Bible Studies for Life tLearner Guide KJV / SUMMER 2009

2 Life Focus

What do you understand it takes for a person to go to heaven and have eternal life?The FAITH Gospel Presentation

F Is for ForgivenessEveryone has sinned and needs God’s forgiveness. —Read Romans 3:23. God’s forgiveness is in Jesus only. —Read Ephesians 1:7. A Is for AvailableGod’s forgiveness is available for all. —Read John 3:16. God’s forgiveness is available but not automatic. —Read Matthew 7:21. I Is for ImpossibleAccording to the Bible, it is impossible to get to heaven on our own. —Read Ephesians 2:8-9. So how can a sinful person have eternal life and enter heaven?T Is for TurnTurn means repent. Turn away from sin and self. —Read Luke 13:3. Turn to Jesus alone as your Savior and Lord. —Read John 14:6. Here is the greatest news of all. —Read Romans 10:9-10. What happens if a person is willing to repent of their sins and confess Christ?H Is for HeavenHeaven is a place where we will live with God forever. —Read John 14:3.

Eternal life begins now with Jesus. —Read John 10:10. H can also stand for how. How can a person have God’s forgiveness, eternal life, and heaven? By trusting Jesus as your Savior and Lord.

Understanding the above presentation, I would like to receive this forgiveness by trusting in Christ as my personal Savior and Lord.

Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and have displeased You in many ways. I believe You died for my sin and only through faith in Your death and resurrection can I be forgiven. I want to turn from my sin and ask You to come into my life as my Savior and Lord. From this day on, I will follow You by living a life that pleases You. Thank You, Lord Jesus for saving me. Amen.

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Confidently Connected06.07.09 Do a Search 12

06.14.09 Update Your Profile 18

06.21.09 Face the Book 26

06.28.09 Protect Your Password 32

One + One + One = One07.05.09 The Father 42

07.12.09 The Son 48

07.19.09 The Holy Spirit 56

07.26.09 Three, Yet One 62

Road Map to God’s Will08.02.09 Locate the Starting Point 70

08.09.09 Find Your Route 76

08.16.09 Interpret the Map 82

08.23.09 Get Back on Track 88

08.30.09 Go the Distance 94

Special FocusThe Bible in Focus 06

Pouring Out My Prayer 24

Amazing Results of Prayer 38

Letter from a Grateful Daughter 54

Lee’s Blog 100

“Jesus Loves You and So Do I” 102

CONTENTS

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Dear Reader,In this issue of Life Focus, you will notice in the “Table of Contents” that the first unit is about being “Confidently Connected.” With our phones, computers, and other technology we can connect with almost anyone, anywhere, anytime—but are you connected to the most important person all the time—Jesus? This unit will help you with that connection.

In school, math was never my best subject; it was hard for me to understand. Uh oh, the second unit is “One+One+One=One.” Sound confusing? After studying this unit, we will learn one equation that we can understand—three can be one.

Do you know what God’s will is for your life? God’s will is not a guessing game. Where do you go to find His will? The third unit, “Road Map to God’s Will,” will guide you to discover the importance of a relationship with God and His will for your life.

As you study these three units, my prayer is that you will own your faith by connecting with Jesus, know God through studying about the Trinity, and you will make your faith known to others as a part of discovering God’s will for your life.

In His Service,

Barbara Hammond

LIFE FOCUS LEARNER GUIDE KJVA guide for learning Bible truthsfor ages 12 to 17

Volume 1, Number 4Summer 2009

PRODUCTION and MINISTRY TEAMALICE STEGEMANNEditor in ChiefBARBARA HAMMONDEditorLYNN H. PRYORBiblical and Instructional SpecialistJOHNNY SHUMATEGraphic DesignerCAROL ELLISCopy EditorMICHELLE M. SWAFFORDLead Technical SpecialistPAUL TURNERNational Student Ministry LeaderSHERRY SPILLMANStudent Ministry Specialist

Send questions/comments toEditor, Life Focus Learner Guide KJVOne LifeWay PlazaNashville, TN 37234-0174Or make comments on the Web atwww.lifeway.com

MANAGEMENT PERSONNELJIMMY HESTER, Senior DirectorStudent Ministry Publishing

JEFF PRATT, Managing DirectorStudent Ministry PublishingDAVID FRANCIS, DirectorSunday SchoolSCOTT STEVENS, DirectorStudent MinistryGARY H. HAUK, Director, PublishingLifeWay Church Resources

Printed in the United States of America

Life Focus Learner Guide KJV (ISSN: 1943-6165; Item 005075012) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. © 2009 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com or write LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, e-mail subscribe@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, e-mail orderentry@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5933, or write to the above address.

We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. The 2000 statement of The Baptist Faith and Message is our doctrinal guideline.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, King James Version.

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WRITERS

Kim Davis became a Christian at age 18 during a college Sunday School retreat. Kim is a member of Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, where she teaches a Wednesday night Bible study and volunteers in the youth program. She and her husband, D. Ray, have three children, Paul, Emily, and Trevor.

Herb Mims became a Christian at age 12 during a church revival. Herb pastors a church in El Paso, Texas, and teaches at a Christian high school. He and his wife, Patty, have two children, Jeremy and Jonathan.

Missy Faulkenberry became a Christian at age 7. Missy is a member of Sherwood Baptist Church in Toney, Alabama, where she teaches a youth girls’ Sunday School class. She and her husband, Will, have one daughter, Alexis.

The Bible in Focus

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Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.1 John 5:21

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And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by.Exodus 33:21-22

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And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.Exodus 35:31-33

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Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.Jonah 1:1-3a

Confidently ConnectedIt seems everyone is connected these days. If not texting friends on a cell phone, we are communicating online through instant messaging or perhaps on Facebook. Through our fingertips, we no longer have to be alone, or at least it seems that way. But are we online with God? Do we have a relationship with Jesus and can we be certain of that? When we mess up, can we be restored to a good relationship with God? According to Jesus’ good friend, John, we can be sure that we are on Jesus’ friend list. As we look at passages in 1 John, we will look at Jesus’ profile, our profile, God’s Word, connections to make, and connections to avoid.

unit 1Questions to Ponder:

Who is Jesus?

How can I be certain of my salvation?

How can I tell the difference between true teaching and false teaching?

How does my confidence in Christ make a difference now?

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“It’s not that I feel a little mixed up. I’m completely lost. As far as God is concerned, I have no idea what’s going on.” These were my words.

Lost. Alone. Praying occasionally, but never really knowing who I was praying to. What was the big deal about Jesus anyway?

Finally, I took my Bible out of the back of my closet. Maybe it would have some answers. It couldn’t hurt to look.

I read Genesis. Although it may

sound lame, I was proud of myself for doing that, but I had questions. I called a Christian friend to ask questions like “If God is all-knowing, why does He let us destroy ourselves?”

I began reading the New Testament. What made Jesus such a big deal anyway? No matter what verses I looked at, Jesus never asked for anything material in return for all the things He

did. He healed people and cleansed the sinful. He loved people and asked them to follow Him. The more I read, the more my confusion cleared.

In Deuteronomy 30:20, I read that it was my choice to love the Lord, obey Him, and commit myself to Him because He is my life. On July 5, 2005, I chose to live and follow Jesus. He made the ultimate sacrifice when He died for our sins. Jesus is life.

Emily Richmond, Virginia

Life QuestionWho is Jesus?

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eek of Do a SearchHave you ever searched for something online? Maybe sometimes you’re feeling lucky and can type in a subject and pull up what you want on the first try. Many times, you’re not sure where to begin your search, so you hope for the best and type in what you think will bring up the information needed.

God put everything we would need to know about Jesus in the Bible. We don’t have to go to Wikipedia™ to find out about Jesus. In fact, eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are available throughout the New Testament. One witness was John, Jesus’ very good friend. He had a lot to say about Jesus and wanted to make sure that he connected with every generation so that we wouldn’t have to search long to find factual information.

Jesus Is God’s Son(1 John 1:1-4)Who do you think Jesus is?

Read 1 John 1:1-4. Why do you think John wants us to know that he was an eyewitness of Jesus?

Who does John say that Jesus is?

In this introduction, we learn that John was with Jesus, face-to-face. John had seen, heard, and touched Jesus. Without a doubt, he wanted to share

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1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

the message of eternal life revealed through Jesus, God’s Son. John found the truth in Jesus and wants us to have that same relationship. We don’t have to search continually. Jesus’ life is evident in God’s Word. To fellowship with God, we simply believe the message that Jesus is God’s Son who came to earth, died, and rose again for us.

Jesus Loves Company(1 John 1:5-7)Read 1 John 1:5-7. What two words are opposites in verses 5 and 6?1.

2.

When you hang out with a person, most likely that person is your friend. If we are going to have fellowship with God, we’ve got to be His friend. We are either in the light (with God) or in darkness (without God). It’s our choice. If we say we are a friend of Jesus, but nothing in our life proves that He is our friend, then we’re just lying to ourselves.

John had to discover who Jesus was for himself too. Before Jesus became John’s Savior, John may have been acquainted with Jesus. They may have been childhood friends or even cousins. Once John began to follow Jesus during His ministry, he began to see Jesus as God’s Son. Not only was Jesus possibly John’s relative, but He was his friend.

John was excited to share that anyone can be Jesus’ friend too. But if we have become followers of Christ, we need to be acting like friends instead of His enemies. According to verse 6, what keeps us from being friends of Jesus?

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5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

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In verse 7, what does Jesus do for us so that we can have a relationship with Him?

Not only does Jesus want us to be His friends, but if we walk in the light, we will have fellowship with other believers. True fellowship is a bond of common purpose with a devotion to Christ and to one another. How do you think true fellowship is different from keeping in touch with people online or texting on a cell phone?

Connect the antonyms (opposites) with a line.

Dark Log offHot EnemyLog on LightUp ColdFriend Down

There is no doubt that hot is the opposite of cold and up is the antonym for down. It’s the same for friend and enemy, dark and light. John made the point that we are either with Jesus or without Jesus. According to verse 7, however, the death of Jesus made a way for us to be wiped clean of all the wrong we’ve done. Once information is deleted from an electronic file, chances are it can be recovered if you have the right equipment and program. Yet, when God forgives sin, it has been deleted forever.

Jesus Paid the Price(1 John 1:8–2:2)Let’s review the facts in our search. John, an eyewitness, said that Jesus is God’s Son and because of Him, eternal life is available. To be in fellowship with God means to accept the truth about Jesus and follow Him. Read 1 John 1:8–2:2. In verse 7, remember that Jesus wipes us clean from all sin we’ve committed. In verse 8, what do you learn?

8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

List some of the things you’ve done this week that you know were wrong and would be considered disobedience to God.

In verse 9, what is the action we do? What is Jesus’ action?

My son, who was attending college, came home one weekend and brought an unexpected guest—a lab puppy. He couldn’t keep her in his dorm and couldn’t return her. So, we became the caretakers of Elle, a chewing monster. I finally bought her a real bone. Within two hours, she buried it in the backyard. Forgetting where she buried it, dozens of holes appeared in the yard over the next few weeks. Eventually, she found the prize. Because there had been uncooked meat on it when I first gave it to her, the bone stunk. The smell was so bad, I had to throw it away, much to Elle’s dismay.

Sin is just like that. We can bury sin deep without confessing it, but eventually it will come to the surface. It stinks! Walking in darkness is evident. We can lie and say nothing is wrong, but we can’t hide sin. Are you trying to hide sin? Think about the sin you may be trying to hide; bring that sin before God, confess it, and ask Him to throw it away. Since we sin, God made a way for us to “walk in the light.” His written message teaches us to confess sin. Jesus cleanses our sins and removes them completely when we confess. He is our Advocate, the One who stands up for us before the Father. He paid the price for sin by His death on the cross. As the propitiation for our sins, He turns away our deserved punishment.

Propitiation – “the removal of God’s wrath toward our sin through Jesus’ death on the cross”

According to 1 John 2:2, did Jesus die only for you?

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1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

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For whom did He die?

Write out 1 John 2:2 in the space below.

Be sure to take home and complete “Staying Focused” (pp. 127-128) to continue your study.

Staying FocusedMore people than you can imagine are searching for someone or something to fill their emptiness. You may be just the person to help someone find Jesus. Ask family members and friends who they think Jesus is. Compare their answers with what you learned this week. If the answers are more like “a good man” or “a historical figure” instead of God’s Son, explain who Jesus is according to what you learned in 1 John so far. You might want to write down a few things about Jesus in the space below to prepare what you will say to others.

Begin confessing your sin to God every day. Before you go to bed each night this week, think through the day and ask God to reveal any sin you need to confess. Write these sins down each night in the space provided, and ask God to give you the strength not to commit these sins again. Put a big X over the list of sins at the end of the week, and celebrate the forgiveness that you have received through Jesus Christ.

Day One: Day Two: Day Three: Day Four: Day Five: Day Six:

Perhaps what you learned this week was new to you. If you want to search about becoming a Christian or if you want a plan to share Jesus with someone else, connect to this Web site to learn how to become a Christian: www.lifeway.com. Click on “Becoming a Christian” in the “Quick Links.” You may also want to check out the FAITH Gospel Plan found on page 2 of this learner guide.

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Staying Focused

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Memorize This Key Verse:And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2

Look up the meaning of propitiation in your learner guide (p. 16), or in a dictionary. Write the definition below.

In the space below, write how you would explain the “Key Verse” to a young child.

If possible, download “Remedy” by the David Crowder Band onto your MP3 player or listen to it on a CD. How does this song reinforce what you learned in 1 John 1:1–2:2?

Preparation for the Next Session:For the Week of June 14, 2009: Update Your Profile

Do you sometimes doubt your salvation? Do you have difficulty loving others? What does it mean to make Jesus Lord of your life? Read 1 John 2:3-11,15-17 to compare your personal profile with God’s Word. 128 Life Focus Learner Guide KJV / © 2009 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Printed in the USA.