1.

Dying to Self
What is it about babies, that makes them cute?

John 3:3-5 (pg 954)

Why does Jesus use a metaphor about being reborn?
In order to enter into heaven, what are the two things we need to do?
Be born of water & be born of the Spirit

Romans 6:3 (pg 1016)

How is our baptism connected to Jesus?
vs 4 – 5
What are the parallels that we see between baptism and the death of Jesus?
Jesus died on the cross You must die to self and sin
Jesus was buried in the tomb You must be buried in the watery grave of Baptism
Jesus resurrected from the tomb You must come up out of the water and live a new life

vs 6 – 7
What are some examples of blessings that come from being crucified with Christ?
What does it mean to die?
Dead do nothing
A Physically Dead Man A Spiritually Dead Man
Does a dead man make decisions ? A spiritually dead man doesn’t make decisions.
No God makes the decisions.
Does a dead man solve problems ? A spiritually dead man doesn’t solve their problems.
No God solves their problems.
Does a dead man fight temptation ? A spiritually dead man doesn’t fight temptation.
No God fights the temptations.
Is a dead man in control of his life ? A spiritually dead man isn’t in control of his life.
No God is in control of his life.
Does a dead man live ? A spiritually dead man doesn’t live.
No God lives in and through him.

Galatians 2:20 (pg 1049)

If we are not living, who is living?
Jesus Christ
How is Jesus living in us?
By us putting our trust in Him.
We trust Him to live our life, by leading us in every way.
What are some areas in our life where God can take control?

John 14:10 (pg 969)

Why does Jesus let the Father do the works through Him?
Jesus allowed the Father to work through him as example of how we can live our lives.

1 Corinthians 15:31 (pg 1037)

How often should we die to self?
Every day
Personal Question: Are you willing to give your life to God right now?
[Have a silent prayer of surrender individually for 3 (or more) minutes and then you pray to close.]

This week start each day with an actual prayer where you dying to self.
 2. Spending Time with God
What makes a relationship work?

Hosea 1:2-3 (pg 806)

Why would God want Hosea to marry a prostitute?
How does this relationship compare to our relationship with God?

Hosea 2:16 (pg 807)

Ishi is the Hebrew word for ‘husband’
Baali is the Hebrew word for ‘lord’
So lets read this verse again switching those words:
“It will come about in that day,” declares the Lord,
“That you will call Me Ishi (husband) And will no longer call Me Baali (lord).”

Why does God prefer to be called husband as opposed to Lord?

God wants a marriage relationship with us. How can we develop this loving
relationship with Him?

Mark 1:35 (pg 897)

Why would Jesus take out time to spend with the Father?

Desire of Ages pg 363 ph 1

As a man He (Jesus) supplicated the throne of God till His humanity was charged with a
heavenly current that should connect humanity with divinity. Through continual
communion He received life from God, that He might impart life to the world. His
experience is to be ours.

How can we have this experience where we can have a strong connection
with God?

[Pass out the Reading Through Mark packet, and explain it to them.
Have them turn to the second page of the Reading Through Mark packet
and fill out the times when they will spend time with God.]

Mark 6:31 (pg 902)

Why does Jesus want the disciples to go to a deserted place?

Let's intentionally set aside some time, each day this week,
to spend time with God.
 3. Faith
What if God asked you to do something crazy, like run a mile backwards?
What if God asked you to drop out of school or quit your job?

Hebrews 11:8 (pg 1087)

What if God asked you to move?

Hebrews 11:6 (pg 1087)

Why is faith so important to God?

James 2:19 (pg 1092)

Do demons have faith?
No
If demons believe, then clearly faith is more than just belief.

The Greek word for faith is Pistis

The Hebrew word for faith is ‘Emuwn
These words can either be translated as Faith, Believe, or Trust. Trust is the best way
to translate these words.

Substitute the word “believe” and “faith” with the word “trust” for the
following verses:
John 3:16 (pg 954)
Galatians 2:20 (pg 1049)
How does the concept of “trust” change our understanding of these verses?

Proverbs 3:5-6 (pg 570)

What does it take to trust someone?

Ephesians 2:8-10 (pg 1054)

James 2:26 (pg 1092)
How is obedience and trust related?

Give an example of when you could trust God?

Daniel 3:17-18 (pg 793)

How does the statement of these men demonstrate faith?

Are you willing to trust God in every area of your life

and follow Him all the way?
 4. Walking a New Walk
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Romans 6:3-7 (pg 1016)

How can one "walk in newness of life"?

Romans 7:19-25 (pg 1017)

Why is it that people sin, when freedom is provided?

Galatians 5:24-25 (pg 1051)

Why is ‘crucifying the flesh’ necessary to be able to walk in the Spirit?

Matthew 26:40-41 (pg 891)

How does prayer help when our flesh is weak?

James 4:7 (pg 1093)

Why is it important to submit to God first, before we resist the devil?
How does submission and resistance go hand in hand?

John 8:36 (pg 962)

Is freedom possible?
Yes
To what extent is freedom possible?
God’s freedom is complete freedom.
How does God free us from sin?

The Lock that Houdini Couldn’t Break

Harry Houdini, the famed escape artist issued a challenge wherever he went. He could be locked in any
jail cell in the country, he claimed, and set himself free quickly and easily. He had freed himself from
dozens of cells until one time something went wrong. He entered the jail in his street clothes, as he
always did. The heavy, metal doors clanged shut behind him. He took from his belt a concealed piece of
metal, strong and flexible. He set to work immediately, but something seemed to be unusual about this
lock. Thirty minutes passed with no result, then an hour. After two hours, he was bathed in sweat and
panting in exasperation, but he still could not pick the lock. Exhausted, he collapsed against the door—
and it swung open! It was never locked in the first place. But in Houdini’s mind it was locked, and that
was all it took to keep him from opening the door and walking out.

Why do people remain trapped in sin, even after baptism?

When we give our lives to God by dying to self, then God gives us freedom from sin,
but many times we are still trapped, because we believe we're trapped.

Let us grab hold of the freedom that Jesus has given us.
 5. Prayer – Praying Without Ceasing
Has someone ever breathed in your face before?

John 20:22 (pg 976)

Why would Jesus blow on the disciple’s face?

Desire of Ages pg 805

The Holy Spirit is the breath of spiritual life in the soul. The impartation of the Spirit is
the impartation of the life of Christ. It imbues the receiver with the attributes of Christ.

What are some similarities between breath and the Holy Spirit?

How long can you hold your breath? (time them as they hold their breath)
How long can you go without the Holy Spirit?

How can you connect to The Holy Spirit?

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (pg 1067)

How can you pray without stopping?

Psalms 63:6 (pg 519)

What does it mean to meditate?
The dictionary defines ‘meditate’ as ‘to focus one’s thoughts’.

Being that mediation is a form of prayer, one way to ‘pray without seizing’ is to
‘meditate without seizing.’ In other words, it is keeping your mind focused on God all
throughout the day.

How can we keep focused on God throughout the day?

Psalms 4:4 (pg 488)

Why should we direct the thoughts of our heart towards God?

How often do we think?

All the time. We naturally think without ceasing.

Even your very thoughts, if directed towards God, can be a form of prayer.
So, if we direct all those constant thoughts that we have towards God, then we have a
constant stream of prayer. It will become as natural as breathing.

This week, let's try to pray without ceasing.

 6. Being an Example
Name one person that you’ve always wanted to meet?

John 14:8-10 (pg 969)

How was Jesus able to be the perfect example of the Father?

How can people meet Jesus today, when He is not here physically?

1 Timothy 4:12 (pg 1072)

How can you be an example with your speech?
How can you be an example with your conduct?
How can you be an example with your love?
How can you be an example with your faith?
How can you be an example in your purity?

How can people meet Jesus today, when He is not here physically?
People can meet Jesus through you, when Jesus is living in and through you.

John 14:15-20 (pg 969)

How does having the Holy Spirit inside of us help us to be an example?

People need Jesus, so let them see Jesus in you.

 7. Don't Quit
What is something you’ve started but never finished?

Romans 5:8-10 (pg 1015)

How does the fact that Jesus died for sinful enemies give us hope?

1 John 1:9 (pg 1102)

What do we need to do to be forgiven?
Confess our sins

Who is someone in the Bible that didn’t give up?

Philippians 3:9 (pg 1060)

How is receiving the righteousness from God good news?

Romans 8:1 (pg 1017)

If we are guilt free when we are in Christ, then why do we continue to feel
guilty?

Romans 5:20 (pg 1016)

Why is it that our sins cannot outweigh God’s grace?

Which hurts God more, when we fall down, or stay down?

It hurts God more when we stay down.

Philippians 3:13-14 (pg 1060)

What are some things that holds us back from moving forward in our
relationship with God?

No matter how many times you fail or how hard life gets, don't quit.
 8. The Burial
Have you ever done an assignment in school, but you didn’t know its
purpose?

Acts 19:1-3 (pg 999)

What was the problem with the baptism of these men at Ephesus?
These men didn’t understand the true meaning of Baptism.
They didn’t understand that there was a Holy Spirit that takes part in this.

What is baptism?
What does it mean?

Romans 6:3-7 (pg 1016) (explain the verses as you go along - refer to Topic 1)
The same Paul who talked to those men in Acts, lets us know that Baptism has to do
with being Crucified with Christ
Today, many people are baptized, but they didn’t understand what they did.
They were buried alive.

What does it mean to be crucified with Christ?

When we die, we stop living, and we let God live in and through us.
We allow the Holy Spirit to come inside, to be in control, make the decisions, fight the
temptations, and live in and through us.

Personal Question: (give people a chance to think about it)

When you were baptized, did you actually “die”?

Acts 19:4-6 (pg 999)

Why were these men re-baptized?

Acts 8:36-38 (pg 986)

Once we understand the commitment we are making, why should we not
delay our baptism?

Perhaps you too need to be baptized.

Perhaps you too need to be re-baptized.
Pray this week to ask God whether this is his will for you.

(Make yourself available at the end to speak to anyone who may want to tell you that they want
to get baptized. Pass their contact information over to Pastor Wayne right away so that he can
follow up with this individual. If the Holy Spirit leads you can call the individuals in your group to
ask them what they thought about this past week's lesson.)
 9. Hearing the Voice of God
Have you ever found yourself speaking, and no one was listening?

1 Kings 19:11-12 (pg 328)

Why the theatrics of an earthquake, wind, and fire?

Some versions say “sound of gentle blowing” or “still small voice”.

The Greek phrase qôl dᵊmāmâ ḏaqqâ means “Calm light voice”

Why did God prefer to speak to Elijah with a calm light voice?

Why do some people believe that it isn’t possible to hear God’s voice?
How can you hear the still small voice?

5 THINGS WE NEED TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD

Isaiah 30:21 (pg 637)
Can we hear God’s voice? Yes
1. Know that you can hear the voice of God.
“Christ is ever sending messages for those who listen for His voice.”
Ministry of Healing, page 509

1 Samuel 3:3-10 (pg 249)

What did Samuel do in order to speak to God?
2. Be willing to hear God’s voice.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (pg 570)

What kind of mindset should we have in our prayers?
3. Pray with an open mind.

Matthew 26:39 (pg 891)

What characteristic of Jesus’ prayer can we apply to our own?
4. Pray with a heart of surrender.

Why is it important to have the proper mentality when it comes to

listening to the voice of God?

1 John 4:1 (pg 1104)

How can we tell if our convictions are coming from God?

Isaiah 8:20 (pg 618)

What should be the guide of our convictions?
5. Compare to the Bible.

CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK:

Choose a day this week to pray about a particular question.
On that day, pray and listen until you get an answer.
 10. Being Partners with God
What would you do if you saw your friend drowning?

Matthew 28:19 (pg 895)

Why is God giving this calling to His followers?

Jeremiah 1:5-7 (pg 673)

When does God make His plans for us?
Before we are born

Why did it not matter that Jeremiah was a youth?

God doesn’t call the qualified — He qualifies the called.

Pass out or email the Bible Study Packets and talk about how you would like to start
working with them in learning how to lead a Small Group Study like this one.

Exodus 3:11-12 (pg 51)

What makes us qualified and worthy?

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (pg 1046)

How is it that we are strong when we are weak?

Isaiah 6:8 (pg 616)

What should be our response to God’s call?
Here I am, send me.

Matthew 4:18-20 (pg 865)

The God of the Universe wants to be partners with you,

But do you want to be partners with Him?