Lesson 24

The BSF legal police said posting BSF questions online is a violation of their copy rights.  As such, I was informed by their exclusivity team that I must remove their questions from my blog.  I am a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and as such, I will humbly comply with their request.  Thankfully, BSF doesn't own the rights to the numbers; they said I could keep those.  Oh, and I own the rights to my answers to their questions and I will continue to share them with you.  May we all CONTINUE to grow in the knowledge, love, and "grace" of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

First Day:

1.

2.

SECOND DAY:
3.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient bearing with one another with love.  Make every effort to keep unity of the Spirit through the "bond of peace."

4.
Unity of the Spirit. 

b.
We keep unity by keeping our eyes on God and not on ourselves.  In Acts 1:14 the early church, in one accord, ALL gathered together and "united" in prayer. 

c.

• Organic Unity is the idea that a thing is made up of interdependent parts. For example, a body is made up of its constituent organs, or a society is made up of its constituent social roles. 
• organizational conformity means that workers tend to conform to the prevailing culture of the corporation for which they work.

Source: Wikipedia


d.
Understanding that unity doesn't just happen; we have to work at it. 

5.

• One body - Helps us see how our different gifts and viewpoints can "help" the church as it does God's work.
• One Spirit - Uniting through one Spirit, leads to "peace" within the church body allowing on us to focus on God's work rather than our differences.
• One hope - Our hope is knowing this life is short, and therefore, we live for the promised life to come.
• One Lord - The Lord is at the head of the church body; instructing us and growing us in the faith.  Mature believers who have rec'vd this instruction and growth, can help weaker Christians grow up in the faith together in one accord.
• One faith - One faith in Christ is our foundation to any unity we have in the church.
• One baptism - Baptism is simply an outward profession of our inward faith.  It shows the Church and the world, we believe in one body; with Christ at the head, living in one accord.  
• One God - Our God offered up the plan of salvation, that our Lord and Savior humbly and willingly fufilled.  God's plan of salvation set our unity in the church in motion.

THIRD DAY:
6.

• Apostles - Apostles are messengers or basically Christian Missionaries, and like Paul, they can encourage churches.
• Prophets - Prophets are people who speak by divine inspiration from God to the people of God.
• Evangelists - Evangelists minister the Word in a way that creates "revival".  
• Pastors - Pastors are God's Shepherd's over the flock.  They are ordained to look after the flock/sheep to ensure they are all accounted for within the church body.
• Teachers - Teachers instruct.  They help the church understand the Word of God as do Pastors.

7.
By using my spiritual gifts of encouragement and compassion to help build up people around me.

8.
a.
Spiritual maturity is God’s goal for our life. Then we will no longer be like children.  Spiritual maturity is using sound Biblical doctrine in all our decisions in life an effort to become "like" Jesus our Lord and Savior.

b.
By foregoing earthly knowledge and grounding ourselves in God's Word. We need to study the Bible and develop our theological knowledge. Stay humble and curious to learn about God's amazing love for us.

9.
a.
Christ is the way, the "truth" and the life.  I need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide me in the Spirit of truth.

b.
Present the gospel with humility so it doesn't come across as offensive to others.  Show others that I care about their spiritual well being.

c.
Growing up into Christ is all about learning to trust Jesus with everything.  He will never force us to worship Him and obey Him, but by simply surrendering to Him, He will live out His life in us!  What a wonderous gift and opportunity we have to experience the very presence of God living in us!  May we not take it for granted. 

d.
Christ forms us in to one body - in to a group of individuals who are united in their love for one another and the Lord.  If one person stumbles, I can be that person that helps him or her get back up and walk with God again.

FOURTH DAY:
10.

OFF

• 4:22, Put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires,
• 4:25, Put off falsehood and speak truthfully
• 4:26, Do not sin
• 4:27, Do not give the devil a foothold
• 4:28, Do not steal
• 4:29, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth
• 4:30, Do not grieve the Holy Spirit
• 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
• 5:3, There must not be a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed
• 5:4, Nor should there obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking
• 4:6, Let no one deceive you with empty words

ON

• 4:23, Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness
• 4:22, Be made new in the ATTITUDE of your minds... 
• 4:25, Speak truthfully
• 4:32, Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave us.
• 5:1, Be imitators of God.
• 5:10, Find out what pleases the Lord
• 5:17, Be filled with the Spirit

**See verses in the Put Off and Put On section above.

11.
I try to pray every day, like Zechariah prayed, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, " says the Lord.  I recognize that I am in a spiritual battle, and sometimes I win, and sometimes I lose.  I'm convinced that I have underestimated my enemy, the devil.  I need to be more disciplined in the area of letting the Spirit of God lead me, so I can live a more consistent Christian life.

FIFTH DAY:
12.
When we submit to authority, and godly leadership, we become more willing to submit to all of God's commands, not just the ones that are easy to submit to.
13.
It encourages responsibility and integrity.  We would do a better job of treating people in our lives fairly and with respect.

SIXTH DAY:
14.
5:1, Be imitators of God. This verse sums up all others for me.  If I can do this, I will not live as the gentiles, I will work to keep unity of the Spirit, I will not let any unwholesome words come out of my mouth.   My prayer would be that I would daily pick up my cross and die to self, so that Christ may live in me.


15.