this week? ________

If witnessing for Jesus is so important why is it so hard for many people to do? There are
several reasons. One is fear. Read Ephesians 6:19,20. What was Paul's prayer request?
________ Even Paul needed prayer for boldness. In 2 Timothy 1:7 what does Paul tell Timothy?
___________________ Fear does not come from God; it comes straight from the devil. From your
memory verse from the lesson on the Holy Spirit what does God give? _________ Another reason
that many find it hard to witness is that they do not know what to say. Read 1 Peter 3:15. What
does this verse tell us to be prepared to do? _____________ It will help you to think about what
God has done in your life and be prepared to share it with others.

Stop and review what this lesson has taught you. Pray and ask God to help you share what
he has done for you with one of your friends.
 LESSON NINE: "BAPTISM AND COMMUNION"

Think for a moment about how we celebrate a wedding. There are special clothes worn by
the bride. There are special actions such as the exchanging of rings during the ceremony. We eat
special foods and sing different songs. Each of these traditions adds meaning to the celebration of
an important day. What do you think the rings represent? _______________ In the church also we
have special activities or symbols that are very important because of the meaning behind them.
This week we will look at two of these activities, baptism and communion.

BAPTISM has a special significance for the believer since it symbolizes the changes that
have happened in our lives since we became Christians. Baptism symbolizes that we have
repented of our sin and begun a new life in Christ. Read Acts 2:38. What does Peter tell the
people to do? __________ and be _________. Now look at verse 41. Which people were
baptized? _______________. This is important because it teaches us that baptism is only for those
who have made a decision to follow Christ. This is the reason that we do not baptize babies; they
are not able to make this important decision. Now read 1 Peter 3:21. This verse tells us that the
significance of baptism is not that it removes ______ from our body but that it signifies that we have
a ______ ____________ towards God. So the water is not to make us clean physically but to show
that our conscience is clean before God. This means that our sins are forgiven and now we are
free from a guilty conscience. Now read Romans 6:1-10. How does Paul describe baptism in v. 4?
___________________________ This may sound strange to us so let us look at what he means.
Paul is saying that when we are baptized it symbolizes the fact that our old sinful nature died and is
buried and we begin a new life in Jesus. In the same way, Jesus died, was buried and then came
back to life. Baptism says to everyone that we have started a new way of living. This meaning of
baptism is illustrated when the believer goes under the water completely and then is brought out as
a new person.

COMMUNION is the second symbolic activity in which all Christians participate. This is
something that we do regularly because Jesus himself commanded us to do it until he comes again.
One of your daily readings for this week is Luke 22. Turn to that chapter. The special meal
described in vs. 7-23 of this chapter happened on the last night of Jesus' life before he was killed. It
uses two important symbols, the cup and the bread. Let's find out more about these two symbols.
From v. 19 what does the bread represent? _________ By calling the bread his body Jesus did not
mean that the bread was his physical body since he was standing right there with them. He meant
that the bread represented his body. Why do you think Jesus wants us to remember his body?
_______________________ Read John 10:17-18. This verse teaches us that Jesus gave up his
body; it was not taken from him. He was willing to suffer and die because of our sins. What
happened to Jesus' body in Luke 22:63? __________ In Luke 23:11? __________ In Luke
23:33? _______________ When we eat the bread we are supposed to remember the suffering that
Jesus did in his body so that we could be forgiven of our sins. Stop and think for a moment about
the suffering that Jesus went through for you. Now read Luke 22:20 and write down what the cup
symbolizes. __________________ The blood of Jesus is very important to the Christian because it
represents the death of Christ. The Bible teaches that the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23).
Since all of us have sinned, (Romans 3:23) we all deserve to die. But Jesus took our place so that
we do not have to pay the price for our sins. Read Romans 5:9. How does this verse say we are
justified, or made right, before God? ______________ So when we drink from the cup, we are
remembering the blood that Jesus gave for us.

These two special activities are practiced by Christians all over the world and unite us with all
true believers. Every Christian should be baptized and participate regularly in Holy Communion.
 LESSON TEN: "THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY"

All of us belong to a family. Whether we are married or not, we have a home. Think about
the home that you come from. Is it a happy place? _____. If it is like most homes there are many
things that are not as happy as God planned. In this lesson we want to learn about what God
expects in the Christian family.

First of all, we must understand that God created the family. Read Genesis 2:18. What
does this verse say that God will make for Adam? _________. This companion for Adam was
God's plan to keep him from being lonely and the beginning of God's wonderful plan for the family.
But when sin came into the world (Gen. 3) it caused many problems in the family. The beautiful
relationship that God planned was destroyed. Instead of loving each other they blamed each
another for their problems and finally their children had a fight in which one was killed (Gen. 4:8).
This was the work of the devil. But what does 1 John 3:8 say that Jesus came to do?
_________________ Praise God! In the Christian family, Jesus wants to create a beautiful home.
What does Ephesians 5:31-32 say that the relationship between husband and wife is like?
_______________

These things tell us that God places a great value on our homes. Let's look at what God
wants to happen in our homes.

The first thing God wants to happen in our homes, is for them to be places where loving
relationships are built. Colossians 3:18-21 give brief instructions for each member of the family.
What are the wives to do? _______ What do you think this means? ________ What are the
husbands to do? ___________ How can a husband show love to his wife? ____________. What
is the responsibility of children? _______ What are fathers warned not to do? __________ How
can this happen? _________. God wants the home to be a loving place where each person is
seeking to love the others and treat them with respect.
Can the home be a loving place if there are beatings, harsh words, shouting and arguments?
_______ This is not God's plan. A Christian home is build on LOVE expressed in the close
relationships found there.

God also wants the home to be a place for training and learning. Where did you learn how
to dress yourself? _______ You probably learned it at home. Also, in the Christian home much
learning should take place. In the Christian home also the parents have a special responsibility.
Read Ephesians 6:4. What are parents supposed to do? _______________ Training a child, or
working to shape his life in the right way, is very important and it takes much effort.
Training involves correction or discipline. Read Hebrews 12:7-11. Christian parents should
carefully discipline their children with love so that they grow up as mature people.

The home should also be a place for worship. Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Where are
children supposed to be taught about God? ___________ Christian parents are responsible for
teaching their children about God in the home. Christian families should pray together, sing
together, and read the word of God together. Does your family spend time together like this?
_______ If not, why not start today?

This is what God wants in our families. However, many Christians come from families where
the other members are not saved. God also gives instructions to people in these situations. Read
Colossians 3:20 again. Are children to obey their parents only if they are saved? ______ No,
they should obey them in everything. The best testimony a saved son or daughter can have is to
obey every instruction of the parent quickly and cheerfully, unless it clearly violates a scriptural
command. Now Read 1 Peter 3:1-2 for instructions to wives with unsaved husbands. Does Peter
say that they should preach to their husbands or live a godly life? _________ This is hard to do, but
God wants your life to be so much like Jesus that the husband will want to be saved because of
your life. The same principle applies to husbands with unsaved wives. If you live in any of these
situations, you may want to get counsel from an older Christian or the pastor to help you in relating
to your unsaved family members.

Think for a moment about what you have learned about the family. What specific thing do
you think God wants you to do to strengthen the family you are a part of?
______________________________________
 Memory Verses

Week One Week Two Week Three Week Four Week Five
Monday __ John 3 __ Genesis 3 __ 2 Peter 1 __1 Samuel 1 __John 14

Tuesday __ Rom. 5 __ Matthew 4 __ James 1 __Matthew 6 __Acts 2

Wednesday __ 2 Cor. 5 __ Romans 6 __ Joshua 1 __Luke 18 __Romans 8

Thursday __ Acts 16 __ Romans 7 __Rom.15:1-13 __John 17 __1 Cor. 2

Friday __ Eph. 1 __ Romans 8 __ 1 Tim. 4 __Acts 4 __1 Cor. 12

Saturday __ Jn. 5 __ 1 John 1 __ Psalms 19 __Daniel 9 __Gal. 5

Sunday __ Ps. 27 __ Psalms 51 __Ps.119:1-32 __Psalm 86 __Psalm 139

Week Six Week Seven Week Eight Week Nine Week Ten
Monday __1 Peter 1 __Isaiah 6 __Matthew 10 __Matthew 3 __Genesis 2

Tuesday __1 Peter 2 __Rev. 4 __John 4 __Matthew 28 __Genesis 24

Wednesday __Eph. 2 __Rev. 5 __John 15 __Exodus 12 __Col. 3

Thursday __Eph. 4 __2 Chr. 7 __Acts 8 __Luke 22 __Eph. 5

Friday __Col. 1 __Ps.29&100 __Romans 10 __Isaiah 53 __1 Cor. 7

Saturday __Rev. 3 __Psalm 145 __Proverbs 11 __1 Cor. 11 __1 Peter 3

Sunday __Psalm 84 __Ps 148-150 __Psalm 96 __Psalm 46 __Psalm 68

Memory Verses
 Memory Verses
Week One: Week Six:
Assurance: Romans 10:9 "That if you The Church: Hebrews 10:25 "Let us not give
confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and up meeting together, as some are in the habit
believe in your heart that God raised him from of doing, but let us encourage one
the dead, you will be saved." another--and all the more as you see the Day
approaching."

Week Two: Week Seven:

Confession: 1 Jn. 1:9 "If we confess our sins, Worship: Psalm 29:2 "Ascribe to the LORD
he is faithful and just and will forgive us our the glory due his name; worship the LORD in
sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." the splendor of his holiness."

Week Three:
Week Eight:
The Bible: 2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is Witnessing: Romans 1:16 "I am not
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, ashamed of the gospel, because it is the
rebuking, correcting and training in power of God for the salvation of everyone
righteousness." who believes: first for the Jew, then for the
Gentile."

Week Four: Week Nine:

Prayer: John 15:7 "If you remain in me and Baptism: Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go
my words remain in you, ask whatever you and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
wish and it will be given you." them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of
the age."

Week Five: Week 10:

The Holy Spirit: Acts 1:8 "But you will The Home: Genesis 2:24 "For this reason a
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on man will leave his father and mother and be
you; and you will be my witnesses in united to his wife, and they will become one
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and flesh."
to the ends of the earth."