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Week 4 Gifts from God {Eternal Life}

12/15/2014

7 Comments

 
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Memory Verse: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  Romans 6:23

It is the fourth week of diving into God's word and studying the bible about gifts from God.  The first week we studied the gift of Grace and how we receive this gift from God by doing absolutely nothing to receive it.  What a gift!  The second week we read about the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In the beginning of this study in the intro, I mentioned that you will see how one gift is tied to another gift that is tied to another gift.  That is exactly what we saw more clearly the third week as we studied the Spiritual gifts.  The spiritual gifts are manifestations from the Holy Spirit and they are for the body of Christ.  They are gifts from the gift of the Holy Spirit (a gift within a gift or in this case multiple gifts- 9 to be exact- from the gift of the Holy Spirit). 

Now this week, the fourth week, we will read about the gift of eternal life.    The goal is to learn what is eternal life based on God's word and how can we have eternal life.  Let's get started!

Monday
READ:  Let's read Romans 6:23 which is our optional memory verse this week and then read 1 John 5:11.  Read it first in your bible then read it two other times in two different translations like The Message, The Amplified Bible, NKJV, NASB, NLT, or NIV.  
 
DISCUSS:  We will have our discussion in the comment section of this post.  
1. When you read these two scriptures, what are you being made aware of?
2.  Is eternal life a gift that is set alone or is it a gift connected to something else?  What is it connected to?
I'll meet you in the comment section to discuss.

WRITE: Write your memory verse, Romans 6:23, on several index cards and place around your home, car, office, and commit it to memory this week.

Tuesday
READ
: First read John 3:16.  Then read the verse right before it: John 3:15.  I am reading in the Amplified  bible for these two scriptures. 
DISCUSS:  
1.  Where do we find eternal life (v.16)?
2. What do we need to do to receive this free gift of eternal life (v.16)? 
3. Answer this fill in the blank:  I will not _____________ if I believe in Him (v.15).
4.  What does the word "perish" mean? 
I'll meet you in the comment section to discuss.

Wednesday
READ:
   1 John 5:11-12 and then read 2 Thessalonians 1:9
DISCUSS:  
1. Two things are pretty crystal clear in 1 John 5:11-12.  What are they?
2.  The opposite of eternal life is eternal death.  Based on 2 Thessalonians 1:9, what does eternal death look like?
I'll meet you in the comment section to discuss.

Thursday
READ:   John 10:28,29 in NKJV, the Amplified and end reading this scripture in The Message.  So good!
DISCUSS:  
1. Why will "they never perish" in John 10:28 NKJV?
2. Who is greater than the Destroyer and the Thief?
3. Where does eternal life come from?
4.  Again, how do we receive eternal life where no one can ever take it away from us?
5.  Isn't this a great reminder for each of us?  Doesn't it just build your faith and call to remembrance that we are His and we have a future and a hope in Him forever?
 I'll meet you in the comment section to discuss.

Friday
READ:   Let's read our memory verse again Romans 6:23. 
PRAY:  Thank God for this free gift of eternal life.  Boldly speak His word that He is greater than the Destroyer  and Thief of this world.  Speak these truths over your loved ones today.  Boldly declare you and your loved ones are in God's hand and no one, no man, no other person can take you or your loved ones away from Him.  Praise Him for this.  Walk through your home and let praises from your lips enter all the rooms in your home.  Tell Him how much you love Him today. 
7 Comments
Sarah
12/14/2014 11:12:37 pm

Yes! The GREATEST gift ! God gave us His son and He saved my soul! The greatest gift is tied to His son. If we accept His son,we accept His greatest gift for us. You know, the first part of our scripture Romans 6:23 brings me back to when I was younger and I can remember that first part of the scripture being put all the emphasis on ..." The wages of SIN is DEATH!!!" But now I understand that the emphasis should be put on the *BUT* *JESUS* ! I think so many today are still putting that emphasis on The wages of sin is death. Accept what Christ has done for us,for everyone who will believe, He's the gift of God. It's not something we have to strive for. Aimee, do you think some Christians are pushing that gift back at God when they are trying to obtain their salvation by works. And are we we really rejecting Jesus and trying to 'earn' our salvation?

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Aimee link
12/15/2014 07:07:39 pm


good Sarah! You know, when I did the graphic for gift of Eternal Life for this week these thoughts came to mind: eternal life? but that will be something someone is going to not get excited about. It's not like the gift of grace that we use on this side of Heaven. It's not so exciting as the gift of the Holy Spirit and all the spiritual gifts that come from that gift where we don't have to wait to see manifestations . All these gifts mentioned we can use now, we can make an impact now. However, the gift of eternal life, I believe, is very hard for some to comprehend the true meaning. Yes, we all know what "eternal" means: lasting or existing forever; without end or beginning. But I believe this gift may be overlooked because it is not a gift we use at this moment. It is one of those gifts that we will experience sometime in the future.

The gift of eternal life is one of those gifts you have to have faith to believe it is going to happen. I was looking in Strong's concordance at the word "record" in I John 5:11 KJV and it states that record is "marturia" which means a testifying, testifying to future events; one who testifies before a judge. Other ways this is used in scripture is a report, a witness, a testimony.

If you back up to 1 John 5:9 you see there is a man's testimony and then there is God's testimony. I have made a note in my bible that the gift of eternal life is God's testimony not man's testimony and this testimony based on 1 John 5:10 is in our heart when we believe in the Son of God!

Lord, this week, let us truly understand the depth of the gift of eternal life. I ask this for all of us doing this study this week in Your name Jesus. Amen.

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Aimee link
12/15/2014 07:19:05 pm

1 John 5:11 is rolling over and over in my head: the gift of eternal life is God's testimony. I wanted to make note that in 1 John 5:9 that God's testimony is so much greater than man's testimony. This is a testimony by God. When I read this scripture (and it does not say the following but this is how I keep picturing this scripture as I read it) I picture God with a gavel in His hand and striking the gavel on a table with such authority and declaring this gift of eternal life is set in stone, it is permanent! Thank You, Lord!

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Aimee link
12/16/2014 07:21:42 pm

Tuesday's reading: Where do we find eternal life? For me it is very important to take the bible at its word. John 3:16 says whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. We find/receive eternal life the very moment we believe in Him and we also now at the moment of believing in Him will not perish.

Perish in Strong's concordance is the word "apollumi" which means to destroy, to abolish, to kill, to declare one must be put to death, to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell, to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed, to destroy, to lose.

There is absolutely nothing of the word perish that I want! I don't think this scripture is meant to scare us to death but I do think that God wants to be very clear and say a person will have eternity either in death or in life based on whether a person believes in Him. This is as black and white as it gets for me either believe in Him or do not believe in Him but either way I will receive an eternity of something and I definitely want eternal life :)
What are your thoughts about eternal life?

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Aimee link
12/17/2014 07:34:44 pm

Wednesday reading: Reading 1 John 5:11-12 and two things are pretty clear: either a person has the Son and has life or a person rejects the Son and does not have life.

When I was reading 2 Thessalonians 1:9, I stopped at the word everlasting destruction. My bible had a cross reference to Philippians 4:19 so I read that and v.18. There will be people that live as enemies of the cross of Christ. V.19 then says that person's destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach..... their mind is on earthly things.

What does god of their stomach mean? Based on Romans 16:18 it means this person is not serving the Lord rather they are serving their own appetites by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the naïve people.

What are the "earthly things" the bible speaks of? In Galatians 5:19-21 it states, "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God."

That's a long list! I know it is not ever fun to read about the negative but we need to be real and knowledgeable about both. One reason is it moves me with compassion when I see someone not living right and rejecting Christ and I know what the bible says is the destiny of a person who rejects Christ.

Then I read Galatians 5:22 and see what just the acceptance of Christ how it changes a person from the inside out. This is exactly what happened to me. Twenty years ago, I could have checked off some of Galatians 5:19-21, but for the past 15 years I have experienced Galatians 5:22 "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives."

I love that! I have seen real life changes all because I chose to believe! But God doesn't just give the gift of eternal life when I first believed. He does so much more. He truly with His gentleness changed me from the inside out as I walk out my purpose on this earth.

Does this ring true for you? Think about how you were at one time and since choosing to believe in Him how different you are now for the better.

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Sarah
12/21/2014 11:38:53 am

Yes Aimee! See,when we accept Christ into our hearts we should start a earnest pursuit of HIM! Once we come to the realization of who He is and what He did for us we are never the same! As we are on this passionate pursuit of Him we begin to walk in the Spirit and then nothing looks the same,nothing feels the same,we can't go where we used to go,we can't do what we used to say,our hearts start to change,and then we can't say the things we used to say or think how we used to think! Those things start to fade away as we no longer want anything to do with darkness! What fellowship has light with the dark? As long as we are yearning and reaching for Him He begins to draw us more and more. You have to question the motives of some hearts who say they have accepted Christ but continue down a path of destruction. I love how the message puts Galations 5:22 " But what happens when we live God's way?He brings gifts into our lives much the same way fruit appears in a orchard-things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments. and then I love how verse 22 says that this cannot be achieved through legalism,that will only get in the way. But it comes about by a yearning in ones heart for a God that loves us so much He reached down and pulled us out of our mess and gave us His son.It's a heart deal not a legal deal written on stone but in our hearts.Ezekiel 36:26 " I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit in you, I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" 2 Corinthians 3:3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but with human hearts" WOW. This can only be achieved by the work of the Holy Spirit that changes hearts! What kinds of fruits are we bearing,if your struggling with letting go of the former things,if rotten fruit keeps appearing in your orchard , are you walking in the Spirit,are you giving Him your heart? Have you realized His love for you, the extremity of His sacrifice? Get rid of the legalisms and let go and let God's love just pour out all over your life,walk in His Spirit,give Him control,and watch your rotten fruit hit the ground and watch a new fruit begin to sprout and grow in your life!

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Sarah
12/21/2014 12:37:21 pm

Galations 5:22 in the NIV But the fruit of the Spirit is love,joy,peace,forebearance ,kindness, goodness,faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law.24. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucifies the flesh with it's passions and desires 25. Since we live by the Spirit let us keep in step the Spirit.26. Let us not become conceited ,provoking and envying one another.
I remember the day, I will never forget,when I was frustrated and overwhelmed,I wasn't seeing any fruit in my life . I walked over to a field and thre my hands up and cried out to God in desperation,where was the fruit! and He spoke to me,'Sarah,your not walking in my Spirit! I gave over to Him my life to walk in the Spirit.I raised my hands up,wide open and just stood there with the sun shinning on my face,"God,let your Spirit pour out over me!! And oh the joy that flooded my heart and soul that day!! I wish I could say since then it's been a perfect walk,I have had moments when my flesh would struggle,but I when my flesh cries out and wants to war I have to crucify the flesh and say,no,I choose to walk in the Spirit and give it over to Him.And so much peace and joy fills my life and He draws me deeper and closer everytime!

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    Hello and Welcome!

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    Wife, Mother, Christian woman who loves God's word and teaching others what God teaches me, Adoption Advocate, Writer, Illustrator.

    Who am I?  Galatians 2:20 does a great job of summing up who I am.  My life is His, the One who loves me and gave Himself for me . In return, I want to be all He wants me to be and do all He wants me to do on this side of Heaven.

    I am passionate about His word, family and being a part of the solution of the fatherless in our world. My prayer is to encourage and equip you no matter what season of life you find yourself in.  I believe God wants to raise you up and flow through you to impact your family and others.  So what are you waiting for?! Let's do this! :)


    Feel free to connect with me on facebook @livingthatchristlife group or join in on any conversation we may have on the blog.

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    Recipient of the Angels in Adoption Award 2016. A program of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in Washington D.C. 
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