An introduction as to how to use the Bible.pdf
- 1. editor Bonita Joyner Shields consulting editor Randy Fishell editorial secretary Daniella Volf world Sabbath School directors Jonathan Kuntaraf Gary B. Swanson General Conference advisers Geoffrey G. Mbwana Ella Simmons Biblical Research Institute adviser Gerhard Pfandl conceptual design Clayton Kinney design Review and Herald Design Center subscriber services Steve Hanson Photography: Top Photos: Lessons 1, 3, 8-13—© 2002 Creatas; Lesson 2, 7—© 1999 Image 100 Ltd.; Lesson 4-6—© Image Source Limited. Bottom Photos: Lesson 5—© Wycliffe Bible Translators. Used by permission. Photo Illustrations by Mark O'Connor. WHAT THE LESSONS ARE ABOUT These lessons are about God’s kingdom of grace and being a recruited agent (steward, citi- zen) of that kingdom. There is a battle going on between God’s kingdom and the kingdom of evil. Being agents of God’s kingdom requires action. We can’t just listen to what Jesus asks of us; we are to do it (James 1:22) if we want to be effective agents of the kingdom on this earth. The first lesson of each quarter covers a different section of Jesus’ sermon on the mount, which is “at once Christ’s inaugural address as King of the kingdom of grace and also the constitution of the kingdom” (The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 322). After the first lesson of each quarter the rest of the lessons are about the different challenges, rights, or privileges in the “real-time” of being an agent of God’s kingdom. A Christian never knows what he or she will be encountering next. Remember to go to www.guidemagazine.org/rtf and explore each week’s topic with other e-teens. Find out how other young people are facing the challenge of living for God in the real world. HOW TO USE THIS BIBLE STUDY GUIDE STEP 1: Notice that this Bible study guide isn’t meant to be read like a usual magazine or book. Each lesson comes out of the binding to be used as a separate sheet in Sabbath School on Sabbath and then through the following week. Your teacher may send this Bible study guide home with you, or may keep it at Sabbath School. If you have it at home, be sure to take the right lesson to Sabbath School with you each week. The date is on it. Just pull it out, fold it up, and stick it in your Bible. STEP 2: Use each week’s lesson in the way that is best for you. Each section has a day of the week listed beside it, but you may want to mix and match sections as you study. Perhaps you would rather do the How Does It Work? section on Sabbath or Sunday. That’s fine. Maybe you would rather study one of the Bible texts each day. That’s OK too. The sections work in any order. STEP 3: First of all, choose your own memory verse. You will notice that you are to choose the text from the Wednesday section that you like best to memorize this week. That will help to make the lesson your own. Just write it in the place provided and review it every day. STEP 4: And don’t forget to write your own quotation so that you can quote yourself next Sabbath. The Monday section has quotations from other people. Sometimes there are one or two that do not reflect Christian attitudes, just like the things you read and hear and see around you every day. One idea for your quotation would be to correct one of the ones that needs help, if there is one that week. Real-Time Faith Writers >> Jackie Bishop, Colorado, U.S.A. >> Nathan Brown, Queensland, AUSTRALIA >> Troy Fitzgerald, Washington, U.S.A. >> Tim Gillespie, California, U.S.A. >> Trudy Morgan-Cole, Newfoundland, CANADA REAL-TIME FAITH (ISSN 1548-6389), Vol. 10, No. 2, Second Quarter 2013. Published quarterly and copyrighted © 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 by the General Conference Corporation of Seventh- day Adventists,® 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, U.S.A. Published for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® by the Review and Herald ® Publishing Association. Periodical Postage paid at Hagerstown, MD 21740-7390. Postmaster: Send address changes to REAL-TIME FAITH, 55 West Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Single copy, US$12.39 plus postage. One year, United States: US$33.04; Canada and foreign: US$40.04. Prices subject to change without notice. Scripture quotations identified CEV are from the Contemporary English Version. Copyright © American Bible Society 1991, 1995. Used by permission. Texts credited to Clear Word are from The Clear Word, copyright © 2000 by Jack J. Blanco. Scripture quotations from The Message. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1994 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Texts credited to NKJV are from the New King James Version, Used by permission. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., all rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Bible texts credited to NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. Bible texts credited to TEV are from the Good News Bible—Old Testament: Copyright © American Bible Society 1976, 1992; New Testament: Copyright © American Bible Society 1966, 1971, 1976. 1992. Verses marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Ill. Used by permission. Printed in U.S.A. Thanks to: Marklynn Bazzy, Lyndelle Chiomenti, Debbie Eisele, James Feldbush, Judy Shull, and the General Conference Stewardship Department.