A Guide for Christians

Change the way you define yourself

Introduction

Name

Job

Husband

Father

Mistakes

Sports

Class teacher

Good introduction?

Problem: The world has ingrained in us that we are who we are as defined by the things of this world. Because, subconsciously, if we define ourselves by these things, then these things will be our priorities. It is human nature.

Our Job

Our Family Role

Our Mistakes

The things we like to do

If these are the things that define us, then these will be our priorities in life.

Better Introduction

My name is Jeremy Turnage

I am a child of God

A Christian

A redeemed sinner

A servant of my Lord Jesus Christ and His foot soldier in the war to save lost souls

God has blessed me with the privilege of uniting with my wife, Donna, and shepherding 5 children in His name.

He has given me a job as Operations Manager of Sunpak Logistics that has trained me to break out of my introvert shell, to lead, engage and connect with people.

The Lord has laid it on my heart to share His truth and grow in His grace with you through this 13 week class.

That introduction was better? Now you REALLY now who I am, what I stand for, and how I serve Christ.

My first Challenge to you is to change the way you define yourself. Change how you introduce yourself to people, how you respond when someone asks who you are. By correcting your definition of yourself to be inline with God’s definition of who you are, you will also begin to bring your priorities more inline with God’s. But this cannot stay in your thoughts and in your heart, it must be practiced, it must be spoken.

Be honest with yourself

The book will direct you to verses to reflect on each week and will ask you self-reflection questions based on the points those verses provide.

It sounds easy to do, but I challenge you to be truly honest with yourself about the meanings of the verses and the implications they have on your life. Challenge yourself with the answers that challenge how you are living, don’t just jot down the answer that makes things as they are ok.

Be honest with yourself about your current shortcomings, things that you have let slip, and things you have never done at all. I am in my second round with this book and I still have a multitude of things to improve on. Christianity is a lifelong journey but each day should be a new and improved step towards heaven.

The Bible uplifts and nurtures us, but it also convicts and corrects us. All too often we skim right past those parts.

Matthew 7:14 ESV

14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

You will never find the narrow gate if you spend your life on the wrong path, convincing yourself you are on the right one.

The Bible is the best interpreter of The Bible

Context is KING

Never read a verse by itself. Always read, at minimum, 11 verses. 5 verses before your target verse, and 5 verses after your target verse. This will help you establish the context in which this verse applies to better understand whether or not you are getting God’s truth out of the verse.

If, after you read 5 verses before and 5 verses after, you still aren’t sure of the meaning of a verse; read the entire periscope.

If, after reading the entire periscope, you still have questions; read the entire book.

One of the most commonly mis-used verses in the Bible

Philippians 4:13 ESV

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

This verse does not mean that my 42 year-old, out of shape body can go climb a mountain or win an olympic event if I just pray, recite this verse continuously and believe in Christ with all my heart.

In fact, it has NOTHING to do with God granting us victory of any sort.

In biblical context, this verse tells those who a persecuted, those who are suffering, the poor and the weary, those who are LOSING at life in this world; that, if they have Christ, they can take comfort that their situation is only temporary (as such is our life on earth) and that there is strength in the knowledge of His plans for them in His kingdom for eternity.

Two very different meanings of the same words, but only one is true.

The Old Testament explains the New Testament and visa versa

Christians often skim past the Old Testament with the thought that it is the New Testament that really applies to us. But we end up mis-understanding much of the New Testament by doing this.

The New Testament was entirely founded on the Old Testament. Jesus’ life, what He did during it, and the words He spoke were all ripped right out of the pages of the Old Testament.

Matthew 27:46 ESV

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

What do you think Jesus was going through at that moment?

What if I told you in actuality, this verse was Jesus’ celebration of victory? Possibly, His happiest moment on Earth?

During Jesus’ time, they did not have books and numbers in their Bibles like we do today. Today, if we want to direct someone to a section of the Bible, we say: “Read Mark 16:1-20”. But in Jesus’ time, they would quote a verse from the passage in order to refer to it. By speaking these words, Jesus was directing everyone within ear-shot to look up this passage and realize what is happening. Let’s read the passage Jesus is quoting with His dying breath:

Psalm 22:1–31 ESV

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— 17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. 19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! 22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

That sheds some interesting light on both Jesus’ final moments on the cross AND the meaning of Psalm 22, doesn’t it?

Let the Bible speak for itself

We should come to the Bible, seek it’s truth and use it to influence our lifestyle, our actions, and our feelings about the world around us. However, more often than not, we come to the Bible with our actions and our feelings and seek to fit the Bible into our lifestyle.

This attitude will inevitably twist (even if just so slightly) God’s absolute, infallible truth into a human’s situational excuse.

Our Class

13 weeks through “A Follow-up Guide for New Christians”

Self-work and reflection through a chapter in the book each week prior to class

Usually takes about an hour or two throughout the entire week to complete

Biblical teaching on the topic covered in that weeks chapter

Approximately 15 - 20 minutes

Q & A / Discussion for as long as needed

My intention is to teach God’s truth completely.

By human nature we do not like to be told that we wrong or doing something sinful. My intention is not to hurt anyone’s feelings or make anyone uncomfortable, I have the highest regard and love for every one of you. However, I will not skirt-around, bend, or sugar-coat God’s truth in order to avoid hurting feelings.

My stance is that if you are offended by what the Bible says; your issue is with God, not me; and if you don’t agree with the Bible, you’re wrong.

I reserve the right to say “I don’t know”

Though I am well familiar with the Bible and it’s teachings, I try to be very intentional about citing the Bible in the proper context and intended application. If I am unsure, I may tell you “I don’t know”. But I will follow-up with you during the week.

I teach out of the English Standard Version

I am not suggesting you change your preferred translation, but for those interested in a different translation or who have electronic Bible’s and don’t want to wonder why my quote’s are different than their Bible; I have come to prefer the ESV.

The goal of “A Guide for Christians” is to give you an opportunity to self-reflect on what the Bible says it means to be a Christian as well as arm you with the knowledge, equipment, and training to live victoriously in Christ.