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In the Power of the Holy Spirit

Week of  May 22^nd,  2022

All scripture from the NIV unless otherwise noted.

Study by Wayne Arcand

Last week we ended with this note: All who believe in Christ as the risen Saviour have the power of the Holy Spirit alive in them and working through them. Romans 8:⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. The work of the Holy Spirit is primarily to transform our character, to make our life reflect the life of Christ.

1. In Christian circles we talk about committing our life to Jesus. But there is also submitting to the will of the Father.
   1. Discuss the difference between commitment and submission.
   2. Can you have submission without commitment? Explain.
   3. What is the basis for submitting to the will of the Father?

2. Ephesians 2: ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
   1. In your own words, restate Ephesians 2:8 and 9, putting it in the first person.
      1. What impact do these verses have on you when you change the application of these truths from the impersonal “you” to the personal “I”?
   2. What does verse 10 mean when it says, “for we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus”?
      1. Why were we created in Christ Jesus?
         1. What does this mean to you?
      2. Analyse the phrase, “which God prepared in advance for us to do”.
         1. What do we learn about God?
         2. What do we learn about our purpose?

3. Ephesians 4:¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
   1. Define each of the offices that Christ gave himself:
      1. What is an apostle?
      2. What is a prophet?

• What is an evangelist?

1. What is a pastor?
2. What is a teacher?

1. What is the purpose or role of apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers?
2. What are works of service?
   1. How are God’s people equipped for works of service?
3. Discuss works of service that a follower of Jesus can be involved in.

4. Romans 12:1-2 tells us, “¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ²Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Galatians 5:²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

1. What does scripture mean when it says, “to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice”?
2. What are the characteristics of the ‘worldly mind” vs the characteristics of a “renewed mind”?
   1. How does this transformation take place?
3. What is the connection between Romans 12:2 and Galatians 5:24?
4. Can we display the fruit of the spirit and be conceited? Why?

5. Romans 12: ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
   1. Explain the analogy of Romans 12:4-8?
   2. Does this passage apply to all who proclaim Jesus as Lord and Saviour? Explain.
   3. What gifts or abilities has the Lord blessed you with that you can use in his service?

For Reflection: All of us want our life to have meaning and purpose. As Ephesians 2:10 tells us, we were created in Christ Jesus for a purpose – to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Living the transformed life is serving using the spiritual gifts and abilities with which the Lord has blessed us. God has designed us so our unique abilities compliment one another, so that together we accomplish the Lord’s purpose in our lives, in His Church and in our community. If you are not already serving, prayerfully consider what you enjoy doing, what you are able to do and actively seek where you may serve. You will find it a rewarding experience.

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All Nations Church Life Group Study
In the Power of the Holy Spirit
Week of May 15th, 2022
All scripture from the NIV unless otherwise noted.
Study by Wayne Arcand

“To God be the glory, great things he hath done”, are not just the words of a great old hymn. “To God be the glory”, is acknowledging that it is God who works in us and through us in the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish his purposes. All that we have, all that we are and all we will become is by the grace of God our Saviour. In this study we will look at a few verses with a focus on the power of God in our lives.
1. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to those who love him: John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
a. How do we show we love Jesus?
i. Who is the Spirit of Truth?
b. Why did the Father give us the Spirit of Truth?
c. Considering Jesus words in John 14:15, what is the implication when we make a conscious choice not to keep God’s commands?
i. What are some ways we try to justify ignoring God’s commands? In considering this question, how often have we said or heard “it seems to me”, or “it doesn’t seem fair”?
ii. Consider the promise of Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
1. How do these promises relate to John 14:15?
2. How does this help us when faced with a situation where we don’t understand what God is doing, or why he is allowing something to happen? For further consideration see Isaiah 55:8-9 and 1 Corinthians 1:25.

2. Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
a. What does it mean to ‘repent’?
b. What is our motivation for repentance?
c. What does God promise to those who repent?
d. Why is verse 39 important?

3. Discuss how John 3:16-18 relates to Acts 2:38-39 above. John 3: 16 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

4. There is a wonderful connectivity in scripture. Read Psalm 1:1Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
a. What truths do you learn in Psalm 1 that are reflected in the New Testament scriptures studied in this lesson?
b. What does the phrase, “which yields its fruit in season”, suggest to you?

For Reflection:
All who believe in Christ as the risen Saviour have the power of the Holy Spirit alive in them and working through them. Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. The work of the Holy Spirit is primarily to transform our character, to make our life reflect the life of Christ. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” We all have areas of our life where the fruit of the spirit may be just budding. Pray and ask the Spirit to show you those areas of your life that need to mature and ask that he guide you as you journey through this life.

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Life Group Study

Mother’s Day

Week of  May 8^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

We all have a relationship with our mother that is unique to who we are as a person and who they were or are as a person. I was blessed with a mother who exemplified the characteristics of a Godly woman and I am even more blessed to have a wife and the mother of our children who exemplifies the same characteristics in her life.  Sadly, not everyone has had or has the same experience. Where this is the case, we are still called to love, forgive and honour our mother. This study will look at how God rewards those who obey his word and the consequences for those who choose not to. I pray the Lord will open your heart to his word as we study this together.

All passages in this study are from the New International Version of the Bible.

1. Ephesians 6:¹Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ²“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³ “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
   1. What transition do you see as we move from verse 1 to verse 2?
      1. What is the difference between “obey your parents” and “honour your father and mother”? Discuss what it means to ‘honour your father and your mother’?
   2. What is the promise of verse 3? What does this mean to you?
      1. If there is a reward for acting in a specific way, is there an implied consequence if you don’t act as commanded? Explain.

2. Consider these two verses: Exodus 21: ¹⁵“Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death. ¹⁷ “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.
   1. What are the two methods of assault in these verses?
      1. In our society, is one considered more heinous than the other? Discuss.
   2. What does the penalty for each suggest about the seriousness with which God considers both actions?

3. The Book of Ruth is a beautiful account of loss, sacrifice, love, hardship, redemption and reward. It is an excellent example of honouring a mother or mother-in-law. Naomi had lost her husband and both of her sons. At Naomi’s urging, one daughter-in-law went back to her people but Ruth refused to leave Naomi’s side.

Ruth 1: ¹⁵ “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” ¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” ¹⁸ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

1. As you read the above verses, what do you learn about each of these women?
   1. What characteristic stands out for you? Why?
2. We will continue to explore how God worked in Ruth’s life: Ruth 2:¹⁰ At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” ¹¹ Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. ¹² May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” ¹³ “May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”
   1. What attitude does Ruth display in these verses?
   2. What motivated Boaz to look favourably upon Ruth?
   3. What did Boaz acknowledge about Ruth in verse 11?
   4. What does verse 12 tell us about Boaz?
3. The last question in this study will look at Ruth 4:¹³So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. ¹⁴ The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer[1]. May he become famous throughout Israel! ¹⁵ He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. ¹⁷ The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
   1. What verse in this passage touches your heart?
   2. Out of great sorrow, God brought great blessing to Naomi and Ruth. What lessons have you learned from this study that you can apply to your life?

For Reflection: We live in a world that puts me and what I want ahead of everything and everyone else. There is little room for love, tolerance or respect as the focus is on our rights, desires, felt needs and wants. How different this is from the sacrificial love Ruth demonstrated toward Naomi – a love that resulted in God rewarding Ruth with a rich life and the honour of being in the line of David, and therefore an ancestor of Jesus. The love we show to our children, the honour we give to our parents, can have a generational reward. To love one another as Christ loved us has an eternal reward. So let us keep our eyes on the big picture, giving honour where honour is due, and being a witness to the goodness of God in our lives.

[1] WHAT WAS A GUARDIAN-REDEEMER? (from biblegateway.com)

Ruth 2:20; 3:12; 4:3–6

A guardian-redeemer was a close, influential relative to whom members of the extended family could turn for help, usually when the family line or possessions were in danger of being lost. He was responsible for buying back family land sold during a crisis (see Lev 25:25), buying back enslaved relatives (see Lev 25:47–49), providing an heir for a dead brother (see Dt 25:5–10), avenging the killing of a relative (see Nu 35:19–21) and caring for relatives in difficult circumstances (see Jer 32:6–25).

The idea of the guardian-redeemer is also used at times to refer to God and his redemption of Israel (see Ex 6:6–8; Job 19:25; Ps 19:14; 69:18; Isa 43:1). In these passages, God is Israel’s nearest redeemer, stepping in to bring the nation back into his family when the people could not do it themselves.

The word guardian-redeemer finds ultimate fulfillment in the coming of the Messiah (see Isa 59:20). Jesus is our near guardian who came to buy us back into God’s family. In the New Testament the concept is reflected in the various words for redeem, which suggest paying a ransom, making a purchase or saving from loss.

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Life Group Study

Life with Purpose

Week of  May 1^st,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

Love and forgiveness are modelled for us in the life of Jesus. An example of this can be seen in how Jesus dealt with Peter. Peter was a person who often spoke and acted impulsively, possibly with great intentions but without considering the cost . This study will look at the contradictions in Peter’s life and see that though he failed in critical times, true repentance and Jesus’ forgiveness restored his relationship with the Lord. His failures may have been instrumental in shaping who he became. We see the truth of Romans 8:28 in Peter’s life, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

Matthew 26:³¹ Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’³² But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

³³ Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

³⁴ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

³⁵ But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

1. What prophecies do you see in these verses?

2. What do these verses tell us about Peter’s character?
   1. Do you think Peter gave any serious consideration to Jesus’ prophecy in verse 34? Why?

John 18:10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

3. What do we learn about Peter in these verses?

4. What does Jesus mean by, “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
   1. Could there be situations in our lives where we might ask ourselves the same question? Explain.

John 18: ¹⁷ “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” ¹⁸ It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself…..

…. ²⁵ Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.” ²⁶ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” ²⁷ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

5. Why do you think Peter denied being one of Jesus disciples?

6. Have you ever denied Jesus? Your initial response considering Peter’s active denial of Jesus may be “no”. But, what about the subtle ways we deny Jesus. Discuss how the following may be subtle ways we deny Jesus.
   1. Is there a difference between the way I speak and act versus the way someone who does not claim to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour speaks and acts?
   2. Do I live from Sunday to Sunday without acknowledging Jesus as Lord in my life?
   3. Do my daily decisions reflect a reliance upon the Lord?
   4. Does the way I live my life honour Jesus?
      1. In order to answer this question we need to answer the question, how do I honour Jesus with my life?
   5. Are there other ways we may be denying Jesus?

Matthew 26: ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

7. Peter had been with Jesus for three years. He loved Jesus and was part of the inner circle of Jesus’ closest disciples, and yet in a moment when he felt threatened, he denied Jesus. As you read Matthew 26:75, what range of feelings do you think Peter was experiencing?
   1. What does the last sentence suggest about how Peter was feeling?

John 21: ¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

8. In the above passage from John 21, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him.
   1. What do you think the significance was of asking Peter the same question three times?
   2. How did Peter reply each time?
   3. What was the significant revelation in Peter’s third response to Jesus?

9. When Jesus tells Peter to “feed my lambs”, “take care of my sheep”, and “feed my sheep”, who is Jesus referring to?
   1. What do you think Jesus is telling Peter to do in these three phrases?
   2. What does this passage suggest about the depth of God’s forgiveness, that Jesus would entrust someone who denied him three times with the care of the flock?
   3. What encouragement or comfort can we take from these verses?

10. Peter was crucified under Nero around 65-67 AD. From verse 19, we might conclude that Peter knew the kind of death he would suffer. After Jesus revealed this to Peter, he said “Follow me”.
    1. Reread Matthew 26:75 and think about how Peter felt when he denied Jesus and then read John 21:17 where Jesus asked Peter for the third time if he loved him. Do you think these two experiences changed Peter’s relationship with the Lord? Why or why not?
    2. Peter counted the cost and remained faithful. What do you think his motivation was?
    3. What motivates you in your walk with the Lord?

11. What have you learned in this lesson that will strengthen your relationship and walk with the Lord?

For Reflection: When I was a young man, I wondered about the purpose of living. It seemed to me that if all we were on this earth for was to work, grow old and die, why do it. The struggle did not seem worth it. Then I discovered Jesus, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say Jesus revealed himself to me. Jesus loves me, he forgave me and he gave my life purpose. I can identify specific points in my life where a decision that honoured God has brought me to where I am today. Take a moment to reflect on your life. Are there decisions you have made, good and bad, that have shaped your journey? How has the Lord changed you to become the child of God you are today? Are there opportunities I feel the Lord is calling me to, that I have not been obedient in answering? If yes, what am I going to do about it? I pray the Lord will give you much wisdom and a spirit of discernment as you consider these questions.

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All Nations Church

Life Group Study

Put on the New Self

Week of  April 24^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

This study will look at the subject of anger, how it impacts our relationship with those around us, how it impacts our relationship with the Lord and how the bible tells us to deal with our anger. There is no doubt that we live in angry times. The difficulty for the follower of Jesus is not to let the anger of the world be the major influence in our lives. Anger, fear, intolerance are tools of Satan to distract our mind and heart from the promises of God.

Ephesians 4:17-5: 2 (NIV) ¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹ Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

 ²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. ²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 5: ¹ Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1. Who is the apostle Paul writing this passage to?

2. What kind of life style do you think Paul is describing in Ephesians 4:17-19?
   1. What is the motivation behind this life style?

3. What is the point of transition between living according to the old nature and when we put on the new nature?
   1. What happens at the point of transition? (Ephesians 1:13,14)

4. As we read Ephesians 4:22-24, we see contrasting life styles with verse 23 providing the connecting link. Try to answer the questions below and then read Galatians 5:19-26. Do these verses support your answers? Explain.
   1. What do you think is the underlying characteristic of the former way of life?
   2. What is the underlying characteristic of the new life in verse 24?
   3. What does it mean to “be made new in the attitude of our minds”?
5. What we see as a little thing, God may see differently. This passage points out the importance of getting the little things right. There could be consequences for not doing so.

Read this passage from Numbers 20: ⁶ Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ⁸ “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

⁹ So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. ¹⁰ He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” ¹¹ Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

¹² But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

1. What difference(s) can you find between what the Lord told Moses to do and what he did?
2. What do verses 10 and 11 tell us about Moses’ frame of mind as he was addressing the assembly?
   1. Do you read anything in the first part of the chapter that would support your answer?
3. As you read the Lord’s words to Moses in verse 12, what did Moses do that did not honour the Lord in the sight of the Israelites?
4. What was the consequence of Moses actions?
5. Discuss how the events that are impacting our lives can cause us to take our eyes off the Lord and put the focus on what we are going through.

6. We all have triggers that make us happy, frustrated, angry, etc.
   1. Do you get angry easily? Possible answers are:
      1. Yes. Why?
      2. No. Why?

• It depends. On what?

1. What situations make you angry?
2. What happens to our thinking, our speaking, our actions when we become angry?
3. Read Ephesians 4:26:
   1. How can we sin in our anger?
   2. What steps can we take to not sin when we are angry?
4. Consider the discussion we just had about Moses:
   1. What was his sin?
   2. How does this relate to Ephesians 4:26?

7. Read Ephesians 4:32-5:2:
   1. Is there a key phrase in these verses that when acted upon will result in us living in a way that encompasses all parts of the passage?
      1. What is the phrase?
      2. How does it encompass all parts of the passage?

For Reflection: You are encouraged to pray Psalm 139:23,24 in your quiet time and consider the following three points. First, am I giving God the glory for what he is doing or am I taking the credit? Second, is there someone I need to forgive. Third, am I walking “in the way of love”?  My prayer for you is that God would be glorified in your life.

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All Nations Church

Life Group Study

Resurrection Sunday

Week of  April 17^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

The resurrection of Christ our Saviour is central to the Christian faith. Because of Jesus resurrection those who believe in him have the promise of 1 Thessalonians 4:¹⁶For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

If you are able to, pull up a YouTube video of “Open My Eyes Lord”. Goober Sir or the Maranatha Singers have a couple of great versions. Listen to the words and make this your prayer as we read God’s Word.

Matthew 27: ⁶² The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ⁶³ “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ ⁶⁴ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” ⁶⁵ “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

1. The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted to maintain the religious status quo. For personal gain, they were prepared to sacrifice the life of an innocent man. After inciting the mob to have Jesus crucified, they wanted to ensure his disciples would be discredited. Matthew 27:62-66 recounts some of the steps they took.
   1. What does verse 63 suggest about the closeness with which the religious leaders were following what Jesus was doing and saying?
   2. The first deception referred to in verse 64 was Jesus’ claim he was the Messiah. What was the second deception they wanted to guard against?
      1. What steps did they take to ensure this second deception did not happen?

2. Read Matthew 27:63 and compare it to Luke 24:8.
   1. What is different about the message these verses convey? Consider the context in which they are written?
   2. Do you think a different purpose was served in each situation? Explain.

3. Consider Luke 24:16 and Luke 24:31:
   1. What do these verses tell us about the power of God in our lives?
   2. What took place between these two verses?

• Why would the Lord keep who he was hidden from them for a period of time?

1. What principle might Luke 24:31 suggest in the way we pray?

4. We can read the Bible as an interesting story or we can read it as the living Word of God.
   1. Explain how each approach would impact your life?
   2. What do we learn from Luke 24:25?

• Discuss the steps a person might take so they do not face the same admonition?

5. Why was it important for Israel to regularly celebrate the feasts God established in the Old Testament?
   1. Why is it important that we annually remember Christ’s death and resurrection?

6. From this study, is there one thing you learned or perhaps were reminded of, that you can apply to your life?

Luke: 24 (NIV) ¹On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” ⁸ Then they remembered his words.

⁹ When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹ But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. ¹² Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” ³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

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Life Group Study

Palm Sunday

Week of  April 10^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

Possibly too often we are careless with our words and say things that reflect the thought patterns of the world and not those of a follower of Jesus. The hand of God is working in our lives and we may not recognize it as such. How often have you said or heard, ” it just happened that…”, and chalked it up to coincidence. But was it coincidence?

.

Luke 19:28-44 (NIV)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

²⁸ After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ³⁰ “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³² Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

³⁴ They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

1. As we read Luke 19:28-34:
   1. What questions do you think were going through the disciples’ minds as they were following Jesus’ instruction?
   2. How would you have felt if you were the disciple that found the colt and just started to untie it without talking to the colt’s owner?
   3. What is remarkable about verses 32 to 34?
   4. What do you think the disciples’ discussion would have been about as they led the colt away?
   5. What lessons are there for us in these verses?

Luke 19:³⁵ They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

³⁷ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁸ “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

2. What was the mood of the people in Luke 19:35-38?
   1. What was the symbolism of spreading their cloaks on the road?
   2. What was the symbolism of riding on a colt? (some research required)

3. Compare this prophecy of Zechariah 9: ⁹ Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (about 520 BC) to the passage from Luke 19:
   1. Consider the above passages from Zechariah and Luke 19:
      1. What confidence does this give you in the prophesies of scripture? Why? What other examples can you support your answer with?
      2. Why is this confidence important?

4.  Luke 19:³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

1. What is the meaning behind Jesus’ response to the Pharisees?
2. Is there a principle here that can apply to us? Explain.

5. Luke 19: ⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴² and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

How often do we feel we should reach out to someone, take a stand on an issue, perhaps get involved in an area of ministry and choose not to do so? I will do it later, I still have time,  may be our justification for not actively pursuing what we feel prompted to do. There may be consequences that we don’t foresee when we put off acting.

1. Why did Jesus weep over the city?
2. What would have brought Jerusalem peace?
3. Why was it hidden from their eyes?
4. Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD as a result of the Jews rebelling against Roman authority.
   1. How does the rebellion of the Jews and the resulting destruction of Jerusalem relate to Luke 19:44?
   2. Does Romans 13:1-2 suggest how things might have turned out differently for the Jews? Explain.

For Reflection:

Perhaps all too often we ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit because we feel it doesn’t matter. We may have an agenda and will get around to what God wants in our time frame. This is really just rebellion against God. There may be only one window of opportunity for us and that is the one God provides. To ignore that may result in unexpected consequences.  Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” In order for this to happen, we need to live the admonition of Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship”. Are you trying to do your own thing or are you allowing the Spirit of God to work in you and through you?

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Life Group Study

The Season of Suffering

Week of  April 3^rd,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

Most, if not all of us have experienced suffering at some point in our lives. We do not choose to suffer, but do so as a result of accidents, illness, someone else’s actions or maybe as a result of poor choices we have made. Jesus, on the other hand, chose to suffer and die that our sins might be forgiven and our relationship with the Father restored. Those who accept the Father’s offer of salvation are able to do so because of Jesus’ love for us and his willingness to be the sacrificial lamb. In this study, we will explore some of the ways that Jesus suffered in order that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

John 6:⁶⁷ “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.   ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” ⁷⁰ Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” ⁷¹ (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

1. We try to make sense out of what is happening and make judgments based on our understanding what we see and hear.
   1. What truths do we learn from John 6:67-71?
   2. Do you think Peter was speaking for the Twelve in verse 68?
      1. What did he not recognize?
   3. Does it seem strange to you that Jesus would have chosen Judas? Explain.
      1. What can we learn from this?

2. Consider John 13: ²¹ After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
   1. What do you think Jesus was troubled by? One part of the answer might be obvious and the other part less so. Can you think of a couple of reasons he would be troubled in spirit?

In the following verses, we will look at Peter’s denial of Jesus and what we can learn from that.

3. John 13: ³³ “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. ³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

³⁶ Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” ³⁷ Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” ³⁸ Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

1. What did Jesus do in the verses prior to this passage that demonstrated his love for his disciples?
   1. What kind of love did Jesus demonstrate?
   2. In practical terms, what is the lesson for us?
2. What does Peter’s statement, “I will lay down my life for you”, tell us about:
   1. His commitment to Jesus?
   2. His confidence in his ability?
3. What emotion do you think Jesus was feeling when he spoke the words of verse 38?

4. Read Matthew 26:69-75.
   1. What prophesy was fulfilled?
   2. What was Peter’s reaction when the cock crowed? Why?

5. 1 Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
   1. What principle is Peter teaching in these verses?
   2. Contrast Peter’s words in 1 Peter 4:11 to his statement in John 13:37. Considering Peter’s experience in Matthew 26:69-75, what has he learned between the time when he made the statement in John 13:37 and the time he penned 1 Peter?
      1. Is there a principle in these verses that we can apply to our life?

When we speak about the suffering of Jesus, we tend to think in terms of the scourging and crucifixion he endured.

6. In Matthew 26, we read, ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

1. Why do you think Jesus took Peter and the sons of Zebedee with him?
   1. Who were the sons of Zebedee?
2. What does verse 39 tell us about the way Jesus was feeling? Why?
3. Considering what Jesus was experiencing, what do you think he was feeling when he asked the question, “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?”?
4. Discuss the meaning and practical application of Jesus’ admonition in verse 41.

7. In Matthew 26, we also read, “⁶⁷ Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him ⁶⁸ and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”
   1. What do you think Jesus felt at this time?
   2. What character traits did Jesus portray in this situation?
   3. What did he stay focused on?

For Reflection:

As we continue in the season of Lent, we read of the suffering Christ who was betrayed, denied, mocked, scourged and crucified. Perhaps the most painful moment was when he called out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (Matt 27:6). Taking on the sins of the world resulted in Jesus being separated from the Father. In our humanity, I don’t know if we can fully appreciate the pain this caused. What I can say with confidence is, I am a child of God because Jesus was willing to endure such pain and suffering. Do you have the same confidence? If you don’t, come before the Lord, acknowledge you are a sinner (that you have been doing things your way), ask God to forgive you and make a commitment to put Jesus first in your life. You will never make a more important or life-changing decision.

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Life Group Study

Doubt

Week of March 27^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

This week’s message focuses on the subject of doubt. We live in a world full of doubt as well as a world that requires us to exercise faith every day. Thomas would not believe Jesus had risen from the dead unless he saw and touched Jesus. There is no faith required where we can confirm the existence or truth of something with our own senses. In faith we act, even when we have doubts. We doubt because we don’t see, or understand what is happening. In faith, we believe God is working in a situation according to his plan and timing, not ours. In faith, we believe that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

1. How would you define “doubt”?
   1. When you doubt, does doubt lead to action or inaction? Give an example.
   2. Can doubt have a positive or negative impact on your life? Explain.
   3. Can faith and doubt co-exist in a believers life? Why or why not?
      1. What can we do when faced with doubt?

John 20:24-29 (NIV) Jesus Appears to Thomas ²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

2. In John 20:24-29 we read the story of Thomas. He wasn’t too different from most of us when faced with something he didn’t understand. He doubted the story until he could verify what he was told. There was no faith required.
   1. Why do you think Thomas doubted what he was told?
   2. What do you think the group (disciples) dynamics would have been like with everyone except Thomas excited about having seen Jesus?
   3. Verses 26 to 29 are a great example of the graciousness of our God:
      1. What did Jesus do for Thomas?
      2. Why is verse 28 important?
   4. Read verse 29 and then read 2 Corinthians 5:7.
      1. How do these verses support one another?
      2. What does it mean to you to ‘live by faith’?

James 1: ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

3. What word or phrase would suggest the certainty of trials in our life?
   1. What is the purpose of the trials we experience?
   2. Discuss the character of a person who is ‘mature and complete’.

4. James 1:5 and 6:
   1. What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
   2. What wisdom do you think you might pray for?
   3. What does doubt cause us to do?

5. Explain what is meant by James 1:7 and 8 in the context of this passage?

Luke 1(NIV): ¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

6. The above verses from Luke 1, are the story of prayer, an answer to prayer, doubt and a consequence of doubt.
   1. What was the prayer?
      1. What was the answer to prayer?
      2. What was the source of doubt?

• What was the consequence to Zechariah?

1. How did this impact the fulfillment of the promise?
2. What is the lesson for us in these verses?

For Reflection:

In your quiet time this week, consider areas in your life where you may be experiencing doubt. As you consider today’s study, what have you learned that could have a positive impact on your life? If you are able to, listen to the hymn, “Take it to the Lord in Prayer”, and just quietly worship the Lord and allow Him to speak to your heart.

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Life Group Study

True Fasting

Week of March 20^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

When we talk about fasting, we often think in terms of abstaining from food or a favourite activity for a period of time. Isaiah 58 is the account of God speaking through the prophet Isaiah to convict and instruct his people. In this study we will learn what God considers true fasting and how we can apply these principles to our life.

Isaiah 58 (NIV)

True Fasting

58 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
² For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
³ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please  and exploit all your workers.
⁴ Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today  and expect your voice to be heard on high.

⁵ Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,  only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed  and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[a] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
¹¹ The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

¹³ “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
¹⁴ then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

1. Isaiah 58:1-5:
   1. What is the overall tone of these verses?
   2. In verse 1, how is Isaiah to confront God’s people?
      1. What is he to confront them about?
   3. In verse 2, what does the phrase “they seem eager” tell us about the people.
      1. What does the phrase, “as if they were a nation that does what is right…” tell us about the nation?
   4. In the first half of verse 3, the people are asking a question.
      1. What is the question?
         1. What are they not experiencing?
      2. What is God’s response?

• Consider two phrases is this verse, “why have we humbled ourselves”, and “you do as you please”.
  1. What do these phrases tell us about the way the people were living?

1. What is the admonition from verse 4?
2. What does verse 5 tell us about the habits and attitude of the people the Lord is addressing?
3. In summary, why were the people fasting?
4. How well does this verse reflect the teaching of James 4:1-3?

2. Isaiah 58:6-14:
   1. Consider the opening words of verses 6 and 7, “is not this” and “is it not”. What do these phrases tell us about what follows in those verses?
   2. This passage is filled with a number of conditional statements. These statements have an outcome based on an action.
      1. Identify the conditional statements identifying the action and outcome.
      2. Identify those which have a positive outcome.

• Identify those which have a negative outcome.

3. Acts 13: ²While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
   1. What activity accompanied fasting in these verses?
   2. What was taking place in their spiritual life? Why?
      1. How would this bring about the result God desires for us in Romans 12:2?

4. What have you learned in this study that can have an impact on your life?

For Reflection:

Are you setting aside time to spend with the Lord each day? Our lives are filled with activity. We often feel we are wasting time or not being productive if we are not engaged in doing something at all times. In Psalm 46:10, the LORD says, “Be still and know that I am God”. Would you make a commitment to set aside a period of time to fast, worship, pray and be still that you might experience a new level of closeness with the Lord our God? True transformation to become all that we are called to be can only happen through a close personal relationship with God our Saviour.