GOD’S PROVISION FOR OUR COMMUNION WITH HIM

CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH

BIBLE SHARING (3/2/2019)

TOPIC:          GOD’S PROVISION FOR OUR COMMUNION WITH HIM    (PART 1)

God has made certain provisions to enable us have effective personal communion with Him. He does not ask us to seek Him in vain. He makes Himself available to us and promised us glad welcome in His presence.

a. He gave us access into His presence

Rom. 5:1-2; Eph. 2:13, 18-19; 3:11-12; Heb. 4:16; 10:19-22

What is the implication of this? How can we maximize this privilege? Unlike in the Old Testament days when only the High Priest was allowed to enter the very presence of God, and that, only once a year, New Testament believers have unlimited access there by the blood of Jesus. We can go in and be in the presence of God our father any moment and fellowship with Him. We have liberty to make our requests known to Him and we have the privilege of having Him share His burdens with us, teaching us His ways. What a privilege indeed!

b. He gave us His Spirit

Gal. 4:6-7; Rom. 8:15-16, 26-27; 1 Cor. 2:9-12

What does that mean? Explain how this helps our communion with God. Having now the Spirit of God, we have boldness and liberty in His presence, and we have the divine ability to know His mind and His plans concerning our lives.

QUESTIONS

1. Mention any of the provisions God has made for our communion with Him?

2. What does the Spirit of God does to any life He enters?

3. What guarantees us access to His presence?

CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH

BIBLE SHARING (17/2/2019)

TOPIC:           GOD’S PROVISION FOR OUR COMMUNION WITH HIM    PART 2

c. He gave us His name

Jn. 14:13-14; Jn. 15:10; Jn. 16:23-26

What does that mean to us in the place of prayer? Why must we go to God in the Name of Jesus Christ?

Jn. 3:35; Heb. 1:1-2; Col. 1:15-19; Phil. 2:9-10

God is pleased with Jesus Christ. Because of what He did for us on the cross, God has given Him a name above all things. Everything in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth is under His control. And believers are instructed to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. This is a great provision of God for our communion with God. This is the only name in which prayers are answered. Be sure you don’t go to God in your own name.

d. He gave us His word

2 Pet. 1:2-4; 1 Jn. 5:14-15; 2 Tim. 3:15-17

God answers prayers prayed according to His will

God’s will is embedded in His word. God has therefore given us His word written in the bible so that as we search the scriptures by the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to pray effectively.

e. We have His invitation

Isa. 1:18; Eph. 3:11-12 (LB)

Not only has the Lord made provision for us to come and have sweet communion with Him, He has also given us an open invitation to come and the privilege to reason and discuss with Him. He has promised us glad welcome each time we come.

What then are you waiting for? The door into the Holy of Holies is open. Do not waste the divine privilege.

QUESTIONS

1.  What is the implication of the Name of Jesus to our lives in the name of Jesus?

2. Why must we make request to God In the name of Jesus?

3. How can we know the will of God?

4. What does the word of God do in making us have communion with God?

CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH

BIBLE SHARING (24/2/2019)

TOPIC:           ALONE WITH GOD (QUIET TIME)         PART 1

It is clear from the scriptures that Jesus often went to a mountain alone to pray Matt. 14:23; Mrk 6:45-46. He would go to a solitary place to commune alone with God. On such occasions, He would send the multitudes and even His disciples away in order to have such a time with God.

Christ left us this examples that we would follow in His step. It therefore becomes necessary for us to study this attitude exhibited by Him in order to succeed in the Christian race.

In this study, we should be looking into what is meant by Quiet time, why it is necessary to have regular time to be alone with God, and how to have a quiet time alone with the Lord. May the lord teach you His ways as you study along In Jesus name-Amen.

1. What is Quiet time?

As stated above concerning Christ, it is a time we personally set apart daily to commune (fellowship) alone with God, a time during which we study God’s word and hear Him speak to our hearts. Also, we speak to Him in prayer during our ‘quiet time’ Psa. 5:2-3; 55:17; Dan. 6:10; Lk. 9:28-35; Mrk. 1:35

You will notice from the above scriptures that great men of God like David and Daniel set apart times daily when they personally communed with God. Even our Lord Jesus exhibited this same attitude throughout His time here on earth. Just as you cannot really know or be like your earthly father except you live with Him and have daily personal, close contact with Him; the same thing applies to our relationship with our heavenly Father. If really God is your father, that is, you are born again and you have become His child, there is need for you to have regular times which you would spend personally alone with Him.

The new birth experience is quite fundamental for anyone to have a fruitful and effective quiet time with God… And every child of God essentially needs to have personal quiet time alone with God. You can never be able to know God (though you may know about God), or have fellowship with God except you are born again 1 John 1:6. There is no fellowship between light and darkness.

QUESTIONS

1. What is Quiet time?

2. Why is quiet time necessary for all believers?

3.  Who is qualified to have quiet time?

CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH

BIBLE SHARING (3/3/2019)

TOPIC:           ALONE WITH GOD (QUIET TIME)         PART 2

2.  Why do we need to have a regular Quiet time?

a. To acquaint ourselves with God Job 22:21

b. To hear God speak to our heart as a person, both from the scripture and during prayer Psa. 32:8; 119:9; Isa. 28:9-10; Jos. 7:6-11;James 1:5-11; Acts 17:11; Rom.10:17; Matt. 7:24-25

Children of God are new creation people, living a new life entirely, not according to the old way of life but according to the will of God. But there is no other way for us to know the will of God except by hearing Him speak to us. It therefore becomes important for us to set time apart daily to hear from Him. In this way also, our spiritual ears would be trained to hear God clearly.

c. To speak to God in prayer and praise

1 John 1:9; Phil. 4:6; Eph. 6:18; 1 Tim. 2:1-3; Psa. 22:23

It is a command from the Lord that we should pray always. We have an assurance that God hears us when we pray if we abide in Christ John 15:7. What a privilege we have to speak regularly to the Most High God and to carry our burdens to Him in prayer!

d. To receive grace and direction for the particular issues we are praying for, or for each particular day Heb. 4:16; Psa. 25:4; 32:8

God has plans for each day of our lives. There are things He wants us to achieve each particular day. In the same way, the devil plans evil days for every soul Eph. 6:13 and except we allow God to direct our lives, we may fall into the hand of the devil unknowingly.

e. To build up our lives as individual Christians so that we can daily grow on to be like Jesus and be fruitful Jude Vs 20; 2 Cor. 3:18

It is as we spend time communing alone with God everyday that we can know God and His will and receive grace to do it. It is also then that we can move the hands of God concerning the lives of other people in the world around us. By so doing we would grow on to be more like Jesus.

QUESTIONS

1. Why is quiet time important to the lives of Christians?

2. What are the ways that we can know the will of God?

3. How can we train our spiritual ears to hear and understand God speaking to us?

4. How can the devil directs us without us knowing?

CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH

BIBLE SHARING (10/3/2019)

TOPIC:           ALONE WITH GOD (QUIET TIME)         PART 3

3.         How to have a quiet time with the Lord

(a)        Select a time daily, and a place that will be most suitable for you to stay alone with God

Psa. 55:17; 5:3; Mrk 1:35; Matt. 14:23; Gen. 32:24

From the above scriptures, you will notice that any time or many times can be selected in a day to be spent alone with God. The Psalmist says in the morning, noon and night; Daniel prayed unto God three times a day. However from our Lord Jesus’ examples, He spent the early hours of the morning before daybreak with God, and sometimes He stayed all night communing with God. No wonder He was able to face the challenges of the day since He would have communed with God and God would have shown him things that would happen during the course of that day. No wonder our Lord Jesus was able to boldly say that He does nothing of His own but what the father taught Him John 8:28-29

From Mrk. 1:35 there are some important points for you to take note of;

i.          Jesus rose up early in the morning while it was still dark in order to commune with God.

He conquered sleep by rising up (not lying down praying). He also got rid of distractions by doing this while others were still sleeping a great while before day. You can learn from His example.

ii.         He depart into a solitary (lonely) place

In that way also, He avoided distractions from His disciples and people around who may need His attention, and therefore interrupt His quiet time. He also avoided being a disturbance to other people by going to a lonely place.

If you are able to get a lonely place to have your quiet time, that would be very advantageous. But in case you are not able, you can still get up in your room a great while before the day breaks and commune with God as quietly as you can. Make sure however that there is quietness in your own heart as that can constitute great distractions also.

b.         Spend time praising God

Psa. 100:1-5; 150:1-6; 149:5-6; 103:1-2

These scriptures tell us why we should praise God. Sometimes you may feel dry within you and you may be unable to praise God. But like the Psalmist, think about whom God is to you personally and that He has done for you. You will find praises rising up from within your heart unto God.

QUESTIONS

1.  Explain any of the ways to have quiet time with the Lord?

2. How can you conquer distractions and sleep to have a quality time with God?

3. Why is it necessary to praise God during quiet time?

4. Explain why praising God, prayers and Bible study are essential ingredients during quiet time?