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Jesus will use Maturing: Year Three to help you and your friend see what it takes to create humans that aren’t robots or slaves. He will help you see why God acted the way He did in the Old Testament and why He frequently doesn’t in the New Testament. This is one of the most important studies and prayer times in this year’s series.
As you read the New Testament, you seem to see a kinder, gentler God that is gracious and kind.
- Why did God seem more legalistic and demanding in the Old Testament?
- Why does God, in the New Testament, seem more gracious and merciful?
- How can you read the Old Testament and relate to God without being afraid and standoffish with Him?
- If the Old Testament is still a vital part of your Bible, how do you read it and apply its principles to your life without getting legalistic yourself?
- As a New Testament Christian, how do you approach the way God did things in the Old Testament?
Mal 3:6a (NIV) I the LORD do not change.
James 1:17 (NIV) Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, Who does not change like shifting shadows.
- Since God doesn’t change, why does it seem like He has changed from the time of the Old Testament to the time of the New Testament?
All of these questions need to be answered in your and your friends’ hearts before you can really open up and accept an intimate relationship with your heavenly Father.
Example Living Days 1-5
Day One: Adam and Eve give you an example of what not to do. As the first humans, they contracted the spiritual disease of sin, which was passed to every human born on this earth.
Day Two: Noah and family save the planet. Evil was so great that only eight people were salvageable. Everyone on this planet came from Noah and his wife.
Day Three: Abraham and Sarah started off the race of Jews. Every Israeli on this planet came from them.
Day Four: Jacob and family produced the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. Every Jewish tribe on this planet came from their children. However, Joseph gave his tribe position to his two sons, Ephriam and Manasseh.
Day Five: Mary and Joseph got married after Mary became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. She gave birth to Jesus. Every Christian on this planet came from Him.
Example Living Days 6-10
Day One: David and Bathsheba is another example of what not to do. Their first son died because of David’s sin. But, Solomon was born thereafter and God used him to build His temple.
Day Two: Law verses love isn’t a person’s history study. However, it is a vital example of how love gives you power that the law can’t give.
Day Three: A Love Relationship continues the example of the power of love that empowers the Christian life.
Day Four: Ester And Mordicai give you an example of being willing to put yourself in danger in order to bring salvation to those in greater danger.
Day Five: Job And “Friends” give you a life-example of what not to do, as you try to comfort your friends.
Example Living Days 11-15
Day One: Balaam And Balak give you an example of what not to do during social pressure. Loving money, possessions, positions, prestige, power, popularity, pleasure, and accomplishments can get you in a lot of trouble.
Day Two: Saul and Samuel give you an incredible example of a student refusing to follow the leadership of a spiritual minister.
Day Three: Achan And Joshua are another example of a student not following the minister’s leadership and what it does to those around them.
Day Four: Job and His “Friends” takes a second look at further “comfort” that Job gets. Some times persistent friends can hurt people rather than help.
Day Five: David and Abigail give you a life-example that shows how God works, when you follow His ways of love.
Example Living Days 16-20
Day One: Saul and David is a wonderful comparison between two leaders. One does things his own way; and, the other does it God’s way most of the time.
Day Two: Moses is one of the greatest leaders of all times. His willingness to only do things God’s way under some of the most opposing pressures gives you an incredible example of spiritual leadership.
Day Three: Solomon had a lot more wisdom than Moses. But, Moses used a much greater wisdom than Solomon. God gave Solomon a powerful human wisdom. Moses got his wisdom from God all day long.
Day Four: Pharaoh and The Ten Plagues gives you what loving money, possessions, positions, prestigue, popularity, power, pleasure, and accomplishments can do to your goals, leadership, and philisophies.
Day Five: Peter started out pretty full of himself. He felt free to give Jesus advice, believe in himself, and involve himself in trial and error processes. But, when Jesus finished his training, Peter became one of the most dynamic spiritual leaders in the Christian faith.
Example Living Days 21-25
Day One: Nebuchadnezzar is an example of a person who allowed money, possessions, positions, power, prestige, popularity, pleasure, and accomplishments to indicate to him that he produced them all; but, God saved his eternal destination by doing what it took to reveal to him that it was God, Who allowed it all to happen.
Day Two: Solomon And Wives shows you what exposing yourself to bad influences can do to you, no matter how wise you are.
Day Three: Elisha And His Servants gives you a look at the spirit realm and what it looks like, when you can’t see into it.
Day Four: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah show you what can be done no matter what kind of social pressure may be exerted against you.
Day Five: Moses And Israel lets you look as spiriual leadership that must deal with a lot of opposition.
Example Living Days 26-30
Day One: Samuel's life gives you a good example for what you will experience, when you totally obey what God wants you to do
Day Two: Jonah and Nineveh this gives you a good example for how to feel toward people you don’t like and don’t think they are good candidates for being saved.
Day Three: Samson, like Solomon was given a gift that didn’t require constant contact with God. Samson and Solomon had their power-gift given to them, so that they were able to decide how they wanted to use it. Jesus, on the other hand, doesn’t allow you to have that kind of gift.
Day Four: Ruth And Boaz show you how to solve major issues by allowing God to lead you into special relationships.
Day Five: Isaac And Ishmael shows the difference between a son being a part of the covenant of God and a son who isn’t. When you stay within the will of God, the results are blessed.
Example Living Days 31-35
Day One: Balaam And Balak give you an example of what not to do during social pressure. Loving money, possessions, positions, prestige, power, popularity, pleasure, and accomplishments can get you in a lot of trouble.
Day Two: Saul and Samuel give you an incredible example of a student refusing to follow the leadership of a spiritual minister.
Day Three: Achan And Joshua are another example of a student not following the minister’s leadership and what it does to those around them.
Day Four: Job and His “Friends” takes a second look at further “comfort” that Job gets. Some times persistent friends can hurt people rather than help.
Day Five: David and Abigail give you a life-example that shows how God works, when you follow His ways of love.
Example Living Days 36-40
Day One: Saul and David is a wonderful comparison between two leaders. One does things his own way; and, the other does it God’s way most of the time.
Day Two: Moses is one of the greatest leaders of all times. His willingness to only do things God’s way under some of the most opposing pressures gives you an incredible example of spiritual leadership.
Day Three: Solomon had a lot more wisdom than Moses. But, Moses used a much greater wisdom than Solomon. God gave Solomon a powerful human wisdom. Moses got his wisdom from God all day long.
Day Four: Pharaoh and The Ten Plagues gives you what loving money, possessions, positions, prestigue, popularity, power, pleasure, and accomplishments can do to your goals, leadership, and philisophies.
Day Five: Peter started out pretty full of himself. He felt free to give Jesus advice, believe in himself, and involve himself in trial and error processes. But, when Jesus finished his training, Peter became one of the most dynamic spiritual leaders in the Christian faith.
Example Living Days 41-45
Day One: Paul has had the most important affect on your lives of anyother Apostle. Jesus has used him to help us establish some of the most important aspects of the Christian life.
Day Two: Paul, part 2 help you to go into the covenant of God, so you can see what God has been doing with the Jews that prepared the way for the Gentiles.
Day Three: Paul, part 3 goes into the issues of Gentile rule until Jesus, a Jew, comes to rule the world.
Day Four: Paul, part 4 goes into the depths of Paul’s commitment to the Gentiles, as their Apostle.
Day Five: Paul, part 5 goes into some of the people Paul has worked with.
Example Living Days 46-50
Day One: Jesus, part 1 goes into how people miss out on getting to know Jesus.
Day Two: Jesus, part 2 presents the creative power of Jesus.
Day Three: Jesus, part 3 shows how much the disciples struggled with the supernatural.
Day Four: Jesus, part 4 deals with who is a leader in Jesus’ ministry.
Day Five: Jesus, part 5 gives you a look into the future and looks at Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial.
Example Living Days 51-55
Day One: David, part 1 examines David’s lineage down to Jesus.
Day Two: David, part 2 shows the value of David’s relationship with God.
Day Three: David, part 3 presents his relationship with God and the Ark of the Covenant.
Day Four: David, part 4 makes it clear that being obedient to God is vital.
Day Five: David, part 5 gives David’s view of obeying the commandments of God.
Example Living Days 56-60
Day One: Solomon and God shows the difference between you having power and yielding to God’s power.
Day Two: Solomon and God, part 2 presents the difference between world success and God’s success that values relationships.
Day Three: Solomon and God, part 3 takes a look at the way to live your life where it counts for eternity.
Day Four: Solomon and God, part 4 shows the pain of looking inward instead of looking to God.
Day Five: Solomon and God, part 5 goes into the part of Solomon’s life where he starts to see God as the answer again.
Example Living Days 61-65
Day One: Ahab and Jezebel give you an example of a relationship with God of convience with Ahab and no relationship with God at all with Jezebel.
Day Two: Elijah and Elisha show you two people who are totally committed to God.
Day Three: Jehu And Joash help you see what obedience to God can do. And, it shows you what human reasoning does.
Day Four: Kings Of Judah and Israel give you the big picture of what good and bad leadership can do to people.
Day Five: Hezekiah gives you an example of one who totally commits to God.
Example Living Days 66-70
Day One: Manasseh And Josiah deals with Manasseh being a totally evil king. But, he gives you an example of what repentance will do. Josiah demonstrates what a young person can do, if they will give their life over to God from the beginning.
Day Two: Cain And Abel get you started out with the two first children on the planet. It reveals what envy and covetousness can do to a person.
Day Three: Shem, Ham and Japheth are the three sons of Noah. They get the planet repopulated.
Day Four: Lot And Sodom And Gomorrah give you a look at a person, who as long as they were under the influence of Abraham, did great with God.
Day Five: Abraham, His Servant, And Rebekah deal with getting Isaac a wife.
Example Living Days 71-75
Day One: Jews lists special Jews from Abraham down to Jesus.
Day Two: The Twelve gives you a look at their training through Jesus.
Day Three: Peter and the Holy Spirit shows you the difference in Peter after receiving the Holy Spirit and being baptized into Him.
Day Four: The Corintian Church And The Holy Spirit reveals spiritual issues with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Day Five: The Galatian Church And The Law helps you see where the law fits into Christianity.
Example Living Days 76-80
Day One: Steven, The Table Waiter takes a simple task and lets Jesus be God in the assignment.
Day Two: Philip The Evangelist help you look at the ministers in the Body of Jesus.
Day Three: Elders Over The Church shows you where their ministry fits into Jesus’ work.
Day Four: Timothy, The Second Generation lets you look at the consistency of spiritual stability from one generation to the next. Then the next pages starts Jesus, Your Example, where His life, ministry, message, and methods are examined.
Day Five: Jesus, Lord, Savior, Messiah, And King puts you into the finishing aspects of who to pattern your life after.
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