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Hi,
I would like to take a minute and introduce you to a bible study I have
developed an begun teaching in small groups – “Transforming Love – The effect
of understanding God’s love.”
In the first lesson we begin by looking at Paul’s prayer in Eph 3…
Paul’s Prayer was for Ephesus
to “KNOW” the Love of Christ.
Paul, the
apostle, wrote a letter to mature friends who were leading and ministering
at the church in Ephesus. They had
been taught by several of Paul’s close friends. Yet Paul was still deeply concerned for
them and he prayed,
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be
strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the
breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of
Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the
fullness of God.
Eph 3:14-19 (ESV)
Even though
Paul is speaking to Mature Believers, Paul knew they still needed
supernatural assistance to really grasp God’s Love.
…And so the bible study begins. The
Lord has really impressed my heart this last year with the amazing privilege
we have to fellowship with God.
Because of the saving grace of God, I know when I leave this earth I
will stand in perfect righteousness before God. I will enjoy eternal fellowship with
Him. Today on earth – I cannot enjoy
sinless perfection. BUT I can enjoy
sweet fellowship with God TODAY!
That is the heart beat of these lessons. We will work our way through:
·
Creation – setting the stage for fellowship
with men.
·
Abraham – a lesson in God’s willingness to
fellowship with sinners
·
Prophets – The heart of God, that we might “KNOW”
Him!
·
Incarnation – The center of all fellowship
modeled and experienced through the life of Christ.
·
Body Life – Learning about “Corporate” fellowship
·
Fellowship – Joy complete - A study in 1
John chapter one.
·
Ministry – How God is leading our family to
take this vision for fellowship to an unreached people group.
From God laying this on my heart, Jen and I believe that God is
challenging us to take this message to a foreign country and share it with
a people group who has never had a chance to hear. So this study has three purposes in our
lives:
1.
To develop and nurture my passion and
understanding of fellowship
2.
To invest in the lives of others in the
manner that God has gifted me
3.
To provide the opportunity for others, who
resonate with this message, to partner with us and help us move forward in
going overseas.
My goal is to take 2 small groups every 2 months through this 8 week
course. Each group should have about
4 to 5 men. The result is that over
the next year I may have taken 50 men through this study. I look forward to building relationships
with these men!
If you have a small group or you know of several men that you would be
interested in meeting together to go through a study like this, please let
me know! For more information please
feel free to contact me: 262-527-4746
In Christ,
Thomas Freeman
Dean of Education, NTBI - Waukesha Campus
www.ntm.org/train
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