Key Truths and Applications for a Christ-Like Walk: A 15-Week Study for Growing Closer to the Lord

By Jennifer Hernandez

This book was written so that readers can learn key truths in order to grow in the Lord. Life can be busy, chaotic, and overwhelming. Key Truths and Applications for a Christ-Like Walk will help readers regain focus on Jesus to have a deeper relationship with the Lord. It discusses promises in the Bible, seeks the deconstruction of verses to see what God really meant for us to learn, and teaches key points and practical applications so the words arent just read, but internalized. The books goal is to spur change through the truths found in Gods word.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490871158

Jennifer Hernandez

Jennifer has been a believer, a person who believes solely in the Lordship and saving grace of Jesus Christ for salvation, since the age of twelve. She has been married to her husband, Allen, for fourteen years and they have three young children. By profession she has been a teacher for eleven years. God has blessed her with a wide range of experience in different school settings which has afforded her extensive knowledge and experience in many areas. Some of which include: how different school systems operate, how students learn, and in what environments, surroundings and conditions will most ensure a person’s success. In 2010 she completed her Master’s Degree in Education having studied Curriculum and Instruction. She is eager to share the Lord and teach about him and his redemptive love that is for all mankind through writing. She is humbled that God would lead her, guide her, and equip her in whatever type of teaching she does; whether it be with her children, in a classroom or writing Bible studies/curriculum. Her interests include: the ocean, thunderstorms, road trips, hikes, exploring new places, the ukulele, good food, family and friends.

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Copyright © 2015 Jennifer Hernandez

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-7114-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-7115-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015904900

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/03/2015

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Preface

About the Author

Part 1 Understanding the Foundation and Essentials of Christianity: Reflection

Lesson 1 (Week 1) The Cross: Its Effect on the Veil and What it Means for Me

Lesson 2 (week 2) Jesus Overcame So You Could Overcome

Lesson 3 (Week 3) Faith: Believe It!

Lesson 4 (Week 4) Faith Assured

Lesson 5 (Week5) Conform or Transform

Lesson 6 (week 6) Christ: The Solid Rock

Part II Living it Out: Staying Steadfast While Growing in the Lord

Lesson 7 (Week 7) Be a Servant

Lesson 8 (Week 8) Accepting without Accepting

Lesson 9 (week 9) Patience: It’s a Virtue

Lesson 10 (Week 10) Rest in Him

Lesson 11 (Week 11) God Became Flesh and Blood because You are Flesh and Blood

Lesson 12 (Week 12) Lean on Him and Walk Straight

Lesson 13 (week 13) Divided

Lesson 14 (Week 14) Forever Love

Lesson 15 (Week 15) Bread of Life

Closing Remarks

Five Reasons to Pray

This Study Guide is

dedicated to those

who desire growth in the Lord; to those who want to seek him so they may discover him.

It is my hope that you will find a new relationship, perhaps a restored relationship or find yourself just growing deeper in his truths and love.

Acknowledgments

First, I acknowledge that I can’t do anything without the Lord Jesus Christ sustaining me every day. He is my Savior and Lord. He leads me each day. I may take wrong turns or stumble along the way, but he always picks me up, dusts me off and leads me once again. Thank you, Jesus, for your faithfulness and unending love. Thank you for giving me words to share.

Second, I acknowledge my husband, Allen. He is always patient with me. He has supported this idea of writing a study from the beginning as he supports me in all my endeavors. He cares for me and our children with his whole heart. He has an admirable God’s in control attitude. Thank you and I love you.

Thirdly, I acknowledge my parents:

My mom – There isn’t anyone in the world like a mom. She always has an open heart and is ready to listen. She went to my softball games growing up, countless band concerts and always drove my friends and me to youth group. Now she is a wonderful grandmother to my children, too. I couldn’t ask for more. Thank you, Mom

My dad – Dads, like moms, although it may be in a different way, hold a special place in a child’s life, even a grown child. My dad, taught me many lessons in life about doing the right thing, the definition of integrity and the Golden Rule. Though I knew a long time ago I wanted to write one day, it wasn’t until he started writing a couple years ago that it brought it to the forefront of my mind. Thank you, Dad

Next, I want to acknowledge my first pastor, Pastor Sinclair and his family as well as my youth pastor, Pastor Dan. Because of their faithfulness to lead a church and because of the truth they taught on Sundays and Wednesdays, because of the time they invested in kids and adults alike, I heard truth and had the opportunity to respond to the Lord. Thank you, Pastor Sinclair and PD

Finally, I want to acknowledge my most recent former pastor, who was my pastor for ten years. Pastor Doug, his wife Julie, and their children. Because you are faithful to God, when my family and I came to church every Sunday and Wednesday we were fed. We were fed truths from his word. God shaped us and molded us under your leadership. My children began a foundation of knowing the Lord that they will continue to grow in and hold fast to because of your faithfulness. So much of who I am as a Christian is because of your teachings and God working through you over the past ten years. Thank you, Doug, Julie and family.

Introduction

Maybe you are not one to believe in Jesus Christ. But, your friend invited you to his/ her study group so you reluctantly went and now here you are in front of this study guide. Or maybe you were browsing the shelf at a local store and decided to give it a try on your own. This book is for you. Stick with it. May you learn, ask questions, reflect and move forward in the knowledge of Jesus.

Maybe you are a new believer and want to grow in the Lord. You’re not really sure what living for Christ means or what you should do, but you know he is your Lord and Savior so you desire to learn more. This book is for you.

Maybe you are a believer, mature in your faith of twenty, thirty, forty years or more. I’m so happy you have known Christ for a number of years and have trusted him for your salvation. But, I know that with maturity in the Lord it’s easy to become complacent, stagnant and in need of refreshment. This book is for you.

Finally, maybe you are one who is a believer but have been backsliding. You have walked away from your faith. You have fallen into sin and have ignored God’s outstretched hand to bring you back home to him. He’s still reaching. He is your hope. This book is for you.

This study guide is in two parts:

Part I:

The first six weeks of this study guide is to reflect on your own relationship with Christ. You might think that’s not necessary, especially if you’ve been a Christian for a longer length of time. But let me assure you it is always good to reflect on and examine your relationship with Christ. Before we can jump into some key truths and applications for being refreshed and grow in the Lord we need to first look at ourselves in the mirror. It may not always be fun (though I hope you find the study enjoyable) and it may be a little convicting, but it’s necessary and for your benefit. After all, to grow in Lord is the name of the game. So for the first six lessons we will discuss the basics. We will discuss what it even means to have a relationship with Christ and how. We’ll also look at faith, being sure of your salvation, being transformed and having a sure foundation by building your house on the Rock. This study is for everyone. So, I pray you grow and if you’re in a place of needing refreshment from the Lord and perhaps a reconnection with him in order to grow deeper, don’t glaze over Part I just because it’s the basics. There are truths to be learned and realized. We know that God’s Word is always fresh and relevant.

Part II:

Once we have covered the first six weeks, the next nine weeks will be lessons on living out your faith and growing in a deeper relationship with him all the while being refreshed and steadfast in the Lord. We will study, explore and learn about topics such as servant hood, acceptance, patience, stillness, God’s omniscience, leaning on him, his unending love and more. I pray you enjoy and grow in Lord!

Each week has a place at the end of the week’s lesson for you to record prayer requests for the week as well as praise reports and things in which you are thankful. If you are completing this study guide in a group setting it is suggested you review these in your group each week. Share the prayer requests as you are comfortable in order to be praying for one another. Share the praises and thanksgiving to glorify God and bring honor to him.

Please note that the majority of the lessons are taken from the NIV however there are a few that are of the NKJV. It is not to say one is better over the other, it is merely because I chose to teach on that particular version given the wording it used. Regardless of the version you personally use, you can still be successful in this study.

At the end of each lesson is something called This Week’s Extra Tid-Bit(s). This is some little extra token or nugget of information usually having something to do with the week’s lesson. It is an extra piece of encouragement. Sometimes it is an extra verse, a song to listen to, poem, or a quote by someone such as CS Lewis or Spurgeon. I hope you take note of these extra tid-bits and find encouragement in them.

Preface

This study guide is here, it is real, and it is tangible because God is good.

For the past two to three years I have gone through a whirlwind of emotions and circumstances in my life. Nothing traumatic or crisis-like. But, stressful and overwhelming, nonetheless. I was homeschooling our two oldest children, and had a two year old in tow also. I was working full time in addition to homeschooling. I worked from home, which was both ideal and a potential source of stress and chaos. I was free to be home with my children most of the time, however, that meant finding the right balance and time to complete my everyday tasks for work. Additionally, my husband dealt with a couple medical issues during this time, which added unknown variables. Thank the Lord, those issues are now under control. Throughout all this, and some other details, I became very overwhelmed. I found myself not listening to the Lord as much. And when I heard him, I brushed it off with excuses. This was nothing that was done intentionally, I knew I was doing it, in my heart I didn’t want to ignore the Lord but it became easier to just go about my business. The busyness of life, family matters, work and homeschooling just consumed me. I started to put God on the backburner. I was so focused on getting to my computer in the evening to complete some work that my son would ask to say bedtime prayers and I began to shove it to the side. I began rushing them to bed, ignoring his request because I had work to do. Here is my, then four year old son asking to pray with me and I said, Later or You can pray on your own tonight. When I realized I was doing this, it crushed me. My number one job God has given me is to be a mother and caregiver to my family - my husband and kids. Sure, I can be other things and I am, but the priority he set before me is to be a wife and mother. I felt like I was failing.

In the past, approximately five months, before this study guide was finished being written, we moved. Not down the street, or to the next town, but to a different state, several states away. Many reasons for this, but after doing so, I had come to a place of needing to reconnect with the Lord. The past two to three years in addition to moving led me to a place of needing rest, needing to fellowship with God again. Understand, I wasn’t some full blown rebel, denying