#2 Growing Faith - Reading the Bible

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Remember a while back we looked at Fruit of the Spirit? If you go to church club on a Monday, we will be looking at them next term. Growing in faith (and seeing the fruit of the Spirits work in our lives) means seeking God and acting on His word... of course we would have a job acting on it if we... never read it.

Bible reading. It can be really hard can't it? Of course all you Monday people have started doing just that with our weekly notes! There are also some very cool/helpful notes that you can buy, for example you could try Breakfast with God or Knowing God better than ever - its worth trying a few until you find something that suits you... and you can always borrow something off the youth worker!! If you ask Him, God will help you find something right for you... I mean what a great prayer: "Father please help me to read your word and to find things which help me understand it" ... Brilliant!

In the mean time, if you dont go to a Monday night group, how about trying the Bible studies they are doing? Below is last weeks notes (I will use a separate post for the notes for the Easter holidays)... may God bless you as you seek him more and more.

Senior Church club Bible notes – Week beginning 22nd March

Quoted from the ReJesus web site: "What is the significance of the resurrection?
For the first Christians, the greatest significance of the resurrection was that it turned the verdict about Jesus on its head. Without it, he was just another failed guru, strung up naked on a pagan gibbet, punished by God for his false teachings and claims about himself. But by raising him from the dead, God instead set his seal of approval on him, vindicating his teachings and claims.
As they reflected further, though, the early Christians saw more and more in it. In fact, it could be said that most of the New Testament is about unpacking the meaning of the resurrection.
Essentially, the realisation they came to was this: Because Christ rose from the dead, those who belong to him and are united with him will rise from the dead, too, and share in his power and glory…
“In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you”. 1 Peter 1:3-4
And not only is that a promise for beyond the grave, but that same resurrection power is at work in believers even now, transforming their lives and changing them to be more like Jesus…
“Since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him… In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”. Romans 6:9 and 11" (http://www.rejesus.co.uk)

Day one - Read 1 Peter 1:3-15 (Pray: Ask God to help you in life’s trials. Think of some of your friends who don’t know Jesus and ask him to help them understand what Jesus death and resurrection means)

Question one
As followers of Jesus we have been born again and have eternal life. How do verses 3-5 say this is possible?

Question two
What do verses 6-9 say trials show? And what is the reward for trusting God?

Question three
We are people saved by God and given eternal life. What do verses 10-15 say about how we are to live?


Day Two – Read Romans 6:6-14 (Pray: Ask God to help you serve him. Say sorry for the times you have ignored him and ask him to help you follow him more closely.
You could even ask God if there is something particular he would like you to do.... could be more bible and prayer, could be talking to others about Jesus, could be volunteering somewhere... or something completely different!!)

Question one
In verses 6-11: how is it that we are dead to sin and alive to God?

Question two
What do verses 12 – 14 say about how we are to use our bodies and lives? Can you think of some practical examples about what this means to you, for your life?

#1 Growing Faith - Fruit of the Spirit

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If you go to "in the kitchen" on a Monday night, you will have already seen this idea for "Fruit of the Spirit".

This is of course, the nine attributes mentioned in Galatians 5 which God, through his Spirit is growing in our lives. They are good things:

Galatians 5:22-23 (New Living Translation)

^"22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"

While I was away at Sizewell over the half term (a few days for youth workers and their family) the speaker gave this suggestion: List the Fruit of the Spirit and then give yourself a mark out of ten.

Once you have done this, take a look at your marks and ask God which of these nine qualities he would like you to grow in - then commit to just that.

It might be that right now you are struggling with someone, this could be an indicator that God is growing patience in you. Or perhaps you are quick to judge or use harsh words? Maybe God wants to grow gentleness and kindness in you.

You get the idea.

Remember, this is the fruit of Gods work in our lives - we can't achieve this on our own! This means you need to find a way to connect to God in your life - when is a good time for you to pray? Are there people you could pray with? When do you read the Bible and how? What might help you with it?

I will be looking at some of these questions here on the youth worker blog and you will be able to find them under the label "Growing Faith"

Why not score yourself today, and look at it again at the beginning of the summer holidays? I also suggest you keep a few notes as you go along about how you are doing in your chosen fruit.

May we all grow to be more like Jesus.

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