A recap of what we have learned

The love of a Father 1 Jn 3:1 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” The providing of a Father Ps 34:8-10 “ 8 Oh, taste and see that the L ORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 9 Oh, fear the L ORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the L ORD shall not lack any good thing.” The Protection of a Father 2 Thes 3:3 “ 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.” The discipline of a Father Heb 12:5-6 “ 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the L ORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the L ORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”

Hope of the Gospel Col 1:21-23 “ 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.” Hope of salvation 1 Thes 5:8 “ 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” Hope of eternal life Tit 1:2 “ 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,” Hope of Christ’s return and a home in Heaven Jn 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Friendship/companionship Eccl 4:9-12 “ 9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Help/encouragement Gal 6:1-2 “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Knowledge 1 Tim 3:2 “ 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober- minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;” Tit 2:3 “ 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— Prayers Jam 5:16 “ 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Guilt of sin 1 Jn 1:9 “ 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Temptation of sin 2 Pet 2:9 “ 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,” Practice of sin 1 Jn 2:1-2 “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”

We need God’s wisdom to show us the “Good life” Jer 10:23 “ 23 O L ORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” God desires us to have a quality life Gal 5:22-23 “ 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” God’s laws/restraints on man’s conduct are for the enhancement of his life Gen 2:16-17 “ 16 And the L ORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Recognition that God loves you enough to sacrifice His only Son Rom 5:8 “ 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Recognition of how God views the repentant sinner Lk 15:7 “ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Recognition that God sees you as one who has hope/ potential 1 Cor 6:9-11 “ 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, [a] nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.a

Old desires no longer hold the same importance Phil 3:7-9 “ 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;” Christians desire the Bible 1 Pet 2:1-3 “2 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, [a] 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”a Christians desire to be with other Christians 1 Jn 3:14 “ 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother [a] abides in death.”a

Truly the life of a Christian is a blessed life with countless benefits All you have to do to receive these benefits is get your life right with God