a four-week devotional on foundational truths for everyday life

Self-study guide with additional online content

Copyright ©2011 by Long Hollow Baptist ChurchISBN 978-0-9841923-6-6

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Long Hollow Baptist Church, Hendersonville, Tennessee.www.longhollow.com

Printed in the United States of AmericaSecond Edition (March 2011)

Welcome to Basics!Long Hollow is a big place and it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. This four week devotional has been created to help you understand the basics of the Christian life so you can be spiritually nourished and fulfill your purpose in and through the ministries of Long Hollow.

The fact that you are reading this tells us that you want to discover your purpose for being here. We hope this is the beginning of a journey that will take you outside your comfort zone and into the world with God’s message of love, forgiveness, and hope.

In order to grow, you need to have a good grasp of some foundational truths. The truths presented in these devotionals are keys to who we are as a church and how we function in response to God’s prompting.

The spiritual life isn’t passive, so being uninvolved isn’t an option. You might not know why God called you here, but we know He called you here for a reason. When you discover and embrace your reason for being at Long Hollow, you will grow spiritually and our church will grow stronger. Therefore, you are an important part of the puzzle.

This is just the beginning of a lifelong journey. You bring to Long Hollow a unique set of gifts, abilities, and passions that God wants to use for His glory. God has done some incredible things at Long Hollow through people just like you. That’s why we are so excited you are here.

Welcome to Long Hollow! We are so thankful God brought you here!

Using this studyYou can begin this study at any time. Each week includes five daily readings and one multimedia presentation.

To get the most out of the study, read the daily reading and, at the end of the week, view the presentation found online at http://learning.longhollow.com.

This will get you started and will probably make you want to know more about God and grow deeper in your relationship with Him. That’s the plan!

So, what’s next? You can start by finding a small group that meets your needs. No matter where you are or which campus you attend, there are small group options available for you.

The easiest way to find a group is by clicking on the Launch Group Finder Now button on the GROW page at www.longhollow.com.

This ain’t Twitter Luke 9:57-58

At the end of chapter 9 in the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus having brief encounters with three different men. Jesus’ interaction with these men provides the background for our first major principle.

Most Bibles place a heading just before Luke 9:57. Take a look at your Bible. If your Bible doesn’t have a heading, read the passage and see if you can come up with a short statement that captures the idea communicated in these verses.

In many Bibles, the heading is “The Cost of Following Jesus.” There are two key words in that phrase—cost and following. When we do some investigation into these terms, we quickly discover that our understanding of cost and following is different from the meanings communicated in this passage.

We usually equate money with cost. So when we ask what it costs to follow Jesus, someone might think it is something for which we pay. In the Bible, the cost of following Jesus has nothing to do with money and everything to do living up to His expectations.

Many people make following someone a matter of personal preference. In other words, they choose to follow as long as they are being led where they want to go. Though that’s the way many people live their spiritual lives, it isn’t what Jesus expected. Jesus

First Principle

It costs to follow Jesus.

week 1 day 1

expected total commitment. He expected people to reorder their priorities so that their commitment to Him was at the top of the list every day of the week. Jesus never called anyone to a one-day-per-week-when-it’s-convenient spiritual existence.

Take a moment to read what the first man said in Luke 9:57. We aren’t sure who the man was or how much of Jesus’ teachings he had heard. His statement, however, sounds impressive. Yet a thorough examination of his words reveals a subtle truth—there is a huge difference between a decision and a commitment. We can read a lot into the man’s statement. Even though we might be confused about what the man meant, we can be certain that Jesus understood perfectly.

In verse 58, Jesus basically said, “If you’re following Me because of the personal benefit you’ll receive, you don’t understand what it means to follow Me.” WIthin Jesus’ words we see a truth that is consistent throughout Scripture—there is no room for spectators in God’s family. From Jesus’ response to the first man we realize an important truth —we follow Jesus on His terms.

Following Jesus is the first step in your spiritual growth plan. It’s a new way of life. How will following Jesus affect your…

• Home?

• Work?

• Relationships?

• Social activities?

This ain’t FacebookLuke 9: 59-62

Today we’ll take a look at the second and third men and the truths we see in their interaction with Jesus.

Read Luke 9:59-60. We get the idea that the man’s father wasn’t dead. He wanted to go home and take care of the business that was more important than his relationship with Jesus. He wanted all the benefit of a relationship with Jesus without having to change anything about his life.

We can relate. We all know of people who want to fit a relationship with God into their lives. They evaluate every situation against the backdrop of personal desire. Their inconsistency in their spiritual lives is evident in their daily lives. They aren’t followers of Jesus; they are fans of Jesus. Here we see the second truth—delayed obedience is disobedience. This man wanted to wait until he had time to be committed to Jesus.

The third man is very similar to the first man. Read Luke 9:61-62. Whereas the second man wanted to take care of some personal obligations, the third man wanted to do something that wasn’t an obligation. This leads us to the third truth—a halfhearted commitment is no commitment at all.

We want you to have a vibrant, growing relationship with God and with other people. Take a minute to review the three truth identified in the devotions from yesterday and today. List those principles in the space below:

week 1 day 2

Let’s be real clear—we don’t want you to join the church and let that be the end of it. We want to help you reorder your priorities so that God’s priorities are your priorities.

But, face it, you’re busy. How can you keep doing everything you’re doing and pay attention to your relationship with God, too? You’ll never find true contentment in trying to squeeze God into the gaps in your schedule. However, when you put God into your life first, you’ll be surprised at what happens.

As you grow spiritually, you’ll begin to love the things God loves and dislike the things He dislikes. Your life won’t become more complicated; it will be simplified.

The problem is that people aren’t afraid of change; they are afraid of being changed. It’s frustrating to try to hold onto the past while trying to embrace your relationship with Christ. But the fear of being changed stops us in our tracks. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be. God sees our potential and wants to guide us toward His best for us. Any change we experience will be change for the better.

What do you think God wants to change in your life? Is it an attitude or a habit? Is there something He wants to change about your lifestyle? Your relationships? What are your fears in response to the changes He wants to make in your life?

People are not afraid of change. They are afraid of

being changed.

Worship is...Romans 12:1

When you hear the word worship, what is the first word that comes to mind?

Worship is a human response to divine action. There are several ways in which to view worship. Read the following Scripture passages and identify what each one says about worship.

• Romans 12:1 • 1 Corinthians 10:31• Colossians 3:17

Together, the passages listed above teach that worship is a way of life, not something we attend. This might be a new way of thinking about worship, but it is consistent with the way worship is described in the Bible. Of course, the Bible also teaches that God’s people are to gather to worship, but that gathering is simply our collective response to God’s work in our lives. So, how do we worship?

If you were to come face to face with God, what would you do? Whatever you would do would be considered worship. Why, then, do so many people seem so bored while in worship?

There is a difference between attending worship and participating in worship. We have the idea that the congregation is the audience and the participants are on stage. When we think like that, we come to church as spectators. It is more accurate to view God as the audience and us individually as participants.

Worship

Human response to divine action.

week 1 day 3

When we reflect on what God has done and is doing in our lives, we will worship. One way we worship God is through investing the resources He entrusts to us. Maybe you’ve heard the word tithe. The tithe is a tenth part offered to God as an act of worship. It was practiced in the Old Testament and carried forward into New Testament times. The idea of tithing is part of the overall biblical teaching on stewardship. Stewardship is defined as the responsibility to manage life’s resources for the glory of God. It is our way of acknowledging God as the Provider.

We will never experience the abundant life God intends for us until we respond in obedience to the instructions and principles He gave us in the Bible. Many believers today are spiritually stalled because they act as if they own everything and God gets part of what’s left over.

Here’s what we know to be true. Your worship is a direct reflection of your spiritual health. Your spiritual health is a reflection of your ongoing relationship with God. The quality of our relationship with God is affected by our obedience or disobedience to His Word.

Your worship is affected by your obedience to God’s Word (the Bible). How would you rate your knowledge of the Bible?

__ great __ average __ poor __ none

What is your plan for improving your knowledge of and understanding of the Bible?

A little intentionality1 Peter 1:13-15

No matter what size a church is, you will be in close relationship with no more than 20-25 people. If you only attend a worship service, you are part of a group of several hundred people. Your “fellowship” time is limited to a few minutes before and after the worship service and an occasional 30 seconds of meet and greet time during the worship service. In other words, you can be very lonely in the midst of a large crowd.

You can do life with other believers through involvement in a small group. Long Hollow’s small group strategy is designed to help you develop meaningful relationships while studying God’s Word and caring for the needs of people in your community. Small groups are the primary mechanism for facilitating spiritual growth and accountability. Jesus used a small group for His ministry. He assembled twelve men who accompanied Him on His journey. Jesus didn’t meet with the disciples on a weekly basis when they were available; He did life with them.

Everyone who walks through the doors of our church does so with something that is a big deal to them. Rather than direct people toward an organization, we want to meet their most immediate felt needs. This process leads people toward authentic biblical

Fact

You will know only 20 to 25 people no mater how big the

church is.

week 1 day 4

community in the setting that best meets those needs.

Read 1 Peter 1:13-15 and pay close attention to the instructions Peter provides. How can you prepare your mind, be self-controlled, set your hope, resist conformity, and be holy? That doesn’t come naturally. Spiritual growth requires intentionality. We all understand what it means to be intentional because we are intentional about things that matter to us. When living in obedience to Peter’s instructions becomes important to us, we will do whatever it takes to make it happen.

So, what does this mean to you? To put it bluntly, you are responsible for your spiritual growth. The church is here to help you, but you must make it important.

What are some things about which you are intentional?

What criteria do you use to determine if something is important or not?

Take a look at the online Group Finder tool at www.longhollow.com/grow. Based on your most pressing need, which group seems to be the best choice for you?

Service, pleaseJohn 21:15-17

Shortly before Jesus was crucified, Peter denied Him three times. At the end of the Gospel of John, we see Jesus forgive Peter for denying Him.

Read John 21:15-17. Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. In response to Peter’s affirmation of his love, Jesus gave him some instructions. Review the passage and list the action Jesus assigned to Peter.

• Verse 15: ______________________ my lambs.• Verse 16: ______________________ my sheep.• Verse 17: ______________________ my sheep.

You get the point, right? Jesus assigned Peter (and us) an action. Feed and take care of His sheep. That blanket instruction applies to everyone who knows Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In other words, there are no bleachers from which to watch God’s work.

We believe God called you here at this time for a specific purpose. You have an important role to fill; a role for which you are uniquely designed and equipped. Recognizing this fact is only the beginning.

There is no doubt that God empowers people to do those things He assigns to them. His primary mechanism for accomplishing this is the Holy Spirit. We understand that the Holy Spirit moves into our lives the moment we ask Jesus to become our

Fact

One of the greatest privileges we have

is serving God through His church.

week 1 day 5

Savior. Because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to do things we otherwise would find impossible.

You are here because God has called you here for a reason. You will find true fulfillment only when you align your activities with God’s purposes. Jesus never called anyone to come watch Him or to watch those who serve Him. Jesus called people to do life with Him and with those who follow Him.

All responsibility must be fulfilled. When we are given something to do and we don’t do it, the responsibility falls on someone else. This happens all the time in churches. Many people are pressed into covering responsibilities for which they aren’t gifted or equipped.

We don’t want you to do things for which you aren’t equipped. But, we do want you to do those things God called you here to do. If you fulfill your responsibility, you will position yourself to live the best life possible.

But, keep this in mind… living the Christian life isn’t easy. That’s what week 2 is all about.

What are some of your natural talents or abilities? How might God use them in and through the church?

Your life is an investment that will outlive you. In what are you investing your life and does it really matter to God?

Now visit http://learning.longhollow.com and view the first session in the Basics course.

Prepare for battleGalatians 5:16

Have you ever been in a situation where two allegiances pulled you in different directions? If so, you understand the idea of two natures. Before your salvation, you only had one nature—the sinful nature. It controlled everything you did. It was impossible for you to please God because the person controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

Your salvation brought with it the spiritual nature. But, the sinful nature didn’t go anywhere; it’s still there. So, the Christian life often is hard to live because there is a war between the sinful nature and the spiritual nature.

Read Galatians 5:16. The principle we discover in this passage is this—you are fueled by the nature you feed. If you feed the spiritual nature, your spiritual nature will empower you. If you feed your sinful nature, you will live according to its control.

Let’s compare this idea to physical food. Most of us make feeding ourselves a high priority. Why? Because we’re hungry and we like food. So, why don’t we make feeding ourselves spiritually a priority? It might be because we aren’t spiritually hungry and we haven’t developed a taste for spiritual food. In other words, we haven’t made developing our spiritual lives a priority.

Nowhere in the Bible are we taught that spiritual growth is natural. The sinful nature with its desires

Second Principle

You are fueled by the nature you feed.

week 2 day 1

doesn’t like having its space invaded. Therefore, your sincere commitment to God and His ways quickly can become a distant memory if you aren’t intentional about strengthening your spiritual nature.

What would happen if you limited your physical nourishment to a snack once a week? You’d become physically weak. Your physical weakness would affect other areas of life. You wouldn’t think straight and you would be unable to fulfill your responsibilities.

The same is true of our spiritual natures. A “spiritual snack” on Sunday isn’t enough to sustain us for a week. Yet, that is all the spiritual nourishment many believers get. Because we aren’t spiritually nourished, we become spiritually weak.

The battle between the sinful nature and the spiritual nature is no battle at all. You see, the sinful nature is being fed. We feed it without thinking about it. From the things we watch, read, and hear to our desires that are fueled by advertising, our sinful natures have no shortage of food. Even if we isolate ourselves from the world, our natural minds will feed our sinful natures.

Paul was absolutely right—it is a battle! In Galatians 5:16, Paul said, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” In other words, the only way to keep from living by the sinful nature is to overpower it with the spiritual nature. Spiritual growth, therefore, isn’t an option.

What are you doing to feed your spiritual nature? Which nature is controlling your life—the sinful or the spiritual nature?

Habit or hobby?Matthew 6:25-34

Though the church will do everything it can to help you grow spiritually, it is ultimately your responsibility. If you don’t make your spiritual growth a priority, it will become a hobby. That’s the difference between frustrated Christians and fulfilled Christians. You get to choose which one you will be. Your choice is revealed by the importance you place on pursuing God.

We would never knowingly say that there is anything more important than knowing God and growing spiritually. Yet, in reality, we let things creep into our lives and rob us of our time. We push some of those things we must do into our flex time, squeezing out some of those things we intended to do. Because we haven’t made our time with God a high enough priority, it gets pushed until tomorrow or the next day or next month. You get the idea, right?

This is one reason many people choose to start their days with God. If you make Bible study, prayer, and reading the Bible one of the first things you do each day, it will be impossible to let the day go by and not get around to it. By starting your day with God you will be able to give Him your attention before things get busy. The truth is this—if you don’t start your day with God, there’s a good possibility you won’t give Him any part of your day.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed a condition that is common to all people—worry. Take a moment and read Matthew 6:25-34. In this passage, Jesus mentioned some common sources of worry. After all, we do think about what to wear and what to

week 2 day 2

eat. In fact, we probably think about them more than we should! Verse 33 is the key. Jesus told His hearers to move God up on their priority lists and to trust that God has everything under control.

Your relationship with God is your responsibility and it requires constant attention. God really does have everything under control. He has proven He can be trusted.

Since God has a better perspective on our lives than we do, it make sense that we would consult His plan rather than trusting ourselves to figure it out. We do that by investing time in knowing Him and His Word. We do that by having conversations with Him. We call that prayer.

You’ll hear this a lot but it is worth repeating—God will never reveal His plan so you will have plenty of options. He will only show you what He wants you to do when you have predetermined to be obedient to His plan.

Think back on your personal Bible study and prayer life. Would you consider it to be a hobby or a habit? Why?

What did God say to you the last time you spoke with Him? What was your response?

Fact

God will never reveal His plan so you will have plenty

of options.

Hot meets coldRevelation 3:14-18

Many of us have been deceived into thinking that we determine the extents of our relationship with God. After all, we like being in control of our lives. We like calling the shots and deciding what we will and won’t do. That’s why most of our commitments are tentative.

When Jesus called His first disciples, He called them to abandon everything they knew and to totally give themselves to something unknown. The fishermen left their nets. They didn’t add a relationship with Jesus to their already busy lives; they reordered their priorities.

John 10:10 tell us Jesus wants you to have an abundant life. This doesn’t mean a life in which you get everything you want. It means living your life for what really matters. One of Satan’s greatest weapons against us is busyness. He knows that if he keeps us busy doing things that don’t really matter, we will be virtually useless to God.

You probably have heard of the ancient city of Laodicea. It was located in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). Just six miles from Laodicea was Hieropolis—home of some famous hot springs. Also nearby was Colosse—the source of cold running water. The hot springs of Hieropolis were therapeutic; the cold water of Colosse was good for drinking and cooking.

Fact

One of Satan’s greatest

weapons against us is busyness.

week 2 day 3

Read Revelation 3:14-18. The two sources of water met at Laodicea. There, the hot water was cooled and the cold water was warmed. The result was lukewarm water. It was no longer hot enough to be therapeutic and it was no longer cold enough to be drinkable. It was stagnant and useless. So, the Christians in Laodicea understood the analogy. They knew what it was like to have a useless resource available. Apparently that was the spiritual condition of the people there. They were deceived into thinking that they had it all figured out. They were, in their opinion, “saved enough.” But for all practical purposes, they were just taking up space.

If we believe that God has our best interest in mind and that He wants us to live a life that matters, then we should listen to what He has to say. Below are some of the ways God speaks to us:

• The Bible - that’s why it is so important that we study it.

• The spoken word - such as sermons and small group Bible studies.

• Prayer - when we stop to listen, God usually has something to say.

• The Holy Spirit - what we sometimes believe is our conscience is really the Holy Spirit.

• Other believers - God can confirm through other people something He wants us to do.

• Songs and hymns - many songs communicate biblical truths in creative ways.

Why is it dangerous to be spiritually lukewarm?

What are you doing to keep your spiritual temperature high?

Whispering truth1 Kings 19:9-13

Read 1 Kings 19:9-13. The prophet Elijah was afraid. Jezebel had killed all the prophets except Elijah and had promised to kill him when she caught him. Elijah began feeling sorry for himself. In verse 11, God told Elijah to go stand on the mountain because God was about to pass by. So Elijah went and stood and waited.

There were three spectacular events in which God could have been heard. But, God did not speak through the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. Instead, He spoke to Elijah in a gentle whisper. God’s whispers are important because…

• We don’t let strangers whisper to us. We only allow those people who are close to us whisper to us. This stresses the importance of knowing God. We must maintain a close relationship with Him if we are going to hear Him when He whispers to us.

• We have to eliminate distractions to hear a whisper. It’s hard to hear a whisper in the midst of distractions. The same is true of our spiritual lives. Sometimes we don’t hear God because we allow too many things to drown out His voice. The fact is that hearing God requires us to be quiet and listen to Him. That doesn’t happen unless we eliminate the distractions.

Fact

Elijah was one of the people in the Bible who did not die; he was taken into heaven.

week 2 day 4

• Whispering is for one person. No one ever whispers to a crowd. This is true of God, too. But when God whispers to you, the message is for you and you alone. There is no confusion about the intended audience. He isn’t giving to you His message for someone else. When God whispers, we must listen and obey or live in disobedience to Him. It’s that simple.

• Whispering is reserved for something important. We whisper when we must communicate something that just can’t wait. God whispers because He wants us to listen to Him now. His whispered message doesn’t call for a delayed reaction. When God whispers, He expects us to do what He says and to do it immediately.

If we are going to live according to the sinful nature, then we don’t need to make any changes. The sinful nature will be fed by the things we do naturally. It will control our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. The sinful nature will even try to make us believe that pleasing ourselves is something God would want us to do.

Living according to the spiritual nature, on the other hand, takes some effort. We must be intentional about spending time with God. We can’t limit our spiritual lives to a one-day-per-week-when-convenient spectator attitude. When we do that, the sinful nature will control everything we do.

What distractions do you need to eliminate so you can hear God’s whispers?

Hunger pangs1 Peter 2:2-3

Have you ever craved something like strawberry shortcake or a steak from your favorite steak house? Cravings are interesting because they are a result of a favorable prior experience. In other words, you can’t crave something you’ve never had.

In 1 Peter 2:2-3 we are told to “crave pure spiritual milk… now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” When you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you tasted His goodness. Now what?

Peter advises us to keep remembering the goodness we have experienced and allow it to increase our hunger for more of God. Why, then, do so many believers seem disinterested in spiritual growth? They have chosen not to remember God’s goodness. They were more interested in escaping hell than in living for God. They didn’t want life change, they wanted an insurance policy.

We live in a world of religious consumerism where people “shop” for those elements that fit easily into their lives. They are fans of church but stop listening when God’s Word steps on their toes. If they get mad enough, they’ll shop a different “mall.” They don’t crave pure spiritual milk, they crave pleasing themselves. They aren’t growing in spite of the fact that they’ve been church members (and perhaps believers) for ten, twenty, or even fifty years.

Fact

God did not call us to be religious consumers.

week 2 day 5

God did not call us to be religious consumers. This really isn’t all about us. We are called to be a holy people—people set apart for His purposes.

Look at the second part of verse 2. The spiritual milk we crave helps us grow up in our salvation. Let’s be clear—when you were saved, you were totally saved. Now, as you mature spiritually, your salvation will affect more of your life. As uncomfortable as it is, you must become OK with the idea that your salvation will change you. If you aren’t being changed, you might need to revisit your salvation experience and make sure you really invited Jesus to be Lord of your life.

As your grow up in your salvation, you will be saddened by the things that sadden God. God’s Spirit living in you will make it hard to be entertained by things that violate His moral standards. You will begin to love people you might otherwise ignore. You will develop a hunger for God’s truth. You will want to spend time with His people. That’s what happens when God moves into your life.

How would you describe your hunger for spiritual things? Are you craving them or can you survive on a snack every now and then?

How will you continue to feed your spiritual nature?

Now visit http://learning.longhollow.com and view the second session in the Basics course.

Enduring truth2 Peter 1:19-21

God’s Word is true. It isn’t up for debate and hasn’t been revised or updated. We accept the Bible as true without any reservation.

The Bible speaks to every situation in life either directly or in principle. No matter what decision you are trying to make, you can find wisdom and direction in the Bible. Society doesn’t interpret the Bible; the Bible interprets society. The Bible is as relevant today as it was when it was written. Therefore, our basic beliefs are rooted in Scripture.

The Bible is God’s written revelation. It contains 66 books written over several centuries, but it has one theme—God’s love for His creation. The Bible teaches us that God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways. In the Bible, we see God’s character and expectations revealed. The standards communicated through the Bible are the standards God calls us to live by today. That is why it is so important that we study and know God’s Word.

Read 2 Peter 1:19-21. Because the Bible is God’s Word, we can gain a great deal of guidance from it. It outlines right and wrong; good and bad. It teaches us how to live so that our lives are pleasing to God.

There is an simple principle for life contained in the pages of Scripture. Read Matthew 22:36-39. The

Third Principle

The Bible speaks to every situation in life either directly

or in principle.

week 3 day 1

Sadducees and the Pharisees combined forces against a common enemy—Jesus. Their question regarding the greatest commandment was intended to trap Jesus. If Jesus identified any commandment as being superior to the others, the validity of all the commandments would be questioned.

Take another look at Jesus’ reply. Then review the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17. When asked to identify the greatest commandment, Jesus offered no commandment at all. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, otherwise known as the Shema (she-MAH). Then, He added the instruction to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

How does this relate to the Ten Commandments? The Ten Commandments deal with two relationships—the relationship between humans and God and the relationship between humans and each other. We can classify every relationship as one or the other. Therefore, when it comes time to make decisions, we can eliminate any options that violate the biblical principle of loving God and loving others. By knowing this principle, we can obey God and make decisions that are in line with His desires for us. Because the Bible is God’s Word, it can be trusted to guide us in every area of life.

How would the instruction to love God and love others affect your responses to people in your home or at work?

How would that instruction affect the way you react to situations that try your patience?

Undeserved lovePsalm 8:1-9

God is the Creator of everything that exists. He spoke creation into existence as described in Genesis. He revealed Himself to humanity as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Because God is Ruler over everything, we owe Him love, reverence, and obedience. We know what it means to owe someone because we are very familiar with the idea of debt. We realize there are consequences of not paying our debt.

Throughout the Bible, we see evidence of God’s love for His people in that He withheld judgment that was certainly deserved. In spite of our failures and rebellion, God shows us love and forgiveness. God doesn’t owe us love; He gives it freely. We, on the other hand, owe God our lives, our love, and our obedience. Once we understand how much God loves us, we will live differently.

What you really believe about God usually is revealed through the way you live your everyday life. Through the way you live, you tell your family and friends about the authenticity of your relationship with God.

Read Genesis 1:26-30. Throughout the creation story, God described His work as “good.” But, when He had finished creating humanity, He changed His description. In Genesis 1:31 we see God review His creation which included humanity. This time, He said it was very good.

Fact

God does not owe us love; He gives it freely.

week 3 day 2

Because the Bible is true, we know that God created humanity. The Bible neither teaches nor supports the theory of evolution. Humanity is distinguished from the rest of creation because humans possess a soul and can live in relationship with God. Animals, on the other hand, do not have souls and cannot live in relationship with God.

Because God created humanity differently, He has different expectations of us. Read Psalm 8:1-9. The psalmist’s words express his feelings about God. He understood the difference between humans and animals. He also recognized man’s responsibility in response to God’s holiness.

Because we are born with a sinful nature, we are naturally estranged from God. Before we can have a meaningful relationship with Him, the barrier between us and Him must be removed. Unless we choose to accept God’s offer of salvation, we will spend this life and eternity separated from Him. Salvation through faith is the only thing that can remove that barrier.

How do you know God’s expectations of your life?

What does God expect of you?

Forgotten, thankfullyPsalm 103:8-12

We are separated from God by our sin. Because God is holy, He cannot be in the presence of sin. Because we are sinners, we cannot be in the presence of God. It seems like a standoff, right? Wrong! God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life, to die a cruel death, and to be resurrected so that you and I might have a bridge to God. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins so that we can be in a relationship with God in this life and the next.

According to John 3:16, God’s motive for sending His Son was His love. Salvation cannot be earned; it is a gift from God. We live in obedience to God’s instructions because we are saved. Salvation affects the past, the present, and the future.

Because we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, our past sins are forgiven. Everything we’ve ever done wrong is erased. Read Psalm 103:8-12. This passage tells us that God does not treat us as we deserve. That’s good news!

The psalmist used the phrase “as far as the east is from the west.” If you begin traveling east, you will never get to a point where your direction changes and you begin heading west. However, the north and south are connected at the poles. You can, in fact, head north and at the North Pole, your direction will change. So the north and south are connected, whereas the east and west never meet. Therefore,

Fact

God does not treat us as we deserve. That is

good news!

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God puts our sins away so that they are remembered no more. This is what happens the moment we are saved.

But there’s more to salvation than the forgiveness of past sins. At salvation, the Holy Spirit moves into our lives and begins to live through us. This is the present aspect of salvation. Because of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives, we can respond to people in ways that are consistent with God’s instruction to love people the way He loves us. The difficult part of this is the presence of the two natures (as described earlier).

This leads us to the third aspect of salvation—the future. Humans have an eternal soul. Our souls will exist long after our earthly bodies have ceased functioning. Therefore, your decision as to where to spend eternity is significant. There are only two possibilities—heaven or hell. The Bible speaks specifically about both. Heaven is simply “in God’s presence.” Hell is a place of separation from God in which there is eternal punishment. It’s not a very appealing option!

You get to choose heaven or hell. But you must make your choice while you are alive. You don’t get to go to heaven because have been good, attended church, or memorized Scripture. You get to go to heaven because you have asked Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior.

How does your salvation affect your everyday life? How should it affect your everyday life? What can you do about the differences between what should be and what is?

You are a managerMalachi 3:8-10

Stewardship is more than money. Stewards are managers with the responsibility of using the resources of the owner according to the owner’s desires and expectations. God left us on earth to manage the resources He entrusts to us. This includes money, time, talents, and spiritual gifts. Throughout Scripture, God provides clear instructions for using these resources. Primarily, every resource of life is to be used to bring glory and honor to God.

As members of God’s family, we have an obligation to use the financial resources God gives us in ways that are important to Him. Because God loves us, He allows us to keep ninety percent of our income. The other ten percent is to be given to God out of obedience to His instructions. This is the tithe. Anything beyond the ten percent tithe is an offering that reflects our love and appreciation to God for all He has done for us.

But don’t misunderstand what God’s Word teaches. God doesn’t need our money. First, it’s not our money because everything we have belongs to Him. Second, God has all the resources He needs. The truth is that we need to give as an act of obedience and, often, an act of faith. Read Malachi 3:8-10. God challenged the people to test Him and see if He wouldn’t prove to be faithful.

Fact

God has all the resources He

needs.

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Remember, we don’t give to God so that He will reward us. We give to God because it is a natural response to His incredible love and provision for us. We can never out-give God because He is the ultimate Giver. The greatest gift He ever gave was His Son, Jesus Christ.

Like we said earlier, stewardship is about more than money. Along with giving money, we are to give our abilities for use by God. What does that mean? It means we must reconsider how we invest our lives. God is responsible for any ability you have. Could it be that God created you a certain way so that you would be able to serve Him more effectively?

Read Jeremiah 29:11. Let’s make sure we understand what God meant by the word “prosper.” The Hebrew word is shalom and means peace, completeness, soundness, or welfare. The message is simple—God’s plan leads to a life in which we can be at peace and complete. It has little to do with prosperity in the modern sense of the word. When we invest our lives in things that matter to God, the things of earth will grow increasingly insignificant. We will discover what it means to be content!

In what areas of life are you not content? What would make you content?

What changes do you need to make so you can invest your life and resources in things that matter to God?

Funneling fundamentalsPsalm 23:5

A river becomes a reservoir when the downstream flow is cut off. A church becomes a reservoir when its members are confined within the four walls of the church facility. We believe God brought you here because you are an important part of His work through our church. When you find your place of service and engage in it, you will be fulfilled and our church will be strengthened. So, the next step in this process is to begin thinking about your role in the church.

Here’s the truth—spiritual maturity is demonstrated through our calendars and our checkbooks. No matter what we say, we reveal our real priorities by the investment of our resources.

It all comes back to fulfillment. In an earlier devotion, we read John 10:10 and discovered that God wants us to have an abundant life. In other words, God wants us to line up our lives with His purposes. The desire to be fulfilled is natural; the ways we seek fulfillment are varied.

Once you become a believer, your life is repositioned and you are assigned a new responsibility—glorify God. Not only are we challenged to glorify God through the way we invest the resources He provides, but we also are commanded to invest our time and abilities for His purposes. Everything we do is an opportunity to glorify God. When we wrestle away

Fact

Spiritual maturity is demonstrated through our calendars and our checkbooks.

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from God control of any aspect of life, we abandon any hope of real fulfillment. Therefore, we are at our best when we are in total obedience to God’s design for us.

Read Psalm 23:5. We have been taught the idea of the overflowing cup as an image of a grateful heart. It’s a nice picture but it represents bad theology. Here’s the problem with the cup. It’s requires us to wait until we are “full” before we overflow. So, our early faith experience is all about us. Stuff happens to keep our cups from filling so many believers go for years without ever engaging in service. We don’t give because we don’t have enough money. We don’t serve because we don’t have enough time or talent. We are standing on the dock waiting for a ship that never comes in.

A more accurate understanding of our responsibility and opportunity is pictured in the funnel. A funnel never fills; it simply redirects. Our responsibility as believers is to redirect the resources God provides toward things that matter to Him. When I understand this idea, I will immediately engage in service to God. I will evaluate my choices based on what matters to God, not what matters to me.

Why do you think God brought you to this church? In what area of service or ministry are you likely to serve?

Now visit http://learning.longhollow.com and view the third session in the Basics course.

Blessing redefined1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Read 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. When Jabez asked God to bless him, he was asking God to work through his life to affect other people. This wasn’t a plea for a bigger piece of property. It wasn’t a selfish plea for good health. It wasn’t all about Jabez!

We like to agree with Jabez until we discover the truth. Jabez wanted more of God in his life. Jabez wanted to make a difference in his world. Jabez wanted God to flow through him into the lives of everyone he met.

Jump forward a few centuries and think about how the attitude of Jabez would affect the lives of people today. If we were to adopt his attitude, we would become funnels, not cups. Life would be evaluated against God’s desires not ours. Our schedules and checkbooks would reveal a commitment to discipleship and service. When we see ourselves as funnels of God’s love and mercy, it will change everything we do.

If Jabez joined the church, he would immediately make an impact. He would bring his resources to the table and look for ways to invest them in the ministries of the church. He would view his new church family as an enlarged territory and would seek ways to serve rather than excuses to not serve.

Remember, we aren’t saved by what we do; we do what we do because we are saved. When we truly

Fourth Principle

We are blessed as we allow God to work in and through our lives.

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catch a glimpse of God’s plans and purposes for our lives, we will pursue the kind of fulfillment that can only come through an intimate relationship with Him. Other things in life will take a back seat to our passion for serving and pleasing God.

The temptation is to become an attender… someone who enjoys what the church offers but invests nothing in it. What would happen if everyone did that? Who would be serving in preschool or leading students? Who would direct traffic in the parking lot or provide information when needed?

You wouldn’t go to a restaurant, enjoy a meal, and get up and leave without paying the check. Yet many people do exactly that at church. They take everything the church has to offer and never invest their time, talent, or resources.

How does God want to use you to bless others through the church?

What will you do this week in obedience to God’s expectations?

Authentic communityActs 2:42-47

Since 1997, we have seen remarkable things happen in and through our church. Each year hundreds of people experience salvation through the ministries of our church. Hundreds of people travel all over our state, nation, and world on mission trips for the purpose of reaching people for God. The power of God working through the people of Long Hollow is felt all around the world.

But we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg. There are thousands of people in our community who have yet to be reached for God. There are hurting people in your neighborhood and in your workplace. There are children and teens growing up in homes where the parents have no interest in God. There is work to be done.

What could happen if most of our church members started pursuing God passionately? What could happen if those people started investing their resources in the ministries of our church? You can see the needs but can you see your role?

Take a few moments and pray asking God to help you see His purpose for bringing you here. Ask Him to reveal to you His plans and to redefine your passions so that He gets the best you have to offer.

Read Acts 2:42-47. The early church was characterized by an unending passion for becoming like Christ. Because building authentic community was a priority for the early church, things started happening. Take a look at verse 43. The Scripture tells us that God honored the devotion of the

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believers. People were filled with awe. They weren’t awed at the believers; they were awed at God. In addition, the believers gained a new understanding of their possessions.

The early believers understood the idea of stewardship. They were more interested in being funnels than in filling their cups. They considered it an honor to sacrifice the material blessings God entrusted to them for the sake of meeting the needs of someone else. This is very different from our materialistic culture, isn’t it?

The believers met together because it was a priority. Compare your commitment to meeting together with other believers to the commitment of the early believers. They saw themselves as God’s people who lived for God’s purposes. Nothing mattered more. Sure, they had jobs and hobbies, but nothing was more important than their relationships with God and each other.

When we make God our top priority, everything changes. We live with new priorities and we see God in ways we’ve never seen Him before. When we put God first, He will blow us away! The idea is for us to see where God is at work and meet Him there.

Do you really want to experience authentic biblical community as described in Acts 2? If so, what will you do to get started? If not, why is something that’s important to God not important to you?

Fact

When we put God first, He will blow us

away!

Ordinary peopleExodus 2:1-25

He was an ordinary child born into unfortunate circumstances. The ruler had ordered that male babies be thrown into the river and that the girls be allowed to live. So his mother hid him for three months. When hiding him became impossible, she placed him in a basket and hid him along the banks of the river. His sister watched from a distance.

The ruler’s daughter found him and the boy’s sister offered to find a woman to nurse him. She knew where to go. She went and got her mom. The story took an unpredictable turn when the boy became a young man and killed a man who was beating another man. He ran. He ran a long way and assumed a new responsibility—he hung out with sheep.

You might think this is the end of the story, but its just the beginning. You see, this boy who was left in a basket on the banks of the river, secretly raised by his own mother, adopted into the ruler’s family, and pursued for committing murder isn’t know for any of those things.

The boy was named Moses and he would be used by God for an extraordinary task. He argued that he didn’t want to accept the assignment. He was happy living in obscurity. But God had a job for him to do.

Fact

Moses was happy living in obscurity. But God had a job

for him to do.

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Ordinary Moses would stand face to face with pharaoh and demand that the Israelites be set free. He would lead them to safety as God parted the Red Sea. He would go to Mount Sinai and be given the Ten Commandments. But he was ordinary.

God’s use of ordinary people fills the pages of Scripture. He used shepherds and fishermen and tax collectors and vendors to accomplish incredible things. He worked through unlikely people to touch the world in ways only He can. That has always been God’s mode of operation. And it hasn’t changed.

You might be making excuses. That’s OK. God’s work won’t be hindered by your disobedience; you’ll miss out on living the life He intended you to live. If Moses hadn’t gone back to Egypt, the Israelites would have been set free through someone else. Moses would be just another example of someone who failed to live up to the potential God planted within him.

You have the opportunity to follow Moses lead and embrace the purpose for which God designed you. Or, you can live below your potential and always wonder what would have happened if you had only trusted and obeyed Him. It’s your call.

If fear were not a factor, what would God do through your life?

Ornery peopleMatthew 5:1

The world is full of ornery people, but few match the Pharisees. They were the religious people of Jesus’ day. They thought they had the religious thing mastered. They determined the rules, interpreted the rules, and ignored the rules when it was beneficial to them.

The Pharisees are a big part of the story of Jesus’ life and ministry. Though few of them ever accepted Him as Savior, they followed Him… at a distance. So, when you look at Matthew 5:1, you don’t see the Pharisees mentioned, but they were there.

Jesus used these distant spectators as object lessons. As He spoke to the crowd, He called attention to them. The Pharisees didn’t get it. Sure, they saw Jesus gesturing their way but they probably thought He was telling the crowd how good they were or what great examples they were.

Wrong. Jesus talked about them, but not in the way the egotistical Pharisees imagined. He encouraged those who were following Him to avoid empty religion and pious attitudes. He challenged the crowd to follow Him rather than join an organization. That challenge is the same today.

You might be tempted to join the church but to keep Jesus at a safe distance. After all, if you get too

Fact

Jesus challenged the crowd to follow Him rather than join an

organization.

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close, you might see yourself for who you really are. The Pharisees didn’t want that; some people today don’t want it either.

Joining an organization isn’t the point. If you have made it this far and don’t realize that, you have missed something. Religious people are bad examples of authentic faith. Don’t let them lead you toward becoming a modern day Pharisee.

In Matthew 5, Jesus began teaching people who wanted to know more about Him. They were willing listeners. Some who heard would follow and believe and obey. Some would walk away.

Your spiritual life is a journey. You will grow in your knowledge of God and His Word if you put yourself in a position to listen and if you will follow, believe, and obey. Or, you can be a Pharisee. They didn’t need to hear from Jesus because God was under their control. Their religion didn’t save them. They knew about God, but they didn’t know God. They saw Jesus but they never believed in Him. Their religions was meaningless and offered them nothing more than false security.

Don’t be a Pharisee!

How do you know you are following Jesus? Do you believe He is who He claims to be? Is your life marked by obedience to His Word?

Only the beginning

This isn’t the end. Sure, you are on the last few pages of the book, but your journey is just starting. Let’s summarize what we’ve talked about over the past four weeks.

We want you to position yourself for spiritual success and there are some environments in which spiritual growth often occurs.

We want you to worship God personally and together with other believers. We want the way you invest your life and possessions to be an act of worship to a God who loved you so much that He gave His Son so that you might have eternal life. We don’t want you to worship out of habit or duty, but out of desire. A life of worship is never wasted.

We want you to invest yourself in a small group. This is where you will be challenged to grow spiritually and relationally. This is where you will be given the opportunity to serve your neighbors and community. Small groups were important to the early church and they remain important today.

We want you to serve. God created you with awesome abilities and then gave you one or more spiritual gifts. You have all the tools you need to do everything God expects of you. In the early church, people were saved because they encountered devoted believers. The same thing can happen today

Fact

There are some environments in which spiritual

growth often occurs.

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if we will step up and let God work through us. True believers serve God out of their confidence in Him, not themselves.

James S. Stewart said:

If we could but show the world that being committed to Christ is no tame humdrum, sheltered monotony, but the most thrilling, exciting adventure the human spirit could ever know.

This is an exciting place and we believe God wants your spiritual adventure to ripple through every aspect of your life. We know God has great plans for you. We are delighted you’ve decided to let Him work through your life with us.

Welcome to Long Hollow!

How can your faith in God grow stronger and stronger? What environments are you ignoring?

What is your plan for growing spiritually?

Visit www.longhollow.com/grow for a current list of small group opportunities.

Now visit http://learning.longhollow.com and view the fourth session in the Basics course.

Notes: content

Notes:

Notes: content

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ISBN 978-0-9841923-6-650500 >

Long Hollow ResourcesLong Hollow Baptist Church

3031 Long Hollow PikeHendersonville TN 37075www.longhollow.com

Foundational truths for everyday life

Jesus came into the world to permanently mend a broken relationship between God and mankind. Faith is the basis of that relationship. The more you know about God, the more you’ll trust Him. The more you trust Him, the stronger your relationship with Him will be. The stronger that relationship is, the more accurately you will reflect His character in every area of life. That’s the process of spiritual maturity.

In this four-week, self-directed study, you will discover or be reacquainted with some truths that—when applied to your life—will put you on the path to spiritual maturity. These are the basics!

Additional content is available at http://learning.longhollow.com.