timhawkins DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING
S E R I E S
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BOOK
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MY AWESOME GOD
e l p sam o n ly Discipleship Training Book 2 My awesome God Tim Hawkins
Published by Christian Education Publications January 2003 Copyright Š Tim Hawkins 2003 Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright Š 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this book may be reproduced by any process without the written permission of the publisher. Christian Education Publications, PO Box A287, Sydney South, NSW 1235 National Library of Australia ISBN 978-1-876960-37-7 Editor: Mamie Long Design/Illustration: Anthony Wallace Typesetting: Julie Redal Printed in Australia
SERIES
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DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING Understand your new life
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Book 1 My new life
God has called you to an exciting new life following him. This book will show you what God has already done to ensure that you will keep growing as his precious child. Ten studies that cover the fundamentals of being both a disciple and a disciple-maker.
Deepen your relationship
These books will help you to understand and love our magnificent God, and show you how to deepen your relationship with him through prayer around his word. Book 2 My awesome God
Book 3 My intimate relationship
Nine studies exploring the character of this marvellous God who calls us to relate to him. We investigate the enormity of God as Father, Son and Spirit.
Ten studies designed to ground the growing disciple in the immense blessings of being immersed in a life of soaking in God’s Word, and in prayer.
Live as a faithful disciple Now you are ready to put it all into action in your personal walk with God, and in your active ministry to others. Book 4 My mission from God These nine studies explore the tasks that God has left for us here on planet earth. We look at being a witness, an ambassador, and a faithful manager of God’s gifts and blessings.
Book 5 My personal obedience These eleven studies focus on areas of personal obedience, and challenge the disciple to ‘put on’ the new life that is theirs in Christ Jesus. 1
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DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING
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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. 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. 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
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1 The One and Only
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2 God is my Father
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3 The promised Messiah
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4 The Servant King
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5 The returning Lord
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6 God’s Spirit lives in me
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7 God’s Spirit changes me
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8 God’s Spirit equips me
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9 Instant replay
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My time with God chart
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STUDY
1
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.
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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 v12
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 v13-14
Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him 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 v15-17
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 v18-20
To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to? As for an idol, a craftsman 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. He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple. 5
Imagine you can actually see and experience this God
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CREATOR OF EVERYTHING v21-22
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. World rulers are nothing v23-24
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 v25-26
‘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 them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. GOD UNDERSTANDS ME v27-28
Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O 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. GOD STRENGTHENS ME v29-31
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.
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TRA EX Time
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…
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b) Here is one way I will honour God this week…
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)
My 3 friends...
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Remember, e l p as a Christian, am s you have ly n o 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
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