Book: Passing Your Baton

1- What words would you use to describe the kind of spiritual legacy you would like to leave behind? Are there lives that will be left behind when God calls you home that will be a part of your legacy? Do you pray for them regularly? Do you keep in touch with them? What will be the first thing people say about you when your name is mentioned after you’re gone?

2- What was the prerequisite Paul gave to Timothy about the kind of men he was to mentor? How can you determine that about someone?

3- How mature do you have to be to lead someone else? Can a twelve year old “mentor” a six year old? Can a growing Christian mentor a new believer? What reasons do you use for not pouring your life into others?

4- Do a study, using your concordance, of those three words God gave Moses to use with Joshua: “charge”, “encourage”, and “strengthen”. Which comes easiest for you? How does a balance of those seem to be “a three-fold cord not easily broken”?

5- Why is it impossible to “strengthen” an unbeliever? What often happens when we try? Why is the Word so essential to the process of “strengthening”?

6- Can anyone teach “doctrine”? (Doctrine is Biblical truth meant to be applied to the life.) Is being a teacher a prerequisite? Are you willing?

7- How does your “manner of life” impact your “doctrine”? Do others see a difference between what you say and who you are?

1- Think back over your life as a Christian. How have you been affected by what you have heard? By what you have seen? What do you think Jesus meant in Matthew 13:17?

2- How could Paul make the statement he did in Philippians 4:9? What “things” do you think he was referring to?

3- (Reference John 1:3) How could what they had “seen” and “heard” cause them to have fellowship with John and with God?

4- (Reference Exodus 24:1-18) Why do you think God said what He did in verse 2? What do you think was the most significant thought in verses 3-8? How does verse 12 remind you of God’s desire to spend time with us today?

5- Moses and Joshua “rose up”, but only Moses “went up” according to verse 13. What do you think Joshua did? Had you been Joshua, what would you have been thinking? How would you have been praying?

6- Can you imagine being in the presence of God on that mountain for forty days and nights? Can you imagine being Joshua, waiting for Moses to return for all that time?

7- (Reference Exodus 33:7-11) Why do you think Joshua remained in the tabernacle? What do you think he was doing? What do you think he was learning?

1- (Reference Exodus 17:1-7) Why did the people blame Moses for the lack of water? Why did Moses say they were “tempting the Lord”?

2- Why did God allow the “Rock” to be smitten once? What was He depicting to the children of Israel?

3- What made the children of Israel think that God owed them a good, continuous water supply? To what can you liken that kind of presumption today?

4- What great spiritual truth was God trying to teach the Israelites?

5- How can we “make the spiritual switch” when God allows things into our lives we don’t think we “deserve”?

6- Immediately after the miracle came the test. Was that unusual? Is it to be expected? Why?

7- Why was facing the Amalekites such a difficult thing?

8- What would your response had been if you had been Joshua?

9- What was Moses’ role in the battle plan? How does that translate into our roles in spiritual warfare?

10- Why did Moses take Aaron and Hur along? What role did they play? To what can you liken that?

1- Joshua and the Israelites were face to face with the Amalekites. If you were to describe Moses’ role in the battle in modern terms, what would it be?

2- (Reference Exodus 32:9-14) (a) In verse 10, God said, “Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot”. What did He mean? (b) What was Moses using to appeal to God in vs 12? (c) What principle was he invoking in vs 13? (d) What does the phrase “the Lord repented” mean?

3- What dimension of intercession did Moses add in Numbers 14:17-19?

4- What do you think Numbers 14:20 means when it says, “I have pardoned according to thy word”?

5- What was the key element of Paul’s intercession in Colossians 1, Ephesians 1 and 3, and I Thessalonians 2? How can this transform the way we pray?

1- If you were out on the sea in a boat, and saw someone in another ship facing a dreadful storm with no way to get back to shore, what would you do? If you faced that same situation spiritually, what would you do? What do you do?

2- Try to imagine the sense of responsibility Moses felt at the top of that hill when every time his arms came down, Joshua, his beloved minister, and his troops began to retreat in defeat. Can you make the “spiritual switch”? Why do you think he took Aaron and Hur with him? Do you have an Aaron or Hur in your life who can help you stand in the gap for others?

3- (Reference Romans 8:1-28) Ask yourself: (a) What does it mean when it says “no condemnation”? (verse 1) (b) Explain verse 9 in your own words. (c) What is the relationship between being a “joint-heir with Christ” and “suffering together with Him”? (d) Explain the meaning of the words: helpeth, infirmities, intercession, groanings. (e) How do verses 26 and 27 relate to verse 28?

4- Can you envision Christ “interceding” for you at the right hand of God? What do you think He is doing? What do you think He is saying? What can you learn from that about intercession?

5- What does “save to the uttermost” mean in Hebrews 7:25?

1- Why do you think Moses was commanded by God to write down what happened in a book? What do you think it meant to “rehearse it in the ears of Joshua”? How much of what God has done in your life have you “written in a book”? Do those you are pouring your life into understand and will they remember how God has worked in your life? If not, are you willing to consider doing something about it?

2- Why do you think God wanted to remind Joshua and the nation about the kind of enemy they had? (Deuteronomy 25:17-19) How could He “blot out the remembrance of them” when He told the children of Israel to “never forget it”? How real is the enemy to those you are pouring your life into? Do they realize how he works? Are they tempted to take him too lightly? Will God one day “blot out the remembrance of him”? Will he one day be taken out of the picture entirely? How can we “never forget him” without putting undue emphasis on his presence?

3- How would you describe the Holy Spirit’s calling to “bring all things to our remembrance”? What must we do before He can do that? How does Scripture memory enter into this picture? What other things can we do?

4- What have you learned from your parents? Your teachers? Your grandparents? Why do you think God arranged it this way?

1- If someone were to ask you what character qualities God possesses that mean the most to you, how would you answer? Can you, without looking in a book or asking anyone, name ten aspects of the nature of God? Can you share Scriptures that verify that God possesses those qualities?

2- What practical effect does God’s omnipotence have on your Christian walk? (Reference Ephesians 1:19) What does it mean to you? Do you experience that power on a daily basis? Should you?

3- What about His omniscience? What does that mean to you?

4- What is Isaiah 46:9 saying?

5- (Reference Isaiah 40:12-18) Does that passage help you get things in perspective?

6- Do you share with your family the “little miracles” God does day by day? Do you write them down? Do you stop to say “Thank you, Lord”, or have you started to take them for granted?

7- Do you ever “call to remembrance” your “times of affliction” and thank God for what He did for you by letting you suffer? Do it.

8- What can you do to “Remember Lot’s Wife”?

1- Pretend for a moment that you are Moses, and God is asking you to write a book of remembrance. What would be the key chapters? How would you relate each incident to God’s character?

2- Are you accountable to anyone? Do you memorize Scripture faithfully? Do you have anyone who keeps checking on you to help you remember?

3- Do you esteem the “words of His mouth more than your necessary food”? Would you be willing to skip meals rather than miss meditating on God’s spiritual feast?

4- Do you journal? Do you write down the things God is saying to you and your response each day?

5- Is there a special experience in your life wherein God touched your life in a way that you want to live on? Have you created any kind of remembrance to keep it alive?

6- Would you set aside one day a year to celebrate your family’s conversions, or a day to celebrate that special event that God used in your family?

1- How does Biblical teaching differ from other forms of instruction? What is necessary for you to be taught spiritual truth?

2- Each time you watch Jesus teach in Scripture, make notes about the way He goes about pouring spiritual truth into lives. How does His Spirit minister truth to your heart?

3- (Reference 2 Timothy 4:1-8) In your own words, what does it mean to you? What are the key words?

4- What do you think “in season, out of season” means in 2 Timothy 4:2? Does that phrase apply to you? Does it describe your ministry?

5- Can you explain the difference between “teaching” and “preaching”? Do you have to be “preacher” to preach? How can you “preach” to your children without their accusing you of “preaching” to them?

6- Why must the concept of authority remain a reality for real teaching to take place? Why has society so rebelled against this concept?

7- Do you ever “reprove” or “rebuke” anyone? When should you? When shouldn’t you?

8- What are some of the Scriptural admonitions concerning “rebuke” in the lesson? Can you explain them? Why are these truths so important?

9- What are some of the reasons we would rather encourage than rebuke?

1- How would you utilize each of the methods of mentoring (by example, by intercession, by reminding, by rebuking and reproving) in mentoring your children, your disciples, or those you teach or minister to?

2- How would you measure your tendency to depression? On a scale of one to ten, how likely are you to become discouraged? How about those you mentor or disciple? How about your mate? Do you view depression or discouragement as a weakness, or a potential strength?

3- What would you list as the great rejections in your life? How have they affected you?

4- (Reference Psalm 27:7-10) What did God tell the Psalmist to do? Did he do it? What promise did God give him and us in verse 10? What does that verse say to you? Is rejection actually a catalyst to receiving a greater measure of the acceptance of God?

1- (Reference Psalm 27:10) What are some creative ways to teach that truth to those you minister to?

2- How does an understanding of the sovereignty of God impact our ability to trust God in the arena of finances and “things”? How much of your energy and the focus of your thought life is centered on making more money, buying more things, and having more possessions? What does that do to you spiritually? How do you know?

3- Do we tend to judge others based on their position in this world? Does God do that? How do you know? Why is it a danger in the church?

4- Can you explain James 2:5? in the light of 1 Corinthians 1:26-29?

5- What do you think “the love of money is the root of all evil” really means? Is “the love of money” a subtle thing? What does Paul say in 1 Timothy 6 will ultimately happen? How does he say to resist it? (verse 11)

6- Does Matthew 6:24 seem too harsh to you? Why do you think there is no middle ground? What does the word “serve” mean?

7- Does Proverbs 30:5-9 seem to build a case for a “middle class”? Why does Satan seem to fight that? Can you relate to the two temptations listed in that passage? Have you ever prayed like that to God? Or have you prayed that God would simply give you more?

1- (Reference Philippians 4:8,9) How would you define the following words: true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtue, praise?

2- What was Paul’s problem in 2 Corinthians 12? What kind of thorn might it have been? Why didn’t God heal him? What promise did God give Paul instead? Have you ever claimed that promise?

3- Is it possible that the more faithfully you serve the Lord, the more tests He will allow into your life? Why is that thought so contrary to the natural mind?

4- Paul asked God to let him enter into “the fellowship of His sufferings”. What do you think that means? Have you ever prayed that prayer?

5- Paul came to “glory” and “take pleasure” in his infirmities. What does that mean?

6- Try to imagine what mean in today’s vocabulary. Can you make practical application to each of these: “infirmities”, “reproaches”, “necessities”, “persecutions”, and “distresses”?

7- Does God sometimes free Satan to attack you in waves? Why would He do that? What is Satan’s goal? What is God’s?

8- What do you see as the difference between comfort and encouragement?

9- (Reference Deuteronomy 31:1-8) As Moses was about to go home, what challenge and encouragement did he leave to the people and to his disciple, Joshua?

1- Do you have your own private book of promises?

2- Do you have someone to hold you accountable, so you will be faithful in laying up those promises in your heart?

3- As the enemy throws roadblocks in your way this week, how can you bring to your remembrance the Living Word of God, so you can use it?

4- As warfare comes, can you say, “It is written” and expect God to bring to your mind promises from His Word? How can you meditate on these verses with all your heart? Personalize them?

5- Can you find ways to praise God daily for His Word? Sing praises for His Word?

6- Can you ask God, for as long as you shall live, to make you increasingly hungry for His Word, and increasingly sensitive to His Word? Will you ask Him for His Word to increase and multiply in your life and in your ministry?

1- What conclusions have you come to about a growing respect for the Word of God in your life? Is it increasing daily? Yearly? If not, what do you plan to do about it?

2- Why is the perfectness of God’s Word and His unlimited guarantee so profound?

3- Have you asked God to give you the wisdom to use the Word of God as an offensive weapon in your spiritual battles daily? Has He done that? What has been the result?

4- How can the Word actually create faith? Can you give a personal example?

5- How would you go about interviewing someone who wanted to go to the mission field? What would be your primary criteria? How would you go about measuring their confidence in the Word? Would you qualify?

6- What happens when a baby doesn’t get its milk? What happens when a believer doesn’t get the milk of the Word?

7- Why is it such a temptation to take the words of man about the Word and equate them with the Word itself? Have you been guilty that? What can you do to become a “Berean” Christian?

8- Have you noticed that your joy diminishes when your time in God’s Word diminishes? Why do you not run back to the Word when this happens? What place does tribulation or affliction play in our running to the word?

1- Can you give an honest evaluation of how you reflect the following attributes?:
(a) Availability: A state of readiness to do God’s will regardless of the personal cost. (Isaiah 6:8, Ruth 1:16, 1 Samuel 3:7-10)
(b) Contentment: satisfaction with your lot in life. (Philippians 4:11-13, 1 Timothy 6:6)
(c) Correctability: Openness to rebuke. (Proverbs 13:1-18, 15:31, 27:5, 29:1, 9:8-10)
(d) Courage: The absence of fear in the face of adversity. (2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Corinthians 16:13)
(e) Discernment: The God-given, Word-produced ability to see clearly issues and motives where spiritual things are concerned. (James 3:17, Proverbs 19:27)
(f) Faith: The ability to walk with confidence where you cannot see. (Matthew 5:20, Hebrews 11:1,6)
(g) Freedom from bitterness: Having reached the place in life where you can joyfully accept the sovereignty of God. (Ephesians 4:3, Hebrews 12:15, Proverbs 18:14)
(h) Gentleness: The spirit that responds with consistent love on all occasions (James 3:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:7, Galatians 5:23, 2 Timothy 2:24)
(i) Grateful spirit: A heart that remains appreciative regardless of the circumstances (Ephesians 5:20, Philippians 4:6)
(j) Humility: The attitude that accepts last place as deserved (James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:5,6, Proverbs 15:33, 25:6, 7, 27:2, Proverbs 29:23)

1- Why do you think the concept of time is so important in Scripture? What one reason can you give for the vast difference between how man views time and how God does? How do you see the clock and the calendar in your life? How seriously does time impact your daily life? In the gospels, Was Jesus’ life time-driven?

2- Can you differentiate between personality weaknesses and character qualities? Using the chart in this lesson, what personality traits are in your life that God is in the process of transforming into spiritual strengths?

3- What character qualities that God wants in each of us are most lacking in your life?