But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. Titus 3:4-5 Read Titus 3 What does justified mean? What is the twofold basis of our justification? God washed and renewed us when he saved us. He saved us through “the washing of rebirth and renewal.” Rebirth comes from a Greek word that means to regenerate or make new. The meaning of renewal is similar to rebirth. To renew is to restore, revive, revitalize, recondition – to make new. God justified us when He saved us. His…
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Aspects Of Salvation: Part 1
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. Titus 3:4-5 Read Titus 3 What verses talk about the past, present, and future of salvation? Can you match the verses that each go to the past, present, and future? What were we like as slaves to sin? Past: At one time, we were slaves to sin (Titus 3:3). To appreciate salvation, we need to remember what God saved us from. We all have an aspect of salvation. We all respond and view it differently. For…
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Grace Teaches To Say No
For the Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions. Titus 2:11-12 What does Grace teach those who pass its classes? Does Professor Grace teach that believers remain slaves of sin? How is Grace viewed or looked at as? Read Titus 2 Some view Grace as weak, feeble, fragile, and fearful. Others view Grace as a teacher without a backbone, undisciplined, and without a firm will. In contrast to these views, Grace is bold and powerful. Grace is kind, but it doesn’t tolerate evil. Grace is merciful, but…
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The Lord’s Compassion and Mercy
Take, my brothers, the prophets, who have spoken in the example of suffering, affliction, and of patience. See, we count as blessed those who endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is very compassionate and merciful. James 5:10-11 To endure trials or afflictions is to be blessed. Job, What a man! Job is known as righteous man. ow he went through trials, affliction, and grief. He endured many things, and he was blessed. Job was patient in his suffering. He is a role model to us on how we should be in our sufferings. Even while Job was going through his…
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Better Sacrifice
By faith, Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. Hebrews 11:4 Do you doubt yourself being able to be used by God? Do you ask God why He is using someone like yourself and not someone else? I think we have all done that! I don’t have a redeeming story like so and so. My story is not as amazing as that person’s. God really changed that person. Do you understand my point there? WE forget that God knows who we are and where we have been. Yet, He has forgiven us when we choose to follow Him. We forget that He has…
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According To Our Faith
He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith, will it be done to you.” Matthew 9:29 What is it that stops you from having a relationship with God? Is it the rules, have to give up things in your life that you really enjoy? Are you riding the fence of trying to follow both God and your desires? We won’t change the rules; however, let’s try to understand why God does what he does. God is all-wise. He wants an active relationship with each of us. Let’s see what Christ teaches about faith. Read the following passages. Matthew…
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God’s Mindset
In your relationship with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5 NIV Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5 HCSB This here is a life verse. A verse we should meditate on all day long. This verse here had become my most favorite verse even before I truly understood it. When I came across this verse, I didn’t understand the Mindset of Jesus or the same attitude of Jesus. Those were the words that Got my attention. I wrote two versions of this verse. I recommend you search for a different version. Find the version that resonates with your soul. Jesus’s attitude was of complete…
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Letting Go of People-Pleasing
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul? Mark 8:36 Are you a people pleaser? Do you care that people like you? Does it bother you if people don’t like you? People-pleasing can be a technique to feel that we belong, gain influence, or get others to fix a problem for us. Let’s get started! Read Exodus 32:1. Why were the people concerned? What did they want Aaron to do for them? What did they say about Moses? With Moses out of sight and out of mind, they reverted to their old idol worship ways. While Moses was…
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Wilderness Trials and Lessons
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3 How do you learn the best? Is it by making mistakes? Trials? Lessons? There are five trials and three lessons that we can learn. Jesus brings us promises and hopes no matter what we are going through. Read Job 1:1-21. Job is known as a blameless or righteous man, which means he had integrity and stayed away from evil. Do you wish you were like him? I do. He went through many, many complex trials, yet he kept…
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Appointed To Go
“I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit,” John 15:16-17 Today will focus on the verse above. Jesus revealed the purpose behind your “chosen-ness.” We all have a “go appointment.” How it looks for each of us will be different. We will go, where we will go, and what we’ll take with us will vary. The one thing we do have in common as Christ-followers is that we are appointed to go. The fruit we will bear in this appointment. Proverbs 11:30 says this: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise…