timhawkins DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING
S E R I E S
BOOK
2
MY AWESOME GOD
SERIES
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DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING
BOOK 2 MY AWESOME GOD
Discipleship is not just a series of Bible studies. It is a lifetime of learning how to be totally committed to Jesus in every area of your life.
1 The One and Only 5
Discipleship Training isn’t just a matter of ‘going through a course’. Your main training as a disciple will be through the learning relationship that you have with your trainer.
5 The returning Lord 17
Everything in this course will need to be put into practice in your life. The aim of this training is to help you grow as a disciple so that you will be better equipped to ‘go and make disciples’.
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contents
Book 2 My awesome God
2 God is my Father 9 3 The promised Messiah 11 4 The Servant King 13 6 God’s Spirit lives in me 21 7 God’s Spirit changes me 23 8 God’s Spirit equips me 25 9 Instant replay 29 My time with God chart 33
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STUDY
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The One and Only
As a Christian, you have made a decision to love and follow God, so you need to understand who he is.
1 In your group read together Isaiah 40:12–31. Try to soak in what it is saying about God. Imagine you can actually see and experience this God whom the Bible describes. s the passage is read, follow it on your sheet and underline words A or phrases that hit you; words that speak powerfully to you, phrases that are hard to understand. Highlight sections that open your eyes to what God is like—sentences that encourage you to say ‘Wow!’. Isaiah 40:12–31 (NIV) TOTALLY POWERFUL v 12
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? TOTALLY KNOWING vv 13–14
Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord, as his counsellor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding? THE NATIONS ARE NOTHING vv 15–17
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing. IDOLS ARE NOTHING vv 18–20
With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple. 4
Book 2 My awesome God
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Imagine you can actually see and experience this God CREATOR OF EVERYTHING vv 21–22
Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
TRA EX T ime
2 What do these verses show you about God? Isaiah 45:5–7, 18–25 Exodus 15:11–13 Psalm 68:32–35 1 Timothy 6:15–16
3 a) The thing about God that amazes me most is …
b) Here is one way I will honour God this week …
World rulers are nothing vv 23–24
He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. PERSONALLY CONTROLS HIS CREATION vv 25–26
‘To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Memory Verse The One and Only God Isaiah 45:22–23 ‘Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow …’ Isaiah 45:22–23 (NIV)
GOD UNDERSTANDS ME vv 27–28
Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God’? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
My 3 friends ...
GOD STRENGTHENS ME vv 29–31
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. 6
Book 2 My awesome God
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STUDY
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God is my Father
We’ve got an idea of how magnificent God is. Now let’s find out how he cares about you ... just like a perfect Dad!
Remember, as a Christian, you have made Remember, asa a Christian, decision you have made ato decision love and to love and follow God, so follow God, you need to understand so you need who he is. to understand who he is. 8
Book 2 My awesome God
1 Read Psalm 103 carefully and pick out the ways that God is
described. What sorts of things has God done for us? What has he done in the past? What sort of a God is he? How is he described? What can you praise him for? What does he expect of you?
Psalm 103 vv 1–6
vv 7–14
vv 15–18
vv19–22
ETXimTeRA
2 How do the verses below help you
understand what it means to have God as your ‘Dad’? Matthew 7:9–11; Psalm 68:5; Psalm 27:10; Hebrews 12:5–9; Romans 8:14–17; Galatians 4:6–7; John 14:6–7
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