Table of Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 3
2. Hang Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 8
3. Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 11
4. Just Do It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 15
5. That Infamous Question. . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 19
6. Put Your $$ Where Your Mouth Is. . . . .pg 24
7. Dig In. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 28
8. Wrap Wrap Wrap It Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 33
Introduction
Take a moment and answer the questions on this page. We‟ll discuss them in a
few minutes. . .
What is a habit? __________________________
__________________________
What are some of your daily habits? _____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
Why do you have these habits? ________________
________________
Have you ever broken a habit? Nope, I‟m perfect
Yep – If so, what?
_________________________________________
Is it always bad to break a habit?
yeah
Oh
Nope
Why or why not? ___________________________
Here‟s what some people say about habits:
Webster‟s Dictionary:
habit n 1. An often involuntary pattern of behavior acquired by
frequent repetition. 2. Usual practice or manner. 3. An addiction.
4. Distinctive dress or costume
syns CHARACTERISTIC, PATTERN, TRAIT
Aristotle: We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Habits are like a cable. We weave a strand of it everyday,
Horace Mann: and soon, it can not be broken.
Did you know that it takes a repetition
of 21 times to form a habit, while it
takes missing that repetition only three
times to break a habit?
Let‟s see what the Bible has to say about habits:
Proverbs 22:6 –
Train a child in the way he should go, and when
he is old, he will not turn from it. (N.I.V.)
What is the author‟s point?_____________________
__________________________________________
How does this verse apply to you?_______________
__________________________________________
Hebrews 10:25 –
Let us not give up meeting together as some are
in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one
another -–and all the more as you see the Day
approaching. (N.I.V.)
What habit is being broken in this passage?_______
__________________________________________
Have you ever broken this habit? Never
Uh, yep I did
Think about your best friend for a moment.
How often do you communicate with him or her?
Once a month Once a week
Once a day Many times during the day
It‟s difficult to maintain a good friendship when you only
communicate once a month. Chances are, that
relationship will die. . .
Having a relationship with Christ is the same way. How
strong would the relationship be if you only prayed once a
week? What if you only attended church once a month?
“a relationship with Christ isn‟t
a once a month activity.”
A relationship with Christ must be developed, just as the
relationship with your best friend had to be developed.
During this Bible study, we will identify six habits that must
be maintained in order to have a solid walk with Jesus
Christ.
Don‟t worry if you aren‟t doing some of these habits yet.
We are studying them so that you can learn to do them for
the rest of your life, because after all, a relationship with
Christ isn‟t a once a month activity. Turn the page to see
the six habits of a lifelong walk with Christ. . .
ang Time with God
Think about your best friend. What sort of things do
you like to do together? ______________________
______________________
______________________
What sort of things do you talk about?
______________________
______________________
______________________
Do you ever hide things from your best friend?_____
Do you ever say good things about your best friend
to them? Never – I‟m actually a terrible friend
Not as much as I should
Yes, as much as possible
How does your friend feel when you do that?
__________________________________________
Think About It: Just as you enjoy spending time
with your best friend and enjoying his or her
company, God enjoys spending time with you.
Hang Time with God is a 2 step process:
1. Spend time in God‟s Word
2. Spend time in prayer
1. Spend Time in God‟s Word
Why do you think you should spend time reading the
Bible?_____________________________________
Check out Joshua 1:8.
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your
mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you
may be careful to do everything written in it.
How often should we study God‟s Word?_________
__________________________________________
What are the benefits of obeying the first part of the
verse?_____________________________________
__________________________________________
We believe that God‟s word is inerrant in the original
translation. There is no better way to know God
personally that to study His Word.
Spend without Prayer
Inerrant: Time inerror
2. Spend Time in Prayer
Rich Mullins once told the story of a man who had
difficulty praying to God. A pastor friend told him that
he needed to set an empty chair next to his bed, and
pretend that Jesus was sitting in that chair. Then the
man should just talk to the chair as though he was
talking to Jesus. A short time later, the man passed
away. When the man‟s family found his body, he
was sitting on the floor with his arms wrapped around
the chair. This is the fervor in which we should pray.
Check out Ephesians 6:18.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds
of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert
and always keep on praying for all the saints.
How often should we pray?____________________
For whom should we pray?____________________
Check out Matthew 5:44.
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for
those who persecute you.
For whom should we Pray?____________________
Check out 1 Thesselonians 5:17.
Pray continually
How often should we pray?____________________
How should we pray?
Check out Matthew 6:9-12.
This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts
as we also have forgiven our debtors
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from the evil one.
In verse 9, Christ tells us that these verses are how
we should pray. When you analyze these verses,
you can make an acronym for prayer.
acronym: a word formed from the initial
letters or parts of a series of words.
The ACTS Prayer Model
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts
as we also have forgiven our debtors
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from the evil one.”
When you pray, be sure to use the ACTS model for
prayer so that you don‟t miss any part of your prayer.
So, how do I apply this to my life?
Do a quiet time every day.
-This will involve three things (and less than
10 minutes each day!)
1. Scripture reading
-Use a Bible that is easy for you to
understand.
2. Application
-Use a devotional that is also easy for
you to understand.
-Check out the “One Minute Bible” – it
contains several verses to read and an
application.
3. Pray
-Use the ACTS prayer model
-Keep a prayer journal, in which you can
log prayer requests and when God
answers your prayers.
ccountable to another
What does accountable mean?
Webster‟s Dictionary:
accountable adj. Responsible; answerable
Who are some people to whom you are held
accountable? _____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Why do those people hold you accountable? ______
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Do you have someone that is accountable to you?
Yes. Who? _____________________________
Nope.
Accountability in our Christian Walk
Sanctification is the process in which we become
____________ like ____________ through the work
of the __________ __________.
Part of this process is reducing the sin in our lives.
An easy way to reduce the sin in your life is to hold
yourself accountable to another believer.
Let‟s see what God‟s Word has to say about being
held accountable to another believer. . .
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to each other
and pray for each other so that you may
be healed.
According to this verse, why should we confess our
sins to each other? __________________________
__________________________________________
Healed from what? __________________________
What else should you do with your accountability
partner? ___________________________________
So, how do I apply this to my life?
Meet with an accountability partner one
time each week for 5-15 minutes.
-This will involve three things:
1. Find an accountability partner, and make a
covenant with them to meet once a week to pray
and encourage each other.
Covenant: a binding agreement
2. Meet with your accountability partner weekly and
confess your sins to each other. The object in
doing so is to reduce the number sins in each
others lives. The key to effectiveness is being
honest.
3. When you have finished confessing your sins,
pray with your partner. This will strengthen your
relationships with your partner and with God.
ible Memorization
What is your phone number?
______ - ________
What is your best friend‟s phone number?
______ - ________
What is your address? ______________________
Why do you have these things memorized?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
How difficult would it be to invite others to your home
if you didn‟t know your address?
Not difficult – My room is so messy, no one will
come visit my home
Very difficult – I have trouble finding it already and I
know the address
Typically, we memorize things that are important to
us. What are some things that you have
memorized? _______________ _____________
_______________ _____________
Is there anything more important than God‟s Word?
No
No
All of the above
Perhaps, then, if we are serious about our Christian
walk, we ought to memorize selected verses from the
Bible.
Let‟s see what God‟s Word says about scripture
memorization:
Check out Psalms 119: 11
I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
Why has the Psalmist memorized scripture? ______
__________________________________________
Doesn‟t that sound like sanctification?
There are several advantages of memorizing God‟s
Word:
1. You can witness to others more easily.
2. You can impress your grandparents by
commanding a firm grasp of the Bible.
3. You will be more aware of the sin in your life,
and in the long run, will sin less.
4. You will please God, since He tells you to
memorize scripture. (See Joshua 1:8)
There are several secrets to memorizing God‟s
Word:
1. Don‟t try to memorize long passages of
scripture. Memorize one or two verses at a
time.
2. Read through the verses several times.
Figure out what is being said in the verse.
3. Underline the verse in your Bible.
4. Write the verse on a card, and carry it with
you.
5. Quote the verse regularly when talking to
your friends.
6. Recite your verse to your accountability
partner.
So, how do I apply this to my life?
Memorize one verse each week.
Here are some suggested verses to get you started:
I have hidden your word in my heart that I
Done might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their
strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.
Done
Isaiah 40:31.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the
Done Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans
to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don‟t depend on
Done your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do,
and He will give you success. Proverbs 3:5-6
The Lord is like a strong tower; those who do
Done right can run to him for safety. Proverbs 18:10
nvolved in the church
Listed below are several super heroes. Match the
super hero with their correct partner.
1. Batman A. Mr. Spock
2. The Lone Ranger B. The Sundance Kid
3. Starsky C. Robin
4. Butch Cassidy D. Hutch
5. Captain Kirk E. Tonto
Why do these super heroes have partners? _______
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Just like these superheroes, we can not fight the
battles of life and be victorious without having a
partner or two. This is where becoming involved in
church comes into play. We must band together as
believers to encourage each other in the battle.
Look at the above diagram. In the diagram, there
are three people looking at the oval in between them.
Each of the three people sees a different aspect of
the oval. Picture the oval as representing God.
Church is a place where believers can get together
to express the aspects of God in their lives.
Attending church allows us to be spiritually fed.
While doing a daily quiet time is critical to grow
spiritually, attending a corporate worship service is
also important, because it allows us to learn more
about God from someone who knows the Bible in
greater detail than we do.
What do you think?
Can a person be a Christian and NOT go to church?
Check out Hebrews 10: 25
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in
the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another
– and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
What is the author of Hebrews telling us not to give
up? ______________ _____________
What are we to do when we meet together?
_____________ ______ _______________
Why is it important to be involved in the church?
1.________________________________________
2.________________________________________
3.________________________________________
So, how do I apply this to my life?
Attend a church service at least one
time per week.
1. If you have not done so, find a church where you
feel comfortable with the worship style and
theology.
Theology: the study of God
2. Begin attending that church every Sunday.
3. Get involved with different areas of ministry within
the church. Some areas where you can get
involved are:
a. Attending Sunday School
b. Assisting in the Nursery
c. Assisting with Vacation Bible School
d. Assisting with Sunday School
e. Helping clean up the church
f. Getting involved with a prayer chain
ithing Commitment
“There is a selfish attitude in this generation. I think
this generation is primarilly concerned with
themselves – „What can I get out of this?‟ „Will it
make me any money?‟ „Will it help me gain more
earthly goods?‟ There is a real me-ism that keeps us
from darkening the doors of the church.
Toby McKeehan, DC Talk
How to Get Rich
Did you know?
There are more verses in the Bible about
money than there are about any other topic.
The Big Financial Picture
Check out these verses, then answer the questions
immediately following the verse.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his
knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to
inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good
– except God alone. You know the commandments, „Do not murder,
do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do
not defraud, honor your father and mother.”
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,“ he
said, “Go, sall everything you have and give to the poor and you will
have treasure in heaven. Then, come follow me.”
At this, the man‟s face fell. He went away sad, because he had
great wealth.
Mark 10: 17-22
Why did the man walk away sad? _______________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for
the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for
a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God!”
Mark 10:23-25
What happens when you put God before money on
your priority list? ____________________________
__________________________________________
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content
with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5
What does this passage say about the love of
money? ___________________________________
__________________________________________
What does this passage say about God‟s presence
in your life? ________________________________
__________________________________________
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives
you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his
covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
Deuteronomy 8:18
Where does wealth come from? ________________
__________________________________________
Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.
Deuteronomy 14:22
How much is a tithe?_________________________
If you earned $100 in one month, how much would
your tithe be? $___________
If you earned $75 in one month, how much would
your tithe be? $___________
Why do you think that it is important for a Christian to
give? _____________________________________
__________________________________________
What Happens When You Give?
Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the first fruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Proverbs 3:9-10
What part of our wealth are we to give to God?_____
__________________________________________
How will God honor you according to verse 10?____
__________________________________________
One man gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
Proverbs 11:24
What happens to the man who gives?____________
__________________________________________
What happens to the man who withholds from God?
__________________________________________
“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.”
“But you ask, „How do we rob you?‟”
“In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – the whole nation
of you – because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into
the storehouse that there may be food in my house. Test me in
this,” says the Lord God almighty, “and see if I will not throw open
the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you
will not have enough room for it.”
Malachi 3: 8-10
What promise does God make to those who give
freely to Him? ______________________________
__________________________________________
Why do you think that it is important for a Christian to
be a giver? _________________________________
__________________________________________
How Should I Give?
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You
give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill, and cumin. But you have
neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, and
faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting
the former.
Matthew 23:23
What was Jesus‟ problem with the religious people?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one
has, not according to what he does not have.
2 Corinthians 8:12
What is the most important aspect of giving? ______
__________________________________________
So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as
the hypocrites do in the synagogues, and on the streets, to be honored
by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But
when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your
right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your
Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:2-4
How does Jesus want us to give? _______________
__________________________________________
What happens when we give in this manner? ______
__________________________________________
So, how do I apply this to my life?
Begin calculating your income and
tithe it every Sunday.
The Big Financial Picture
“Being satisfied with what you have comes from the presence
of God in your life. Possessions can be stolen, but the Spirit of
God will never leave us.”
What Happens When You Give?
“Christians belong to a community called the body of Christ
(a.k.a. the church). What each member does effects the other
members. Giving builds up the body.”
How Should I Give?
“Could you imagine getting left-over “hand me downs” for
Christmas? God deserves more than our spare change, when
we get money, we should pay Him first.”
tudy Scripture
As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so continue to live in
Him. Keep your roots deep in him and have your lives built on
him. Be strong in the faith.
Colossians 2:6-7
The Word of God is directly connected to spiritual
growth. It is like:
1. ________ for newborn infants.
Like newborn babies, crave spiritual milk, so that by it you may
grow up in your salvation.
1 Peter 2:2
2. _________ ________for adults.
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have
trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Hebrews 5:14
3. _____________ for a tree.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit
in season, and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does
prospers.
Psalms 1:3
4. The __________________ for a house.
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts
them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the
rock. The rains came down and the streams rose, and the winds
blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it
had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these
words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a
foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came
down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that
house, and it fell with a great crash.
Matthew 7: 24-27
5. _______________ for a slave.
“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then
you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8: 31b - 32
So, how do I apply this to my life?
Study God’s Word at least once
each week.
Select a book from the New Testament. The book
of John is a great place to start. John was written
by the disciple John, whom Jesus called His
beloved, or His best friend.
Read a selection of the book each day, keeping a
Bible dictionary nearby, so that you can answer
any questions that come up.
Underline key passages, and write in the margins
of your Bible.
Remember this?
We believe that God‟s Word is inerrant in the original
translation. There is no better way to know God
personally that to study His Word.
Studying God‟s Word will better prepare you for:
1. Facing everyday decisions.
2. Witnessing to your friends.
3. Facing trials and tribulations in life.
4. Spiritual maturity.
The 6 keys to applying the Habits study to your life
Do a quiet time every day.
Meet with an accountability partner one
time each week for 5-15 minutes.
Memorize one verse each week.
Attend a church service at least one
time per week.
Begin calculating your income and
tithe it every Sunday.
Study God’s Word at least once
each week.
Notes:
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for those students to whom I neglected
to teach the Biblical concepts of a Christian walk. . .
tm