Questions for Personal Study
1. Define what “growing in spiritual maturity” means to you and in what areas God desires to bring change into your life.
Note from James: I believe that one way we grow in spiritual maturity is when we submit to the Bible and to the godly influences in our life. Throughout these lessons God will speak to you through the Bible about areas where you need to change. How will you respond to this leading by God? How do you respond to your parents when they give you instruction or correction? Your response to these influences is an indication of your level of spiritual maturity.
2. List some changes that you think God might want to bring that might at first be uncomfortable or against “your will.”
Note from James: I remember driving to school one day as a senior in High School listening to music that I knew God didn’t approve of. I turned it off and told God I wanted to see Him involved in my life in a real way. This change was not easy because all of my friends listened to this music and it was difficult to go against my friends on this. Change is never easy, think about something in your life that you know God wants you to change but which will be difficult because your friends would not understand the change.
3. Look up all the times the word “conversation” is used in the New Testament and write one observation about each verse. Remember that we learned yesterday the word “conversation” in the New Testament is referring to our entire lifestyle and not just the words we say.
Note from James: I looked up the references for you, here they are:
2 Corinthians 1:12
Galatians 1:13
Ephesians 2:3
Ephesians 4:22
Philippians 1:27
Philippians 3:20
1 Timothy 4:12
Hebrews 13:5,7
James 3:13
1 Peter 1:15,18
1 Peter 2:12
1 Peter 3:1-2,16
1 Peter 2:7
2 Peter 3:11
4. Describe one area of your life in which your lifestyle does not follow God’s pattern. Are you willing to let God have His way?
Note from James: This is a tough question and one that we all have an answer for if we really search our heart. In my life there are things that I know I need to work on and the real question is, am I willing? Remember that we will not be collecting these books or looking at your answers, so take a few moments to talk with your parents about this one and tell them what you thinking, they can help you identify areas that you need to work on.
5. Write out and memorize Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”
Homework for Families
– In this section, my notes are written for parents.
1. Discuss the concept that “growing in spiritual maturity” means you allow God to bring change into your life.
Note from James: Take a few minutes to Read and study Proverbs 1:1-5 with your teenager and notice the willing spirit to learn and change that we should all have, especially the young person.
2. Seek to understand if your teenager is willing to “grow,” even if it means allowing change that might at first be uncomfortable or against “their will.”
Note from James: During these lessons over the next several months, your teenager will be confronted with biblical truth that requires change and growth. They will need extra support in order to make these changes, find out if they are willing to change and talk to them about how and what areas they would like to improve.
3. Discuss the fact that we belong to God and should be willing to submit to Him in the area of lifestyle preferences – dress, talk, appearance, manners, etc.
Note from James: Psalm 24:1 is a great verse for this one. God does own everything including us. Just because he gives us free will, doesn’t mean we have to use it in every area to do what we want. We should be willing to give control back to God when He shows us a clear truth from the Bible.
4. Discuss the fact that God cares as much about our outward lifestyle as He does about our inward hearts.
Note from James: So many people today seem to be teaching our young people that as long as they are “good on the inside” it doesn’t matter what they do on the outside. We all know from experience that what you are on the inside will not make you a success in life, it will not pay the bills and it will not make good relationships unless the good that we have on the inside makes it to the outside in the form of actions. Talk to your teenager about your experiences and how your actions and what you do on the outside are just as important as what you are on the inside.
5. Memorize Philippians 1:27 with your teen.
Note from James: I printed this verse above. Each week this course has a memorization verse. If you are like me, you haven’t done Bible memorization for a long time, but seeing this really convicted me to start hiding God’s word in my heart again and I am going to memorize these each week. Ask your teenager on Saturday to quote this verse and see if they have learned it yet, it is a great verse and a good one to commit to memory.
See you Sunday for Lesson 2!
James Shepherd
altoonayouth@gmail.com
