Published by Life Bible Study, LLC is a Christian Publisher serving churches and Christian communities in order to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ, making disciples as we go. © 2016 Life Bible Study All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Life Bible Study. Address all correspondence to: Life Bible Study, LLC 5184 Caldwell Mill Road Suite 204-221 Hoover, AL 35244 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 978-1-63204-060-2 1 2 3 4 5 6 / 21 20 19 18 17 16 31 Verses Every Believer Should KnowTM www.lifebiblestudystore.com www.31verses.com Printed in the United States of America
Intro How to Use
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Verse 1: Isaiah 7:14 Verse 2: John 1:14 Verse 3: 1 Timothy 3:16 Verse 4: Luke 1:32 Verse 5: Luke 2:15b Verse 6: Matthew 1:23a
1 3 5 7 9 11
Verse 7: Isaiah 9:2 Verse 8: Luke 2:12 Verse 9: Isaiah 9:6 Verse 10: Luke 2:18 Verse 11: Luke 1:37 Verse 12: Matthew 1:20c-21a
13 15 17 19 21 23
Verse 13: Isaiah 53:3 Verse 14: Matthew 11:5 Verse 15: Isaiah 50:5 Verse 16: Philippians 2:7 Verse 17: Isaiah 35:5 Verse 18: Matthew 2:11
25 27 29 31 33 35
Verse 19: Isaiah 42:6 Verse 20: Luke 2:32 Verse 21: Isaiah 49:6 Verse 22: Matthew 2:6 Verse 23: Isaiah 60:1 Verse 24: Matthew 2:2
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Verse 25: Isaiah 43:11 Verse 26: Hebrews 2:9 Verse 27: Psalm 72:17 Verse 28: Matthew 1:21c Verse 29: John 6:51a Verse 30: Galatians 4:4-5 Verse 31: 1 John 3:5
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Closing Acknowledgments
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god with us
human like us
our light
our servant
our savior
introduction As you prepare for the holiday season, chances are you’re already thinking of the family and friends who will come to be with you during the season. Those moments can be special as we come together with those who matter the most to us to celebrate the season of the birth of the Christ-child. This year, you can also celebrate the birth of the Christ-child in a new way . . . by considering what God sent His Son to do. In this devotion, 31 Verses Every Believer Should Know: He Was Born to Be, you’ll have the opportunity to spend time daily with the One whose relationship is most central to your life. Using selected passages, most of which come from the prophecies of Isaiah and the Christmas story in Matthew, examine how God sent Jesus to fulfill a unique role and purpose in your life. As you study throughout the season of advent, allow these verses to guide you as your consider that Jesus came to be God with us, to be Human like us, to be Our Servant, to be Our Light, and to be Our Savior. As Isaiah prophesied so many years ago, “For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; . . . and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). May you be blessed as you spend this time with the One God sent to us all. Hallelujah! Amen! Margie Williamson Editor
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how to use
31 Verses Every Believer Should Know: He Was Born to Be . . . This book is small, yet powerful. So, how can you get the most out of this study for Advent? This book is designed to give you options for how you want to approach this study. No one suggestion is better than another. Each gives you a suggestion for how to customize your study for you personally. You decide what works best for your schedule and your learning style. Consider these suggestions . . .
The One-Month Plan
Read one devotional each day for a month. This can be one way of preparing yourself for celebrating the birth of Jesus with daily Bible study and personal reflection.
The Scripture Memory Plan
Memorize the verse for each day’s devotional, staying focused on one Scripture verse at a time before you move on to the next. Since this might take you more than one day per devotional, this plan can take a slower approach. It allows you to focus on one verse for several days, and gives you additional time to reflect on that one verse.
Writing Not Required Plan
Many people get more out of their time with God when they write down their thoughts and prayers. Others don’t, and if you’re one of those, this plan is for you. If you don’t like to express yourself through writing, simply read the devotional for each verse, and then read the questions. Think and pray about them. But skip recording your responses.
Work with a Friend Plan
God designed humans for interaction as social creatures. So, consider working through the study with a friend. Consider agreeing to read five verses each week, then meeting to talk about the verses with your study partner. Or commit to communicating daily with your partner by phone, text, or email to share your responses and spend time in prayer. These are just suggestions. Follow one, adapt one, or create your own. Pick the plan that will best fit your schedule, your commitment level, and the way you already spend time with the Lord.
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Verse 1
god with us
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ––Isaiah 7:14
If you have visited YouTube in the past ten years, you’ve seen the videos of soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan as they reunite with loved ones. Whether the videos are of a soldier surprising his wife, a soldier surprising her children, or even soldiers surprising their dogs, they have captured people’s hearts and racked up millions of views. Why is that? For one thing, people can relate to that powerful sense of relief and joy upon reuniting with a loved one. We can put ourselves in the place of these men, women, children, and even dogs. We vicariously enjoy their excitement as they are reunited with loved ones. Read Isaiah 7:10-14. Of all the messianic prophecies, verse 14 contains perhaps one of the most well-known among believers today. This prophecy, like many Messianic prophecies, had what Christian commentators call a “near” and “far” fulfillment. The near fulfillment specifically related to King Ahaz and Jerusalem. The far fulfillment, however, has one clear, inarguable meaning––the miraculous birth of Christ by a virgin named Mary. Truly, Jesus was and is Immanuel, “God with us,” because of all the people born to a woman He alone was and is God. Can you imagine the sense of anticipation the people of God experienced as they meditated on the words of Isaiah 7:14? So many lived and died before the promise of this prophecy ever came to fruition. Advent is our time to pause and share in the experience of eagerly awaiting the Messiah. We remember Christ’s birth, His death, and His resurrection. But, we also anticipate. As we fondly remember the ministry and salvation of Christ, we eagerly anticipate and await Christ’s return.
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1. How might your life change if you were to spend more time anticipating the return of Christ?
2. What area(s) of your life do you experience the most struggle? In what ways might remembering Christ’s ministry strengthen you in moments of difficulty or weakness?
3. God made a promise to send His Son, and He fulfilled that promise. Who in your life needs to be introduced to the trustworthiness of God, specifically as it relates to the promised Messiah?
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