Stepping Stones: A Guide to Knowing God

By Jane E. Campbell

Have you ever experienced a time when you wanted to share a biblical thought or give an uplifting word and searching the Bible wasn’t an option, and relying on your memory was too risky? It isn’t unusual for Christians to find themselves in a situation of this nature and wish for a handy quick reference book with topics and a glossary alphabetized for ease in finding just the right thought or to give someone a word of praise or encouragement. Congratulations! Your selection of Stepping Stones is exactly that tool and more. Use it to enhance your personal growth and advance your witnessing efforts. Its design facilitates optimizing your Sunday School and VBS ministries and supports leadership development of all church leaders. This reliable guidebook produces confident faith in God and fosters the believer’s desire to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512753011

Jane E. Campbell

A born-again servant of God, Sister Campbell’s devout Christian upbringing influenced by Matthew 25:31-46, guides her ministry. Educated and trained in Scriptures from her youth, she is a teacher, workshop presenter, speaker and coordinator of Greater Works Crusade Ministry, all to the glory of God. She dedicates this God-inspired work to His honor and to edify His people. As Sunday School Superintendent and teacher, she coins this work, “Sunday School in my pocket.” As a presenter and speaker, she considers it a “ready reference,” and as a worshipper, its Christ-centeredness ushers her into His presence. AJC What a great work. It encourages its readers to desire to know and love God more intimately. For thirty-five years, I have watched Sister Jane’s passion and dedication to growing believers through God’s word. God has significantly advanced her ministry and she has been a blessing to Antioch’s ministry. Rev. Lucius Barber-Pastor, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.

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Copyright © 2015, 2017 Jane E. Campbell.

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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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The Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible (‘the KJV’), the rights in which are vested in the Crown in the United Kingdom, is reproduced here by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5302-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5303-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5301-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016913151

WestBow Press rev. date: 3/23/2017

Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Psalm 25:4-5

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Philippians 3:10

We miss out on so much because we know so little of God’s Word. Rev. Claudean Withers

Dedication

To my teachers, the exemplary women and men of God who cared enough for my soul to lead me to faith in Christ Jesus. A special expression of gratitude to my Uncle Barney, the Rev. Eugene B. Brandon, who inspired and challenged me to step-out in faith as I approached this writing as well as other areas of ministry. Thank you all for your faith in me and the encouragement and support you have given me down through the years. I pray I can be counted worthy of your investment of time, energy, and steadfast love and devotion first to God, and then to me. I love you all, and I thank God for putting you in my life.

Preface

As I reflect on my personal growth as a Christian, several truths are revealed. For example, for many years, I did not know myself; I had no identity. I had taken on the characteristics of my early teachers: my mother, my maternal grandparents, the mothers of the church and their expectations of me. Further contemplation revealed that my unconscious compliance with their dictates gave me a false sense of righteousness and privilege with God. My misconception of my relationship with God influenced many of the choices I made and how I answered the questions that arose when the outcomes of those decisions proved near fatal. Instead of asking God for answers during those unfavorable situations, I answered them myself, explaining why God responded the way He did and not as I thought He should. I justified my poor judgment and excused my sin. There is no doubt that I knew of God, but it is very clear that I did not know God, and worse still, I did not know that I did not know Him.

I come from a family steeped in ministry. My grandfather, his brother and two sons were Baptist preachers. My grandmother was the president of the Missionary Department of the church my grandfather organized. Together, they had thirteen children. One daughter was the church clerk, one played the piano, and those other sons and daughters old enough to stand and sing made up the church choir. If I had been born on a Sunday instead of a Friday, my birth would have occurred before, during, or after Sunday School, morning worship, Baptist Training Union or evening services as that was the Sunday schedule. Living in my grandparent’s basement for a while, I observed a variety of church meetings being held in their home including choir practices. Many itinerate preachers ate at their table. I learned to be seen and not heard. I was extremely sheltered. I was not allowed to go to the movies, use scissors to cut out my paper dolls, nor do many of the fun things my friends did on Sundays, but I knew all the Bible stories and a whole lot of church songs. When I was about nine years old, I was a member of the youth choir my Uncle George (Brandon) formed and we sang during tent revivals my grandfather held near the creek just down the hill from my grandparent’s home. Socials. There were frequent socials and dinners. People would come from across the city to buy dinners, homemade ice cream, baked goods and crafts. They came to buy the meals primarily, but they also came because selling dinners was one of the ways churches supported themselves.

Frankly, I was OK with my way of life as a young girl. My mother and grandmother were good to me, and I wanted to please them. In my teenage years, Mom loosened the reins slightly, and I participated in school activities. She let me go to movies in the park just outside our apartment and participate in some of the activities at the Laura Lee Fellowship House Community Center across the baseball field and two blocks up from home. Nothing in my experience so far gave me pause to consider my relationship with God. If someone asked me about it, I would have replied, All is well. Even after leaving home, being on my own, making new friends and getting involved in worldly activities, if asked, my response would have been the same. I believed that Jesus loved me and forgave me for my sin and wrongdoings, so based on where I was in my spiritual understanding, all indeed was well. You see, I never stopped attending church and participating in most church activities. That was my lifestyle. In my church career I have worked with youth departments, directed V.B.S., played piano for a youth choirs, worked in missionary departments, taught Sunday School, sang in choirs, and was active in regional, state, and national conventions. I did church well. I memorized the order of service, knew when to stand, and when to say Amen. I knew the language; I adhered to the unofficial, official dress code, and respected church traditions. I thought I was worshipping God and that He was pleased with me. When things became somewhat skewed, I simply explained them away. Interestingly I always seemed to be able to wrap my explanation in scripture, which of course made everything all right. Truth is, much about my lifestyle was all wrong.

Now if there was one thing I truly loved about being in ministry, it was the Bible. I loved its beautiful early English often-poetic writings. Some people have an aversion to the use of thee, thou, and the eth attached to many words in scripture, but for me, that was an attraction. I loved the Bible’s choice of words, how certain verses were structured, and the more complex the better. For example, John 1:12: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Another is Joshua 1:8: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. I was not seeking biblical truth; I spent time in the Bible because I was fascinated by its writings. I would challenge myself to memorize scriptures and the books of the Bible. Whenever I competed in memorizing the books of the Bible in Sunday School or V.B.S. I would always win, because if there was one thing I knew, it was the Bible, at least the mechanics of it.

At the age of 21, I moved to Kansas City, Missouri. I had a daughter, a good job, an apartment, a few friends, and I continued to do my church thing. However, on a weekend retreat in the woods with the church I united with there, I had a true encounter with God. The atmosphere was spirit-filled. I declare that I was baptized in Holy Spirit that weekend in August 1968, as I felt the presence of God on me like never before. It was an uncommon, unfamiliar experience that left me slain, euphoric, and in a state of glorious joy even as tears flowed uncontrollably. He told me that He loved me and welcomed me into His Family. I was convicted and broken right there in the woods, proving that God will meet you anywhere when your heart is open to receive Him. I vowed to become more committed, to give my whole life to God and live solely for Him. It didn’t take me long to realize that I did not know what it meant to become more committed, to give my whole life to God and live solely for Him. I thought I was to step up my church thing, basically, do more. It took me much too long to understand that my relationship with God was so not based on my doings. God wanted my heart, my mind, and my soul. He was not at all impressed with my works.

Over the years, over several hundred miles of travel from this state to that state and back home again, and through many tests and trials, I grew up. I was blessed to be nurtured by those strong matriarchs who I am now proud to emulate. I have been spiritually fed by learned pastors and teachers, gained some lifelong friends, birthed some family members, buried others, and realized many successes sprinkled with my share of failures, and through it all, God was with me. He protected me until like the proverbial Prodigal Son I came to myself. God introduced Himself to me in a brand new way during my struggle with the death of my son. I discovered that I knew His name, but did not know His heart. I liked reading the Bible and enjoyed the beauty of its writings, but failed to realize the significance of embracing His Word for its truth and life-giving power.

Today I am no longer a victim of my ignorance. Growing in the knowledge of the Holy scriptures enabled me to put my doings in perspective. I have evolved into a unique fusion of the impact of every influence, encounter, lesson, and experience that occurred in my life. But, more than anything, I have allowed God’s Word to come alive in me by surrendering to Holy Spirit and His leading. I understand that God is not looking for more Marthas; the world does not need more hospitality. God wants more Marys; those who willingly sit at His feet, hungry and thirsty for more of Him, desiring Him more than our necessary food. The Bible teaches that God, being a Spirit, seeks true worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. Today that’s who I have become. I have become radical in my quest to know His love and favor according to His Precious Holy Word. I have dispensed with so much doing and have committed to abiding in His love and welcoming His Word into my Spirit. By this, I have become a greater witness, sharing His love as I go that all may come into the knowledge of God and be saved through faith in the Lord Jesus.

It is therefore, with a grateful heart that I yielded to God’s call to write Stepping Stones. My original thought was this project would be the effort of myself as Superintendent and the Sunday School staff I was working with at the time. The staff as a whole did not embrace the concept even after much urging, so I decided it must have been a good idea, but not a God idea. I decided to scrap it, yet somehow, I was never quite able totally to let go. Finally, God gave me to understand that this project was for me to do, and I set about completing my assignment. With much prayer, study, and guidance of Holy Spirit, Stepping Stones began to come alive. The title speaks to the passage, the transformation, the step-by-step sometimes rough and rugged journey from being a babe in Christ to spiritual maturity. Achieving this depth of intimacy with God necessitates one step at a time on solid footing continuous forward movement. To some readers, it may be complex, while to others it will appear straightforward. That is by design, as some users will be teachers and others will be learners, but each person who uses this guidebook will be blessed, as this project is God-ordained. Salvation is what makes this project, this labor of love, a critical part of my ministry. Since I have come to know how great is the Father’s love toward a wretch like me, coupled with the blessings in knowing God’s Word, I want everyone to know Him.

A yearning to wholly know God is satisfied through a relationship with the third person of the Godhead, Holy Spirit. He is our teacher, our guide, our advocate who helps us appreciate God’s love more intently, more conclusively, more intimately. Holy Spirit is God and one with God the Father. Holy Spirit our Comforter is a gift from God at the request of Jesus Christ our Savior. He did not want to leave us naked before our enemy. He prayed to our Father that He would send Holy Spirit to shield and protect us from satan who runs rampant in the earth seeking to devour the Saints. Ours is to build ourselves up in the teachings of the Bible so that Holy Spirit has ammunition to bring to our remembrance in the midst of the battle. As Saints of God, we are in constant spiritual warfare, and the Word of God is our sword proven effectual for spiritual battles. Jesus used it victoriously against satan when the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. That lesson was recorded for believers that we might know the power of the weapon of our warfare that it is mighty through God to the pulling down of the strongholds that imprison us and hold us back from walking in God’s purpose. May Stepping Stones fuel your determination to arm yourself with this very proficient defender of your soul and fill you with the confident assurance that by the power of the Almighty, you will triumph over every attack of the enemy.

I carry a burden for the unsaved and I believe that that is exactly where God would have me to be as His witness. Go, He said. Teach, He commanded, not man’s thoughts or ideas–they’re hardly worth a grain of sand–but all the commandments He taught, that sinner men, women, boys, and girls might receive God’s plan of salvation. The Bible, God’s Holy Word, is God revealed. It is indeed His breathed out message; a love letter to all humankind saying, come unto Me, bring Me your worries, your needs, your disappointments; I care, and I can deliver you out of them all.

Meditate on this:

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8).

The greatest lesson learned on my spiritual journey is that God loves me. That may seem like a simple statement, but that simple, yet profound truth changed my life forever and I want everyone to know God’s love for His human creation, each and every one of us, despite our sin and rebellion. Child of God, the Father loves you, yes, even you, just the way you are. If you long to be free from the sin in your life, get to know His love, it is revolutionary, transformative, and will literally make your life brand new. He knew you before you were in your mother’s womb. Nothing about your life surprises Him, none of your weaknesses, faults or failures, but He won’t let you remain in a fallen state if a life in Christ is what you crave. I John 4:8 declares that God is love. Love is an action word. Love must be expressed and needs an object on which to express itself. Man is that object of the love and devotion of God our Creator, our Heavenly Father. God loves you. Too many Christians fail to comprehend what is expressed in that small yet epic statement. This one truth influences our spiritual development more significantly than any other aspect of our Christian faith. As humans, we allow our emotions and our inability to love others as God loves us to hinder our experiencing God’s unconditional love. John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Read and meditate on this scripture prayerfully seeking revelation and application from Holy Spirit. Purpose in your spirit to accept its truth and let it bless your life. My wonderment at the prospect of such love for someone so unworthy, changed my life and fueled my desire that this work generate in others a genuine hunger to know our God and to say with the Apostle Paul, That I may know him (Phil. 3:10), the wonder of His love, and the power of His words, and the riches of His grace.

Are you striving to walk in all that God has destined your life to be? If your answer is Yes, you are encouraged to purposefully and prayerfully avail yourself of the knowledge Stepping Stones presents. Let God shower you with wisdom and a fresh revelation of all that He is and all the ways He involves Himself in the lives of His people for our good and for His glory.

GOD BLESS YOU!

To Encourage Those Who Teach the Word of God

Teaching the Word of God is a noble undertaking, not to be entered into nonchalantly, with an indifferent attitude, or lacking passion. As teachers of the life changing Word of God, The Teacher is in a spiritual battle against the forces of evil that would kill, steal and destroy the souls of God’s people. For some, The Teacher is the last stronghold of defense. As guardians entrusted with this powerful weapon, The Teacher has the incredible duty of preparing their students for warfare against an enemy whose snares can only be escaped when we declare, It is written. The devil’s greatest fear is that sinners will hear the Word, fear God, receive the Word into their spirit, turn from their wicked ways, and commit to a life of holiness through faith in Jesus Christ.

When those you are striving to lead to Christ appears to care less about God and keeping His commandments, stand true to the Word of God and teach! Teach with all fervency of heart, conviction of spirit, and with the confidence that someone is ready to receive the message of salvation.

Gird up your loins, be strong, pray for a fresh anointing from God undergirded with the strength to open up your mouth and speak boldly as you ought to speak. Speak of sin and judgment. Call it out; call it by name. Don’t be afraid of their faces…fear God! The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction Proverbs 1:7.

Those who teach offer hope that can bless a life forever, and that life can positively impact the world and advance the Kingdom of God immeasurably.

God forth, my brother. Go forth, my sister…teach God’s Word.

Table of Contents

Table of Sections with Topics

Introduction

Purpose ~ Design ~ Aim

Ways to Benefit from This Work

Table of Topics

Sections with Topics

Books of the Bible

Kings and their Reign

What’s Next?

Checkpoint

Why Are You a Christian?

My Affirmation Statement:

Glossary

Author’s Final Note to Readers:

References

Table of Sections with Topics

Section One The Holy Trinity

• God

• Jesus

• Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost

Section Two The Holy Bible

• The Holy Bible

• Old Testament

• New Testament

• Books of the Bible

Section Three Highlights of Select Books of the Bible

• Genesis

• Psalms

• The Gospels

• Revelation

Section Four Biblical Fundamentals From the Old Testament

• Genesis 1:1

• Order of Creation

• Tree of Life; Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

• The Ten Commandments

• Battle of Jericho

• Tower of Babel

• The Twenty-Third (2³rd) Psalm

• Proverbs 3:5–6

• Valley of Dry Bones

From the New Testament

• Sermon on the Mount

• The Beatitudes

• The Lord’s Prayer

• Love

• John 3:16

• John Chapter 17

• Miracles

• Faith

• Grace

• The Lord’s Supper

• The Cross

• Blood

• Seven Last Words

• Plan of Salvation

• Fruit of the Spirit

• Gifts of the Spirit

• The Great Commission

Section Five Biblical Patriarchs

• Abraham

• Isaac

• Jacob

Section Six Judges