CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lesson Title Page No.

PRAYER 1

STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD (I) 7

STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD (II) 13

LIVING WITH AN ETERNAL 19

PERSPECTIVE

PRACTICING THE 26

PRESENCE OF GOD

DISCERNING GOD’S WILL 34

FOR YOUR LIFE

Discipleship Essentials
 Introduction REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What decisions do your peers have to make that would require seeking God’s
will? How could you counsel them to find God’s will?
This lesson is part of a Disciple Essentials module entitled
Christian Disciplines.

This series of lessons introduces the disciplines of a Christian

life, including prayer, Bible study, as well as fixing our mind
on eternal things. This is exciting content that should What are the first things we should do as we seek God’s will?
energize and renew the spiritual life of mature Christians and
propel newer Christians into deeper faith. The material is
practical in nature, yet focused on the many spiritual re-
wards of a life devoted to God.

The Student’s Guide is intended for an individual to look What are some of the misconceptions people have about discerning
deeper into a specific lesson on their own. The lessons can be God’s will? What mistakes do people make because of these
misconceptions?
used in conjunction with other Discipleship Essentials
materials, such as the video and audio productions found on
www.discipleshipessentials.org.

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CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINES
•
IN summary
A Christians, we should desire to know God’s will. God’s will for us
is good, pleasing and perfect. It reflects His deep love for us. It
results in a life of fruitfulness, joy and glory to God.
• We must have a commitment to following God’s will and
obedience before we can understand what it is.
• We should be ready to receive God’s will for us by renewing our
minds. This involves confession of sin, being filled with the Holy
Spirit and relying on the Word of God.
• The Word of God is our first source in understanding God’s will.
• Other sources for discerning God’s will are prayer, the Holy Spirit,
other Spirit Filled Christians, Providential circumstances, and our
desires.
• The sound mind principle for discerning God’s will helps us to ask
specific questions of our situation to discern the best choice.
• We must be careful not to misunderstand God’s will. Looking for
dramatic experiences or relying on our own sense of peace are not
good indicators of God’s will for us.
• We must have a proper perspective in seeking Gods will. This in-
volves walking in the Spirit and sincerely desiring to do what God
desires.
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WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Prayer is a critical part of our Christian life and our rela-
tionship with God. The purpose of this lesson is to help you
to discover and practice elements of effective prayer.
JUST SO YOU KNOW…
This lesson is about developing and deepening your prayer
life. When we use the words ‘prayer life’ we refer to your
habit of coming to God in prayer at regular set times, and
also throughout the day as you think of it or a need arises.
Our prayers to God should not be recitations of empty words
but rather sincere, heartfelt and authentic expres-sions of
our inner most thoughts, desires, longings and fears. There
are no specific words we must use in order to make God hear
us, there is no trick or posture or ritual necessary – just
directing our thoughts to God and ad-dressing Him. You will
grow in your ability to pray as you practice. Why don’t you
begin this lesson with a quick prayer to God to help you
understand?
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 • Looking for a dramatic experience: This is walking by sight and not
Getting started faith. While the miraculous is possible, it is not an exclusive
indicator of God’s will. God's use of this is the exception rather than
What are some things you pray about regularly? the rule. Seeking a dramatic experience denies the principle of faith
(Matthew 16:1-4).
• Seeking God’s Peace: Do not depend on your feelings and
emotions (the role of "God's peace").
Share a time when you experienced an answer to prayer. When has prayer
changed your own life or impacted people you know?
PROPER PERSPECTIVE IN SEEKING GOD’S WILL: Consider these
principles regarding God’s will found in Scripture. They should be
encouraging to you!
Write down what you learn from each of these verses:

study Psalm 32:8-9

Philippians 2:13
WHAT IS PRAYER: Communication is important in every relationship – Psalm 37:4
especially our relationship with God.
Psalm 25:12
• Prayer is personal communication with God. It does not require fancy Proverbs 16:9
language, only heartfelt words.
• Prayer is listening and responding to God as He speaks to us through His Colossians 3:23
Word.
Jeremiah 29:11
WHAT CAN WE PRAY ABOUT? We can have a relationship with God that allows
us to talk to Him about anything, at any time. We should pray about that which God does not reveal His will for us all at once. He had good plans for
weighs heavily on your heart, as well as the trials that we and those around us us. God’s will is primarily a relationship with Him rather than a place
experience. We can pray when we are joyful and excited and grateful. Prayer or job. It is also not unusual for God’s will to be in line with our desires,
must be honest and from the heart. if we are walking in the Spirit and growing in Christlikeness.
Prayer is important for several reasons:
We will undoubtedly face difficulties in life as we seek to walk in God's
• It keeps us close to God. will. However, we have the absolute confidence that God causes
• It glorifies God.
everything to work for our good. It is our individual responsibility to
• God commands us to pray.
believe it and to rest in it. God wants us to learn to walk by faith. We
• Prayer enables us to overcome sin and temptation with the
aid of the Holy Spirit. need to trust Him for our future.

Prayer is a significant agent of change. Through prayer, God moves in the

world and accomplishes great things.

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Why did Jesus come? Read Luke 19:10. This is God’s will in the world
and we should make this our goal as well.
• What are your talents?
• What unique experiences or talents do you have? God has given
them to you for a reason.
• Which option will allow you to serve God best? What will help you
to serve others?
These questions remind us what is really important. They underscore
our primary purpose in life. Decisions need to be made based on
eternal values, not on temporal values.
If you were considering taking a new job in a different city, how could
you apply these questions to that decision? What would you need to
consider?
POTENTIAL MISUNDERTANDINGS IN DETERMINING GOD’S WILL:
Some-times we desire to know God’s will but go about it the wrong
way. We can misunderstand God’s revelation of His will when we move
away from God’s word and prayer into looking for signs. If you rely on
any of the following signs, you might misunderstand God’s will. There
are no short-cuts to knowing what God would have us do.
• The open door policy: Taking the first option that presents itself.
What are some possible dangers of this approach? This is walking by
sight rather than faith. Secondly, one could walk through a counterfeit
door.
• The closed-door policy: Assuming that a "closed door" means the
option is not God's will. What are some possible dangers of this
approach? This is also walking by sight and not by faith. This approach
ignores the way God builds the faith of His people and the reality of a
spiritual battle.
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Read Acts 4:23-33 and Matthew 9:38 and write down what can be
accomplished through prayer:
HOW TO PRAY: The Bible tells us prayer involves our heart, spirit and
mind. We pray to the Father in the name and authority of Jesus through
the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As conversation is expressed in many
different ways, so prayer can be expressed in different ways. Prayer
often includes the elements of Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and
Supplication.
Adoration: This is praising God with phrases like “You are great and
powerful, You are Holy and without fault”. How do we see God being
adored in Psalms 147:1 and Psalm 145?
Confession: This is where we agree with God about our sins, and admit
our sins to Him. We can ask for forgiveness and the power to repent
and change. Speak1ing the truth to God is liberating. When we keep
our sins secret it is easy for them to grow and multiply, or to pretend
that they are not so bad. God will convict us of our sins if we ask Him,
and show us where we need forgiveness. This all happens through
prayer. How do we see confession take place in and Psalm 32:5, Ezra
9:6-15 and Psalm 51:1-12? What does God promise us in 1 John 1:9?
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Thanksgiving: It is important that we express gratitude to God through
prayer. We have so much to be thankful for, all that we have comes
from Him! Thanksgiving changes our hearts as we pray and thank God.
It helps us to focus on God’s blessings and God’s will, rather that our
own circum-stances. We can thank God for the day’s blessings, for
people in our lives, for answers to prayer, for what we read in His Word
and anything else that comes to mind. What does the Bible tell us about
thanksgiving in prayer in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, Ephesians 5:20? How
do we see examples of thanksgiving in prayer in Psalm 107:1?
Supplication: This is the act of making requests of God. We have needs
in our own lives, and see needs in the lives of others. Praying for others
is often referred to as intercession. We can ask for anything,
remembering that God will give us what He knows is best, with His
timing. What do the following verses tell us about asking things of God?
(1 John 5:14, Philippians 4:6-7 ; Matthew 6:11-13)
DIFFERENT WAYS TO PRAY: We may choose to pray alone silently, or
speak the words out loud to God. We may pray with others either
silently or verbally. When we pray with others we may wish to verbally
agree with their prayers. We can also use God’s Word.
Praying through Scripture: When we pray through Scripture, we use
God’s own words and speak them back to Him. We can personalize the
verse so it’s coming from our heart.
Pick one of the following passages and read it as a prayer to God. You
may choose to rewrite the ideas in your own words below. Psalm 63,
Psalm 51:-1-12, Psalm 139, Psalm 42:1,5, Psalm 23.
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2 Timothy 3:16-17
James 1:5-6
Romans 8:26-27
Psalm 37:23
OTHER SOURCES FOR DISCERNING GOD’S WILL: Aside from studying the
Word of God, there are other ways in which God can communicate His will
to us.
• Prayer: Seeking His wisdom (James 1:5-6; Philippians 4:6-7).
• The Holy Spirit: Submitting to His direction (Philippians 2:13; Acts 16:6-
8).
• Spirit-Filled Christians: Weighing their counsel (Proverbs 19:20; 27:17).
• God often uses the wise counsel of mature, spirit-filled Christians to help
in our decision making. However, guard against depending exclusively on
their counsel.
• Providential Circumstances: Seeing God at work. God sometimes uses
circumstances to direct us or give us insight into His will.
• Our Desires: If we are walking in the Spirit and want to obey God's will, our
desires can be a valid part of discerning His will. However, our desires cannot
be the exclusive means of determining God’s will (Romans 1:9-11).
THE SOUND-MIND PRINCIPLE OF DISCERNING GOD’S WILL : While most of
God's will is revealed in Scripture, the Bible gives us another principle for
discerning God's will in matters not addressed by God’s direct command. God
has given us a ‘sound mind’ – a mind that can reason. If we are putting God’s
will first, and desiring what He desires we can move forward and make
decisions using our reason.
Steps to making a sound-mind decision:
• Pray for wisdom (James 1:5-6).
• Be sure you are walking in the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
• Determine the options in the decision.
• Search the Bible for any relevant principles and commands.
• Collect all available information and the counsel of mature believers on
each option.
• Review these key questions:
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We cannot know the goodness of God or experience His will for our lives
unless we are walking in sincere and willing submission to Christ. We are
individually responsible for knowing what God wants us to do. It is not wise
to plan our lives apart from Him.
Believers who try to live their own life will only experience disappointment
and anxiety. Those who choose to walk in God's will experience joy, peace,
and fruitfulness, which bring glory to God.
COMMITMENT TO DO GOD’S WILL IS REQUIRED: We cannot ask God to
reveal His will and then decide whether we will obey. We cannot genuinely
seek His will in one particular area unless we are committed to do His will in
every area of our lives.
• We must commit to obeying God's will as He reveals it.
• We must turn from the world's ways and allow God to
transform us (renew our mind).
• Renewing our mind includes confessing all known sin.
• Renewing our mind includes being filled with the Holy Spirit and
walking in His power .
• Renewing our mind implies a reliance on His Word.
We must recognize that God's will for us is not only for our individual benefit.
It is His will that we serve others, and as we do so we come to know the
privilege, purpose, and joy that comes from it
We must submit to all authority established by God. To fail to submit to
authority in all matters, except that which contradicts the Word of God, is to
resist God Himself and hinder the ability to understand His will in other
matters.
SCRIPTURE FOR DISCERNING GOD’S WILL: Sometimes we can discern God’s
will by understanding the Bible. The Bible provides direction and counsel for
our lives. If we have a question we want to bring before God, we should first
see if God has provided us guidance in the Bible. Look up the following verses
to see what God’s Word can provide us:
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You can also use Bible verses to pray for someone or for a particular need.
When possible in your prayers, praying God’s Words helps you to know God’s
desire for something and pray that it would come to be. The following are a
few ideas of verses you could pray for a friend or loved one:
• That they live in accordance with God’s plan for their life (Ephesians 4:1-
2) That they would lean on Christ in their trials (Psalm 46:1)
• That they would trust in God’s plan, not their own (Jeremiah 29:11)
• That they would seek wisdom (James 1:5)
• That they would be strengthened (Psalm 28:7)
• That they would grow spiritually (2 Peter 3:18)
• That they would have peace and not fear (John 14:27)
• That they would receive healing and rescue (Psalm 107:19-21)
• That they would have a healed heart (Psalm 147:3)
• That they would know God and be saved (Romans 10:1)
Praying with Others: We can benefit from praying with others in many ways.
It helps us to learn how to pray, God has promised that he hears us when
we gather and agree on prayers, and it helps us to keep a habit of prayer
when we are accountable to others. Prayer in group can happen all at the
same time, or one at a time. We can pray for the needs of one another, or
for one common need.
REVERANCE FOR GOD: While God is our father and friend, we must never
forget that He is the Almighty Creator of the world, and we must approach
Him with reverence and respect. God is holy and we can only approach Him
through Jesus Christ whose sacrifice washed away our sins.
• We must humble ourselves and recognize the greatness of God.
• We may wish to physically adjust our posture before God by kneeling or
bowing our head. We may also sit or stand, but the posture of the heart
is what is important to God.
HOW OFTEN WE SHOUL D PRAY: There is no formula for how long one
should be in prayer each day; however, we have a Biblical example of rising
early to meet with God at a special time and place. “And rising very early in
the morning, while it was still dark, he (Jesus) departed and went out to a
desolate place, and there he prayed” Mark 1:35. In addition, 1 Thessalonians
4:17 encourages us to, “pray without ceasing.” In this way we can have times
of focused prolonged prayer, as well as short times of prayer throughout the
day when we are in conversation with God.
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 IN summary Getting started
• Prayer is communication with God. It involves us speaking to God, and God What does it mean to understand, or discern, the will of God? Why is it
responding to us through His Word. important to discern the will of God?
• We can pray about anything that concerns us and must be honest and
from the heart.
• Prayer keeps us close to God, it glorifies God, and we are commanded to
pray.
• Prayer can change our hearts, and our world. It helps us to overcome sin What is one thing you really want to know God’s will for in your life right
and temptation. now?
• When we pray, we should consider prayers involve adoration, confession,
thanksgiving, and supplication.
• We can pray in different ways. One of those is praying Scripture.
• We can pray with others or alone.

• There is no formula for how long or when one should pray. We should set
aside regular time to meet with God, but also pray to Him through-out the
day.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Why is prayer one of the most important tools a Christian has for growing in
their faith and bringing glory to God?
study
FOLLOWING GOD’S WILL: To follow God’s will instead of our own, it
is imperative to understand biblical principles and to apply them in
every area of our lives.
What does Ephesians 1:15-17 say about God’s desire that we know His
will?

What can you do to work on your prayer life this week? Is there more time you
would like to set aside for prayer, or a prayer group you could join?
What do the following verses tell us about God’s will?

Romans 12:2
Why is it important to show reverence for God and not take the privilege of
prayer for granted? How can we show reverence for God when we pray?
Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28

John 15:5,8,11

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 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINES CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINES

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Have you ever wanted to know what the Bible was saying
We are always looking for guidance in our life from one to you? The purpose of this lesson is to introduce a meth-
source or another. This lesson looks at the importance od of Bible Study that will help you grow in your faith and
of seeking out and discerning God’s will when making apply the Word of God to your life!
decisions.
JUST SO YOU KNOW…
JUST SO YOU KNOW…
This lesson teaches a simplified method for inductive Bible
One of the things Christians often struggle with is the
study. This lesson comes in two parts. This first lesson
question of God’s will. How can we know what God really
deals with observation, and the next lesson discusses
wants us to do? Should I take this job? Whom should I
interpretation and application. Inductive Bible Study is a
marry? Should I make this life-changing decision? Some-
method that looks at what the Bible has to say for itself,
time we are afraid of disappointing God if we make the
and it tries to use other portions of the Bible to explain
wrong choice. Sometimes we are afraid of the choice
difficult passages. Essentially, Bible Study involves more
that God will make if we invite Him into the process.
than just reading a passage of the Bible, but asking specific
While we are not given every step of our lives laid out for
questions of the text and looking for the answers. These
us, God will give us an idea of where to go next, and will
questions will help you understand the text and make life
honour our desire to seek His will. This lesson will give
application. This is how we feast on the Word of God –
you ideas of how you can go about discerning God’s will.
which is God’s gift to us!
Like all the other spiritual disciplines, discernment takes
practice and dedication but the rewards are worth it!
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 Getting started REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What is Bible study? What is the difference between reading a book and
studying it? How could you practice the presence of God while doing a daily chore
(cleaning house, cooking, sitting in traffic, walking, doing physical
work, etc.)?
Do you believe that studying the Bible is too difficult for most Christians and
best left to the trained professionals or that God’s Word is given to all of us
and God will help us to understand it?

study
INTRODUCTION TO INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY: There are several ways to study
the Bible. We can use tools such as concordances or Bible study books which help How might practicing the presence of God affect your relationships
us in our thinking. We can also use a deductive method which starts with an idea with other people around you?
and looks to Scripture to confirm it. The method we will look at today allows
Scripture to speak for itself, and lets us gather evidence and observations from
the text. This is called the inductive study method.
What do the following verses tell us about why we should be engaged in
studying the Bible, not merely reading it? in studying the Bible, not merely
reading it?

Deuteronomy 6:6-7
2 Timothy 2:15
Joshua 1:8 What was most comforting to you about this lesson? What was some-
thing new you learned?
When the Apostle Paul and his friend Silas were traveling and establishing the
earliest Churches through their teaching, there were many in Jewish
Synagogues who did not trust their teaching. Paul and Silas taught them all
that Jesus had come to fulfill in the Old Testament, which they should know
well. Read Acts 17:10-11. What was different about the people in Berea? How
can we be like this?

THREE STEP INDUCTIVE STUDY METHOD: The three steps to inductive Bible
study method are:

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33
 • Observation: This involves observing the text by asking ”What does it
IN summary say?”
• Interpretation: This involves interpreting the message or the meaning
of the text by asking “What does it mean?”
• We can train ourselves to become aware of His presence and to • Application: This involves applying the message of the passage to your
delight in it each and every day. life, by asking “What does it mean to me?”

OBSERVATION: Every quality Bible study starts with good observations.

• We can practice the presence of God by starting our day with God, Interpretation depends directly on the nature of the observations made.
turning ordinary moments into holy ones, practicing praise and Our natural tendency is to move immediately into interpretation without
being aware of what God is doing. making proper observations. Observation deals only with the text, not the
meaning of the text. The process of observation asks questions of the text
such as what, how and why. It also looks for repeated words, themes or
• Examples in the Bible demonstrate that God values time spent ideas as well as grammatical construction.
with Him more than work done in His name. Who? Who is writing? Who is mentioned? Who is the audience?
What? What is discussed? What is happening? What is the time
frame?
• We can know the perspective of God by dwelling in His word, and Where? Where is this occurring?
watching how He works in the world.
When? When did this take place?
Why? What reasons are given? WARNING: Many "why" questions
• God will guide us and provide for our needs as we wait on Him are interpretation.
and put Him first. How? How did it happen?
Repeated Words Are there any words, phrases or ideas that are repeated?
• We can know that God is with us as we look for His presence Cause/Effect Cause and effect means if "this" happens, then "that" will
with us, and set our minds on Him. result.
Questions Does the writer ask any questions?
Preposition/ What words connect key ideas and relationships? How are
Conjunction phrases
linked together? (examples – but, and, therefore…)
Verb tenses Is it past, present or future tense?
Is it a poem, a story or a parable? Is it factual or figurative?
Literary Form
Atmosphere/Mo Does the author seem forceful, sad, excited, concerned, etc.?
od
Comparison/ Does the author make any comparisons? Any contrasts
Contrast between, concerned, etc.?
Commands/ Are there any commands for us to obey? Any promises for us
Promises to claims?

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OBSERVATION PRACTICE: We are going to practice observing a passage of
God’s Word together. Open your Bible to Luke 19:1-10. Then as you read, fill
out the chart. A few observations are made for you already.
Bible Verse
1. Jesus entered Jericho and was
passing through.
2. A man was there by the name of
Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax
collector and
was rich.
3. He was seeking to see who Jesus
was, but on account of the crowd he
could not, because he was small in
stature.
4. So he ran on ahead and climbed
up into a sycamore tree to see him,
for he was about to pass that way.
5. And when Jesus came to the
place, he looked up and said to him,
"Zacchaeus, hurry and come down,
for I must stay at your house today.
"
6. So he hurried and came down and
received him joyfully.
7. And when they saw it, they all
grumbled, “He has gone in to be the
guest of a man who is a sinner.”
8. And Zacchaeus stood and said to
the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of
my goods I give to the poor. And if I
have defrauded anyone of anything,
I restore it four-
fold.”
9. And Jesus said to him,
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Observation
Jesus was travelling. His destination
was actually Jerusalem (vs. 28). He
didn’t plan to stay long.
He really wanted to see Jesus so he
planned ahead and made a way to
see him. Zacchaeus expended effort
and time to seek Jesus.
He stood up. He called Jesus Lord.
He called attention to the decision
he was making. Half of what he
owned must have been a lot of
money. Repentance involves a
change in attitude and action.
True repentance involves
restitution.
Elijah knew what God desired of him and obeyed God rather than man.
God brought Elijah to a place of refuge where Elijah was provided food
by God and spent time alone waiting on God. Elijah knew where he
was to go and what he was to do because he was paying close
attention to God.
GOD IS WITH US: God promises that He is with us, but we must
discipline ourselves to live in this reality. It can be difficult to always
be mindful of God, but this mindfulness will keep us in constant
prayer and thankfulness. You will find your attitude becomes one of
gratitude and joy!
Read the following verses and write down what they tell you about
God’s promises to be with you:
Joshua 1:9
Matthew 28:20
Hebrews 12:5
Romans 8:38-39
Psalm 32:4
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Read Psalm 73.
• In Psalm 73 there are two parts: Asaph’s complaint against the rich
and prosperous who get their way by oppressing the poor, and Asaph
praising God and surrendering his life to Him. What happens to Asaph
that brings about the change?
• In verse 17 he said, “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I
discerned their end.” It was when Asaph went into the presence of God
that he started seeing things as they really were.
• When we are away from God, our human understanding has a limited
perspective of the world.
When have you had an experience like Asaph’s, where you had a
change of heart about your circumstances? How can God help us see
our circumstances in a different light?
KNOWING THE WILL OF GOD: Understanding the will of God for our lives
is the last benefit we will look at together. In order to please God we must
carry out His will for us. Sometimes that plan is to be still in His presence.
Other times it will involve action.
In 1 Kings 17:1-7 we read about Elijah who was a prophet during the
reign of King Ahab. He spoke the words of God when the King said he
would put to death all the prophets of the Lord. Elijah had courage
because His faith was in God. How could Elijah know what God
wanted?
“Today salvation has come to this Zacchaeus was saved that day.
house, since he also is a son of When did salvation come? The
Abraham. same day that Jesus came.
Zacchaeus was not the literal son
of Abraham so this must have some
other significance.
10. For the Son of Man came to
seek and to save the lost."
THE STUDY OF GOD’S WORD: You can study any passage of God’s
Word by asking yourself questions about it, and writing those down.
You will become more comfortable studying God’s Word as you
practice. It might be helpful to find others to study with. Then you’ll
be able to learn from one another and help each other understand.
What do you do when you don’t under-stand a passage of the Bible?
The first thing to do is pray for understanding. God wants to reveal
Himself to us, and to do so through His Word.
After prayer, find other portions of the Bible that talk about the same
event, topic or idea. Other Bible tools – if available to you – will help
her. These could be concordances or topical handbooks. If none of
these are available, keep an eye out for these ideas in your regular
Bible reading.
Talk to others who have studied longer than you. It is always best to
study the Bible for ourselves, but we can be helped out by the study
of others.
Take your time as you study, and don’t rush. Write down what you
learn so that you won’t forget and will be able to share with others.

Read 1 Kings 17:8-24. What did God do for Elijah? Who was His
company and source of food during this time?

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IN summary
• Inductive Bible study allows Scripture to speak for itself, and lets us
gather evidence and observations from the text.
• We should be engaged in studying the Bible in order to grow in our
faith.
• Inductive Bible Study involves observation, interpretation and ap-
plication.
• Observation involves asking questions of the text, and observing
what it says and how it says it.
• When we do not understand God’s Word we should pray for
understanding, look at other passages of the Bible for clarification
or ask someone who has studied for longer.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Why is it important to discern for ourselves what the Word of God is
saying? Why learn how to study the Bible when we could listen to
others talk about the Bible, or read books about the Bible?
What are the benefits of an inductive Bible study method? What Bible
study methods have you used in the past?
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Read the story of two women named Mary and Martha in Luke
10:39-42. What does God value more – time spent in His presence
or works done in His name?
As a result of prioritizing time with God, Mary learned more about
Jesus and was very close to Him. Serving God did not guarantee an
intimate relationship with God, but spending time with Him did!
Read John 11:32-34. Mary shared her emotions and her concerns
with Jesus. When Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus died, what
brought Jesus to tears?
It was Mary’s question, and watching her weep that moved the heart
of Jesus. Jesus was very close to Mary because Mary had made their
relationship a priority in her life. She didn’t just do things for Jesus, or
in His name but rather she gave her time to Him.
At a later time, Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with oil, which was a costly
act of worship and adoration. She knew His heart and what mattered
most to Him. By doing this, she learned how to worship Jesus and
honored God.
KNOWING THE PERSPECTIVE OF GOD: Learning to see the world with
an eternal perspective is another benefit of practicing the presence of
God. In the book of Psalms we have a collection of poems, songs and
prayer written by different individuals. Asaph was one of these
Psalmists. Psalm 73 de-scribes how reading God’s Word can change us,
and give us a better under-standing of the world from His perspective.
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HOW TO PRACTICE THE PRESENECE OF GOD: How do we become
more aware of God’s presence in our lives all the time, and walk with
Him moment by moment?
•Start your day with God. Be intentional about starting your day in
pray-er. Give your day over to God. Spend time alone with just Him.
Listen to Him, learn from Him, and pray to Him. Spend significant time,
and don’t rush.
•Turn the ordinary into holy moments. When you have ordinary tasks
to complete throughout your day that don’t require your full attention,
invite God into your task. Talk to Him through it. Tell God what you are
thinking about, recite Scripture to yourself, and think about what God
has done for you. WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
•Practice praise. No matter what your circumstances throughout the This lesson will continue our study of the Inductive Bible
day, practice praising God. Even in trials, stresses (including small Study Method by introducing you to the interpretation
things like bad weather, traffic, hard work, etc.), find reasons to praise
God. Turn your attention from the troubles around you to God. and application stages of Bible Study.
•Be aware of what God is doing. Sometimes we pray and miss the JUST SO YOU KNOW…
answers to our prayers because we are distracted or not looking for
them. Expect God to show up and answer your prayers! Look at people This lesson continues to look at the inductive Bible study
around you and pray for them, — even strangers on the street. Watch method. In this lesson you will practice the interpretation
for the ways in which God is working in the experiences of your life. and application steps. It will be important in this lesson
Think about what you have done today (or what you plan to do yet). to always support your ideas of interpretation and
What is one way that you could begin to use these ideas to be more application with the Bible itself. Our own minds can be
aware of.
deceptive and we may make the leap to believe the Bible
is telling us something that it is not, unless we are careful.
Prayer is an important part of your study of the Bible. It
is through prayer that we can ask God for understanding,
which He will provide us with through the Holy Spirit.
Once we have seen truths in the Bible, we should
KNOWING THE HEART OF GOD: One benefit of being aware of God’s diligently look for ways to put these things into practice.
presence is understanding His heart, — what God values, and loves. Are you ready to change how you read your Bible?
This will transform your own heart to be more like His. We will look
together at the example of Mary of Bethany, a disciple of Jesus.

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 Getting started Getting started
What passages of the Bible are you most interested in studying? What When do you feel that God is with you most? Have there been times
book have you always wanted to look into more? when He felt far from you?

Why does the Bible require interpretation? What factors contribute to

the Bible not always being straight forward and easy to understand Who are the people you spend the most time with? In what ways
without a little work? What do the words “interpretation” and have you become more like these people? In what ways have they
“application” mean? become more like you?

study
LEARNING TO INTERPRET THE BIBLE: After we have looked at a
passage of Scripture to observe what the key details are, we are ready
to interpret it. People who interpret something from one language to
study
another function as an interpreter. This job requires a great PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD: One of the mysteries of
understanding of both languages, but translation word for word may Christianity is that God dwells in us. He comes into our lives and is
not be the most effective means of communication. An interpreter always there! Though God is invisible, we can train ourselves to
must understand the meaning of the words and give those to the become aware of His presence and to delight in it each and every day
intended audience. Interpretation of the Bible requires us to find out
the meaning. Read the following verses and write what you learn about God’s
presence with us:
Interpretation requires asking questions:
1 Corinthians 3:16
• Why is this passage here? 1 John 4:12 16
• What does the author mean by it? Psalm 129:7-8
• How does it relate to what came before it?
•
It is incredible to realize that God chooses to dwell in us, abide in us,
Identify key words: This may require the use of a dictionary to help you
and there is no where we can go from God’s presence. It is God’s
define words that are unfamiliar. Key words are those which are
desire to be close to us. He is not a faraway impersonal being, but
important to the passage. Sometimes you will want to examine a
desires to live inside
specific word , especially when it may have several meanings. Ask
yourself how it has been used in other areas in this book, how it is used
in the Bible, what would make sense given the context.

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WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Practicing the presence of God in our everyday lives is
about being aware of God’s involvement in the details of
our lives, and staying close to Him through constant
conversation.
JUST SO YOU KNOW…
There are many Christian disciplines such as fasting,
scripture memory, solitude, fellowship, and worship many
of which are addressed in other lessons in this series. Each
of them requires an understanding and an awareness of
the presence of God. The history of this term goes back to
a 17th century monk named Brother Lawrence. His
collected writings are available as a book called The
Practice of the Presence of God. This man went about his
menial every-day tasks trying to cultivate a continual
conversation with God. This idea has inspired Christians
ever since to stay mindful that God is close to us at every
moment. This practice takes discipline, but can be life-
changing for a Chris-tian.
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Use other Scripture to help you interpret the passage:
• What does the immediate context (the verses around it) suggest?
• What does the broader context suggest (book, type of book)?
• What do cross-references suggest (related verses found in your
Bible)?
Make notes. List any principles that you derive from the passage.
Check available Bible study tools: There are many study tools online.
You could provide your students with some websites, or refer them to
church libraries or other tools at their disposal.
Write a brief summary statement that concisely captures the
author’s in-tent and message.
WHAT INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION LOOK LIKE: In the
previous lesson we examined a story from the Bible in Luke 19:1-10.
Let us look at what the observation, interpretation and application for
a few verses of that passage would look like (a full chart is included at
the end of this lesson for you to view).
PRACTICE WITH INTERPRETATION: In order to really understand the
Interpretation stage of Bible Study, one needs to just do it! Since the
Bible is God’s message to us, there is a correct interpretation of every
verse, though there may be many applications. It is important to be
diligent to understand the passage, or incorrect believe may result.
As an example of this, consider the bible verse Philippians 4:13 which
says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” While
this is a lovely verse to memorize, one could interpret this to mean
that we are capable of every supernatural action imaginable! All things
is certainly more than we could list, isn’t it? But a closer look at the
context of the verse shows that this paragraph is talking about
enduring trials, and contentment in every situation. The secret to
contentment in every situation (vs. 12) is not directly stated in that
verse, but is found in the broader chapter. This chapter in Philippians
is about choosing joy and trust in God instead of fear and worry.
correct interpretation of Philippians 4:13 would be that through Christ
we are able to have joy and peace even in the midst of trials.
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Let’s practice one together. Read Romans 12:1-2 and answer the
questions below: REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What do the terms conform, transform
and mercy mean? This week, pay close attention to what is being communicated around
What does Paul mean by “patterns of this you. There are implied values in contrast to God’s Word within media,
world” and “renew your mind”? (see 1 social structures, school, and workplace. What are some sources of
John 2:15-16, Colossians 2:1-4 and temporal ideas that you should be on guard against?
Ephesians 4:22-24 for reference)
What are the principles you can derive
from the passage?
What is a brief summary statement of
Romans 12:1-2?
Some of the principles that can be derived from this passage are that
we should be completely focused on God, and act in ways that are
pleasing to Him. We should not get distracted by this world but fix our
minds on what God is doing in the world. One possible summary
statement is that living a holy life is an act of worship to God. Turning How can you work towards developing an eternal perspective? What
away from the world towards God will help us see Him more clearly and are some practical things you can do this week to work towards this
understand His will for our lives. In examining a passage like this more goal?
carefully we can come to an interpretation that will bring clarity to a
passage and arrive at an understanding.
LEARNING TO APPLY THE BIBLE: In the application stage we take the
principles we have written down, the summary of the teaching, and
apply them to our lives. We will answer the following questions:
• How does this truth apply to my life?
• What specific changes would I like to make in my life
because of this truth?
• What plan do I have for carrying out those changes?
PRACTICING APPLICATION: Each time we are looking for an application
from a passage of scripture we should approach the passage with prayer
and consider carefully how it will affect our lives to do what the Bible
asks of us.

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IN summary
• Our perspective is our point of view, a way of thinking of a matter.
An eternal perspective means to evaluate the beliefs, events and
decisions of life from God’s point of view.
•
• Living with an eternal perspective is different from having a temporal
perspective. One looks at everything as it matters in the long run, the
other is consumed with the details of the here and now.
• Having an eternal perspective helps us to re-evaluate truth, our
worldview, and our personal significance.
• Living with an eternal perspective means that we do not have to be
consumed with worry and anxiety because we trust in God and His
plans.
• With an eternal perspective, we rejoice that our treasure is in heaven,
and our most important relationship with our relationship with God
which will not come to an end or decay.
• We can develop an eternal perspective by choosing to study and
meditate on God’s word, to evaluate our principles and decisions in
light of God’s Word, to choose to seek God’s kingdom first and to
walk by faith and not by sight.
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Look at the passage Romans 12:1-2 again. What application can we
make in our own lives from the principles we derived in the
interpretation stage?
Some ideas of applications for this passage might be:
• I must consider my thoughts to see if they are pleasing to the Lord.
• I must look at my actions to see if they are in accordance to God’s
Will.
• I must be careful of what I speak because there is life and death in
our tongue.
• Our plans should be based upon the Word of God and according to
His Will.
IN summary
• Following the process of Observation, Inductive Bible Study
involves Interpretation and Application.
•
• Interpretation of the Bible requires us to find out the meaning.
• Interpretation may require us to examine key words, read
other Scripture that is related, make notes, refer to study tools
and summarize the message.
• When we make an application for a passage, we look at how it
calls us to change our lives.
• As we practice interpretation and application we can begin to have
a correct understanding of the Word of God and not be in error.
This will please God and enrich our lives.
•
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 REFLECTION QUESTIONS HOW TO DEVELOP AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE: No one is born with an
eternal perspective. The world in which we live influences our thinking.
We need to change the way we think from the world's perspective to
What roles do prayer and the Holy Spirit play in our study of the Bible?
God's perspective. This involves both taking in the truth and acting on
it.
Choose to study and meditate on God's values (Romans 12:2).
• We cannot know God's values or perspective apart from His
Word. The Bible gives an understanding of who God is, what God
is like, and what His perspective of life is.

Choose daily to evaluate your principles and decisions in light of God's

Word (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).
• The spiritual battle takes place in our minds and it is a battleground
Why is interpretation and application necessary in Bible study? Why is of ideas. We are responsible for developing the habit of continually
it not enough to just observe what the text says?
evaluating these ideas which bombard us. Are they our own
thoughts or from other people? Are they contrary to the teaching
in God’s word?

Choose to seek God's kingdom first and lay up eternal treasures

(Matthew 6:20-21, 33; Colossians 3:1-3).
• Choose to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). o We need
to walk by faith not sight, trusting God even when we cannot see
or under-stand what He is doing.

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BENEFITS OF AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE: When we train our minds to
have an eternal perspective, we consider God’s desires and plan in all
things in-stead of our own immediate comforts. It has many benefits
for us as well:
Read Matthew 6:19-20. What does this passage say about the security
of our ‘treasure’?
According to Matthew 6:25-34, why can we live without anxiety or
worry?
Because of an eternal perspective, we can understand how much God
values us, and not worry about the future because we know God will
take care of us.. We don’t have to find our importance in some false
value system, and we are free from the pressures of the world.
Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. What does this passage tell us about our
ability to endure trials and difficulties joyfully if we have an eternal
perspective?
God is renewing our inner eternal nature day by day, even though our
temporal bodies experience weakness and die. We recognize that
enduring earthly afflictions produces eternal value. We learn to live for
the true reality of the unseen kingdom of God!
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WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
We can either choose to think about events from a
temporal perspective – that is, how it affects the here and
now, or from an eternal perspective – what eternal
consequences will an action have? This lesson looks at
these basic principles which are important to the life of a
Christian.
JUST SO YOU KNOW…
Some people naturally think about the present, some
dwell in the past, others are always looking to the future.
As Christians we should consider that everything we do,
and every event that occurs can have an eternal
significance. The most important thing that can happen to
a person is not marriage, parenthood, or an important
position but rather being saved by Jesus. This has eternal
consequences. We can either think about the things of
earth and our life-time here, or take an eternal
perspective and realize that our lives here are very short.
Of utmost importance is that we exist to glorify God. This
perspective can help us weather the trials and difficulties
in this life. They are small things, after all, in light of
eternity! This can be a life-changing idea to consider.
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Getting started
If you believed you would live forever, how would that change the
decisions you make, and the way you choose to spend your time?
What is your understanding of what happens to a person after they die?
What can a Christian expect? What can someone who does not know
Jesus expect?
study
THE MEANING OF ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE: Perspective is a point of
view — a way of thinking about a matter. To have an eternal
perspective means to evaluate the beliefs, events, and decisions of life
from God's point of view. It means using God's values as the measuring
stick with which to evaluate every aspect of life. It is to recognize that
everything done in the present has an eternal consequence, and
should be evaluated in that light.
What did Jesus teach on having an eternal perspective? Read Matthew 6:19-
34. What did Jesus say is important to spend our time, money and
energy on in light of eternal things?
Consider the following three ideas, and write down what the temporal
view and the eternal view of those things might be. Verses are provided
to help.
Temporal View Eternal View
Truth (1 Corinthians
1:20- 25, 2:6-9)
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The World (1 John
2:15-17, Philippians
3:20, Hebrews
11:13-16)
Personal
Significance
(Matthew 6:19-21)
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS: TRUTH: We live our lives based on
our belief systems. People act on what they believe is true (even if
their beliefs are false). Being convinced that a specific belief system
is true, does not make it so.
• Temporal view: The wisdom of the world is foolishness. If we live with
this perspective, then our measurement of what is true will be based on
the world's values rather than God's (1Corinthians 1:20-25).
• Eternal view: Living according to God's wisdom will appear to be
foolishness to the world, but it’s based on the true measure of
reality — God's eternal truth (1 Corinthians 2:6-9).
WORLD VIEW:
• Temporal view: Instead of desiring the things of God, we want
what the world has to offer and hope to find satisfaction from
these things. We will then feel a part of this world (1John 2:15-17).
• Eternal view: If we are Christians, we do not belong to this world.
There-fore, we will not want to have anything to do with the
world's values (Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 11: 13-16).
PERSONAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Temporal view: We find significance in worldly accomplishments such
as acquiring wealth, having possessions, being influential, enjoying
successful careers, and having social status (Matthew 6:19).
Eternal view: We realize that significance comes through
understanding that we are loved by God, and through Jesus Christ we
can be personally related to Him. The only accomplishments of true,
eternal significance are those that serve to advance God's kingdom
and not our own worldly interests (Matthew 6:20-21).
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