The Authority of God’s Word*

* Adapted from, Design for Discipleship Book Five: Foundations for Faith, Navpress

How do you see God’s word (Scripture)? Is the Bible just a collection of nice ideas written down for our perusal, or is it something more? How does your life relate to God’s word? Someone has said, “we do what we believe.” What do you believe about God’s word…and is that reflected in your life?

The Author
Q. How do the writers of Scripture attribute their words to God in these passages?
Deuteronomy 28:1-2 ________________________________________________
II Samuel 23:1-3 ___________________________________________________
Jeremiah 1:6-9 _____________________________________________________
1 Thessalonians 2:13 ________________________________________________

II Timothy 3:16 ______________________________________
Psalm 138:2 ______________________________________

How Jesus viewed Scripture
Matthew 4:1-11 ____________________________________________________
Mark 7:6-9 ________________________________________________________
Mark 12:24-27 _____________________________________________________
Luke 10:25-28 _____________________________________________________
Luke 24: 25-27 _____________________________________________________
Matthew 5:17,18 ____________________________________________________
John 17:17 ________________________________________________________

The reliability of God’s word
Joshua 23:14 ______________________________________________________
Psalm 33:11 _______________________________________________________
Proverbs 30:5,6 ____________________________________________________
Luke 1:1-4 ________________________________________________________
II Peter 1:15-21 ____________________________________________________
Compare Matthew 17:1-9 _____________________________________

The sufficiency of God’s word
Psalm 37:31 _______________________________________________________
Psalm 119:130 _____________________________________________________
John 15:3 _________________________________________________________
Acts 20:32 ________________________________________________________
II Timothy 3:16 ____________________________________________________
James 1:21 ________________________________________________________
Mark 4:14 _________________________________________________________
Isaiah 55:10-11 ____________________________________________________
Hebrews 4:12-13 ___________________________________________________
Psalm 119:11, _____________________________________________________
Psalm 19:7-11 _____________________________________________________

Applying God’s word
Luke 6:46 ________________________________________________________
Luke 24:25 _______________________________________________________
II Kings 23:2-4 ____________________________________________________
II Timothy 3:16 compared to Psalm 119:59,60 ___________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Q. Has any Scripture in this lesson spoken to you? What do you think God wants you to do in response to what you have learned? What steps will you take? Who will keep you accountable?

TEN "MUSTS" IF I AM TO UNDERSTAND GOD’S WORD

Middletown Bible Church has some fine resources on their website for Bible study. Click on the lick below, then scroll most of the way down the page to find "Ten Musts…"
Click here to go to their website

Bible study commitment for spending quality time with God

There's something about making a commitment that tends to solidify our resolve and encourage us to action. Join me in making a renewed commitment to spending quality time with God and His Word. Cut and paste this into your favorite word processing program, then print it out, fill it out, and tuck it in your Bible as a daily reminder.

I _________________________________ make a renewed commitment to study God’s word and apply it to my life. I agree that “doing the minimum” for my spiritual life each week is not a plan for success or for igniting my walk with God.

2 challenges I will face in keeping my commitment are:

1. ___________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________

My plan for overcoming those challenges:

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________


Days I plan to meet with God for Bible study and quality time:

(circle all that apply) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday


Time-frame I plan to meet with God (Ex. 6am-6:30am):

_____________________________________________________


Signed ____________________________________________________

Date: ___________________________

Going deeper with OBSERVING in Bible study

Read Matthew 6: 5-15 (NKJV)

When making observations, look for:
• Key words (circle our underline them)
• Repetition/patterns of words & phrases (circle and number them)
• Structure — look for groupings
• Contrasts and similarities (draw arrows)
• Good questions to ask
• define/look up key words
• Cross references to find other key relative passages
• Timeless truths
• Applications
• Attributes of God
• Warnings
------------------------------

In the Matthew 6 passage above, what are 3 key words repeated multiples times? How many times?
1. PRAY 6X
2. FATHER 6X
3. FORGIVE 6X

List some CONTRASTS you have observed
• Street corner vs secret place
• Seen by men vs seen by God
• Vanity reward vs God’s reward

Define KEY WORDS to the text:
• “Hallowed”: Dedicated & set apart for Holy purposes
• “Debts”: a literal debt or offence/sin
• “Trespasses”: failings/sins

Attributes of God
• God is Father
• God knows all things — even secret things
• God portrays Himself as male
-------------------------------------
More observations:

Warnings
V5 “You shall not be like the hypocrites”
V7 “Do not use vain repetitions like the heathen”

Types of prayer:
1. Hypocritical & showy: Prayer is supposed to be to God & for His attention, not other men.
2. Authentic: prayer shaped by God as audience

Structure of the prayer:
Vs 9-10 God-focused adoration
Focus on His Fatherhood
Focus on His kingdom — by laying down our will for His

Vs 11-13 Us-centered supplications (askings of God)
Ask God for our daily needs
Ask God for forgiveness — as we forgive others
Ask God for everyday protection from Satan and temptation

Vs13b God focused adoration & praise

Good questions:
1. What “reward” does one get with authentic prayer?
2. What is God’s “secret place”? (A. vs6,9 = Heaven)
3. Who are our “debtors”?
4. Do we parrot this prayer or use as pattern?
5. What is prayer?
6. Why is forgiveness so important? Why is it conditional?
7. What is God’s kingdom?
8. Has God’s kingdom not come?
9. Have others been led into temptation? (yes. Jesus, Job, Peter)
10. Is this condemning corporate prayer?
11. If God is Father, what is He not? (Mother, daughter, uncle, etc.)

Timeless Truths:
• God desires that our prayers reflect worship and praise
• God rewards us as we pray authentically
• God rejects hypocritical prayer
• Forgiveness is not optional and so important in day to day life
• God sees our hearts
• We need to pray for deliverance from Satan’s influence