Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Core Values series of lessons covers what makes New Hope International
Church unique. Our core values describe who we are as a community. While our goals
and strategies may change according to the circumstances, our core values will not
change. They guide how we treat each other and how we serve God.
Discussion question
How does the Bible make a difference in your life? Why do you read the Bible?
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work. (NIV)
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us
realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do
what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (NLT)
John 6:63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are
spirit and they are life. (NIV)
The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very
words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (NLT)
John 15:7
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be
given you. (NIV)
Ephesians 5:25-26
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to
make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word. (NIV)
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up
his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.
(NLT)
Psalm 119:9, 11
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you. (NIV)
2 Peter 1:19
And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay
attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning
star rises in your hearts. (NIV)
Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed
by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like
a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines
in your hearts. (NLT)
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path. (NIV)
Matthew 4:4
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that
comes from the mouth of God.'" (NIV)
1 Corinthians 3:1-2
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I
gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. (NIV)
Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to
spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you
were infants in the Christian life. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because
you weren’t ready for anything stronger. (NLT)
Ephesians 4:12-15
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the
evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people
to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all
come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the
Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. (NLT)
Luke 8:4-8, 11
While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after
town, he told this parable: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the
seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some
fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other
seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was
sown."
When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.” (NIV)
7. The word of God is a sword that cuts into our inner being
Ephesians 6:17
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (NIV)
The Bible says that God’s word is like a sword that we use to fight against the
enemy. Of all the equipment listed in Ephesians 6:13-17, the word of God is the only
thing that is compared to an offensive weapon. When we face a big obstacle or difficulty
in life, we can claim promises in the Bible through faith. When our faith is mixed with
the promises in God’s word, it is like a sword that we can use to break through enemy
lines.
The word of God is also like a sharp sword that penetrates deep into our attitudes
and motives. When we read or hear God’s word, it brings conviction through the Holy
Spirit. We discover where we are right and wrong.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged
sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our
innermost thoughts and desires. (NLT)
Matthew 24:24-27
"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 rain came down, 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 sand. The rain came down, the
streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great
crash." (NIV)
Conclusion
The Bible is God’s word to His people. The Bible helps us overcome sin, live a
holy life, understand and do God’s will, and defeat the spiritual enemy.
Discussion Questions
1. Please share one thing you learned today.
2. Why is it important to know what is written in the Bible?
3. How has the Bible changed how you live?