Introduction

How do you gain and maintain a close relationship with Jesus? As always, His Word has the answer. He has promised, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye” (Psalm 32:8). Claim this promise; it was meant for you!

While Jesus was on earth, He met many people who wanted to know more about Him and His kingdom. They were wondering, How do we become citizens of His kingdom? In answer, Jesus gave His famous “Sermon on the Mount,” beginning with the beatitudes, or blessings. These blessings really are a step-by-step guide for Christian living. As we go through this study, we will be using the beatitudes, as well as related texts, to find out how we can draw closer to our best Friend.

But first, let's take a moment to talk to Him and tell Him that we are ready to hear what He has to say. Maybe our prayer should go something like this:

Make your ways known to me, O LORD, and teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me because you are God, my savior... (Psalm 25:4-5, God's Word).

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3).

Read Isaiah 64:6

What does this verse say about us? ___________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Do you really think you are a dirty, unrighteous, dying sinner? Is this text talking about you?___________________________________________________________________________________

Read Genesis 3:9-13

What was Adam's excuse when God asked about his sin? __________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

What was Eve's excuse? ___________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

It is a natural tendency of fallen humanity to point out others' faults in order to justify our own sin. We like to compare ourselves with others. After all, many people hold a lower standard than we do, and when we judge by that low standard, we look pretty good! But what happens when we start comparing ourselves to God's standard?

Read Exodus 20:1-17, James 2:10-11, and 1 John 3:4

It is easy to read over the ten commandments rather quickly, without really applying them. But let's stop and think about a couple.

Read Matthew 5:21-22

According to this text, what does it really mean to murder? __________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Murder is more than physically ending someone's life! How often have you become angry with someone? Have you ever spoken unkindly? _________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Now read Colossians 3:5

Look especially at the end of the verse. Have you ever been guilty of covetousness or idolatry? Do you put anything in life before your relationship with God? ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Think carefully about the rest of the commandments.

Do you obey God's entire law? _______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

We might be able to appear to keep God's law on the outside. To those who observe us, we may look like very good people.

But read 1 Samuel 16:7

What does God see when He looks at you? ____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Review Isaiah 64:6

What does God say about even the good things you do? __________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

God knows our hearts, our most hidden motives. He knows (even if we don't realize it ourselves) how often our good actions are done out of selfishness. And even our best acts are worthless.

Read Matthew 5:48

What does God want our characters to be like? _________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Perfection? Wow! That has to be the ultimate in high standards. How do you measure up to it? _______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Read Romans 7:14 and verses 18-24

Can you identify with Paul? _________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Isaiah 53:6

How many of us have sinned? _______________________________________________________________

What did God do with this entire world full of sin? ______________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Read John 19:1-5 and verses 16-18; also read Mark 15:34

Read slowly and think carefully about theses verses. Try to picture the scene. Could it be your sins that did this to God's Son? ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

When we look at Calvary, we see what happened when God laid the sins of the world on Jesus. This awful picture shows us the enormity of our sin. But it also gives us hope.

Read Jeremiah 13:23

Can you do anything about your sin? Can you get rid of it by yourself? ______________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Read Genesis 2:27 and Romans 6:23

What is the consequence for sin? ____________________________________________________________

Read the beatitude at the beginning of this section (Matthew 5:3) again

By now, we can see that we fit into this category—we are “poor in spirit.” We have no spiritual riches, nothing to recommend us to God, no way to help ourselves. We are sinners. But what is the first word this text uses to describe us when we are in this condition? ___________________________________________

Read Revelation 3:17-18

Why are the poor in spirit blessed? __________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Can God do anything to help those who think they have all they need? _______________________________

Read Luke 13:34

Will God force people to accept his help? ______________________________________________________

Since God does not use force, He can only help those who want Him to—those who realize that they need him. If we want to become citizens of Christ's kingdom, we must start by admitting our poverty.

But there is something else we must also understand.

Read 1 John 3:1 and Hebrews 2:11

What do these verses tell us about God? _______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Can you imagine? We are so wicked we killed Jesus, yet He calls us His sisters. And God the Father calls us His daughters. They want us in their family!

Read John 3:16 and Hebrews 12:2

Were Jesus and His father happy to suffer for us? _______________________________________________

Why? __________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

God considered the most horrible suffering and death a joy if it would save us. He loves us that much.

Read John 17:23

Look especially at the last eight words. How does God love us? ____________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Think about the close relationship between God the Father and God the Son. The father loves you as much as He loves His own Son. Amazing!

Sometimes it may be difficult to realize this. After all, there are millions of people in the world. How could God have so much love for you individually and personally? He knows we may be tempted to think this way, so He has made sure to send us visible evidence of His love. Below is a list of several ways God gives shows His love. Match the evidences on the left with the texts on the right.

Provision for needs                                           Psalm 145:15-16

The Beauty of His creation                             Psalm 19:1-4 and Matthew 6:28-30

Family and Friends                                        Genesis 2:18 and Proverbs 17:17

The blessing of trials                                      Genesis 3:17 and James 1:2-3

Protection                                                       Psalm 37:4

Now add to the list. How has God shown His love for you personally? ______________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Hebrews 11:6

Do you believe in God and His love for you? ___________________________________________________

Are you willing to admit that you are poor in spirit and desperately need Jesus? _______________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

If so, you are ready for the next step.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:4-5).

Read Acts 2:36-38

When the people heard Peter's sermon and were convicted of their sin, they asked, “What shall we do?”

What was the first word of Peter's answer (in verse 38)? _________________________________________

Now read Acts 3:19

Is repentance necessary for the forgiveness of sin? ______________________________________________

Once we see our sin, the very next step toward a relationship with Jesus is Repentance.

Read 2 Timothy 2:25, 2 Corinthians 7:9-11, and Ezekiel 18:30-32

What does repentance include, according to these texts? _________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Repentance begins when we acknowledge the truth. Then the truth can work in our hearts and make us sorry for what we have done. We also gain a desire to make things right. And finally, we show that our repentance is real by turning away from sin.

Read Psalm 38:3 and Psalm 94:12

What did David experience because of his sin? _________________________________________________

After he repented, was David willing to accept the consequences of sin? ______________________________

Repentance is sorrow for sin, not feeling sorry for ourselves because of the consequences. In fact, when we truly repent, we will, like David, thank God for His chastisement.

But what if you don't feel repentant?

Read Matthew 11:28 and Revelation 22:17

According to these verses, is repentance a condition which must be met before coming to Christ? _________________________________________________________________________________________

Christ has invited the “weary and heavy laden,” “him that is athirst,” and “whosoever will” to come to Him. He says nothing about repentance. Why?

Read Acts 5:30-31

Where does repentance come from? ___________________________________________________________

We can't even repent on our own! We must come to Jesus first and allow Him to give us a repentant spirit. But then we must do more than just feel sorry for our sins.

Read Psalm 32:3-5

What did David need to do before His sin was forgiven? ___________________________________________

Read Proverbs 28:13

Do you think it is necessary to confess every sin that you are aware of? ______________________________

We can see that confession is necessary, but we also need to know who to confess to.

Read Hebrews 4:13-16, 1 John 2:1-2, and Acts 4:10-12

Who is our intercessor, priest, and the only one who can forgive our sin? _____________________________

Now read Jame 5:16

What are we to confess to one another? ________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

We must confess our sins to God and our faults to one another.

Read Psalm 51:4

What did David say to God when he had wronged Uriah and Bathsheba? ______________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Because others are God's property, we really sin against God when we hurt them. We must do our best to restore our relationship with the other person by confessing and apologizing to them (and having a forgiving spirit when they apologize to us). But only God can remove the stain of sin from our hearts and from our record in the books of heaven. So it is essential that we confess to Him.

Read Psalm 34:18, Ezekiel 33:13-19 and Isaiah 1:16

Will confession do any good if we aren't really sorry? What if we are sorry for awhile, but then go right back to our old sinful ways? ______________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Confession must be combined with true repentance—it come from the heart and result in turning away from sin.

When we were studying the first step (recognizing our need and God's love) we read in Genesis 3 about Adam and Eve. We noticed that, even though they admitted their sin, they also made excuses. This is not true confession.

Read Act 26:9-11 and 1 Timothy 1:15

What did Paul say in his confession? ___________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul was very specific, stating exactly what he had done wrong. He also accepted the responsibility without making excuses or blaming others. This is an example of true confession.

Review the beatitude at the beginning of this section (Matthew 5:4-5).

Repentance is mourning for our sin. Do you think repentance and confession require meekness (or humility)? _________________________________________________________________________________________

Humbling ourselves and making confession is not easy.

But read James 4:6-10

What is God's promise to the humble? _________________________________________________________

Now read Luke 18:10-14

Which one of these men received God's promise of grace? _________________________________________

Do you want to receive God's forgiving grace? __________________________________________________

What are some things you need to confess to him? (You do not need to show this list to anyone else.)

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Take a moment now to ask God's forgiveness for these things.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, and thee only, have I sinned....Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit....For tho desirest not sacrifice; else I would give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise (Psalm 51:1-3, 10-12, & 15-17).

Read 1 John 1:9

What is God's promise to you now that you have confessed your sins? _______________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

God has promised forgiveness, and He can never break a promise!

Read Isaiah 44:22

Are your sins covered? _____________________________________________________________________

Remember the beatitude; if you have repented and confessed the blessing is for you. When your heavenly Father looks at you, He no longer sees your sin. In it's place, He sees Jesus' perfect character.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6).

Now that we have repented and confessed our sins, Jesus has set us free from the penalty of sin—death. This pardon is a priceless gift. But God wants to do even more for us.

Read Hebrews 10:16, 1 Peter 1:15-19, and 1 Peter 2:21-22

According to these texts, does God only set us free from the penalty of sin? Or is He also able to free us from sin itself? ________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Psalm 40:8

What does this verse tell us about God's law? ___________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

God wants to free us from doing or even desiring sin. His law is not drudgery, rather it is meant to be a delightful gift!

Read Mark 12:30

God has given us so much. What does He ask for in return? _______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

God simply wants us—our hearts, our love, and our affection. This must be the driving force behind all our actions. Doing our “Christian duty” is worthless if we don't really love God.

Read Jeremiah 17:9-10

How does this verse describe our hearts? _______________________________________________________

Think about it: Our hearts are deceitful and wicked, they're worthless (Remember? We studied this in the first section.) and God knows it. Yet these nasty hearts are what He asks for in exchange for His perfect love.

Now look at Ezekiel 36:26

Why would God ask for such a worthless gift? __________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Everything God does is for us! He makes it sound like we're doing something for Him when He asks for our hearts, but really, He's doing us a favor. He will change our hearts and make them beautiful.

Read Romans 7:14-15 and Romans 8:7-8

Can you give your heart to God? ______________________________________________________________

We have a problem. We're in slavery to sin and don't have the power to give our hearts to God. We can't make ourselves love Him, because without Him we do not have the ability to love.

But read Joshua 24:15

We cannot change our own hearts, but what can we do, according to this verse? ______________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

We can't manufacture love, but we can choose to serve. If we don't make the choice, God will never force His love on us, or forcefully steal our hearts.

Read Philippians 2:13

What happens when we choose to serve God? __________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

When we make the choice to cooperate with God, He can give us the ability to love and the desire to right. He frees us so that we can give ourselves to Him.

Read Jeremiah 29:13 and Luke 14:33

What does this relationship with Christ require? __________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Remember: everything we have outside of Christ—anything we could possibly give up—is worthless. We are exchanging something of no value for something of infinite value. He and His righteousness are worth the most diligent effort. We should never ask how little we can do for God and still be considered a Christian. Rather, we should ask how much we can do. After all, what does He do for us?

Read the beatitude at the beginning of this section (Matthew 5:6).

Do you truly desire righteousness? Do you want to serve Christ and posses a character like His so much that you would even be willing to sacrifice the necessities of life in exchange for this relationship? _________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Don't stop with a desire. Make the choice!

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7).

Read 1 Peter 2:9-10

Since God has shown mercy to you, what are you called to do? _____________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

What is mercy? Look it up in your dictionary and write the definition here: _____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Luke 6:36 and Romans 11:31

When you show God's praises will you also be showing mercy? ______________________________________

Mercy is kindness toward someone in distress. It is also undeserved kindness or pardon. When we tell others of God's goodness, we are showing kindness to those in distress (even if they don't realize their distress at the time). We are also helping them obtain God's pardon. Thus we can claim the blessing for the merciful.

Re-read the blessing at the beginning of this section (Matthew 5:7)

What are the merciful promised? _______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

What does it really mean to obtain mercy? And why is it the merciful, in particular, who are promised this blessing? Let's find out.

Read Matthew 28:18-20

Here Jesus asks us to minister—to show mercy. Then what is His promise in verse 20? __________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Now read Hebrews 12:2

Why did Jesus endure the cross, according to this verse? ___________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Saving souls is Jesus' passion, His greatest joy. He loves people so much that He was happy to endure the most horrible suffering for them. He has promised that when we join in this work, He will work alongside us.

Read 1 Corinthians 3:9

As a co-worker with God, do you think you'll get to know Him better? ________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

It is a commonly known fact that in order to get to know someone, you must spend time with them. And if you want to know them really, really well, you must work with them. The friends that we just share a meal and a friendly chat with are not the ones we are closest to. We need to experience some work—some difficulties—together in order to form strong bonds. These shared experiences give us something to talk about. When we share in Christ's work and His sacrifice for the good of others, we grow closer to Him, and we have something to talk to Him about. As we experience difficulties and opposition in this work, we will be driven to depend on Him and His Word. On the other hand, our relationship with Christ will die if we stop working with Him, just like our earthly friendships die when we no longer share common interests and experiences. When we work for the blessing of others, Christ responds by blessing us. This is what it means to obtain mercy, and this is why the merciful are the ones who receive the blessing.

Read 2 Corinthians 8:9 and Philippians 3:10

Ministry requires sacrifice. Do you want to have fellowship with Christ in suffering? _____________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Matthew 25:14-30

Can you identify with the man who only received one talent? ________________________________________

How many of the servants received talents? Was there a servant who was given no talent? ________________

We often may be tempted to excuse ourselves from ministry because “we don't have the talent for it.”

According to the parable, is this a legitimate excuse? _______________________________________________

God gives talents to all of His servants. We often think of a talented person as someone with an outstanding ability, someone who can do something better than most other people can. But in reality, a talent is any resource or ability the Lord has given us. It doesn't even have to be an exceptional ability.

How many talents has the Lord given you? Here are a few that you most likely have, at least in some measure:

A voice

The ability to read and write

Health and strength

Friends and influence

Time

Now add to the list. What are some other resources and abilities you have? _____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Romans 1:14

The possession of these talents makes us debtors! What are we obligated to do with them? ________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Now read 2 Corinthians 4:13 and John 1:43-46

Like Philip, we have met Christ. Do we have something to tell? ______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

We've been given a message, and the resources to proclaim it. But where do we start? And how?

Read Luke 24:47 and Acts 1:8

Where were the disciples to begin? _____________________________________________________________

Jerusalem was where the disciples already were. They were to start by reaching out to those right around them, then work out from there.

Do you think we should start by serving those nearest us, as well? ___________________________________

Read 1 Corinthians 7:21-24

Does joining Christ in ministry mean changing your occupation? _____________________________________

Now read Luke 16:10 and Psalm 84:10

Are we to wait for great occasions or extraordinary ability?__________________________________________

Ministry is a way of life. We are to begin by serving those around us, right where we are. No matter our station in life, Christ gives us all opportunities to share Him with others. We must be diligent to watch for those small opportunities and use them well. Then God will be able to give us more and greater opportunities.

Read Colossians 3:23-24

Who do you serve? _________________________________________________________________________

If you are a servant, are you responsible for the results of fulfilling the Master's commands? Or is He the one responsible for the results? ___________________________________________________________________

We do not have to stress and worry about making our efforts a “success.” Our duty is simply obey Christ and faithfully do the work He places before us. He will take care of the results.

Are you willing to make sacrifices in order to enjoy the privilege of working with Christ? _________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8).

Picture this scene: We are sitting on a bluff overlooking one of America's Great Lakes. Waves gently rock the boats dotting the surface of the water. The sun sinks slowly toward the horizon, turning the sky a beautiful soft pink. But a strange sound comes to us across the water—a revving, then steady rumble of a motor, nothing like the usual motor boat. Looking up the lake shore, we see the a pair of piers, several miles away, and just past the end of these piers, we notice an oddly shaped contraption called a dredger. This is the source of unusual noise! Throughout the summer, the dredger goes from port to port, clearing sand and weeds out of the channels. Without the dredger, channels would become blocked, cutting the towns off from shipping.

Now here is a question to consider: Are your channels clear?

Look at the beatitude (Matthew 5:8)

What kinds of impurities do you think might block your communication with God? ______________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Colossians 3:3

What is one of the main things that must die in order for you to have a relationship with Jesus? ____________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

One of the main things that block the channel of our communication with Christ is ourselves. A selfish focus will prevent us from seeing God.

Now read verse 2 of the same chapter

Where should our focus be? __________________________________________________________________

Read Psalm 16:8

How often should we look at God? _____________________________________________________________

Now read 2 Corinthians 3:18

Why is it so important to constantly behold Christ? ________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you want to be changed into His image? _____________________________________________________

If we don't behold Christ, we will be beholding something else. And our characters naturally reflect whatever or whoever we are beholding. Me must look only on the best! Let's discover some practical ways we can keep our eyes on Christ.

Read Psalm 143:8, Isaiah 50:4, and Mark 1:35

When is the best time of day to begin communicating with God? _____________________________________

What we do first thing in the morning usually sets the tone for the rest of our day. Spending some special time with just God is the best way to begin.

Read Mark 1:35

In this verse, what did Jesus do first thing in the morning? __________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Like Jesus, we should begin our time with God in prayer. We need to invite Him to come and spend this time with us.

Read 1 Peter 2:2-3, John 5:39, and John 6:63

What is the next thing we should do in our special time with God? ____________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Think of this early morning time as a chance to have an actual conversation with our Heavenly Father. First, we speak to Him in prayer, then He speaks to us through His word. We respond to His Word with another prayer, thanking Him for the things He has taught us and asking for His help in applying the lessons. He impresses us with thoughts through the Holy Spirit, and once again we respond in prayer.

Read Acts 17:10-11

How often did the Bereans study the Bible? ______________________________________________________

How much time do you spend in God's Word? Are you willing to commit to studying daily? _______________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

After we have spent time in prayer and Bible study, we will have to go about our daily duties. But this does not mean we have to stop communicating with God!

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:17

What does this verse say we can do? ___________________________________________________________

Of course this does not mean we will continually be on our knees. But we can always have God by our side. We can pay attention to the thoughts His Holy Spirit impresses us with, and we can respond to Him. As we go about our business, we can be talking to Him about what we are doing—about our life. This is what it means to pray without ceasing.

Read Nehemiah 2:1-4

Especially look at verse 4. Where did Nehemiah's thoughts go immediately when the king asked his question? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Do your thoughts immediately turn to God when you are faced with an opportunity, decision, or difficulty? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Talking with God should become our habit.

What are some things we can talk with God about? Look up the following verses and write down some things God wants to hear.

Psalm 50:23 _______________________________________________________________________________

Matthew 6:10 ______________________________________________________________________________

Matthew 6:11 ______________________________________________________________________________

Matthew 6:12 ______________________________________________________________________________

Matthew 6:13 ______________________________________________________________________________

Philippians 4:6 _____________________________________________________________________________

Colossians 4:3 _____________________________________________________________________________

God loves to hear from us! Our temporal needs and desires, our spiritual needs, prayer for others, the coming of His kingdom, His will, forgiveness, deliverance from temptation, and His glory are just a few of the things we can discuss with Him.

Besides prayer, what are some more ways we can keep in touch with God throughout the day? Match the ideas on the left with the references on the right.

Pay attention to His creation                                Psalm 107:40-43

Look for His providential working                       James 5:13 & Ephesian 5:18-19

Listen to His Holy Spirit                                     Luke 15:4-10

Find His lessons in daily incidents                      John 14:2-3 & 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Imagine the home He is preparing for you          John 1:1-3 & Psalm 33:5-7

Sing                                                                 John 14:26

Read Acts 4:13

When people meet you, can they tell you've been with Jesus? _________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Is the channel clear between you and God? _______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9).

Read the beatitude, then read 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

What does it mean to be a peacemaker or to reconcile? (Use a dictionary if you need to) ___________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

The definition of these two words is similar. Reconciling is restoring peace or friendship between two people.

According to the text in 2 Corinthians, who are we to reconcile? ______________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

We've already considered our call to minister to others and bring them to Christ. This is part of what it means to be a true peacemaker, because Christ is the source of all peace.

But read Jeremiah 6:14

Is there such a thing as false peace? _____________________________________________________________

Now read Colossians 3:15

Can we offer real peace to others if we do not have this peace in our own hearts? ________________________

Throughout this study, we have been learning how we can draw closer to God—make peace with Him. Without this relationship, we cannot really help others. Chances are, though, if you have come this far in the study, you have been putting the things you're learning into practice. You've recognized your need and God's love, you've repented and confessed your sins, you've given yourself to Christ and His service, and are seeking to walk with Him each day. But have you really accepted God's peace?

In our Christian life, we may still face doubts and fears. A young lady recently asked us this question, “How do I know that my sins are forgiven?”

Read 1 John 1:9 and Romans 5:1

Based on these passages, how would you answer the young lady's question? ____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Hebrews 11:6

What does God want us to do when we come to Him? ______________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Think about Romans 8:31-37 and John 10:27-28

Is there any trial, difficulty, or enemy that can separate you from God? _________________________________

God has promised to accept us when we turn to Him, and He wants us to believe His promise. Nothing, except our own free choice to walk away, can take us out of God's hands. We can trust Him no matter what happens, whether we understand everything or not, regardless of how we feel. This decision to trust brings true peace.

Now read Psalm 4:8 and Psalm 119:165

When we have true peace in our hearts, will we be fearful or easily irritated? ____________________________

Read Ezekiel 34:25-26 and Micah 5:7

What happens to those around us when they see our peaceful, trusting spirit? ___________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Proverbs 16:7, John 17:21-23, and Ephesians 2:13-14

What does this peace do to our relationships with others? ____________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

When Christ is dwelling in our hearts, we will be able to rest in Him, regardless of what is happening around us, regardless even of how others treat us. We will not give in to irritation with those around us, rather, we will do our best to promote harmony in all of our relationships.

But now look at Psalm 120:7

Does the fact that we are at peace and that we are trying to share that peace with others mean that we will never face conflicts? ______________________________________________________________________________

Look back at verses 1 & 2 of Psalm 120

What was David's response to conflict? __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Though we will still face conflict, we do not have to lose our peace. Neither do we have to compromise right principle in order to make peace. If we will turn to the Lord and ask Him for guidance, He will help us to maintain peace in our own hearts and to deal with the unsurrendered hearts around us in a kind, unprovoked manner.

Read Isaiah 52:7 and Micah 5:7

Are you publishing peace? Have you become a blessing in the midst of many people? ______________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

We have already discussed the fact that we can have peace in the midst of conflict. But now the Lord is asking us to take our relationship with Him even further.

Read the beatitude above (Matthew 5:10-12)

Do you believe that difficulty, conflict, and even the meanness of others can be a blessing? _________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Why, according to verse 12, should we be glad for persecution? ______________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Pain is never permanent. God never intended that is should exist, and someday it will be ended forever. We can look forward to that. In fact, the difficulties we face now will make heaven seem that much better. Also, we shouldn't be surprised by persecution because all God's people, in all ages, have faced it.

Read 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

There are other difficulties we may face besides persecution. What are some that are mentioned in this text? ___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Besides persecution, we may face trouble on every side—health problems, financial difficulties, or relationship challenges. We may be in perplexity—faced with frustrating circumstances, duties that seem too hard for us, and times when we don't know what to do. Or we may feel cast down—when we are tempted with discouragement, when our work is unappreciated, when everything seems to go wrong.

But now go back to verse 7

Do difficulties help us see our weakness? _________________________________________________________

According to this verse, what does this obvious weakness of ours reveal? _______________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

When we are surrounded by difficulties and impossibilities, yet continue to serve the Lord, it becomes obvious (both to ourselves and to others) that God is the one doing the work, not us.

Read 2 Corinthians 4:10-12 and 2 Timothy 2:8-10

Can a right attitude in suffering draw others to Christ? ______________________________________________

Read Luke 15:10 and Hebrews 12:2

Do you share the angels' and Jesus' joy when others come to the Lord? _________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Philippians 1:29

Do you consider it a privilege to suffer for the honor of God and the blessing of others? ___________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Job 23:10, Romans 5:3-4, & James 1:2-4

What is another reason for joy in difficulties? ______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you want your character to become like Christ's character? _______________________________________

Read 2 Corinthians 12:10

Are you willing to endure anything to reach this goal? Would you even be willing to ask God for difficulties in order to restore and refine a godly character? _____________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Remember, there can be no strength without resistance, no courage without fear, no character development without challenges.

Read 1 Peter 4:13-14 and Philippians 4:4

Will you choose to rejoice? ___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Return to DBD Home

Doteasy Web Hosting