The principles behind CKRM Bible Study Class, commencing next sunday.

1. The Bible is a love letter from our Father God to us His children. We read the Bible to receive revelations of the greatness of Christ’s love so that the fullness of God can fill us (Eph3:18-19) . We need to read scripture from our heart, not our mind. Our heart must be tuned to the heart of our Father God’s love for His children; be open & expect deeper & deeper revelations of God’s goodness, faithfulness, steadfast loving kindness thru studying the deeds and ways of Jesus. If u do this well, u start rcvd revelations from reading the Word of God.

2. We do this bible study in a special way – practicing the presence of Holy Spirit. Some of you may have read Benny Hinn’s book “Good morning Holy Spirit” which talks about practising the presence of God, by conversing with the Holy Spirit while reading the Bible. The Holy Spirit is the real author of the Bible. The way we doing this bible study is like journaling, we write down revelations from the Holy Spirit through His Word & we then pray aloud confess what He revealed to us. It is a 2 way communication with Him through His Word & His presence will manifest in your room if you do this for about an hour. Praying aloud His revelations help to internalize His revelations into our spirit man. It is not logos words but revelations that changes life.

3. “John 14:26 (NKJV) Verse 26. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

Holy Spirit leads you by reminding you of what Jesus taught. But if you don’t understand His teaching, you may have problem to be led by Holy Spirit. Our aim is to understanding, believe & assimilate all His teaching, so that Holy Spirit lead us by reminding us of His teaching whenever we face a situation that needs His guidance.

4. We read the bible from the perspective that Jesus’ teaching is the core foundation of whole bible. Paul’s epistles are to help us understand Jesus’ teaching better. OT are mostly shadows. But if OT, Paul’s epistles & Jesus’ teaching converge as 1 message , then we will get true understanding & interpretation of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus teaching is the core, not Paul’s teaching. Get rid of faulty thinking that Jesus teachings are for a old expired dispensation.

5. We apply principle of first mention to interpret scriptures. We let scripture interpret scriptures. We also interpret scriptures in context with the whole chapter & in context with the book.

6. The phrase “Kingdom of God” or “kingdom of Heaven” is mentioned total 111 times in New Testament. We will be reading the 4 gospels with the intent to understand what Jesus is telling us about the kingdom of God or kingdom of Heaven, how He paid for our entry with His blood. We also learn from Jesus the dynamics of how to operate in His kingdom.

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1.0     John 1 New King James Version (NKJV)

1.1     What is this passage John 1:1-34 talking about? (Identity of Christ)

John 1:1-34 is talking about true identity of Christ Jesus. He is God, He is the living Word becoming flesh.  He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. He is the Son of God

1.2     What is the passage John 1:10-13 talking about?

Whoever receive Jesus , believe in His name shall become children of God, become born of God.

1.3     Read John 1:35-50. What did the disciples said Jesus is?

They said Jesus is the Messiah the anointed One, the Son of God , the king of Israel.

1.4     Prayer of confession & thanksgiving:

Lord Jesus Christ, I declare You are the living Word made flesh, You are the Son of God, the lamb of God who came to take away our sins. Lord Jesus, I declare You are  Messiah, the Christ, the anointed One, Son of God & King of Israel.  You are our savior. Because I believe in You , I am a child of God, born of God. Thank You Jesus.

 

2.0     John 2 New King James Version (NKJV)

2.1     Read John 2:1-11. Why did Jesus perform the miracle at the wedding although He knew His time has not come?

Jesus was performing miracles as Son of man, following instructions from God our Father. Apparently, our Father God would change His kairos moments to help His children’s  wants, and not just needs.

2.2     Read John 2:13-21 . Why did Jesus so zealously chase out the merchants in the temple & suddenly proclaim His body as a temple that can be rebuild in 3 days upon destruction?

He is foretelling His cruxification & resurrection, after which this physical temple will be redundant. The body of Christ will become His temple. He wants us show we are to guard our temple our body from worldly things, just as He uses a whip to zealously chase out what is defiling to the physical temple. He wants us to keep our temple pure, because we are God’s temple, God lives inside us.

2.3     Prayer:

I declare that You Father God is such a wonderful loving Father God. That You would do such a thing as replacing your kairos timing just to please us Your little children, to perform that miracle of turning water into wine. 

I thank You that through the redemption of Christ Jesus, I am now the temple of God. I purpose in my heart to guard this temple, keep it pure & undefiled, because You are a holy God, and You lives inside me.

Thank You Father God for living inside me. Thank You Holy Spirit for living inside me.

 

 3.0     John 3 New King James Version (NKJV)

3.1     Read John 3:3-11 & Ezekiel 36:25-27 & 2Cor5:17. What do you understand by born again, born of water and the Spirit? Why is it important?

Ezekiel 36:25-27 New King James Version (NKJV)

25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

2 Corinthians 5:17 New King James Version (NKJV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

 

Born again is to receive a new human spirit, born of water is not referring to water baptism, it is likely to refer to the Word or gospel preached. Born of the Spirit, means born of God, 2Cor5:17 says new creation.

It is important because only by being born again, we can enter the kingdom of God.

3.2     Read John 3:14. What is eternal life?

Eternal life is knowing God our Father & Jesus Christ on a personal basis or close relationship.  Some Christians do not have a personal relationship with God through reading His Word or through prayer life. But this bible study class , hopefully you can be activated into a 2 way intimate relationship with Him.

 

3.3     Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I declare that just as I looked to You lifted up on the cross, and believes You have done this to redeem me,  I declare I have eternal life. Eternal life means knowing God in a close relationship, and I  will not perish in lake of fire. But now You lives inside me forever.

 

3.4     Read John3:18. Why is the world already condemned?

The world is already condemned because of sins and because of not accepting Jesus as savior.  Jesus told the Pharisees in John 5:45 Moses will accuse you , based on the old convenant. Under old covenant, the world is under curse of the law & Jesus took away that curse in Galatians 3:13-14.

 

3.5     Read John 3:14-17 Why is Moses’ lifting of serpent (Numbers 21:8-9) in wilderness to heal the people related to lifting of Jesus on the cross?

The bronze serpent lifted up on a pole or a standard, represent sin being judged on the cross. Those who looked at it were  healed of being bitten by a serpent. It was a shadow of Jesus being lifted on the cross, He became a curse for us (Gal 3:13), all our curses, sin , infirmities, sicknesses were placed on Jesus (Matthew 8:17 says He bore our sicknesses), Jesus was made sin for us in 2Cor5:21 , Jesus was judged & punished on our behalf.

 

3.6     Read John 3:12-21. Why is being born again (John 3:2-11) linked to this passage?

This passage is talking about the Jesus coming to bear the sins of the world so that whoever believes in Him is not condemned , but have eternal life which is to know God. The born again experience comes after we receive Jesus as our savior. When we are born again, our old human spirit died & now our  spirit man is a new spirit, created in Christ’s perfect image, all our past are gone. We are to renew our mind, discard all the memories of disappointments and rejections that shaped our character & values. Renounce them, put on Christ’s thinking pattern , His 9 fruits of Holy Spirit. Let our mind be focused on things of the Spirit in order to walk in the Spirit (Romans 8:5)

3.7     Prayer:

Father God, I thank you that through accepting Jesus Your only Son, as my redeemer,  I have been forgiven of all my sins. I am no more condemned, but Jesus was made sin for me, on the cross. Jesus who knew no sin was made sin for me, so that I was made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Right now, my spirit man is a new creation, made in Christ’s perfect image. I will continue to renew my mind, forgoing the memories of my old man (old human spirit), and adopt the values of the new human spirit which is a perfect image of Jesus. Therefore as I adopt Your values, the teachings & character of Jesus, I shall walk in the Spirit & not in the flesh. Thank You Jesus for all You have done for me. Amen!