WEEK 3: “LIFECLASS” “Teacher, What is the Best Experience in Life?”

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DAY 15: 
THE BEST EXPERIENCE

We all need to be Born Again.
“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” -John 3:3
“The Spirit gives birth to Spirit” -John 3:6b
A corn seed produces corn; a barley seed produces barley; an orange seed produces an orange. So it is also in the new birth. The seed is the divine, incorruptible, eternal.
-Derek Prince
Before there was a seed of sin that was planted in us. But now, a seed of the word of God. From a life in ruin and dryness or emptiness of your soul there would be now a life in abundance and fullness of the Holy Spirit.


DAY 16:
RECOVERING OUR SIGHT

New Birth will open my Spiritual eyes.
In The Glass Castle: a Memoir, the author and journalist, Jeannette Walls, tells the story of her upbringing. She reveals that her family were both deeply dysfunctional and somewhat colorful in their outlook on life. Her father was a highly intelligent man, but he was an alcoholic. Rarely sober, he became a dishonest and destructive person. Her mother was a “free spirit”, who fought against the idea of domestic life and institutions, and did not want the responsibility of raising a family. As a result, the children learned to fend fort themselves, and looked out for each other. In her book, Jeannette speaks about the time when her sister, Lori, got her first pair of glasses. The nurse at school tested her vision and told her mother that Lori was incredibly short-sighted. At first her mother, refused to buy her glasses, but the nurse said that without them, she would not be allowed to continue at school. When Lori finally received her glasses, she looked around in amazement. She immediately ran outside and started to marvel at the sight of the trees and the individuals leaves on each of the branches. Jeannette asked her what she was looking at. Lori started to cry; she cried because of the beauty of what she was seeing, and she cried because of all that she had been missing up until that day.
Paul’s best experience was at, “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied”.
-Acts 9:3-5
Paul was completely blind when he got up from this encounter -he had no idea whether he would ever be able to see again. Three days later, however, God sent a man named Ananias to come and pray for him. Once Ananias had prayed, Paul recovered his sight.


DAY 17:
CREATED TO GROW

The word of God transforms me so that the nature of God can be formed in me and I can become more like Jesus.
“Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion. It is daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ”.
“The goal of a child’s life is maturity- and the goal of a Christian’s life is a spiritual maturity (see Hebrews 6:1). Don’t let anything – or anyone – stand in the way of your growth in Christ. Never forget: God’s will is for us to become more like Christ.” 
-Billy Graham 
Psalm 119:9-10
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
    By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
    do not let me stray from your commands. 
Joshua 1:8
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 


DAY 18:
A NEW HEART

God has given me a new heart.
“Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” -John 12:24

“I consider it a lost day when I haven’t had a good time over the word of God. Friends often say, “I have so much to do, so many people to see, I cannot find time for Scripture study.”
“Perhaps there are not many who have more to do than I. For more than half a century I have never known one day when I had not more business than I could get through. For four years, I have had annually about 30,000 letters, and most of these have passed through my own hands.”
“Then, as pastor of a church with 1,200 believers, great has been my care. Besides, I have had charge of five immense orphanages; also, at my publishing depot, the printing and circulating of millions of tracts, books, and Bibles; but I have always made it a rule never to begin work until I have had a good season with God and His Word. The blessing I have received has been wonderful.”
-George Muller 


DAY 19:
BORN INTO HOLINESS

The Holy Spirit is the One who gives us new birth.
“When we are born again, the Spirit of holiness is planted in us as a Seed.”
-Joyce Meyer
Every believer must have their own experience.
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”. -John 10:10b
The Holy Spirit bears witness to the creation of the new man
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption”. -Ephesians 4:30
“ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” -Acts 1:8


DAY 20:
BORN OF THE SPIRIT

The Spirit gives birth to spirit.
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” -John 3:8
“Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” -John 3:5-8


DAY 21:
A LIFE OF FAITH

New birth allows us to hear the voice of God, which changes everything.
“So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” -1 Corinthians 15:42-44a
“Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another”. 
-1 Corinthians 15:40

“I decided to believe God’s thoughts about me and go for something higher that what others had planned for me. The results have been miraculous!” -Oral Roberts

*Abraham: He went from being a father without any children to being a father of many nations (Genesis 17:3-5).
*Jacob: Thought once a deceiver, he became a prince with God 
(Genesis 32:27-28).
*Moses: He was such a violent person that he killed a man, but he went on to become the most humble man on Earth (Numbers 12:3).
*Job: Once a person full of fears, he learned to place all his trust in God 
(Job 13:15).
*Hannah: She was barren, but God made her the mother of Samuel – one of the greatest prophets in the Bible (1 Samuel 1:20).
*David: God made this simple shepherd the king over all Israel 
(1 Samuel 13:14). He was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).