The material that follows was written for use by members of All Saints' Church, Allesley, Coventry, UK.  The text is copyright ©1998 Tim Britton, and may be freely copied and adapted by anyone, provided that it is not for commercial ends.  At All Saints the texts were processed by Colin Holtum, who added art-work and designed the lay-out and the logo.  He divided the material into 8-page A4 leaflets, one per section, and the leaflets were photocopied and given out as required.

 CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

Welcome to the starter pack!  Its aim is to help you make the most of your new life - the priceless gift of eternal life that you received when you decided to follow Christ.  (I assume that you have decided to follow Jesus, and that you have already done an Alpha course or something like it. If not, please see the person who gave you this pack.)  Many Christians don't make the most of the life Christ has given them.  They are like those who buy the latest computer, and only use it for writing letters - what a waste of its capabilities!  Don't be like that - your new life is much too valuable to waste!

We can only get the most out of the equipment we own, if we follow the instructions.  We can only get the most out of the new life we have, if we follow the Maker's instruction manual - the Bible.  You will learn how to use it as you go through this starter pack.  You will need your own Bible (I recommend the New International Version to start with), and a pencil to write your answers to questions in the pack.

You will probably find it most helpful to set aside 15 minutes or so each day for five days a week.  Read the passage at the top of each section, and then read the section. (If you wish to look up the verses in brackets, do so.)  Please attempt to answer every question, and write your answers down.  (You can always change them later if you want to.)  Please learn the memory verses - cut out the ones for each week, and look at them often during the day.  Please also arrange to meet once a week for a few minutes with your cell group companion, to discuss how you are getting on.

Before you begin, please read the next two pages, which set the scene for what follows.  (We'll look at some of the issues in more detail later on.)

Welcome to the Kingdom of God
When you decided to follow Jesus, your whole life changed.  You did not merely turn over a new leaf.  You were given a new life - a life that will never end, a life above all in a new relationship with God, as a member of his kingdom.  Jesus spoke 108 times about the kingdom of God.  Since you are now a member, it is important for you to learn about it.  Remember the following facts:

1. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WHEREVER GOD REIGNS
	The kingdom of God (or 'kingdom of heaven') is wherever God reigns.  We are citizens in his kingdom, God's subjects, since we joyfully accept his authority over every part of our lives.  God is the rightful king of everything that is; he is the one with ultimate authority and power.  However, God does not reign everywhere, because not everyone in the world accepts his authority.  In fact, Satan is the ruler of this world, as Jesus himself acknowledged (Luke 4:5-6, John 14:30).  We are living in a world Satan controls, but are not under his control because we are under the authority of God.

2. SATAN HAS USURPED GOD'S PLACE IN THE WORLD
	God created the world (how, is not important).  God created human beings as responsible people whom he could put in charge - God loves to involve others in his plans.  Before all this, God had created spirit beings such as angels.  Satan is a great angel who had turned against God, along with angelic followers.  He led our human ancestors astray, and usurped power.  He is now the real ruler of this world, although God still keeps it in existence, and is active in it.

3. GOD'S PLAN IS TO BRING THE WORLD INTO HIS KINGDOM
	God's plan is to bring the world back to its rightful place in his kingdom, under its rightful ruler.  That ruler has to be a human being, and has to defeat Satan.  That ruler is Jesus Christ, the Son of God who became a man, lived a perfect life, and conquered sin and death and Satan through his dying and rising to life again.  Now there are two kingdoms on earth: Satan's and Jesus'.  Whoever is born into the world naturally belongs to Satan, but by believing in Jesus and accepting his authority, we become members of God's kingdom.  Satan is furious, and does his worst to spoil our relationship with God.  But God is with us, and in us by his Spirit, and by his power we can resist Satan, and help fulfil God's plan for the world.
	One day Jesus will come physically back to earth, and end Satan's reign for good.  'We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness' (2 Peter 3:13).

4. GOD'S PLAN INCLUDES US!
	God has saved us from Satan's power, and brought us into his kingdom through Jesus Christ.  However, his plans for us don't stop there.  He wants us to give us a role in bringing others into his kingdom and in defeating evil in the world.  We must not be content with only being recipients of God's grace; we need to be givers also, channels of new life to others.
	God's plan for us is reflected in four key commands: love God with all your heart; love your neighbour as yourself; love one another as Christ loves you; go and make disciples.  These principles show us God's heart, and govern everything we do as citizens of his kingdom.

In this starter pack we will seek to put all this into practice.  We'll see in more detail what has happened to us when we became Christians, how we can live life to the full as citizens of heaven in a world where Satan still has great power, how God gives us the privilege of helping to fulfil his purposes for the world, and how God gives us the joy of helping others become members of his kingdom too.

Let's begin!

SECTION 1: BORN AGAIN (1 week)
A New Life begins.
New Abilities.
A Child of God.
A New Family.
Born to Grow.

SECTION 2: BORN INTO A BATTLE (1 week)
Born into a battle.
The evil of sin.
The power of Satan.
The temptations of the 'flesh'.
The attractions of the 'world'.

SECTION 3: OVERFLOWING GRACE  (2 Weeks)

The need for salvation.
Salvation through Christ.
The gift of righteousness.
United to Jesus.
Saved from the power of sin (2 days))
Saved from the presence of sin.
The final victory.
A New Destiny.
Saved for Service.

SECTION 4: A NEW RELATIONSHIP (3 weeks)
A Two-Way Relationship.
How does God speak?
Listening to God. (3 days)
What does God say? (2 days)
What is God saying?
Conversing with God. (2 days)
Prayer warfare.
Praying into the Kingdom.
Praying together.
Prayer ministry.
Praise God!

SECTION 5: DAILY LIFE (2 weeks)
Love your neighbour. (2 days)
Love your enemies.
Love the lost. (3 days)
Work for God.
Seek Justice.
Seek Mercy.
Seek Peace.

SECTION 6: KNOWING GOD (1 week)
God is... (2 days)
Living with God. (2 days)
Freedom from legalism.

SECTION 7: KINGDOM CONDUCT  (3 weeks)
Instructions for a fulfilled life.
Kingdom values.
Law 1: Get your priorities right.
Law 2: Meet God as he is.
Law 3: Reverence God
Law 4: Your time is God's.
Law 5: Honour human authority.
Law 6: Respect human life.
Life Issues.
Law 7: Sex is for marriage.
Sex issues.
Law 8: Respect people's property.
Law 9: Respect truth and justice.
Law 10: Be content.
The perfect law of love.

SECTION 8: KINGDOM SERVICE (2 weeks)
Fulfilment in service.
The power of the Spirit.
Equipped for service. (5 days)
Living with the Spirit. (3 days)

SECTION 9: A NEW COMMUNITY (3 weeks)
'Love one another'
What is the Church? (2 days)
The basic Christian community.
Stewardship.
Church building. (2 days)
Community Life. (3 days)
Corporate Worship
What about Baptism?
What about Communion?
What about the world-wide church?
What about other religions?

SECTION 10: SPIRITUAL WARFARE (1 week)
Principalities and powers.
The Christian armour. (2 days)
Levels of Warfare.
The army of God.

SECTION 11: WHAT NEXT? (1 week)
Hear the Word of the Lord.
Keep going forward.
Remember.
Here am I.
Send me.

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 1: BORN AGAIN (1 week)

MEMORY VERSE

Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God without being born again."  
John 3:3.

TOPIC 1: BORN AGAIN

DAY 1: A New Life begins.

Read John 3:1-16.
As you read, ask God what he is saying to you.

Jesus in this passage speaks of two kinds of birth.  The first is physical birth ('flesh gives birth to flesh', verse 6).  The second is spiritual birth, a new birth, which Jesus calls being born again (v.3).  Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a party of the Jews that tried to obey all God's commands.  Even he could not enter the kingdom of heaven, unless he was born again.

What causes the spiritual birth (v.6)?

_____________________________________________
What are the results (vs. 3,5)?

_____________________________________________
Are there any other ways of achieving the same results?

_____________________________________________
(You may want to discuss your answer with your cell group companion!)
We could not become citizens of the kingdom of God without the spiritual new birth, which was the start of a new life, 'eternal life' (v.16).  God is our king, and we love him and serve him - that is our new nature.  Before we were born again, such love and service did not come naturally; the old nature and the kingdom of God do not mix (see 1 Corinthians 15:50).   But through faith in Jesus, we have been given eternal life; we have been born again, and have a new life which needs to grow and develop.  Your cell group will provide a good environment for growth, and this starter pack will help you get off to a good start.

Spend a few moments thanking God for what he has given you.
DAY 2: New Abilities.

Read Ezekiel 36:26-27, and then John 3:1-16 again.
As you read, ask God what he is saying to you.

Most people are born with the necessary equipment to function properly in this world - limbs and organs, the five senses, everything necessary to life - though in a very undeveloped form.  It is the same with the new birth: we are born again with new abilities, in order to function in the new kingdom.  In the kingdom of God we need to be able to hear his voice, and to respond appropriately; we need to be able to be obedient - someone who could not obey God could not fit in to the kingdom!  We need to be able to relate to the spiritual world around us, and to our spiritual family.  Our new, spiritual, nature has these abilities - though again, they are undeveloped and need to grow.  Unless we grow spiritually, we remain spiritual babies.

Although we are born again, we are still living in our physical bodies.  We still have the old thought patterns, the old values, even though we have a new heart and a new spirit.  Often there is a conflict between the old way of living and the new way (Romans 7:21-25).  Much of our spiritual growth is simply learning how to live the new life instead of the old: new ways of thinking replace our previous ways, the values of the kingdom of God replace our previous values, and we learn to listen to God rather than to the voices of the world around us or our inner world of 'what I want'.  The result is that our behaviour changes, and our lives change, so that we become more and more like Jesus.  That is the aim of this starter pack, and the aim of the whole of our lives, especially as members of a cell group.

A Prayer.
Dear God, thank you for giving me new life so that I can live with you in your kingdom.  Help me to grow spiritually, and to become more and more like Jesus as the weeks go by.  Amen.

DAY 3: A Child of God.

Read John 1:12,13 and Romans 8:15-17.
As you read, ask God what he is saying to you.

Every  baby has a natural father.  When we are born again spiritually, God is our father.  He has done a new work of creation, by giving us new life!  It is natural now to call him Father.  (The word 'Abba' is the Aramaic name children would call their fathers - a name showing both intimacy and respect.)  We are related to God our Father - and so we are also related to Jesus his Son (his only true Son - although we are children, we are not divine as Jesus is) and to the Holy Spirit, the third member of the 'Trinity'.  (Remember, the Bible shows us that God is three: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; yet the three are a unity, each being involved in each other so that truly there is only one God.  It is difficult to understand, but we cannot really expect easily to understand God's nature!)

Our Father God is a perfect father.  If your father was less than perfect, remember that you now have a father who is perfect - all that you ever needed in a father, and much more!

In Roman times, men could choose who they wanted to be their heirs, and make them so by a special act of adoption.  God has adopted us as his heirs - not that he is going to die, but that we are going to receive great blessing in the future.  But notice Romans 8:17.  What two things will we share with Christ?

_____________________________________________

Life here and now will not be a bed of roses.  But whatever happens, fix it firmly in your heart that God loves you.  Read Romans 8:38-39, and receive it as God's message to you personally.

DAY 4: A New Family.

Read 1 John 4:20 - 5:1.  (Remember that 1 John is John's first letter, not his gospel.)
As before, ask God what he is saying to you.  (Do this every time you read a passage from the Bible.)

You have been born again.  God is your spiritual Father.  Who are your new brothers and sisters, and how are we to treat them (1 John 4:21, 5:1)?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

As in any family, we do not choose our relatives!  There is a sense in which every Christian is our brother or sister.  However, it is impossible truly to love every other Christian!  If we are to take God's command seriously, we need to be in more 'family sized' units.  The first Christians often met in households (e.g. 1 Corinthians 16:19) - the equivalent of our cell groups.  In a small group like a cell group it is possible to learn to love one another, and to become a spiritual family. It is not easy, but the Spirit will enable you to do it!

Read again 1 John 4:20 - 5:1.  Will you commit yourself to learn to love the brothers and sisters God puts in your cell group?  Pray about it, and then write your response here:

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 5: Born to Grow.

Read 1 John 2:12-14.
(What else do you do as you read?)

In every family the members are at different stages of growth and maturity.  What do you think John means in 1 John 2:12-14 by:

Children ______________________________________

_____________________________________________

Fathers _______________________________________

_____________________________________________

Young men ____________________________________

_____________________________________________

Notice that the most mature are characterised simply by their knowing God.  In the Bible the word 'know' can have a very deep meaning, as in the expression, 'Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived...'  Mature believers are those who have a deep, close, relationship with God.  Notice also that these men and women are called 'fathers' - and fathers are those who have fathered children.  What is the spiritual equivalent?

_____________________________________________
The 'young men' are strong, active, defeating Satan (though they are by no means perfect!).  The 'children', the new believers, have a lot to learn; but they know that they are forgiven, and that God is their Father.  Our aim (whatever our gender) is to grow from 'children' to 'young men' to 'fathers'.

Who in your cell group do you think are 'fathers'? 'young men'? 'children'?  What are you?

 CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 2: BORN INTO A BATTLE (1 week)

MEMORY VERSES

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8,9.

DAY 1: Born into a battle.

Read 1 Peter 5:8-11.

As a child of God, you have a loving heavenly Father.  You also have an implacable enemy, the devil, who will do his utmost to spoil your relationship with your Father.  The devil is helped by the fact that you are still living in his world, and you still have the body you were first born with, with all its habits and thoughts and desires.  There are strong temptations both arising from the world around us, and from our own self-centredness.  If you wish to go God's way, you have a battle on your hands, which will last as long as you live within the devil's territory (i.e. the rest of your life in this world)!

How does the reading above encourage us to stand firm?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Every new Christian has areas of particular spiritual weakness, arising from their past lives.  These are 'strongholds' of Satan, areas where we have allowed him to get a grip on our lives which he won't let go in a hurry.  However, Jesus' victory by his death and resurrection means that we have power to overcome the devil. (See 2 Corinthians 10:4,5.)  There are bound to be set-backs, when we fail to resist temptation despite the fact that by God's grace we could have overcome it.  Nevertheless, we are still children of God, he still loves us, and is always ready to forgive us and help us to carry on. This does not happen automatically: read 1 John 1:5-10.  What is God saying to you in this passage?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 2: The evil of sin.

Instead of reading one main passage, today we will look at verses which teach us what God says about sin.  Please read them all, prayerfully seeking to find out what God is saying.

a) What is sin?
'Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness' (1 John 3:4).
'Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins' (James 4:17).
A sin is any deed, or word, or thought that is against God's will.  If God doesn't like it, it is not good, and if it is not good, it is bad, it is evil, it is a sin.

b) Why do we sin?
'A good tree cannot bear good fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit' (Matthew 7:18).
'For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly' (Mark 7:21,22).
Bad fruit shows a bad tree.  We sin because we still have a sinful nature.

c) Who sins?
'All our righteous acts are like filthy rags' (Isaiah 64:6).
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23).
Because of our sinful nature, none of our actions are wholly perfect.  This means that no-one can make themselves good enough for God.  That is why we must be born again - and that is something we can only trust God to bring about, we cannot do it ourselves.

d) What is the effect of sin?
'To Adam God said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life"' (Genesis 3:17).
'Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned' (Romans 5:12).
'Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you' (Isaiah 59:2).
'The wages of sin is death' (Romans 6:23).
God is pure and holy, and cannot live with evil.  Adam disobeyed God because he thought he would benefit.  He found that his sin spoiled his relationship with God, with his wife, and with the whole creation.  Sins still spoil our lives today.  Sins separate us from God, and that is spiritual death - the worst kind of death there is.

e) What is the result of sin?
'You should avoid sexual immorality... in this matter no-one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.  The Lord will punish men for all such sins' (1 Thessalonians 4:6).
'He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord' (2 Thessalonians 1:8,9).
Sin is against God, even when it is against another person.  Every time we choose to sin, we reject God's way and his will; we reject his authority, and so reject him as our God.  No wonder God hates all sins, and no wonder all sins must be punished.

There are many evils in the world - famine, disaster, war, much undeserved suffering.  But none of these evils have eternal consequences.  Nothing is as evil as a sin.

Read John 3:16.  Sins cannot have the last word!

DAY 3: The power of Satan.

Read Luke 4:1-13.

The Bible is very clear that the devil exists, and teaches much about him that we need to know.

The devil's name is 'Satan' (Matthew 4:10), which means 'opponent'.  He is a spirit being, leader of other evil spirits (see Matthew 25:41, Ephesians 6:11,12).  He must have been created by God, and therefore must have been good originally.  The Bible does not say how he became evil, unless Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-15 are really about Satan.

Satan is opposed to God and to all that is good.  He deceived our human ancestors into disobeying God (Genesis 3), and still works by deception (John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 11:14).  (Temptation is like fishing with a bait: the bait is attractive, but hides a hook.  Temptations always seem attractive; Satan seeks to hide the evil he is tempting us to do.)

What do we learn about Satan from Luke 4:1-13?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

What he said in v.6 is true.  Satan is the 'prince of this world' (John 14:30), and the whole world is under his control (1 John 5:19).  (He cannot stop God doing good, however!)  All who go their own way are in fact going his way (Ephesians 2:1-3).  But Jesus came to destroy the devil's work (1 John 3:8), and so he enables his people to resist temptations and to fight against Satan, as we shall see.  His death on the cross brought about Satan's defeat (John 12:31); although Satan is still active, his kingdom is being taken over, and his end is certain (Revelation 20:10).
DAY 4: The temptations of the 'flesh'.

Read Romans 7:18-25; Romans 8:5-8, Galatians 5:13-21.

When our human ancestors first chose to disobey God (Genesis 3), there came a spiritual change to their human nature, which has been passed to all their descendants.  Instead of it being easy for us to obey God, there is now in our nature a bias toward sin, so that it is easy for us to disobey. (This is what some call 'original sin'.)   The Bible therefore talks about our 'sinful nature'.  Some versions of the Bible use the word 'flesh' (which is a more literal translation of the Greek), and you will probably hear people using the words 'flesh' and 'fleshly' or 'carnal' in this way.

When we were born again, we were given a new heart and a new spirit, as we saw in Section 1.  This means that we now have in us the desire and ability to obey God.  However, we still have our sinful nature as well as the new nature; our sinful nature will stay with us until death or Jesus comes again.  Our sinful nature gives rise to desires which are characterised by selfishness and self indulgence, which can end in activities such as those listed in Galatians 5.  Satan of course uses these desires in tempting us to sin.

Jesus' victory on the cross has freed us from the power of our sinful nature.  We are able to resist its selfish desires, and the temptations of the devil to indulge them.  (We'll look at this in more detail in the next section.)  However, it is helpful to be aware of our own 'weaknesses'.  Prayerfully list those desires you have that you believe arise from your sinful nature.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 5: The attractions of the 'world'.

Read John 3:16, John 17:14-18 (part of Jesus' prayer for his disciples),and 1 John 2:14-17.

How many different ways does John use the word 'world' in these verses?

The Bible uses the word 'world' to mean:
a) the universe, b) the planet earth, c) the inhabitants of the earth, d) the scene of human activity, e) Godless human society.

The 'things of this world' - food, clothing, shelter, money, sex, power etc. - may be necessities or luxuries.  However, they can easily become temptations to sin: they can become more important to us than the will of God (Matthew 6:25-34), and can choke the life of the Spirit (Mark 4:19).  Our society is dominated by the pursuit of these things.  If we seek to follow Jesus, our goals change.  God's pleasure counts more than our own; we decide to trust him to meet our needs (Matthew 6:33), and set ourselves to fulfil his purposes.

It is not easy to go God's way rather than the world's way. We are part of a society which values the things of this world - look at any advertisement and ask yourself what values are being promoted.  We have accepted these values as part of our culture.  As Christians, we have to re-evaluate them in the light of God's will and purposes, and make sure that we put first things first in our lives and that we reject those things which are against God's will.   We will be misunderstood, even hated, by those who reject God - Jesus made this clear (John 15:19); and we will be strongly tempted to turn back to the pleasures and desires of 'the world'.  However, the benefits of going God's way are incomparably greater!  See Matthew 16:24-27.

It is vital that we know that we follow God's priorities, not the world's.  Please do the following exercise in the next few days.
YOUR PRIORITIES IN LIFE

Please put the following in your order of priority.  Be as honest as you can, and take as long as you need.

___  Looking after the family.

___  Having close friends.

___  Doing the will of God.

___  Making money.

___  Having time for my own interests.

___  Making the world a better place to live in.

___  Winning other people's admiration.

___  Being happy.

___  Sharing the good news of Jesus.

___  Being safe and secure.

Look back over your list.  If you have been honest, you may find that your priorities are not necessarily the same as God's.  As we grow in our Christian faith, we will find that our priorities change.  Keep this list for future reference!

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 3: OVERFLOWING GRACE  (Week 1)

MEMORY VERSE

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16.

DAY 1: The need for salvation.

Read Ephesians 2:1-5.

We cannot appreciate Jesus properly unless we understand what he has done for us, and why.  This is especially the case when we think about his work as Saviour (rescuer).

A man swimming in the sea will not shout for help unless he sees that a) he is in difficulties and b) he cannot save himself.  If he thinks he is OK., or that he can do something about it himself, he will not ask to be rescued.  Likewise people will not want a Saviour from sin, unless they realise that their sins are leading them into problems, and that there is nothing they can do to save themselves.

What excuses do people make (subconsciously perhaps) for not looking for a Saviour?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

How does Ephesians 2:1-5 show us the need for a Saviour? (Compare also Romans 6:23.)

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Start today to pray for a friend or relative, asking that God may open their eyes to their need for Jesus, that they will then seek him and find him.  Pray every day until you receive the answer.

Name: _______________________________________

DAY 2: Salvation through Christ.

Read Isaiah 53, especially verses 4-6, and Matthew 1:18-23.

Jesus came to save his people from their sin.  A lifeguard who wants to save people from the sea must be able to get to them without getting into trouble him/herself, and must be able to get them out of the water and give them whatever first aid is necessary.  The Son of God likewise had to come to his people (being born as a human being, John 1:14, Matthew 1:23).  He himself had to stay out of the power of evil (he resisted every temptation, and lived a perfect, sinless, life of obedience to God, John 8:46).  He then had to save his people from the power and effects of evil and sin in their lives.  How did he do this, according to Isaiah 53:4-6? (See also 1 Peter 2:24 and Galatians 2:20.)

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

Salvation does not happen automatically.  We have to receive it by faith in Jesus.  We have to believe Jesus to be Saviour and Lord, and trust him to save us and to have full authority in our lives.  Salvation comes through our relationship with Jesus, which begins and ends with faith.  It is not enough to 'live a good life' or to 'be sincere'.  No religion or philosophy or way of life will lead to God, unless it leads us first to Jesus.  (See Acts 4:12.)

Salvation is past, present and future.
a) We have been saved.  Jesus has already done everything necessary for our salvation.
b) We are being saved.  In the present we are becoming increasingly victorious over sin.
c) We will be saved.  There will be a day when evil will be no more.  What rejoicing there will be!

Talk to the Lord about all these things now.
DAY 3: The gift of righteousness.

Read Romans 3:19-24.

The greatest need for every human being is to be righteous in God's sight.  A righteous person is one who always thinks, speaks and does what God wants, in relationship with him.  People may encourage us to believe we are all right, but that is not enough for us.  Even less sufficient is self-justification, self-righteousness.  The only thing that matters is to be acceptable to God.

What is the problem (v.23)? ________________________

_____________________________________________

What is the solution (v.24)?_________________________

_____________________________________________

Note that the solution is not to live a good life (v.20).  The only way we can be 'justified' - righteous in God's sight - is for God himself to say, 'You are not guilty of any sin.  As far as I am concerned, you are perfectly righteous and acceptable.'

To whom does God say this (v.22)? ___________________

_____________________________________________

Note v.24: this justification is a free gift; it is not earned or deserved.  All of us have sinned, all are guilty, all deserve punishment.  But Christ has paid the price for us (see the beginning of v.25).  Now we are 'justified' - 'just-as-if-I'd never sinned'.  The punishment for our sins has been paid, and there is nothing left to pay.  God himself has taken away our guilt.  This is 'grace' - God's Riches At Christ's Expense.

All we have to do is to believe it and receive it!  It is so easy - yet it is impossible without God's Spirit!  (Ephesians 2:8)

DAY 4: United to Jesus.

Read Romans 6:1-12.  

When we believe in Jesus we are born again and start the Christian life.  Baptism marks this (though many today are born again long after or long before their baptism).  We are now united to Jesus.  This fact underlies the whole of Christian life.  In a marriage service the groom and bride say to each other, 'All that I am I give to you, all that I have I share with you.'  If one was poor and the other very rich, marriage would make them equally rich.  When we are united with Jesus, we give him all that we are and have - bad and good - and he gives us all the benefits he has won by his life, death, resurrection and ascension.  Is Jesus righteous?  So are we, if we are united to him.  Does Jesus have eternal life?  So do we.  Does Jesus have unlimited resources?  So do we.  Is Jesus the Son of God?  We too are now God's children.  Read Romans 8:15-17, and take to heart what God is saying to you.

We now have all the resources of Christ - but we do not experience it immediately.  We do not instantly become perfect: we have to learn to live in union with Christ.  God sees us as righteous, because we are united to Jesus.  He now works in our lives to set us free to live the way he designed us - a work which will continue for the rest of our lives.  Old habits of thought and action need to be replaced by new attitudes and habits.

What should be our attitude towards sin (Romans 6:6,11)?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

What should be our attitude towards God (Romans 6:11)?

_____________________________________________

DAY 5: Saved from the power of sin 1.

God's work in us has two aspects: there is a continuing fight against temptation and the old way of life, and there is a continuing growth of Christ-like character and activity.  

Read 1 Corinthians 10:13 and James 4:7.  What is God saying to you?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Now that we are united to Christ, we have the power to resist Satan's temptations.  God gives us spiritual armour (Ephesians 6:10-18) which we need to 'put on' - truth, righteousness, readiness to share the good news, faith, salvation, God's word, and prayer.  With all this armour, we can stand against any attack of the devil!  We wear it simply by making sure that all these things are important parts of our everyday lives.  Talk to your cell partner about how you can do this in practice.

Read Ephesians 4:22 - 5:1.

Now that we have a new life, we need deliberately to put off the old and to put on the new.  Usually we find that old habits and ways of thinking die naturally as we seek to follow Jesus - as we 'live by the Spirit' (Galatians 5:16) by being receptive to his teaching and ready to obey whatever he tells us.  If we have problems with indecent sexual thoughts, for example, it is not helpful to read pornographic magazines.  Rather, we refuse to go near them, and deliberately seek to avoid situations where we know we will be tempted.

What habits do you need to replace?  (You will find it helpful to talk about this with a Christian friend or advisor, who will ask you from time to time how you are getting on.)

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 3: OVERFLOWING GRACE (Week 2)

MEMORY VERSE

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23.

DAY 6: Saved from the power of sin 2.

Read Romans 6:11-23.

Many new Christians find that there are some sins which they do not seem to be able to root out of their lives.  A century ago these were called 'darling sins', recognising that often people do not want to give them up.  However, their presence in our lives gives Satan a stronghold, from which he can operate to spoil things for us.  What are your 'darling sins'?

What should you do?
	Ignore them, saying that you can't be perfect?
	Fight against them with all your will power?
	Do something else - but what?
	(Before reading on, think about these questions, and reasons for your answers.)

Romans 6 gives some helpful instructions.
1) Believe.  Believe that in union with Christ you are already dead to sin, and have already been set free from sin and made a 'slave of righteousness' (vs 11,14,18).
2) Don't.  Don't let sin reign, and don't offer the parts of your body to sin (vs 12,13).  We cannot sin unless we choose to, and involve parts of our bodies - minds, eyes, tongues, hands etc. either positively or negatively.  We see something that needs doing, and choose not to use our hands to help.  A negative thought about someone floats into our minds, and we choose to use our minds to think more about it.  We often choose without noticing what we are doing; but we are still making the choice.  If we choose sin, then we are letting sin reign - and it has no right to.
3) Give.  Offer the parts of your body to God, to serve him (vs 13,19).  That is only right and proper, for we have been brought from death to life (v 13) and have become slaves of righteousness (v 18).  We now belong to God; yet we need to make a deliberate choice to serve God, and offer ourselves, and each part of our bodies, to him once and for all.  
	Do this now, if you have not already done so.

DAY 7: Saved from the presence of sin.

Read 2 Peter 3:3-15.

Notice the following facts (the other verses give more details):

1) Jesus is coming again.  (See also Matthew 25:31, Acts 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:13 to 5:6.)  Jesus could come at any time.  The fact that he has not yet come has caused people to doubt or to laugh at this teaching (v 4); however, Jesus warned us to keep on the watch, however long it is (Luke 12:35-46).  (The day he comes is called 'the day of the Lord' in the Bible.)

2) When Jesus comes, this world order will end (vs 7,10).  All the world's evil and injustice will be ended, once and for all.

3) The day of the Lord is the day of judgement (v 7).  Jesus will judge the living and the dead (see Acts 10:42, Acts 17:31, 2 Thessalonians 6:6-10, Revelation 20:11-15).  Satan and all evil spirits will be dealt with, and sinners will receive their just deserts (Matthew 25:41.  This is hell.  Christians are divided about whether people in hell receive everlasting torment like the devil in Revelation 20:10, or whether they are annihilated - compare Revelation 14:9-12 with 2 Thessalonians 1:9).  Thus all evil and all goodness will receive its due reward, all injustices will be put right.  Christians don't have to fear judgement; our sins have already been paid for.  We have already been freed from the punishment of sin; we are free from the power of sin; when Jesus comes we will be freed for ever from the presence of sin.

4) There will be a new creation, where righteousness will be at home (v 13).

5) The delay in Jesus' coming gives time for people to repent (vs 9,15).  We are able to 'speed' the coming of the day of the Lord - presumably by spreading the gospel, giving people the opportunity to turn to Jesus.

DAY 8: The final victory.

Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17.

The Bible prophesies many events to do with the end of the world, and it is very difficult to work out exactly what it all means.  There are many attempts to find a timetable, but Christians continue to differ.  However, it is clear that there will be an increase of evil, with a remarkable figure as a focus.  

(This 'lawless one' may be the same as the 'antichrist' of 1 John 2:18; Revelation talks about 'beasts' and a 'false prophet' - see Revelation ch 13, & 19:19-21.  Jesus in Mark 13:22 talks about many false Christs and false prophets coming, performing miracles to deceive people.)

What does 2 Thessalonians 2 give for

a) warning? ____________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

b) encouragement? ______________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Read Revelation 17:14 (The 'Lamb' is Jesus), 1 Corinthians 15:22-26.  Jesus will win, every enemy will be defeated.  The final victory will come - indeed, the decisive victory has already been won, when Jesus shouted out, 'It is finished!' (John 19:30).  Satan has been beaten, but has not yet surrendered and will do all the damage he can.  But his end is sure.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:57-58, and make it into a prayer.

DAY 9: A New Destiny.

Read 1 Peter 1:3-9,13-19.

Christians have an eternal future - a living hope!  The word 'hope' in the Bible does not mean anything uncertain; it means a future that is certain, though at the moment unseen.

What in this passage emphasises the certainty of our future?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

The Bible tells us something of the new creation. What good things do the following verses encourage us to look forward to?

1 Thessalonians 4:17 _____________________________

1 John 3:2 _____________________________________

Ephesians 1: 9,10 _______________________________

Ephesians 2:6,7 _________________________________

Romans 8:18-21 ________________________________

Revelation 21:3,4 ________________________________

Our hope is not merely 'pie in the sky when you die'.  It is a major motivation for life here and now.  Look again at the passages in 1 Peter 1.  What practical effect do expect your hope to have in your life?

Thank God for what he has done, and pray for your life to reflect it.

DAY 10: Saved for Service.

Read 1 Peter 2:9,10, Ephesians 2:4-10.

Notice especially the last part of 1 Peter 2:9, Ephesians 2:7, and the middle part of Ephesians 2:10.  According to these verses, what has God saved you for?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

We know from Ephesians 1:10 that God's purpose is to to unify all creation under Jesus Christ, the God-Man.  Then everything will be in harmony within creation, and God's kingdom will have come in all its fullness and he will receive the glory that is his due.

Our purpose as human beings is to glorify God.  (Look how many times words like 'to the praise of his glory' occur in Ephesians 1.)  We are uniquely able to do so, since we are made 'in his image' - our human nature reflects something of the nature of God and is able to respond to God.  (Though spoiled by sin, the image of God is still discernible; it is perfectly restored in the resurrection nature.)  Moreover, we have experienced God's amazing grace - and that is not the end of the story: God is going to pour out even more blessings on us.

We can glorify God here and now, by being 'grace-bearers' - people who have received God's grace, and can invite others to experience the same.  At the same time we are living displays of God's grace: others can see the good things God has done for us, and they can see God's grace at work in us as they see the good things we do.  This will be true for all eternity; let it be true now.  Read Matthew 5:16 and pray it into practice.

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 4: A NEW RELATIONSHIP (Week 1)

MEMORY VERSE

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand.
John 10:27,28.

DAY 1: A Two-Way Relationship.

Read John 10:11-30.

Palestinian shepherds train their sheep to respond to the shepherd's voice, and to follow the shepherd as if he or she were the leader of the flock.  There is a bond between shepherd and sheep: the shepherd knows each sheep and responds to their needs, the sheep know and obey the shepherd.

In what ways is this a picture of our relationship with Jesus?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Notice that Jesus' sheep listen to his voice - they recognise and obey it.  There is two-way communication between us and him.  Not only do we speak to him; he speaks to us.

We can speak to Jesus, and to the Father and the Spirit.  (They are one, so to speak to any one person of the Trinity is to speak to the whole Trinity, that is, to God.)  God knows our thoughts, motives, everything.  Yet God wants us to communicate consciously, because he wants a personal relationship with us.  We will think more about this in a few days' time.

God communicates with us.  What verses in the passage show this?

_____________________________________________

How do we need to react?

_____________________________________________

DAY 2: How does God speak?

Read 2 Timothy 3:10-17.

Scripture is 'God-breathed' (other translations say 'inspired').  This means that what was written in the past, in the Bible, is God's message for us today.  God is able to speak to us in the present, through words written centuries ago.  If we want to listen to God, we have to read the Bible. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible to speak to our hearts.

What is the use of reading the Scriptures (vs 16,17)?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Read John 1:14,18.
Jesus is the Word of God, the full and final revelation of God.  Words, messages etc. cannot show us as much about God as Jesus can.  It is helpful to see that the truths about Jesus' character that we learn about in the gospels are equally true of God, and the truths about God's character we learn in the rest of the Bible are equally true of Jesus. Remember that God is seeking to build our relationship; the most important thing in listening to him is to get to know him and his ways.

God may also speaks to us in other ways: giving an intuition about something, putting thoughts in our minds, giving dreams, visions or pictures, even messages which seem as if someone is speaking us.  His Spirit is in us, communicating with our spirits (Romans 8:16).  He also speaks through other people.  However, he will never go against the Bible he inspired, and so we need always to check any message we have received against the Bible,to make sure it comes from God.  If it does, we need to listen, however it has come to us.

DAY 3: Listening to God 1.

Read 2 Peter 3:14-18.

Some people obviously found Paul's letters hard to understand!  How can we read the Bible and understand it?  You may sometimes find it helpful to think prayerfully about these questions when you are studying a passage:

1. What does the writer mean?
The Bible was written to help people get to know God.  It is not full of secret meanings, which only a few people can understand.  Look for the most natural and obvious meaning of the words.  Take into account, however, the different styles of writing.  The passage may be history, or letters, in which the meaning is plain.  It may be a story, told to make a point (such as Jesus' parables).  It may be picture language, using lots of symbols (compare Joel 2:28-32 with its fulfilment in Acts 2:1-21).  It may be poetic language.

2. What did it mean to those who were there at the time?
Try to imagine what it meant to the first readers.  Ask yourself what the writer is trying to teach them.

3. How does this passage fit in with the Bible as a whole?
The Holy Spirit inspired all Scripture, and so each passage fits in with the rest.  Look at the verses around each passage, and see how the passage relates to the rest of the book.  Try to find a meaning that fits with the rest of the Bible.  (e.g. Galatians 2:16 and James 1:24 seem to be contradictory, yet both are true: the writers are looking at the same truth (the truth of Galatians 5:6) from different points of view, in order to put right different problems.)

4. What does this passage mean to us today?
Our situations, customs etc. are different from those of the Bible.  How does the underlying message apply to us?

5. What is God saying to me now? (See tomorrow!)

DAY 4: Listening to God 2.

Yesterday we began to look at how to understand the Bible.  However, Understanding what a passage meant to the writer, to his readers, and to people today is not enough.  We need to listen to what God is saying to me now, by his Spirit.  Our reading therefore needs to be prayerful.  If you want to listen to God speaking through the Bible:

Pray. Ask God to help you to listen to him.

Read. Expect God to speak.  You may find Bible notes or books help you to understand a passage better - but don't read the notes instead of the Bible.

Ask. Ask God what he is saying to you.  Think:
Is it about himself (Father, Son or Holy Spirit)?
Is it about myself?
Is he telling me to do something?
Is he warning me not to do something?
The Holy Spirit will answer you.  Listen to him.

Pray. Praise God for what you have heard.  Ask him to work in you so that you will live according to his Word.  Trust the Holy Spirit to change you - do not trust your own power to obey.

Now read John 5:33-40, using the above suggestions.  You may like to write down any thoughts or inspiration here.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

SPECIAL NOTE: If you don't know what the Bible says, make sure you do some course which will help you to cover the whole Bible and discover its teaching.  (Your cell leader will help you find something suitable.)  But do not do this as a substitute for listening to God.
DAY 5: Listening to God 3.

Read Matthew 6:5-8.

In order to develop a relationship with someone, we need to give that person quality time, and we need to do some quality listening.  It is the same with God.  Our 'inner room' may not be a special place (though that helps); it is anywhere we can be alone with God, and able to listen to him.

How you spend that time depends on you. It is helpful to use part of it to listen to God speaking through the Bible, as we have seen in the past few days.  You will also want to spend time communicating your own responses, feelings and concerns.  Some people like to use a structure like ACTS - Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication (or asking) - or following the structure of the Lord's Prayer.  (The Alpha course explained this in detail; ask other cell group members if you don't know or don't remember what was said.)  Whatever structure you use, you will want to spend time in worship, praise and thanksgiving (Ephesians 5:19,20, Colossians 3:16,17) and in intercession for others (don't forget your brothers and sisters in Christ, nor yourself - remember, asking is an expression of faith, and an integral part of our relationship with God).

However you spend the time, give enough time to listen to God.  It is recommended that you keep a diary in which you record the thoughts that come to your mind, some of which will be from God; later you can review them prayerfully.  You will find that you will soon be able to discern which are from God.

How much quality time do you spend daily with God?

How much time do you want to spend?

What will you do to make it happen?

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 4: A NEW RELATIONSHIP (Week 2)

MEMORY VERSE
Now this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
John 17:3.
DAY 6: What does God say? 1.

Last time we thought about the need to spend quality time with God, to help us develop our relationship with him.  We thought about the need to have an 'inner room' where we can be alone with God.

In your inner room, read John 14:1-14.

Notice that Jesus is doing a number of things in his conversation.  Can you find words of comfort for his disciples?  Words of rebuke?  Words that will encourage and strengthen them?  Instructions or guidance?

God says the same sort of things to us. We can expect him to say anything!  What he says to us may be relevant to our present situation, or to the future.  He may give us some insight into the past.  He may give us an insight into situations we are not directly involved with - such as a message for someone else.  In that case we need to ask him what he wants us to do with the information.

Write down here anything you think God may be saying to you through this passage, if you have not yet got a diary for your inner room. (If you have one, use it!)

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

You may want to talk over some of the things you have written with your cell partner, or with a Christian leader.  Don't be shy to ask!

DAY 7: What does God say? 2.

Read Acts 17:24-28, John 1:14,18 and John 17:1-8.

More important than any 'messages' from God, is revelation from God.  He is concerned above everything else to build your relationship with him, and that involves helping you to get to know him better.  He wants you to know him personally, truly, deeply.  That means that we have to spend time simply thinking about him.

'Actions speak louder than words.'  God reveals his character to us chiefly through his actions.  He has acted in history.  The historical parts of the Bible are there to help us get to know God.  Especially is this true of Jesus: God reveals himself most fully through the words and actions of Jesus, as we saw last week.  Jesus' actions in becoming a human being, and then giving himself up to death by crucifixion for us, reveals the love of God more fully than anything else.  The character of God shown in Jesus is the same character throughout the Bible - God does not change - and is the same character today.  We need to trust that revelation, and interpret all events (both historical and in the present day) in that light.  (We will never in this life understand everything that's going on - why God does this and allows that; one day we will know, and either our faith will be vindicated or our doubts put to shame!  Be a believer, not a doubter!)

God also reveals himself to us in the present.  The comfort he gives us, the promises, the rebukes and challenges, all show us what God is like.  The way he gives us food and clothing, and everything for life, shows us his love.  We need to learn increasingly not only to look at the good gifts God gives us, but to look beyond, to the heart of the Giver.

When you hear God's word in Scripture or in spirit, let that word help you to know God better.

DAY 8: What is God saying?

Read Acts 17:10-15, 1 Corinthians 14:29 and 1 John 4:1-3.

Some people say that Christians should accept what they are told by preachers, prophets and other spiritual folk, without question.  What do the passages we've just read tell us to do?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Notice why the Bereans are said to be of noble character (v.11).  The Bible does not encourage anyone to accept the gospel without checking to see whether it is true - whether it is in agreement with the Scriptures.  (The Bereans would only have had the Old Testament to read, for the New Testament had not then been written.)  Nor should we accept further teaching, from prophets or whoever, without weighing it to see whether it is true.  Again, the only test is whether it is in agreement with what God has already revealed in the Scriptures.

We are taking it for granted that the Bible is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16).  Most of the problems people have with the Bible can be resolved using the method of Bible Study we outlined last week.  (If you have particular problems with a specific passage, ask another Christian about it.)  It is not sufficient simply to use our powers of reasoning about a truth; many people reject the truth simply because they do not like it, or because it does not make sense to them - see 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.

The more we know the Bible, the better we can judge whether a teaching is true or not.  If you want to know it better, there are courses which can help, as we said the other day.  Ask!  But don't use the course as a substitute for listening.

DAY 9: Conversing with God 1.

Read Luke 11:2-13.

How you spend the time in your 'inner room' is up to you. It is helpful to use part of it to listen to God speaking through the Bible, as we have seen in the past few days.  You will also want to spend time communicating your own responses, feelings and concerns to God.  What is God saying to you in the passage you have just read?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Notice that the Lord's Prayer is not a rigid form of words (compare Matthew 6:9-13).  But it is a useful framework for our praying, as Nicky Gumble teaches in the Alpha course.  (Discuss this with your cell partner if you do not know, or cannot remember, what is taught in the Alpha course.)  Others like to use a structure like ACTS:
A: Adoration.  Spend time loving God, and praising him.
C: Confession.  Let God's light shine on the dark parts of your life.
T: Thanksgiving.  Thank God for the good things he has given you.  Thank him for people, and for what he is doing for them.  Thank him even for your circumstances and the opportunity for you to live for him in them (Ephesians 5:19,20, Colossians 3:16,17).
S: Supplication (Asking).  Ask God to help those on your hearts (don't forget your brothers and sisters in Christ) and for yourself (don't miss yourself out).  Use Luke 11:5-12 to encourage you, and prayers such as Ephesians 3:14-21 as a pattern sometimes!
You do not have to use any structure - but it may help!

DAY 10: Conversing with God 2.

Read Nehemiah 2:1-6.

Nehemiah was the wine steward to the King of Persia in about 445 BC.  It was a very privileged position, for the wine steward had to be absolutely trustworthy to guard against poisoning.  142 years earlier the Israelites had been taken into exile and Jerusalem and the temple destroyed.  The Israelites had been allowed to return after about 70 years in exile, but only a few had gone back and many were living outside Palestine.  The temple had been rebuilt, but the walls were still ruined.  Nehemiah had heard about it, and that is why he was so downcast in these verses.

How do you imagine he prayed in verse 4?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

We have thought about listening to God and responding to him in the 'inner room'.  However, God is always with us, and we can converse with him any time, anywhere.  Nehemiah had no time to withdraw to an inner room - his prayer must have been swift and silent, perhaps while pouring out the wine!

Our relationship with God thrives not only on the quality time we spend with him, but also on the way we live our daily lives with him.

Think about a day in your life.  When is Jesus with you?

_____________________________________________

Think about the different ways you can listen to him and/or speak to him in each part of your day.

 CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 4: A NEW RELATIONSHIP (Week 3)

MEMORY VERSES:

Again, I tell you that if two of you agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
Matthew 18:19,20.

DAY 11: The battle of prayer.

Read Luke 11:5-13 again, and Luke 18:1-8.

Luke 11:9-13 contains important promises and reassurances.  Nevertheless the lesson of vs 5-8 has to be learnt, and is repeated in Luke 18:1-8.  What is Jesus teaching us in these two stories?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

When we are asking God for something, it can feel like a battle.  That is because it is a battle: Satan and his forces do not want us to receive the things we are asking for.  We do not understand how the battle is fought; all we know is that we are called to keep on praying until it is won and we have received the answer to our prayer.  This is true whether we are asking for our own needs, or for other people's.

We will keep on asking only if a) we really want what we're asking for and b) we believe God will answer us.  Jesus encourages us to have faith that God has heard and has already sent the answer on its way, even though we haven't seen it yet (Mark 11:22-25).  Part of the battle is a fight for that kind of faith.  God promises to answer us when:
- we are right with God (Mark 11:25, Psalm 66:18, 1 Peter 3:7);
- we are asking for what God wants to give us (1 John 5:14. This means we have to listen to what God may say to us);
- we pray in the name of Jesus, ie knowing that we are speaking to the Father as Jesus' representatives on earth, and are acting with Jesus' authority and in accordance with his will (John 16:23,24);
- we pray in faith (James 1:7,8).  This is not really something we can work up; it is a result of an inner sense that God wants us to receive it, and has said, 'Yes'.
We keep praying until all these conditions are true!

DAY 12: Praying into the Kingdom.

Read 1 Timothy 2:1-7, 2 Peter 3:9, Luke 5:27-32, Luke 19:10.

What teaching do these passages have in common?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Remember the memory verse from Week 1 of this Section? (John 3:16).  We see in it the heart of God: his love for the world, his desire that no-one perish, his giving of his Son so that through faith in him people may receive eternal life.  What a sacrifice, what a rescue!

How many people is God happy to see perish?
Do you believe that one of God's priorities is for people to have the opportunity to believe in Jesus?
Do you believe that sharing the good news of Jesus should be a priority for Christians?

It is vitally important for Christians to share the good news of Jesus.  But first things first: before we speak to people about God we must speak to God about people.  Read 2 Corinthians 4:4.  If people are spiritually blind, what needs to happen, and who can do it?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Only God can open people's spiritual eyes, and he wants us to join in the battle against the 'god of this age' (Satan) by praying for him to do so.  It will be a battle; Satan will not give in lightly.  So we need to pray specifically for one or two friends, and to go on praying until God has opened their eyes.  See the ideas on the back page!

DAY 13: Praying together.

Read Matthew 18:19,20 and Acts 12:1-19.

Christians are not meant to be isolated individuals. We were born into a family, as we saw in the first Section.  We are members of the body of Christ, as Paul says in Romans 12 and in 1 Corinthians 12, and we need each other.  We are in a battle against Satan, and battles can only be won by armies, not by isolated individuals.

We may not fully understand why it is that God wants us to pray in groups, not just as individuals.  But the fact is that God wants us to do both, and that in some way group prayer seems to be more effective than individual prayer.  So effective was the church's praying in Acts 12 that they were taken by surprise when it was answered!

There are many different ways of praying in groups.  The important thing is that the group is united in prayer: they agree about what they are praying, and the whole group is praying.  If one person is speaking a prayer aloud, the other members need to be praying in their hearts alongside - not merely listening, nor being critical, nor thinking about something totally different (though sometimes the Lord speaks to us while someone is praying and we need to listen to him).  We voice our agreement by saying, 'Amen'.  In your cell group you may pray in several different ways; use each way to the full.

In many groups there is 'open prayer', when the members are expected to pray 'as the Spirit leads'.  Most of those who now seem to pray so fluently can remember the time when they first started - the ages spent rehearsing a short prayer in one's head, only to hear someone else get in first, praying for the same thing!  It isn't such a big deal as we think at the time!  If you want God to do something, ask him to do it, and don't worry about whether the words come out right or not - God will understand.  Don't think about what others will think: they should be praying, not criticising!  

DAY 14: Prayer ministry.

Read James 5:13-18, Ephesians 6:18,19, Colossians 4:12,13.

We need each others' prayers.  Jesus wanted his disciples to watch and pray in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42).  Paul needed the Ephesians' prayers, Epaphras worked hard in prayer for the Colossians, James expects all Christians to ask the elders to pray for them when ill.

Be prepared to pray for individuals.  Often your praying will be without the person present.  We see examples of such prayers in Ephesians 1:15-19, 3:14-19, and Colossians 1:9-12.  These prayers of Paul are not concerned with the individual's circumstances - news travelled so slowly that circumstances would have changed by the time the news arrived.  What needs does Paul pray for instead?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Let Paul's prayers inspire your own!

Sometimes you may find yourself wanting to pray for someone when they are with you.  Don't be afraid to offer to do so - it is often gratefully accepted.  Before you pray, listen carefully to what the person is saying, and at the same time be open to anything the Spirit may say.  Then ask God to do for them whatever it is that you feel you should ask for.  Ask simply and sincerely, and not for any show.  Leave the results in God's hands.

If you need prayer, ask for it in accordance with James's instructions.

DAY 15: Praise God!

Prayer and praising should be inseparable!  Paul's letters are full of both praise (focusing on God's nature and character) and thanksgiving (focusing on what he has done for us).  Read Colossians 1:3,9-12 and 3:15-17, remembering that Paul is writing from prison.  Why do you think thanksgiving and praise is so important?  Think about that for a minute, and write your thoughts here.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Compare your thoughts with the following:
1) Praise and thanksgiving focus our attention on God, not ourselves, which helps us to live more God-centred lives.
2) Praise and thanksgiving honour God.
3) It reminds us of God's power and goodness, and strengthens our faith.
4) It kindles our love for God, and builds up our relationship with him.
5) It means we count our blessings, and makes us more joyful people.
6) It is only polite to say 'Thankyou' for gifts we receive.
7) It encourages us to go on praying, when we remember who God is and what he has done.

Sometimes praise and thanksgiving are the last things we feel like doing.  Yet those are the very times when it means the most - we say it because we believe it rather than we feel it.  This is the 'sacrifice of praise' - and all sacrifices are costly.

Spend a few minutes in praise and thanksgiving to God now.

PRAYING FOR NON CHRISTIAN FRIENDS

One suggestion for praying is as follows:

Use one page of your 'inner room' diary per person.  Draw on the page a margin on each side.  Write on the top line the name of the relative or friend you are praying for.

Think and pray about the person.  Write on the page (in the centre part) a list of situations in his or her life that you need to pray for.  This will include aspects of the person's life that Satan seems to control: ways in which he or she is deceived or falls into temptation or rejects what is good.  These are strongholds that Satan has; pray every day that the Lord will set the person free from each one.  Write in the left hand margin the day you begin to pray, and in the right hand margin the day you know the prayer is answered.

Add to the page as you need to.  You may notice other things that Satan is doing in that person's life; pray against his work.  Note down specific needs to pray for.

Ask the Lord to tell you how you can show that person the love of Jesus.  You are looking for openings not to say anything, but to serve.  The time may come when the Lord gives you openings to share the good news; but look first for opportunities simply to love.  As the Lord shows you what to look for, write it down on the page as an item for prayer.

Keep on praying until the battle against Satan is won, and the person is growing as a Christian.

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 5: DAILY LIFE (Week 1)

MEMORY VERSE:

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself.  I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:18.

DAY 1: Love your neighbour 1.

Read Romans 13:8-10 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

The law is concerned with protecting people, so that all can live in peace.  Love fulfils the law, because it does no harm to one's neighbour, as the Romans passage says.  However, love is more than 'not doing anyone any harm', as the Corinthians passage makes clear.

Re-write the passage from 1 Corinthians, putting your name in the blank spaces:

____________ is patient, ____________ is kind. 

____________ does not envy, does not boast, is not proud.  

____________ is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not easily 

angered, keeps no record of wrongs.  ____________ does 

not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  ____________ 

always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always 

perseveres.

What does that feel like when you read it again?  Don't be daunted; the Holy Spirit is working in you to produce this kind of love.  You have been born again; the seed of the Christ-like life is growing in you.  You are united to Jesus, dead to sin and alive to God (Romans 6:11).

Christian love is not a feeling.  It is an attitude, and involves your will and your activity.  It involves putting the other person first: thinking yourself into their shoes, honouring them as people made by God and loved by him, then acting as God's agents in seeking their welfare.  Begin now, with those nearest to you!

DAY 2: Love your neighbour 2.

Read Mark 12:28-34.

We are commanded, 'Love your neighbour as yourself'.  For many of us, there is a problem in the second half: how can I love myself?  There are two good answers to that question.

1) The first is found in Ephesians 5:28-30, a passage addressed to husbands.  How is love for oneself described in verse 29?

_____________________________________________

We physically look after ourselves.  Even many people's self-dislike involves a desire to be better; they dislike themselves because they do not come up to the standard they want for themselves.  Many of those who say they do not love themselves still take a lot of trouble to try to improve themselves.  We seek our own welfare!  If we are to love our neighbour as ourselves, that means simply doing the same for them, in whatever way is appropriate for them.

2) The second is found in 2 Corinthians 5:17.  See yourself as you really are, a new creation!  Remember the story of the ugly duckling, who thought so badly of himself because he wasn't as other ducklings were?  He only changed his mind when he realised he was a beautiful swan and not a duckling at all!  Likewise you are a new creation, you have a 'new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator' (Colossians 3:10).  You are a temple of the Holy Spirit, who thinks enough of you actually to live in you!  Love your new self, not the old!  And when you look at you neighbours, see them as people created by God and precious to him, who are or could be new creations reflecting the glory of the Lord.

Reread the last paragraph of yesterday's notes.

DAY 3: Love your enemies.

Read Matthew 5:43-48.

What reasons does Jesus give for loving our enemies?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Note that when God loves the unrighteous, he does not accept the evil they do. He can love them even while they are 'dead in their transgressions and sins', 'objects of wrath' (Ephesians 2:1-3).  The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), even though God loves the sinner and continues to do good to them (Matthew 5:45).

When we love our enemies, we likewise are not expected to like the evil they do.  As the old saying goes, we 'love the sinner but hate the sin'.

How do we love our enemies?  The answer: in exactly the same way as we love our neighbours - see the notes for yesterday and the day before.  However, the Bible adds two very important things:
1) Do not seek to avenge any evil done to you (Romans 12:14,17-21).
2) Forgive.  Matthew 18:21-35 is very forceful, and agrees with Jesus' teaching in the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:12,14,15).  When we forgive we simply decide not to hold a person's sins against them.  We will not seek repayment or revenge, nor will we count those sins against them in the future.  We will not stop speaking to them, or turn others against them.  We may have to guard against putting temptation in their way perhaps, but that is wisdom, not a sign of unforgiveness.  Forgiveness means that we bear the pain ourselves; but in so doing we follow Jesus.

DAY 4: Love the lost 1.

Read Luke 15:1-7.

What does this passage teach you about Jesus' attitude to non-Christians today?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

How does that compare with your attitude?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Notice v 1: Jesus attracted the 'lowest' members of society, those whom religious people avoided.  One reason for this was his obvious love for them; yet his love did not compromise his message of the previous verses (see Luke 14:26,27), and the joy in heaven is over sinners who turn from their sin (v 7).

Jesus combined an unconditional love for sinners with an unquenchable desire for their salvation.  He loved them, whether or not they responded to him - his compassion and healings did not depend on what sort of person was in front of him.  He loved them enough to die for them, so that all who believe in him may not perish but have eternal life.

Our love for others needs to be unconditional, also.  If we will only love people who will change and fit in with our ideas, we are not following Jesus.  We need truly to love our neighbour as ourselves, even to love our enemy, without making conditions.  If we love them, we will earnestly desire their salvation.  How could we do otherwise?

DAY 5: Love the lost 2.

Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-18.

Are you praying daily for one or two friends or relatives who are not yet Christians?  If you are trying to do so, you will by now be aware that it is a battle.  It's a battle to remember to pray for them, and once you start, it's a battle to concentrate.  The reason is simple: the enemy does not want to give up his captives.  His one aim is to spoil things for God.  Even though he knows he is defeated and that Christ is stronger than he, he hates God so much that he will do anything against him.  The easiest target are human beings.  Having successfully engineered humanity's fall into his clutches, he is not going to let people escape his control without a struggle.

The devil is stronger than we are; yet God is with us, and we are united to Jesus who has defeated the devil, so we do not need to fear, only to be alert (1 Peter 5:8-11).  We are bound to be on the receiving end of the devil's attacks, since we are on the side of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus has commissioned us to go and make disciples.  Satan will do anything to stop God's people obeying Jesus' commission.

In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul shares his experiences of suffering.  What motivated him to carry on?  (See especially vs 6,13-15,17.)
_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Notice that Paul did not try to beat the devil at his own game.  Satan works by deception (John 8:44).  In what ways could Paul's methods (v 2) be an example to us?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 5: DAILY LIFE (Week 2)

MEMORY VERSES:

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:18-20

DAY 6: Love the lost 3.

Read John 3:1-15, 7:45-52, 19:38-42.

When Nicodemus first came to Jesus, he was not a disciple.  After Jesus' crucifixion he was prepared to stick his neck out and be associated with him; it is fair to assume that by then he really was a disciple.  For him, becoming a disciple was a process, not a dramatic 'Damascus Road' experience.

Very few people - if any - go from complete unbelief to committed discipleship in one leap.  The journey to Christian maturity from complete unbelief usually takes several years.  People with no awareness of Christianity may become aware of its existence, and then find out something about the good news; they may then learn the basics about Christianity, and feel positive about it.  They then see that it applies to them, and that they need it; they then decide for or against receiving Christ.  If they decide for Jesus and receive him they need to evaluate that decision and affirm it; they need to become members of a local fellowship, and grow in their faith and and in their love for God, one another, and their neighbours, and bear witness themselves to God's work in their lives.  Obviously not everyone takes all these steps at the same rate; they may get stuck for a long time at one or every stage, or may move very quickly over all of them.

If we want to help people on their journey, we need to be sensitive to where they are.  Those at the beginning do not want to be asked to make a decision about accepting Christ; they need to know that God is good and Christians are OK.  Those further on need to know more about Christianity; they need to have opportunities to learn more without being forced into a corner.  When they are ready, they do need to be given the opportunity to choose Jesus - and then be built into a local fellowship.  All this is part of the process of making disciples.  Do not expect to be able to help people at every stage of their spiritual journey; but do expect to be involved at some stage.  You, too, are called to 'make disciples'.   Pray about it!

DAY 7: Work for God.

Read Ephesians 6:5-8 and Colossians 3:22-25.

What is your occupation (mother/teacher/manager etc.)?

_____________________________________________

According to these verses, who is the one you really are working for?

_____________________________________________

According to these verses, what attitude should you have towards your work?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

According to these verses, what will your reward be?

_____________________________________________

According to you, what difference would it make to your work if you put all this into practice?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Make up a prayer that you can use during the day to help you remember these truths.  Write it down here if you like.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 8: Seek Justice.

Read Leviticus 19:9-15,33-36 and Isaiah 1:15-26.

It is difficult to read the Old Testament without being impressed by God's love for justice and his concern for the poor and the oppressed.  The laws in the first books of the Old Testament reflect that concern, and the prophecies in the second half are full of condemnation for those who misuse their power to oppress the poor.

Where in the world do you see injustice and oppression today?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Did you note any examples close to home?  It is tempting to see that issues of poverty or injustice are impossible for us as individuals to do anything about.  There is a cartoon strip showing one person praying, 'What can one person do?'  The next frame shows the whole world, and thousands of individuals all praying 'What can one person do?'  One solitary individual can do nothing; but many individuals can achieve remarkable results, especially if they are acting together.  If that is so, what excuse have we to do nothing?

Look at your list above.  What does God want you to do about those issues?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 9: Seek Mercy.

Read Matthew 5:7, 12:1-8 and 18:21-35.

Mercy is compassion shown to a person in need who has no claim to favourable treatment. Justice would treat people as they deserve; mercy goes beyond justice, and treats them better than they deserve.  The Pharisees in Matthew 12:2 and the servant in Matthew 18:30 were concerned with the letter of the law.  However, the law was given to protect and to help those in need, and should never be used to hurt and oppress.  

Why do you think mercy was appropriate in Matthew 12?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Jesus reminds the Pharisees of Old Testament instances when the letter of the law was broken to enable greater needs to be met.  This is not the same as breaking the law when we feel like it!  The all-important things are God's desires (Matthew 12:7) and God's example (Matthew 18:32,33 - see Luke 6:36).

Mercy is most important in personal relationships.  Justice has to be done in the courts; a judge who is lenient is not fulfilling God's will except in special circumstances.  But in personal dealings we are called to act mercifully.  Indeed, those who act without mercy will be treated in the same way by God (James 2:13).

What opportunities may you have to show mercy?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 10: Seek Peace.

Read Matthew 5:9.
To be peace-makers we need ourselves to be in peace.  Peace is more than the absence of strife; it is the presence of harmony, which extends to all our relationships and depends primarily on our relationship with God.  The source of our peace is Jesus himself (John 14:27; see Philippians 4:6,7 for the practical outworking).

Read Ephesians 2:11-18.
Jews regarded Gentiles (non-Jews) as beneath contempt; verse 12 accurately depicts not only their spiritual problem but also the vast gulf between them and the Jews.  How has this division been healed?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Jesus was the ultimate peace-maker.  Those at peace with God cannot but be at peace with each other.  (Does this apply to Northern Ireland?)  See what it cost Christ to make peace.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21.
What is the message of reconciliation?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Who is responsible for spreading that message?

_____________________________________________

We who are reconciled to God need to bring his reconciliation to others.  Our lives must match our message: if we have his peace, it will infect all our relationships.  How can you put into practice Romans 12:18 and Romans 14:19?

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 6: LIVING WITH GOD (Week 1)

MEMORY VERSE:

Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.  My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."
John 14:23

DAY 1: God is...1.

For the next few weeks we will be thinking about our daily life with God.  The kind of relationship we have with a person depends not only on the sort of people we are but also on what that person is like.  We will be getting to know God better throughout our Christian lives.

Read Isaiah 40:9-31.

What does this passage reveal about God's nature and character?  Make a list:

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Now read Matthew 5:44,45 and 10:29-31.  What do these verses reveal about God's nature and character?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Look back on what you have written.  Spend some time thinking about it, and then talk to your heavenly Father.  Praise him!
DAY 2: God is...2.

Read John 1:1-18 and John 14:9.

Think about verse 18 in the light of John 14:9.  If God is invisible, how can we know him?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Many people think that Jesus is completely different in character from God the Father.  They say that the Old Testament reveals God to be a severe judge, ready to punish the smallest sin, whereas the New Testament shows Jesus to be kind and gentle, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners.  However, they are completely wrong.  These verses teach us that Jesus shows us what God is like.  Indeed, throughout John's gospel Jesus emphasises that he only does and says what the Father tells him to.  If you want to know what God the Father is like, look at Jesus.

When you read the Bible, keep in mind that God's character is best seen in Jesus.  When you read about God's anger, or about some severe punishment he is dealing out, remember that the God who does this is the God of love, the same loving heavenly Father that Jesus taught us about.  (Remember also that some of the sharpest words in the Bible come from the lips of Jesus - see Matthew 23:33 for example, directed towards the most religious people!)

What aspects of God's character do you find it easiest to appreciate, and which the most difficult?

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

As you grow spiritually, you will love God for all he is.

DAY 3: Living with God 1.

Read Matthew 28:20b and Hebrews 13:5b.
To whom are these promises given?

_____________________________________________

Think of circumstances when you have felt or might feel that God has deserted you.  Which do you believe - your feelings or God's promise?  (Romans 8:35-39 lists more circumstances to consider - and Paul's answer.)

_____________________________________________

When you were born again, God began the work of recreation, beginning with your innermost being.  At the same time the Holy Spirit came to live in you - and with him came the Father and the Son (see Romans 8:9 and John 14:23).  Your body is a temple of God! (1 Corinthians 6:19.)  Remember, this is only possible because you are united to Jesus by faith, your sins have been dealt with on the cross and you have the righteousness of Christ.

God is with you every single moment of every day - whether you feel his presence or not, whether you believe he is with you or not.  It's a fact of Christian life!  The other side of the coin is that you are in the presence of God every single moment.  If you go through life unaware of his presence, you miss out on the greatest thing life has to offer, and your relationship with him is a shadow of what it should be.  It is normal for Christians to be aware of God with them, even though most of the time they are not thinking of him or talking to him, just as we can be aware of the presence of another person in the same room. Seek to develop the sense of God's presence.  Christians have found the following helpful:
a) stop at set times in the day to pray or worship; b) talk to God about what you are doing at various times in the day; c) use objects to remind you of God; d) discipline yourself to be alert for God's voice - to be 'on call' - all the time.

DAY 4: Living with God 2.

Read John 14:15-21.

Why do you think Jesus connects love so closely to obedience?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Jesus doesn't say, 'If you fear me, you will obey what I command' - our obedience is based on love, not fear.  Nor does he say, 'If you love me, you will feel free to ignore my commands' - our close relationship is no excuse for taking his love for granted.  We love him for who he is and what he has done; we obey because we love who he is - the Son of God, our Lord and our Saviour.  We love him as our Lord, knowing that his commands and directions are all given in love.  We obey him who is our Saviour, as a person being rescued from danger will obey the emergency service crew.  Both our love and obedience depend on our faith: we believe he is who he claims to be.

Our relationship with God - our fullness of life - depends on faith, love and obedience.  John said, 'We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands... if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly complete in him' (1 John 2:3,5).  Paul's purpose was to call people to 'the obedience that comes from faith' (Romans 1:5).

We need therefore to listen to God, and to do what he says (James 1:22).  Love does not close her ears to God's voice, nor does she pick and choose what commands to obey.

Pray about this, and show your love for him by committing yourself to obey everything he commands.  He is the Lord.

DAY 5: Freedom from legalism.

Read Galatians 5:13-26 and Romans 8:1-11.

Both these passages teach the same truths, which are vital for us to learn.  Christians do not live under 'law', a set of rules.  Many people say, 'I want to follow Jesus; just tell me what to do.'  They look for the commands of God and then set themselves to obey them.  The problem with that is not that the commands are no good - they come from God!  The problem is with us: our human nature is not able to match God's requirements.  If we 'do our best', we are using our own power to try and obey God.  That will never work, for our own power is 'sinful human nature' (Romans 8:6-8 - the Greek word for 'sinful human nature' is literally 'flesh').

Another problem with rules is that if we break them we must expect punishment.  That is why the law is called 'the law of sin and death'.  However, Christians have been set free from all that: we are united to Jesus, who has died and is alive as the first of the new creation, where the old law does not apply.  We do not rely on keeping the law to be acceptable to God.  We rely on Jesus.  'There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus' (Romans 8:1).

We now live under a different system - the system of the Holy Spirit.  We are free from condemnation, which means we are free to enjoy the presence and love of God.  The Holy Spirit lives in us - God himself.  We don't need the rule book, when we are with the game's inventor.  We now rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us and teach us what to do - looking to the Bible only to tune our ears to his voice and to check that we've been listening properly.  We live according to the Spirit, we 'walk with him'.  This is a living relationship, with a real living Person, not with a book or a set of rules.

The result is that we learn to live God's way, and the fruit of the Spirit grows in us.  Try to do it in your own strength, and the result will be disastrous.

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 6: LIVING WITH GOD (Week 2)

MEMORY VERSE

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10.

DAY 6: Freedom from strongholds.

Read 2 Corinthians 10:4.

A stronghold was a fortified place, which could be used as a place of safety or a base for mounting attacks.  Spiritually, it is an area of our inner lives - our minds, emotions or wills - that Satan has power to control.  His aim is to prevent God's purposes from being fulfilled in our lives.  He may be able to fill our minds with doubts or scepticism, or our emotions with fear, bitterness or sinful desires, in a way that we seem powerless to resist.  These are strongholds.  They are there because of some problem in the past - a particular sin, or hurt, or curse.  But they do not need to stay there: these strongholds can be demolished.

Read Ephesians 4:17-24.

The problems of the past affect the the way we act and react today.  But they do not have to.  They are all part of the 'old self'.  How does Paul describe the old self (v 22)?

_____________________________________________

We are to 'put off' the old self, and 'put on' the new.  How does Paul describe the new self (v 24)?

_____________________________________________

We do not 'put off' and 'put on' once and for all.  It is a constant activity, as the Spirit reveals to us more about our old self, and more about our Christ-like new self.  As you spend time in your 'inner room':
1) Recognise Satan's strongholds in your life, as the Holy Spirit reveals them.
2) In prayer, seek the root cause.
3) Seek from God the forgiveness, healing or deliverance that is needed. (You may want a trusted friend to help.)
4) Believe God's word, and live according to your new self.

DAY 7: Forsaking all others.

Read Genesis 2:24, 1 Corinthians 6:15-17, Luke 14:25-27.

Our relationships with other people are so important that it is vital to make sure they are healthy.  Genesis 2:24 speaks of the healthy bonding between husband and wife - but note that there must be a 'leaving' before there is a 'uniting'.  1 Corinthians 6:15-17 tells of unhealthy bonding; and Luke 14:25-27 shows that the health of our relationship with Jesus must take precedence over all other relationships.

Unhealthy bonding is a spiritual tie between two people (often called a 'soul tie'), due to an emotional or physical involvement with each other which:
a) interferes with their relationship with God, or 
b) allows a closeness or intimacy that should belong only to marriage.  
The relationship may be between parent and child, friends, boyfriend and girlfriend, brother and sister - any good relationship may become unhealthy for one of the two reasons above.  The relationship may not even be remembered.  But the tie has become a stronghold through which Satan works.

If such a tie has been created, note that there is sin involved (look again at a) and b) above), and that there is a spiritual union involved (see 1 Corinthians 6:16).  The tie must be broken:
1) Confess the sin, renounce it and the pleasure it gave.  It is important to share this with another person (James 5:16).
2) Stay in your 'inner room' until you have received forgiveness and cleansing from Jesus (1 John 1:7-9).
3) Seek to know what caused the tie to form in the first place, and talk to the Lord about it.  You may find it helpful to pray along these lines: 'In the name of Jesus I break the bondage between me and X.  I give back all of X that should not be in my life, and take back all of me that should not be in X's life.'  (You may need to ask someone to pray with you, if the tie is very strong - see 1 Thessalonians 5:11.)
DAY 8: Where your heart is.

Read Matthew 6:19-24, Colossians 3:1-5.

One dictionary defines 'idol' as: 'Image of deity used as object of worship; false god; person, thing, that is the object of excessive devotion.'  Why do you think Paul says that greed is idolatry?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

What 'idols' are there in this country?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

I hope you put down 'Money' as one of the idols - money and possessions are as much a problem today as they were in the time of Jesus (Matthew 6:24).  Why were - and are - they such a problem?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Any idol - be it an object, an ambition, a person - provides Satan with a stronghold.  They are objects (or people) of excessive devotion, which means a) that we treasure them - value them highly (too highly) - and b) that they hinder our relationship with God.  If we value our relationship with God, we must let absolutely nothing interfere with it.  All idols must be removed from their place in our hearts.

Be honest.  What are your idols?  Talk to God about them.

DAY 9: Wholeness through Christ 1.

Read again Ephesians 4:17-24.

New life in Christ Jesus involves a) good-bye to the old self, b) a new way of thinking, and c) welcome to the new self (vs 22-24).  Central to this is our new attitude: the way we think affects the way we are.  It is important to deal with any strongholds Satan may have, for if he has control over parts of our emotional life and thought life, that will affect our attitudes and hinder the growth of our new self.

Many of Satan's strongholds arise from times when we have been emotionally or physically hurt.  These may be times when we have felt afraid, abandoned, let down, devalued, abused.  Those incidents or series of incidents are etched in our memories - sometimes buried in our subconscious - and affect our lives today.  It may be that there are associated memories - a smell or a piece of music - that triggers a panic or a sense of evil, because they are subconsciously associated with the original painful incident.

Our new life in Christ has no place for such memories.  We cannot undo the event; but Jesus has destroyed all the works of the evil one and he can heal our memories in such a way that they no longer serve as strongholds of the devil, and no longer spoil our lives.

When we are aware of a stronghold in our lives, what do we do?  (Look back to Day 6 if you cannot remember.)  If the root cause appears to be a past hurt, the only way to receive healing is to bring the hurt to Jesus.  You will need to talk to him about it.  That will probably involve recalling the experience; but you will be doing it with Jesus, and you will be safe - keep your eyes on him.  If you are bitter about it, be prepared for him to deal with that, too - bitterness is one of Satan's most useful tools (Hebrews 12:14,15).  Don't be afraid to ask a trusted Christian friend or leader to pray with you as you seek Christ's healing and wholeness.

DAY 10: Wholeness through Christ 2.

Read Luke 8:40-56, Luke 9:1-6, and James 5:13-16.

Many books have been written about healing. Some people don't believe that God heals anybody except by 'natural' methods such as going to the doctor.  Others believe that no-one should have to go to the doctor; instead they should expect God to heal all their diseases.  What do you think?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

It helps to remember that God wants us to be 'whole', and that he views matters from an eternal perspective.  Perfect wholeness is not available in this life; it will only come through resurrection.  However, the process of becoming whole (which is what salvation is all about) is a process which begins in this life.  It starts with our inner beings, when we are born again and receive new life and a new relationship with God.  It does not stop there, but goes on to affect the whole of our lives, including our physical bodies.  We can expect to see signs of God's salvation in every aspect of our lives.

The Bible tells us that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).  This does not mean that all things are good.  Disease is an evil, and it is right to fight it, even though God can work good through suffering.  Jesus healed people.  That was part of God's work, and it showed both God's power and his love.  He sent his disciples to do the same.  That includes you and me.  And if we are the ones who are ill, we need to obey James 5:14,16.

When seeking healing (for ourselves or others), we have to listen to God so that can truly pray and act according to his will; and we must trust him to answer our prayers. He may use healing professionals, or he may act directly, or he may seem to do nothing - it's up to him.  God is good: trust him!

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 7: KINGDOM CONDUCT  (Week 1)

MEMORY VERSE

Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
Psalm 119:165.

DAY 1: Instructions for a fulfilled life.

How do you like the idea of being told what to do?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Most people's reactions depend on who is telling them what to do, and why, and on how it fits in with their own wishes.  If a doctor told me to eat a diet with lots of cholesterol in it, I'd be happy and obedient; if he told me to cut out cholesterol I'd be less happy, and I might not always be obedient even if I knew it was for my own good.  However, if I disobeyed, I would expect to suffer for it!

Read Deuteronomy 10:12-18, John 10:10 and John 14:21.

God's commands are never pointless, they are never given just to show who's boss.  They are given for good reason: so that we might live according to the Maker's instruction.  He made us 'in his image' so that we can live in joyful relationship with him; his instructions therefore reflect both sides of that relationship - they reflect both God's nature and ours.  (That is why the Psalmist in Psalm 119 enjoyed meditating about the law.)  If we live the way God wants, the result is that our relationship with God is good and we live lives of the greatest possible fulfilment.

What do the verses above teach us about God's laws?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 2: Kingdom values.

Each of us has a 'value system'.  It is the way in which we decide what are our priorities in life: we do the things we value most.  Sometimes we are not conscious of our real values; a married man may believe that that his wife and children are number one priority, but his actions may show that in fact he values his career more highly.

Our value systems have been formed from birth by our experiences and observations and education.  When we are born again and become citizens of God's kingdom, our value system must change to reflect the new realities of life.  We now need to decide our priorities with reference to God.  What do you think God expects to be number one priority in your life?

_____________________________________________

Now see Jesus' priority in life, shown in John 4:34 and John 6:38.

If we believe that God is God - Lord of lords, King of kings, the one with ultimate authority - and that we are accountable to him, and that he loves us, then God's will is the most important thing in our lives.  We let his will shape our whole value system, so that our priorities fall into line with his.  (We pray for that, whenever we say, 'Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.')  Our values must be the values of the kingdom of God; any inconsistent old values need to be rejected.

We find out what God's values and priorities are by looking at the life and teaching of Jesus, and by looking at God's commands in the Bible.  The 'ten commandments' are the basis of godly living in the Bible, and we are going to spend the next few weeks looking at them.  You may find it helpful to read them through, in Exodus 20:2-17 and/or Deuteronomy 5:6-21.

DAY 3: Law 1: Get your priorities right.

Read Exodus 20:2,3.

Notice how God speaks of himself: he is 'your' God, who 'brought you out of... slavery.  For the Israelites he is the God who is in a covenant relationship with them, so that he would look after them and they would obey him.  He is the God who has already shown his character, his power and his goodness by rescuing them from slavery in Egypt.  For us he has the same characteristics even more obviously: not only is he our Creator, he is our Father, and he has saved us from slavery to sin and death and hell by giving his Son to die for us.

The command seems at first sight to be obvious, and easy to keep.  We say, 'Of course!  God is the only God, how can I have any other?'  Yet there is a sense in which our god is whatever is our number one priority in life.  It is the most important thing for us, and therefore it is our god.

It is easy to deceive ourselves.  The god we really worship is revealed by our decisions, and especially by those where life or apparent happiness is at stake.  Ask yourself this question:

For whom or what might you be prepared to die?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

If there is more than one answer, imagine that you had to choose between them, and only lay down your life for one.  Which would it be?

_____________________________________________

I suspect that is your God.  If it is not the real, living, God, then confess it to God and ask him to take his proper place in your life.  Be honest with him!
DAY 4: Law 2: Meet God as he is.

Read Exodus 20:4-6.

This law immediately raises questions.  How can God be jealous?  How can he punish children for the sins of their fathers?  Aren't both those things wrong?  Not necessarily.

Jealousy is wrong when it is, 'You've got something that I want, and I hate you.'  It is not wrong when it is protecting a loving relationship - if a wife felt no jealousy for her husband's lover there would be something wrong, for unfaithfulness should have no place in marriage. God's jealousy of that kind - zeal to protect our relationship with him, and to prevent us from having other, harmful, relationships.

Punishment is wrong when it is undeserved.  Ezekiel 18 teaches that if a father does wrong but his son does right, only the father will be punished.  The problem with early Israelite society was that the sons, grandsons and even great-grandsons would live under the authority of the father of the family - and if he was an idol-worshipper, the whole family would be affected, all would learn to 'hate' God, and all would be under God's wrath.  However, God promises that those who love him will be loved by him.

Idol-worshippers do not actually worship statues.  They believe that something of the deity is present in the image, and that the image represents something of the god's nature.  However, this law tells us that no-one can catch the presence of God in that way, and that any representation of God is bound to be inadequate.  The same is true of our imagination - we cannot adequately picture God.  As we get to know him better, keep in mind that what we know is only a small part of what he is really like.

To think about:  In what ways can pictures, statues or symbols hinder us from getting to know God?  Is there any way they can help?
DAY 5: Law 3: Reverence God

Read Exodus 20:7, and Matthew 6:9.

A person's name is not merely a label; it stands for the person themselves.  So it is with God.  If we misuse his name we dishonour God, and incur guilt.

How do people misuse God's name today?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

In many cultures people can misuse a name for magical purposes, thinking that they can harness that person's power for their own ends.  It is possible for Christians to do that, saying that they are praying 'in the name of Jesus' when they are simply wanting to use God's power for themselves, rather than speaking as representatives of Jesus engaged in Jesus' work.  

It is also far too common to hear Christians misusing God's name or the name of Jesus as a swear word, either to give weight to what they are saying or to give vent to their feelings.  What would be better ways of speaking?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

See Matthew 5:33-37 and Colossians 3:8-10,15-17.  Do these verses add anything to what you have written?  Are there any changes you need to make to your ways of speaking?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 7: KINGDOM CONDUCT (Week 2)

MEMORY VERSE:

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
Psalm 119:18.

DAY 6: Law 4: Your time is God's.

Read Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15.  Observance of the Sabbath day (Saturday, the sixth day of the week) is seen by Jews as one of their distinguishing characteristics.  It is for them a day for worship, and for the family.

These two accounts give different reasons for the law.  Exodus emphasizes God's pattern of creation, and the connection between rest and holy day (holiday); the rhythm of work and rest is built in to creation, and the need to refrain from day-to-day business at regular intervals is declared a sacred duty.  Deuteronomy adds the remembrance of slavery in Egypt, when there was no such rest; observation of the Sabbath is possible only for the free, and as such is a celebration of freedom and deliverance.

Christians have recognised the need to have a day of rest each week, and to honour God on that day.  However, we celebrate the much greater deliverance which Jesus accomplished, and so most Christians try to make their day of rest and celebration the first day of the week, the day Jesus rose from the dead.

What do you think this law should mean to us today?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Now read Romans 14:5-8 and Colossians 2:16,17.
Many religious ceremonies and practices are shadows of a much greater reality, Christ himself; they only serve to point to him, and we are free to make up our own minds about how exactly to act.  We - and our time - belong to Jesus.  He is Lord; is the way you use your time each week in line with what he wants for you?  Pray about it, and if necessary, make changes in your lifestyle!
DAY 7: Law 5: Honour human authority.

Read Exodus 20:12 and Ephesians 6:1-4.

When I was a teenager many of my friends queried this law: 'Our parents don't like me coming to the youth group on Sunday evenings.  Should I obey them, or not?'  Nowadays many might say, 'My parents abused me.  How can I honour them?'  How would you answer these questions?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Read Romans 13:1-7.

Many people in communist countries used to query this: 'Our government forbids Christian worship and teaching.  Should we obey them?'  Nowadays many might say, 'People in government seem corrupted by power, and many live immoral lives.  How can we honour them?'  How would you answer these questions?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

God is against sin and disobedience; his kingdom and his righteousness are our first priority, and there may be times when we have to disobey those in authority, as the apostles did (Acts 4:19,20).  However, we still give honour and respect where it is due: to every human being, for each was created in the image of God; to our parents, for they gave us life; to those who have authority in our fallen human society, because God intends society to be ordered, not chaotic.

DAY 8: Law 6: Respect human life.

Read Genesis 9:5-6, Exodus 20:13 and 21:12-14.

Notice the underlying principle: human beings are made in the image of God.  We are the climax of God's creation, and are very precious to him.  Because we are so valuable, no-one can take away a human life without God's explicit command and expect to get away with it, unless it is a pure accident.  (Even then, they had to run for safety to a 'city of refuge'.)

This command does not rule out the death penalty, which was the just penalty for murder.  (Christians who oppose the death penalty usually do so on other grounds.)  Nor does it rule out killing people in warfare - indeed, there were times when the Israelites were commanded to kill their enemies, as instruments of God's justice.  However, the shedding of innocent blood is never condoned, and always there must be deep respect for every human being as a person made in the image of God.

The image of God in each person has been marred, almost beyond recognition in some cases; yet it is there, and someone has said that we can learn something about God from every person we meet.  The value of a person to God is measured by what God was prepared to do to win them back to himself.  We need to learn therefore to respect our fellow human beings, and to avoid anything which degrades them and treats them as objects to be used, abused, or ignored at will - whether by deed, or word, or even thought.

Read Matthew 6:21-26.

In what ways do we devalue people today?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 9: Life Issues. (See note after Day 10.)

Today we look at some issues surrounding the principle we looked at yesterday, the need to value human life.  But first, read Psalm 139, especially verses 13-18.

Issue 1: Abortion
What does Psalm 139:13-16 teach about the unborn child?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

God is the creator of every human being, working through the biological processes of development.  Those who argue in favour of abortion argue that the foetus is not yet a human individual, and therefore to kill it is not murder.  In some cases it is known that the unborn baby would be handicapped, and it is argued that since there is no possibility of a fulfilled life ahead for it, ending its life would be an act of mercy.  Often of course the needs or desires of the mother are the determining factor.  However, once a baby is born - however prematurely - no-one argues that it is not a human individual, and therefore it is difficult to determine the beginning of human life.  Likewise one cannot state that a handicapped person is not fully human, and to take one's life is murder.  If there is a possibility that an abortion is taking away a human life, I cannot justify it unless the mother's life is in danger.

Issue 2: Euthanasia.
In euthanasia the person involved wants to die, to escape suffering.  We do not allow animals to suffer, so why not be as merciful to humans?  My answer is that human beings are special to God (see Psalm 139:16-18), he alone is the one with authority to begin or end human life, and we must not usurp his sovereignty.  As for suffering, although we may not understand the reason for it, that does not mean there is no reason.  (See Romans 8:17,18, 2 Corinthians 4:17,18.)  What do you think is God's will in this matter?

DAY 10: Law 7: Sex is for marriage.

Read Genesis 2:18-25, Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 22:20-25.

The key passage for marriage is the one in Genesis.  Note:
v.18: Man was created with a need.  Living in paradise, in the presence of God, did not meet that need.
vs.19-20: Nothing in creation could fill that need.
vs.21-23: Only a Woman, created from the same 'stuff', yet obviously not a clone, could meet that need.  Thus God teaches us that men and women are designed to need each other's company and help, and nothing else can fill that need.
v.24: For man and woman to enjoy God's best together, there must be a 'leaving': parental control must be left behind (without denying them the honour that is their due).  How often people bring parental 'baggage' into their marriages, in the form of unquestioned habits and attitudes!  There must also be a 'cleaving', a uniting together.  This involves body, soul and spirit (the word 'flesh' means more than the body); there is no loss of individuality, but there is a real union which is God-given, and can grow if nurtured, and should be faithful and life-long and protected by society.  (Note that marriage must be recognised by society; different cultures have different ways of doing this, but the principle is the same.)

It is in this context that the law against adultery is given.  The Deuteronomy passage shows that any sexual activity outside marriage is wrong - the extreme penalties show just how valuable God regards the marriage bond, and just how evil are actions that undermine it.  

How can marriage be strengthened in our society?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Pray for married people you know well.
NOTE:  CHRIST OFFERS FORGIVENESS.
You may feel uncomfortable reading about some of these laws and what they mean.  Perhaps you are aware that you have broken them, and feel condemned.  Don't forget the good news of Jesus!  He came to bring forgiveness and to put us right with God.  If you have sinned, bear in mind that through your faith in Jesus you are already forgiven.  Admit your sins to Jesus, decide to turn away from them, ask him to cleanse your conscience, and receive from him freedom from guilt and power to live his way.
You may find it difficult to be sorry about some sins, because of the good that has come out of them.  It is difficult for an unmarried mother to feel sorry about having her child!  Don't forget that it is possible to regret the sin even though we don't regret the consequences.  God is gracious, and is able to turn even our worst actions to good account.  That doesn't mean we shouldn't be sorry for our worst actions!
CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 7: KINGDOM CONDUCT (Week 3)

MEMORY VERSE:

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8.

DAY 11: Sex issues.

Read Song of Songs 7:1-10.

Sexuality is God's invention!  He created us as sexual beings, male and female, and our sexuality is good and to be enjoyed.  Sexual intercourse is its ultimate expression; God wants it to be fun, to be satisfying, and to be an expression of love which unites a husband and wife in heart and soul and body; and of course he created it as a means of procreation.  However, we express our sexuality in all sorts of different ways apart from sexual intercourse, and that's fine providing we do so without degrading God's good gift.  Single people - like Jesus - are still sexual beings, and can be fulfilled, and can express their sexuality, without being 'sexually active'.  Unfortunately Satan is out to spoil things, and the better the gift, the more he seeks to pervert it.  He therefore encourages people to misuse their sexuality, deceiving them into thinking that they will be more fulfilled if they follow his suggestions.  Which of the following statements could be inspired by Satan?
'I have sexual needs, and won't be fulfilled unless those needs are met.  I am therefore entitled to have whatever sexual relationships will fulfil my needs.'
'If I love someone, then sexual relationships are fine, whether or not we are married.'
'Sexual activity by consenting adults of the same sex is OK.'
'Men are designed to dominate women.'

My answer is: All!  Note the following Bible verses:
'Love is not self-seeking' (1 Corinthians 13:5).
'The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord' (1 Corinthians 6:13).
'Neither the sexually immoral...nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders... will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were' (1 Corinthians 6:9,10).
'Clothed with Christ, there is neither... male nor female, for you are one in Christ Jesus' (Galatians 3:27,28).
What might be the thinking behind these verses?

DAY 12: Law 8: Respect people's property.

Read Exodus 20:15.

Everything in heaven and on earth belongs to God.  None of our possessions are ours absolutely; ultimately they belong to God, and we are accountable to him for the use we make of them.  However, this law reminds us that under God a person's possessions belong to that person, and theft is wrong.  

The principle behind this law has broader applications than many think.  Is it theft:
a) To take for yourself something that someone has obviously lost or mislaid, and would want to find?  Y/N
b) To fail to declare some income to the taxman?  Y/N
c) For the government to force people to sell their homes to build a new road?  Y/N
d) To fail to return a book borrowed from the church library?  Y/N
e) To take for yourself items of equipment or goods from your place of work - knowing that they budget for such losses?  Y/N
f) To fail to declare to the customs some valuable pieces of sculpture bought abroad which may or may not be liable to tax?  Y/N
g) For an estate agent to encourage rich people to buy up rural houses at prices locals cannot afford?  Y/N
h) To give less than one tenth of your income to God as donations to the poor or to Christian causes?  (See Malachi 3:8-12)  Y/N
(I say Yes to a,b,d,e,f,h; c is legitimate, g is morally wrong.)

What should our attitude to possessions be?  (See Matthew 6:19-end.)

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 13: Law 9: Respect truth and justice.

Read Exodus 20:16.

The primary focus of this law is on the courts: no-one is to give false evidence, which would result in an injustice.  God is a God of truth and justice, saying and doing what is correct, accurate, fair and honest.  (Have you noticed how closely truth and justice are connected?)

The law also concerns our daily lives: we bear false witness when we pass on gossip which is not true; we bear false witness when we fail to correct someone's false impressions of a person; we bear false witness when we lie, or fail to speak the whole truth.

Why do you think God is concerned about these things?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Note that these things concern both the speaker and the one spoken about: the speaker is not being honest and open, and is dealing in the same coinage as the devil (John 8:44); the one spoken against is being treated unjustly, their character is being defamed, and people will regard them in an untrue light.  We are made in the image of God, and need to reflect that image ourselves, and to seek to respect others who are made in the same image.

Would it ever be right to break this law - e.g. to give a positive impression of a person, or to save someone from danger?  If so, when?  What might Jesus want to happen?

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

DAY 14: Law 10: Be content.

Read Exodus 20:17 with Philippians 4:10-13.

Someone once said that we never really possess things.  We merely hold them for a while.  If we are unable to give them away we are held by them.

Paul learned the secret of contentment; it had nothing to do with circumstances.  His contentment lay in 'the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ' (Philippians 3:8).  Since his contentment lay in his relationship with Christ, and he knew that no circumstances could affect that relationship, he was able to remain content whether in poverty or riches.  Would that we knew the same - that bad circumstances do not mean God is angry, and good circumstances do not mean God is pleased with us.  If that were our attitude, we would not believe that possessing any 'thing' - whether a new car, new computer, new husband, new income - would make us happy.

The story is told of a holy man who was visited by a follower with a bag of gold coins.  'Do you have any more gold coins?' asked the holy man.  'Yes, many more.'  'Then you must keep these.  I have nothing, but I desire nothing.  I am therefore much wealthier than you.'

What 'things' have you in the past thought would make you happy?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

What now do you look for to give contentment?

_____________________________________________

DAY 15: The perfect law of love.

Read Romans 13:8-10.

We have looked at this passage already in this course.  However, it is worth another look.  How does the law of love sum up the commands we have been looking at?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

There is the other side to the coin: the commands give flesh to the law of love, and spell out how we can love one another.  They are not in competition!

Do you remember John 10:10?
There is a strong connection between love and obedience and fullness of life.  If we love Jesus, we will obey his commands; disobedience is a denial of his divine nature and of his authority over all creation.  If we want fullness of life we need to live according to our Maker's instructions - that is, in obedience to him - as a necessary aspect of living in relationship with him.  'This is eternal life', said Jesus, 'that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.' (John 17:3)  To 'know' God means to have an intimate relationship with him.  That is eternal life, life in all its fullness.

What is the area of your life that could do with some improvement, in order for you to be more obedient/closer to God?  Pray about it in your 'secret room', and write it here so that you can look back later and see if anything has changed!

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 8: KINGDOM SERVICE (Week 1)

MEMORY VERSES:

Jesus said, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."
John 7:37,38

DAY 1: Fulfilment in service.

Read Revelation 21:22 and 22:3-5 - a symbolic picture of heavenly happiness.

'His servants will serve him' (Revelation 22:3).  I used to think that being a servant would be a dishonour, whilst reigning (v.5) would be a great honour.  In these verses, the ones who reign are the servants, and serving God is seen to be the greatest privilege and fulfilment.  Why do you think serving God is a cause of joy?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

This is something we need to take to heart, for it is an essential truth.  Human beings were created for God, to live and work for him and also to live with him in a close relationship.  Our close relationship depends on us being in a right relationship with him.  The right relationship is not as equals, and certainly not as if God were our servant at our beck and call; it is when God is our God, with absolute authority over us, and we are his willing servants.  This relationship is one which God wants us to enter into freely and joyfully: when we see that God is God, and see how overflowing with love and goodness he is, then we choose to serve him and love to do so - and that is how the relationship becomes close (see John 14:21-24).

There is a prayer in the Anglican Prayer Book which says that God's service is perfect freedom.  How can this be?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Turn Romans 6:13 into a prayer committing yourself to God.

DAY 2: The power of the Spirit.

Read Romans 8:1-17 prayerfully and carefully.

Notice:
v.1: We fail, but if we are united to Jesus by our faith, God accepts us without condemning us.
vs 2-4: Laws can only tell us what is right, they cannot give us power to do right.  Jesus kept the law of God for us, as our representative, and as our representative he paid the penalty for our wrong-doing.  We are free from being condemned as we deserve; we are free to live with God, and we do this as we stop trusting in our own ideas and powers, and look to the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us.
vs 5-8: Society around us says, 'Do what you want, do what feels good.'  That is self-centred, and cuts us off from God.  Life and peace come through doing what the Spirit says.
vs 9-11: If the Holy Spirit is in us (if he is not then we are not even Christians), then our self-centred nature is not in control, and we do not have to follow its wishes.  The Holy Spirit has all the power needed to help us live God's way - he has power to raise the dead!
vs 12-14: Choose the Spirit's way, the way of life.  The other way leads to eternal death.  The Spirit will help us to overcome the sin in our lives.  God's children are those who live God's way, not those who only talk about it.
vs 15-17: The Holy Spirit does not enslave us; we remain in full control of ourselves.  Nor does he bully us, trying to make us obey God purely out of fear.  He is the 'Spirit of sonship', giving us the assurance that we truly are God's children, and that in due course we will receive all the blessings God has in store for his children.  All this is because we are united to Jesus.  However, we need to be prepared to share everything with Jesus, suffering as well as glory.  The way of the Spirit is also the way of the cross, leading to resurrection and new life.

Praise God for the Holy Spirit's power in your life.

DAY 3: Equipped for service 1.

Read Ephesians 5:18 and John 7:37-39.

The verse in Ephesians does not mean that we can only be filled with the Spirit once and for all.  It is a command to keep on being filled with the Spirit.  We need to run through life on a tank kept full of fuel!  Jesus teaches in John 7 that we need to be overflowing with the Spirit, like a spring constantly flowing with water.  There is no need to remain spiritually dry and thirsty!  However, it is as we become aware of our spiritual need - our lack of joy, our lack of effectiveness - that we are prepared to do something about it.  What should we do?

1. 'Come to me.'
Jesus is the ultimate source of new life; we have new life only because we are united to him as branches are to a tree.  The Holy Spirit works in us to bring Christ's new life into our lives; in John 7:38 we see that the spring of living water transforms us, and overflows to those around us.  Jesus is that spring of living water (compare John 4:14); we come to him and see in him all the love and power of God made available for us and a needy world.  Courses and counselling cannot substitute for Jesus himself.

2. 'Drink.'
We need to drink Jesus!  It is not enough simply to see that Jesus is all the grace and power we need; we need to let him satisfy our thirst.  By faith we see ourselves united to Jesus, so that we are his and he is ours: our history is united with his history - his cross and resurrection have nailed our sin and brought us new life; our destiny is united with his destiny; our mission is united with his mission; our lack of resources is united with his infinite resources.  We accept these truths, and let them sink into our hearts.

The promise is that if we keep doing this, the Holy Spirit will flow.  Do it now!

DAY 4: Equipped for service 2.

Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11.

Note verse 7:
What is given? ______________________________

To whom? ____________________________________

What for? ___________________________________

The Holy Spirit does not give special powers just to special people as a reward for their holiness.  He gives to each believer a special power or ministry or way of working - showing that he is at work - for the benefit of all.  Those listed here are by way of example only; other lists appear e.g. in Romans 12:6-8.  Some gifts are obviously supernatural; others appear to be natural; yet all show the Holy Spirit at work, and he is the one who decides who gets what, and when (v.11).

Notice that only one of these gifts is for personal benefit - the gift of speaking in tongues.  The speaker is the one who benefits (see 1 Corinthians 14:4), which may be one reason why this is often the first gift a new Christian receives.  The other gifts are mostly for the benefit of others.  They are not therefore 'personal possessions', 'my gift, to use as I wish.'  The gift is given to fit the need - the Holy Spirit does not give healing when no-one is sick!  However, the fact that the Holy Spirit gives his gifts to each person (v.11) implies that there always is a need for him to be at work, and that each one of us needs to be ready for him to equip us to do that work.

Do you see the gifts of the Spirit both in your cell group and in your daily life?  If not, why not?  (Talk to your group about it.)

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 5: Equipped for service 3.

Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-end.

Within the unity of the body there is a diversity of gifts.  This means two things: don't regard yourself as useless because you are not the same as other Christians (vs 15-20), and don't regard others as unimportant (vs 21-26).  Some gifts are greater than others because more more people benefit from them (v.31), yet the people with the gifts are equal in honour and importance (v.25).  How can these truths affect the life of your cell group?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Notice how Paul assumes that Christians act together within a Christian community.  We are members of the body of Christ, and given the Holy Spirit to drink so that we can do the work of Christ.  No-one can be a Christian without being a functioning member of the body of Christ.  We seek to be a community together in order that we may serve Christ together as his body.  All that we need is available in Jesus (Colossians 2:9,10), and the Holy Spirit gives us access to all God's resources in him.  However, he works through the different members; if I need encouragement, rather than give it to me directly he would give someone else the gift of encouraging me.  I am a member of a cell group, both to receive what Christ wants to give me through the other members, and to use the gifts his Spirit gives me to serve them and to accomplish Christ's mission together in the world. I don't want to keep God's gifts to myself.  Do you?

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 8: KINGDOM SERVICE (Week 2)

MEMORY VERSES:

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22,23.

DAY 6: Equipped for service 4.

Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-end.

Do you remember when you rewrote verses 4-7, with your own name replacing some words?  Read those verses again, with your name instead of the words 'love' or 'it'.  

Don't despair if when you read it like that it sounds terribly false!  It may not be true of you yet, but it is the target the Holy Spirit is aiming for in your life.  The greatest gifts of the Spirit, and the greatest sacrifices, are worthless without this kind of love (vs 1-3).  Gifts of the Spirit are for now, not for eternity; they are to help us serve Christ in today's world.  Love, however, is for ever; it is God's nature (1 John 4:16), and we will be like him (1 John 3:2).  So the Holy Spirit is growing love in your life, alongside the rest of the fruit of the Spirit (see Day 9).

It is helpful to see Christian love for what it is.  The Greeks had several words for love.  One word was for affection, another for sexual love, a third for friendship.  The Bible uses a fourth word to describe God's love, the word 'agape' (pronounced 'ag ap eh').  This is the highest form of love, love which is self-giving, love which is capable of loving the 'unlovable' (see Romans 5:8).  Christian love is not a reaction to something beautiful or desirable.  Christian love takes the initiative: we give love, by our own free choice, not because we can't help it.

DAY 7: Equipped for service 5.

Read 1 Cor 14:1-5,26-32.

There are some places in this chapter where it is difficult to follow Paul's line of thought, but his main points are very clear: the gifts of the Spirit are to be exercised in love, to build up the whole church, and are therefore to be exercised in an orderly way.

'Prophecy' is the gift of speaking a message that comes directly from God.  It may not be 'foretelling the future'; God's message may be about the present or the past.  Likewise, God may 'speak' in many and various ways; in the Bible prophets received visions, dreams, verbal messages, and symbolic pictures.  People experience the same today.  However, not every message or vision or dream or picture is a message from God - and even those that are come through human beings who may misinterpret things.  That's why every message needs to be 'weighed' (v.29), to answer the question, 'What is God saying to us?'

Note in these verses:

Who should prophesy?____________________________

Why? ________________________________________

When? _______________________________________

Note that these instructions work best in small groups, not large congregations.  Your cell group is ideal - put these verses into practice when you meet!

(Note on difficult bits: vs 20-25 tongues are a sign for unbelievers in that unbelievers hearing them fulfil the prophecy of v.21, while prophecy is to build believers.  v.34 needs to be read with v.31; I believe Paul is speaking against some kind of disorder, e.g. a discussion among themselves.)

DAY 8: Living with the Spirit 1.

Read Galatians 5:16-26.

Our life now is not a matter of following a set of rules so much as living with a Person.  It is vital for us to note who that Person is: the Holy Spirit, rather than Jesus or simply 'God'.  It is the Holy Spirit who is actually present with us; God the Father and God the Son are with us through him.  The Holy Spirit is as it were the connecting link between us and God, as well as the first instalment of the blessings of life lived in the presence of God.  The real secret of the Christian life is that we live not only in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the love of God, but also in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

However, living 'with' the Spirit is impossible unless we keep in step with him (vs 16,25. In v.16 the word translated 'live' is literally 'walk').  The Holy Spirit is more than a friend; he's also the boss, and we need to stay awake to his directions.  If we follow him, we will fulfil God's will, and need not be concerned about criticism or condemnation from ourselves or anybody else (v.18). The Holy Spirit will not only guide us, he will help us, he will be with us, he will work in us so that the 'fruit of the Spirit' will grow in us (vs 22,23), and he will enable us to play our part in the mission of Jesus.

When you are with a friend, what do you like doing together?

_____________________________________________

How do you make sure you stay friends?

_____________________________________________

The Holy Spirit is with you.  How can your relationship grow?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 9: Living with the Spirit 2.

Read Galatians 5:16-26 again.

Reread verses 22 & 23.  In the original Greek the word 'fruit' is singular, not plural: love, joy, peace etc. are not different fruits, but segments of the one fruit.  The Holy Spirit is growing these things in us, and wants to see all of them fully developed in our lives.  It is different with the gifts of the Spirit, which he distributes as he chooses so that one person may have one gift, another something else.  With the fruit, each of us is to have every part - love and joy and peace and patience etc.

Write a brief progress report for yourself, against each part:

Love _________________________________________

Joy __________________________________________

Peace ________________________________________

Patience ______________________________________

Kindness ______________________________________

Goodness _____________________________________

Faithfulness ____________________________________

Gentleness ____________________________________

Self-control ____________________________________

Which ones are the most undeveloped in you?

Don't be surprised if the Holy Spirit uses circumstances to highlight these as issues for you in rather uncomfortable ways, e.g. by giving you people to be patient with, if you need to learn patience!

DAY 10: Living with the Spirit 3.

Read Colossians 3:17 to 4:6.
(This passage is similar to Ephesians 5:21 to 6:9.)

Notice how this passage deals with family relationships, working relationships, prayer and general behaviour.  We have to read them in the light of our own situations.  What is the relevance today of the instructions to slaves and masters?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

What about the instructions to wives and husbands?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

All come under the instruction of 3:17, 'do all in the name of the Lord Jesus'.  We are citizens of heaven, who have been given the task of representing Christ on earth and fulfilling his mission here.  Everything we do is as his representatives.  Another picture is that of the body: we are his hands, his eyes, his feet here on earth.  Our circumstances may be mundane, stressful, exciting, pleasurable, or horrible; whatever they are, we are representing Christ in those circumstances, and need to recognise that we are acting and speaking in his name. 

Within those circumstances, God gives us opportunities with 'outsiders' - those outside his kingdom at the moment (4:5).  These opportunities may simply be to serve them and to do them a good turn; or they may be opportunities to speak about Jesus.  The Holy Spirit is within us and will help us to make the most of these opportunities.  Take the risk of doing or speaking whatever seems right, and trust him to work!
CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 9: A NEW COMMUNITY (Week 1)

MEMORY VERSE:

A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34,35.

DAY 1: 'Love one another'

Read John 13:34,35 & John 15:9-13.

In these verses Jesus is talking to a small group of disciples - his cell group, so to speak.  Not only should we love our neighbours; Christians are to have a special love for each other.  Why is this important, according to these verses?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

How should we love one another?  David & Teresa Ferguson and  Chris & Holly Thurman identify four ingredients of love in their course, 'Marriage and Family Intimacy':
1) Affectionate Caring.
2) Mutual Giving - seeking to meet the other person's needs.  The authors identify ten top emotional needs: 
acceptance     affection     appreciation     approval     attention     comfort     encouragement     respect     security     support.
If the giving is mutual, all needs are met.  (Christian love (agape) is giving even if the partner does not give in return; we rely on God to arrange for our needs to be met.)
3) Vulnerable communication - at the level of feelings and emotional needs.
4) Joint achievement - doing things together.

Are these ingredients of Jesus' love for you?
How can you add these ingredients to your love for other members of your cell group?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 2: What is the church? 1

Read Acts 2:42-47.

The word 'church' means different things to different people.  Some think of the building, 'I'm going to church.'  Others think of the organisation, 'The church should be doing more.'  Others think of the ordained ministry, 'She is going into the church.'  Others think of the people, either in a local area, 'My church is very lively', or world-wide, 'I believe in the holy catholic church' (the word 'catholic' means universal).  What do you first think of?

_____________________________________________

In the Bible, the word 'church' means the people.  The Greek word translated 'church' is ekklesia, which means, 'called out'; it originally referred to troops being called out to fight a war, or citizens assembled together to govern a city.  In the Bible the church is therefore a community with a purpose, called out from the world to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and his mission.

Acts 2:42-47 describe the church as it was at the very beginning, just after the day of Pentecost when the Spirit came.  There were no church buildings - they used the temple courts and each other's homes.  But there was a church - the people of God.  Bearing in mind the fact that our circumstances are different from theirs, what can we learn from these verses about how the church should be today?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

How does the cell group system help?

_____________________________________________

DAY 3: What is the Church? 2

Read 1 Corinthians 12:20-27.

We have already looked at this passage, but the teaching is so important we need to visit it again.  The idea that the church is the body of Christ is one that Paul uses again and again (Romans 12:4-13, I Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:12-16, 5:25-30).  Why do you think he likes this picture so much?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Think of your own cell group, and the people in it.  It is easy to see that everyone is different.  It is not so easy to see that all are joined together to form a working unit in which each plays their part, and in which each is important.

It goes without saying that the church as the body of Christ on earth has a purpose: to do the work of Christ.  Each cell group is a church in miniature: we exist in order to do the work of Christ.  What is the purpose of your cell group?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Which members of your cell group seem not to be needed?

_____________________________________________

What is God's view of this, according to the verses you read?

_____________________________________________

Pray for each member, and for your attitude towards them.
DAY 4: The basic Christian community.

Read Ephesians 2:19-22.

We are 'members of God's household' (v 19).  The word translated 'household' is the Greek word 'oikos', which meant either the building or the people who lived in it - not just parents and children, but the extended family of several generations, together with their slaves and any others living and working under the same roof.  It was a close community, where people knew each other very well and related together as family or as slaves or workers.  Our family units today are much smaller; it may be helpful to see your 'oikos' as those with whom you talk for at least an hour a week (spread in minutes over the week).  Your 'oikos' would not be one single community, for the people in it may not relate to each other - each would have a different set of folk in their 'oikos'.  (That gives a great opportunity for the kingdom of God to spread!)

The household of God is very large - too large to be a close community, at least in this world.  We need to be members of a small community where the close relationships of an 'oikos' can develop: where we can learn to love one another as we've been seeing on Day 1, and to act towards one another in the way God desires.  On the next page is a list of 'one another' instructions in the New Testament.  Notice how it is only possible to obey all these commands within a small community.  That is one reason why cell groups are so important!  They are our Christian 'oikos', the basic Christian communities which together make up the household of God.

Think of your own cell group members, and look again at the list.  Identify one instruction which you think your cell group fulfils well, and one which needs to be worked on.  Pray for your group in the light of what you have written.

1.____________________________________________

2.____________________________________________

'ONE ANOTHER' INSTRUCTIONS

Be at peace with each other
Love one another (repeated 16 times).
Wash one another's feet.
Be devoted to one another.
Honour one another.
Live in harmony with one another (2 times).
Accept one another.
Instruct one another.
Greet one another (4 times).
Have equal concern for each other.
Serve one another (2 times).
Carry each other's burdens.
Bear with one another (2 times).
Be kind and compassionate to one another.
Forgive each other (2 times).
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
Submit to one another.
Teach and admonish one another.
Encourage each other (4 times).
Build each other up.
Spur one another on.
Confess your sins to each other.
Pray for each other.
Offer hospitality to one another.
Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.

For a more complete list, see a concordance, or read 'Prepare Your Church for the Future' by Carl George, p.129 (published by Fleming H Revell). 

DAY 5: Stewardship.

Read Luke 16:1-13.

The manager was the steward of the household, who looked after the owner's property - a very trusted position.  In this story the manager was about to be sacked for mismanagement, and feathered his nest while still legally entitled to act for his master by cancelling the interest owed to him.  This was a shrewd move, because the master should not have been charging such interest; not only does the steward make friends for himself, he also puts his master right in the eyes of the law.  The point of the story is simply that we are managers of the money, gifts and possessions God has put into our charge, and are to use them to gain spiritual and eternal reward.  How do you think this can be done?  (Philippians 4:16-19 may help.)

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Verses 10-13 reinforce the point: our faithfulness to God is seen in the way we handle the things he has given us.  Someone has said that we only own something if we are free to give it away; if we feel we can't part with it, then it owns us.  Likewise with spiritual gifts and talents: if we are not using them to serve the members of God's household, we are not being faithful (1 Peter 4:10).

One important aspect of this is the way we give to God's work.  Malachi 3:8-12 contains both a warning and a promise concerning the giving of a 'tithe' - a tenth of our income.  As Christians we are not under this law; yet it is a pointer to where we should start from.  The Christian rule is self-sacrificial generosity (2 Corinthians 8:2,9,12; 9:6-15).  What will you give to God?  (Pray first, then answer.)

_____________________________________________

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 9: A NEW COMMUNITY (Week 2)

MEMORY VERSE:

We should all please our neighbours for their good, to build them up.
Romans 15:2.

DAY 6: Church building 1.

Read Ephesians 4:7,11-16.

To whom has Christ given grace (v.7)?

_____________________________________________

What for (v.12)?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Easy questions!  But the answers you have written blow to smithereens most people's ideas about church life.  Church is not a passenger ship, with the majority being looked after and entertained by the minority (the crew); it is a battle ship, on which each person has a part to play in order to fulfil its mission.

Our mission: to attain to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ (v.13).  One day the church will be perfect (Ephesians 5:27).  That day will only come as the church 'grows and builds itself up in love' (v.16) - growing both in numbers (hence the need for evangelists who prepare us to share the good news with those who haven't grasped it) and in quality of life (hence the need for pastors and teachers who prepare us to share what we have learnt with other Christians).

Read verses 11 and 12 again.  Note that the task of building up the church is not primarily the task of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.  It is the task of every individual Christian - to each grace has been given (v.7), and the body grows and as each part does its work (v.16).  The 'specialists' are there to help us all do our part.  Each of us has different gifts; yet there is something we all do - it's in the first part of v.15.
Pray for boldness to play your part.

DAY 7: Church building 2.

Read again Ephesians 4:7,11-16.

Note again verse 15: we need to 'speak the truth in love'.  Our cell groups are the obvious place to learn to do this.  There are three aspects to it:

1) Speaking the truth.  This involves,
a) sharing truths we have learnt.  If we are growing spiritually, we are learning new truths; and if we are learning new truths, we are growing spiritually - provided that the truths are not just a matter of 'head knowledge.  All Christian truth should make a difference.  And if it is worth learning, it is worth sharing.
b) being honest and open with each other.  One of the biggest barriers to growth is the way we so easily pretend to be other than what we really are - we are often afraid to show people what we are really like, and so we are afraid simply to be ourselves.  What do you try to hide?

_____________________________________________

2) In love.  We speak the truth, not simply to get something off our chests, nor because we feel we need to, but only because the truth will help the hearer.  We speak the truth in a way that is genuinely loving and concerned with the other person's welfare and feelings.  Even painful truths can be spoken in love.  If we are being open, it may be for our own sakes so that we can receive the help we need; but it may also be necessary for someone else's sake.

3) The third aspect is that we need to be prepared to listen to any other Christian.  Speaking the truth in love is not something the 'haves' do for the 'have nots'.  Each of us must do it - and that means each of us needs to be willing to listen to the others, and to receive God's truth from them.

Pray about your ability to receive what others offer.

DAY 8: Community life 1.

Read Ephesians 5:1-20.

The life of love (v.2) involves our speech. 'It's good to talk.'   According to this passage, what talking is wrong?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

What talk is good?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Why do you think it is important how we talk?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Note the other things which are not part of the new life: sexual sin ('greed' here probably has sexual overtones, though greed for possessions may also be in Paul's mind) and drunkenness.  These things build up the 'flesh' - the selfish old way of living - and counteract the life of love.  The Christian community is to be a taste of heaven's light and love.  That's what you're aiming at in your cell group!

Spend some time in your 'listening room' reflecting on your habits in talking.

DAY 9: Community life 2.

Read Colossians 3:1-17.

Notice how the practical instructions for living stem from thoughts about what our destiny is, and what Christ has done for us.  You have been given a new life: live it!

The Christian life is not a matter of private morality.  These instructions are all about relationships.  The old way of living often sees other people as objects of desire - especially sexual desire (v.5), or as objects of hatred, obstacles or opponents to be fought against (v.8).  What in the world around us reflects this?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

The new way of life is a God-like life (v.10).  How does this passage teach us to relate to each other?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

'You talk the talk; now walk the walk.'  Can you think of one practical thing you can do, to enable you to take another step in the right direction within your cell group?

_____________________________________________

Note the call to thankfulness.  Be thankful in prayer now!

DAY 10: Community Life 3.

Read Romans 15:1-13.

These verses follow on from teaching about a subject which was causing a lot of problems in Paul's day, concerning diet.  The Jews did not eat certain foods; and even Greek Christians had problems with meat, because often the meat had come from pagan sacrifices.  Paul was not worried where the food came from, as long as it was good to eat; but he recognised that some Christians were worried, and so he teaches that we should not do anything that will cause another Christian to stumble - we are to build one another up (v.2).

Look again at verse 1.  There are 'weak' Christians, who have failings.  'Strong' Christians can see the mistakes of the weak ones; they are told to bear with them, even when it is a nuisance, and seek to please them.  The point is that strong Christians are those whose faith is strong enough to allow them to dispense with purely man-made rules, 'don't touch this, don't eat that'.  The weak Christians believe those rules are part of Christian living; if they were to break them, they would have a bad conscience (see Romans 14:22,23).  We must not do anything to give another a bad conscience, nor to break the unity that God wants his people to have (v.6).  The principle we live by is the principle of v.7.

Write down some things you know Christians disagree about.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

What do these verses have to say to those involved?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 9: A NEW COMMUNITY (Week 3)

MEMORY VERSE:

There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4:4-6.

DAY 11: Corporate Worship

Read Malachi 1:6-14.

Old Testament worship revolved around the sacrificial system.  The law stated that animals offered for sacrifice had to be 'without defect'.  The priests in Malachi's time were guilty of disobeying this law (v.8).  Their problem was one of a wrong attitude: they regarded worship as a burden, and the sacrificial system as not worth the effort (vs 12,13).  What is God's attitude to their worship?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Worship together is still important.  There is a place for private prayer, but it is equally important to worship God as a body.  Thus the Lord's prayer begins, 'Our' Father - not 'my' Father.  Jesus promises that when two people agree in prayer their prayers will be answered, and to be present where two or three are met together in his name (Matthew 18:19,20).  The early church met together regularly for worship (Acts 2:42, 5:12) and gave instructions about how to meet (1 Corinthians 11:17-24, 14:26-40, Hebrews 10:25).

When we come to worship, with what attitude should we come?

_____________________________________________

The more we put in to worship, the more we will get out of it.  If I come expecting nothing much to happen, nothing much happens. But if I come looking to meet with God, I can do so.  The worship may not be 'without defect' in terms of its words, music and atmosphere; yet if in heart we listen to God and give ourselves to him, we are worshipping in spirit and truth (John 4:23,24).  The style is not as important as the heart.

DAY 12: What about Baptism?

Read Matthew 28:19,20, Acts 2:37-41, Acts 16:31-33, (and if you have time, Romans 6:3-4, Galatians 3:27, Colossians 2:11-13, 1 Peter 3:21).

Baptism is the ceremony that marks the beginning of the Christian life.  It has been the subject of much debate between Christians, who argue over when it should be given to a person, and how it should be done. 

The word 'baptism' comes from the Greek 'baptizo', which originally meant to dip or immerse (though some texts of Mark 7:4 use it to refer to ceremonial purifying of dining couches).  John the Baptist practised baptism for those who had repented of sin, as a sign that they were clean in God's sight.  This was not the same as Christian baptism, which was a sign that the believer is united to Jesus in order to live for him in the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7, see Galatians 3:27).  It is most likely that at first most if not all the people who were baptised were people who listened to the message and believed, and were immediately baptised by immersion.  That is the easiest way to understand all the Bible references.

However, that's not the whole story.  It is highly likely that the Philippian jailor's household (Acts 16:31) included young children, and by 180 AD. it was quite common to baptise infants and children.  The reason for this is two-fold: first, baptism marks someone as Christian as opposed to anything else, and Christian parents would not want anyone to count their children as pagans; and second, baptism was seen as the Christian equivalent of circumcision (Colossians 2:11,12), which was given to babies even though it was a sign of faith (Romans 4:11).  Infant baptism has been practised by the majority of churches from then until now, often in the mistaken belief that baptism was the entrance ticket for heaven.  The quantity of water used has not been seen as vital; however, until recently babies in Anglican churches were baptised by total immersion unless too weak to survive it!

DAY 13: What about Communion?

Read Mark 14:22-25, and 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.

Like Baptism, Holy Communion is a ceremony commanded by Jesus.  It is also a cause of much debate and division between different churches.  It goes under different names: The Lord's Supper, Holy Communion, The Eucharist, The Mass.  In the early days of the church it was part of a communal meal; later just bread and wine were used, as Paul recommends to the Corinthians.  Christ gave it to us, so that we can:

a) Unite.  Strange that a service of unity is such a cause for division!  Yet Jesus wants us to be united: 'We, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.' (1 Corinthians 10:17).  Communion is more than between me and God; it is also with each other.

b) Remember.  Words and actions, bread and wine, bring back to us Christ's love in giving his life for us.

c) Participate.  We are participating in the 'body and blood of Christ' (1 Corinthians 10:16).  Some people believe that the bread and wine become Christ's body and blood in a communion service, even though their chemistry remains unchanged.  (This accounts for many of the practices of Roman Catholic and 'high' churches.)  Others believe that the bread and wine remain simply bread and wine, but stand for Christ's body and blood - i.e. his death for us.  The important thing is that when we receive them in our mouths, we receive in our hearts Jesus and all the benefits of his death for us.

d) Proclaim.  We 'proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.'  (1 Corinthians 11:26).  (It is a temporary institution!)

e) Give Thanks.  From early days the service has been called, 'The Eucharist'.  (The word 'Eucharist' means 'thanksgiving')  We receive with joyfulness and thanks!

DAY 14: What about the world-wide church?

Read Matthew 28:19,20 and Romans 1:8,16,17 and Romans 11:18.

In some of the 'creeds' (ancient statements of faith) we say, 'I believe in the holy, catholic, church.'  The church is holy, in that it is set apart by God; it is catholic, in that it is universal, for all people everywhere.  However, the most amazing spread of Christianity has taken place in the last 50 years; there are Christians in every country, and in Africa and South America the majority of the population would call themselves Christian.  What Christians from other countries do you know?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

The 'Great Commission' of Matthew 28 is not yet fulfilled, however; there are still significant populations who have not yet heard about Jesus in a way they can really understand, and many who have heard are not being taught obey all that Jesus has commanded us.  Is this true:

a) of Britain?  __________    b) of Coventry?  ___________

There are a number of things you can do to play your part.
a) Get to know and pray for another part of the world.  (This is best done through supporting a mission partner or local church there.)
b) Support a missionary society.
c) Seek insights/support/involvement from abroad for the situation here.  (Again, mission agencies can help.)
d) Go to wherever God calls you to be.

These days mission is not just one way.  In the world-wide church it is 'from everywhere to everywhere' - we are all members of the body, helping each other to fulfil Christ's mission.  Pray about your part, and who can help.
DAY 15: What about other religions?

Read John 14:6, Romans 9:1-5, Romans 10:1-15.

What do these passages teach us about Jews who do not believe in Jesus?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

The Jewish religion is the religion closest to Christianity - indeed, it is possible to be a practising Jew and a believer in Jesus, like all the first disciples.  However, the Bible teaches us that the only way to eternal life is through Jesus Christ, and that those who reject him reject God (Luke 10:16, John 3:36).  The reason is that no-one, however good, is good enough for heaven (Romans 3:23); everyone needs to be saved from the spiritual consequences of their actions and choices, and no-one can save themselves.  We all need a Saviour; we all need Jesus.  This is true for every religion, including Christianity: it is not a matter of what we do or believe, it is a matter of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  (A good relationship will result in good beliefs and actions: if I am courting a girl I will do what pleases her, but simply doing those things won't mean she'll go out with me.  The relationship is what matters.)

What about those who have never heard?  We are not told - what we are told is the need to tell them the good news!  However, Jews who lived before Jesus did have the chance to receive eternal life - not on the basis of their good religious practices, but on the basis of their faith in God and relationship to him (see Romans 4, about Abraham.)  Paul teaches us in Romans that everyone has some knowledge about God (Romans 1:20).  Other religions have a lot of truth in them.  But the most important thing now is to know Jesus.

Pray for any friends you have who do not yet know Jesus.

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 10: SPIRITUAL WARFARE

MEMORY VERSES:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Ephesians 6:12,13.

DAY 1: Principalities and powers.

Read Ephesians 6:10-12.

Alongside love, joy, peace etc. there will always be struggle in the Christian life, until either we die and go to be with Jesus, or he comes again.  Think of the struggles you have in your own life.  What does v.12 tell you about those particular struggles?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

It is easy to make the mistake of blaming ourselves or other people for all the problems we face.  If we can see behind the human face of trouble to the spiritual beings who are stirring it up, we will be able to fight it better.  V.12 lists a number of kinds of spiritual beings, active both in this world and in the 'heavenly realms'.  We are not given a detailed description of each kind of spiritual being, where and how they act: we do not need to know.  Nor are we given details of the 'heavenly realms' where spiritual forces of evil are at work, and how that relates to 'heaven'.  (The new heaven and the new earth will have no place for evil.)  However, we are told how we can stand against them.

We are told to 'be strong' (v.10).  According to these verses, how can we do this?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

If we trust in our own strength and defences, we will not stand.  God will give us all we need, as we will see in the next couple of days.

DAY 2: The Christian armour 1.

Read Ephesians 6:13-15.

Paul is writing in prison, where he is probably chained to a Roman soldier, whose armour illustrates the points he wants to make.  Without that armour the soldier is vulnerable; each part needs to be in place and in good condition.  With our spiritual armour, we are able to stand whatever evil comes our way.  Let's look at each piece in detail.

1) Truth.  The devil seeks to deceive us, and to encourage us to deceive others.  The answer is to know God's truth, and to be true and honest in our lives.  How can you make sure you do this?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

2) Righteousness.  The devil tempts us to sin, so that we will feel guilty and our relationship with God be spoiled.  We need to seek to live righteous lives by the power of the Spirit, and at the same time accept the righteousness of Christ, refusing to accept the condemnation the devil seek to heap upon us for our failures.  

3) The Gospel of Peace.  The soldier's shoes needed to be able to grip, both in order to stand firm and to advance.  The devil seeks to disturb our peace with God and with our neighbours, and to prevent us sharing with other the good news of peace.  How does he do this in your life?

_____________________________________________

How can you put this piece of armour on?

____________________________________________

DAY 3: The Christian armour 2.

Read Ephesians 6:16-20.

We continue looking at the armour God has given us.

4) Faith.  Often we are attacked with sudden temptations and doubts.  These can be surprisingly strong, so that we may even fear we are losing our faith.  Our 'shield' is our trust in Jesus: he is faithful, he will save us if we depend on him.  How does Matthew 14:22-33 illustrates this?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

We do not trust in the strength of our faith, but in the strength of Jesus.  That is faith.  And we can trust in the power and promises of Jesus, even when it seems unreasonable; such faith is not unreasonable, though we may feel it is, and the time will come when it is justified.  So hang on in there!  (Note: it really does help to know the promises of God - that's one good reason to read your Bible!)

5) Salvation.  We are saved!  We are saved from the punishment and power of sin, and we will be saved from the presence of sin when we go to heaven.  If we forget this, it gives the devil an opportunity to drag us down.

6) The Word of God.  This 'sword' can be used for defence or attack.  God's word shows up all the devil's lies; when the Holy Spirit puts God's word into our thoughts, that exposes the deception, and when we tell the devil what God's word says, he has no answer.  (See Matthew 4:1-11.)

7) Prayer.  Though not mentioned as a separate piece of armour, Paul sees this as essential to success in our warfare.  Notice how through prayer we can go onto the offensive (v.19).  Do it now!

DAY 4: Levels of Warfare.

Read Daniel 10:2-14.

In this passage we see how an angel was sent to Daniel in answer to his prayer.  The prayer was heard immediately Daniel started, but the angel was delayed by spiritual opposition (the prince of the Persian kingdom).  It is implied that through Daniel's three weeks of prayer to God (vs 2,13) the archangel Michael came to help - Michael is regarded in Jewish literature as the defender of Israel.  Thus we get a glimpse of the warfare going on in spiritual realms, and the way in which there is a relationship between what is happening there and what is happening on earth - a relationship in which our prayers can make all the difference.

Note that our prayers do not need to be focused on what is happening in the spiritual realms.  Daniel may have had no idea what was going on; he simply prayed to God, mourning for the sins and problems of his people.  However, it does seem that Daniel was concerned with the big picture, not simply with details and personal problems; the answer he gets is a big vision, lasting the rest of the book!  We too need to be prepared to take part in spiritual warfare at all levels.

We saw in Ephesians 6:12 how the devil has forces active in 'this dark world' and in the 'heavenly places'.  Another name for his forces are 'demons' or 'evil spirits'.  They are thought to be spiritual beings who rebelled against God along with him - 'fallen angels'.  They are active on the personal level; the temptations and problems we face have demonic involvement somewhere along the line.  They are active in human structures and institutions as well, and at national level as we see in Daniel.  As we pray for people, for institutions, for nations, we are entering this battle ground, and our prayers are important.  There are also people who through involvement with the occult have opened themselves up to more direct demonic effects; they may need special ministry for deliverance.  For most of us, however, our task is to pray.

DAY 5: The army of God.

Read Philippians 1:27 to 2:2.

Read again the last part of 1:27.  How can you imagine that your cell group could 'contend as one man for the faith of the gospel'?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

We are called to be involved in spiritual warfare as individual snipers, conducting a low-level guerrilla warfare against the devil and all his hosts.  We need to fight as an army, fighting for one another and fighting together against the foe.  The Roman soldier's armour described in Ephesians 6 has no defence for the back; a soldier fighting alone would be vulnerable.  Roman soldiers were very successful; but their success was built on their ability to fight together.  Likewise we in our spiritual warfare are called to stand alongside each other, facing a common spiritual foe, helping one another as necessary.

Notice how Paul, writing from prison to the Philippians (he wrote several letters from prison), not only talks about the struggle, but also talks about encouragement, comfort, fellowship, tenderness, compassion and joy.  What is the source of these things (2:1)?

_____________________________________________

Read Philippians 4:4.  How can you do it?  (Read on!)

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

CELL MEMBER STARTER PACK

SECTION 11: WHAT NEXT?

MEMORY VERSE:

One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13,14.

DAY 1: Hear the Word of the Lord.

Read 2 Timothy 3:10-17.

What are Scriptures for, according to these verses?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Notice that Paul is not talking about selected verses only; he's talking about all of the Scriptures.  In the last week we have been thinking about spiritual warfare.  Why does knowing the Bible help us in our struggle against evil?  

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

You may have remembered that the Word of God is the 'sword of the Spirit', and that God's promises are the basis for our faith.  We need to know Scripture if we want to use Scripture; it is rare for the Spirit to put into our minds words from the Bible that we have not read before.

All this means that you really do have to get to know your Bible.  Eventually you need to have read it all at least once.  (Many people seek to read it at least once a year, reading three or four chapters a day.)  However, it is probably a good idea to start with a system that will enable you to understand the broad outline of the Bible, and its main themes.  Find a system that helps you - don't give up if the first one you try doesn't work for you.  Ask your cell group for ideas and for notes, books or tapes that will help.

DAY 2: Keep going forward.

Read Philippians 3:10-16.

How do Paul's ambitions in vs 10-11 compare with yours?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Note that even Paul at the end of his life felt he could still make spiritual progress!  Note also that it was because of Christ's hold on him that he wanted to take hold of the prize.  What do you think that prize might be - what is the ultimate goal of our spiritual journey?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

(You may want to discuss your answer with someone in your cell.)

Paul knew what Jesus had done for him, and knew what the prize would be; therefore he was willing to strain every spiritual muscle and sinew to press forward as hard as he could.

Read Ephesians 6:19,20.  These words may have been written round about the same time as the letter to the Philippians.  What is Paul's ambition here?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

What is the Lord saying to you?

_____________________________________________

DAY 3: Remember.

Read Deuteronomy 6:4-12.

Moses is speaking to the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt and subsequent wanderings in the wilderness.  They are at the borders of the promised land, and Moses is reminding them of all the laws they have been given and lessons they have learnt in the past forty years.  How would you rewrite verses 6-9 for people today?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

If we do not keep going forward, it is easy to slip back into old ways.  When we have got into good habits, and our life styles are what we think they ought to be, that too can be a time of danger: our faith becomes routine rather than alive and growing.  (See 2 Peter 1:3-11).

However, as we go forward, we need to build on what we have learnt in the past rather than reject it.  We neither stay in the past - we press on - nor do we reject the first lessons of the gospel.  Indeed, it is as we grow in the faith that the truths we first learnt become deeper and more significant.

What were the most significant first lessons of your spiritual life?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

DAY 4: Here am I.

Read Isaiah 6:1-8.

Isaiah had a vision of God.  You, too, have 'seen' God, though not quite in the same way.  What aspects of God's nature and character are most striking for you at this moment?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

When Isaiah saw God he could not help but be aware of his own sinfulness.  God dealt with that symbolically (it is interesting that the coal to cleanse him came from the place of sacrifice, just as we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus).  Then came the call, 'Who will go for us?' and Isaiah responded.

Read Ephesians 2:8-10.

What does it mean, 'it is by grace you have been saved'?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

What are we saved for?

_____________________________________________

We are saved to serve - to serve God and to serve the world as members of Christ's church, fulfilling Christ's mission.  Note that we can only successfully accomplish those things that God has already prepared for us to do!  What might that mean for you?  (Discuss your answer with your cell group.)

_____________________________________________

DAY 5: Send me.

Read Luke 14:25-33, John 20:28, Romans 12:1,2.

When in the Luke passage Jesus says, 'hate', he does not mean that literally.  What do you think he does mean?

_____________________________________________

When Jesus comes into our lives, he does not come merely as a resident.  He comes as the President: 'My Lord and my God,' said Thomas.  When I first realised that Jesus was God, I could not bring myself to accept his authority.  I wanted to run my own life.  Another reason was that I was afraid of what Jesus might ask me to do.  Can you think of other reasons you or people you know might not be fully committed to Jesus, even though they know he is God?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

In Romans 12:1 Paul urges his readers to give themselves wholly to God, 'in view of God's mercy'.  We owe to God full commitment, not only because he is God who created us and the whole universe, but also because he has given his Son to die on the cross for us.

As we come to the end of this cell member starter pack, will you offer yourself wholly to God?  Write a prayer of dedication here.  (You may want to use the words of Paul or of Thomas).

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________