What you believe determines where you go in life “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” – John 8:32 SEEK GOD GO MY OWN WAY

 Session Objective:  This week’s lesson introduces the GodQuest series and shows how our beliefs affect our choices, the paths we take in life, and our destinations.  Signpost 1 Video Lesson:  An invitation from the host Sean McDowell to embark on a quest for God and truth  Dr. Craig Hazen presenting the reasons for starting a spiritual quest with Christianity. ◦ Christianity is testable, you can show the evidence ◦ Salvation is free, free gift from above ◦ Christianity paints the picture that matches the world around us ◦ Jesus Christ is in the center of Christianity  Sean’s teaching on the reasons for taking a GodQuest and the barriers that hold us back. ◦ Faith is blindly believing in something that has no evidence (John 20:30-31) ◦ Truth can’t be known (Matthew 7:7-8) ◦ Busy Busy Busy

 Where are you with God? The Path, The Rocky places, The Thorns, The Good Soil – Matthew 13:1-9,  Day 1: Where the path of your life is leading you? (map of your life)  Day 2: What influences your religious beliefs? (barna group with statistic in big cities)  Day 3: C.S. Lewis - Reluctant convert. Why do we tend to resist God?  Day 4: How can you choose the right path? (poem by Robert Frost)  Day 5: Reflections from your journey: impressions, surprises, results

What you believe about creation determines how you view yourself and life. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” – Genesis 1:1 KNOW CREATOR NO CREATOR

 Signpost 2 Video Lesson:  Does heavens declare the glory of God or nature proves the unintelligent design? ◦ Lee Strobel shares his journey from believing in naturalistic origins of life to discovering scientific evidence of creation ◦ Cottage in the garden with your favorite food and DVDs and precise conditions of the universe for life to exist ◦ DNA of each cell on human body stores information that can be written in 8 thousand books and as if God had autographed each cell ◦ “John loves Mary” is a produce of an intelligent writer, not a result of a wind and wave  You are not a mistake, you are not a cosmic accident, but you are made in the image of God, who knows the number of hairs on your head and wants to be in relationships with you!

 Day 1: Colossal, astounding universe billion stars only in our galaxy  Day 2: Three views on creation: young earth, old earth, theistic evolution  Day 3: Amazing migrations of monarch butterflies and arctic terns  Day 4: Who is our God, does He love beauty, have a sense of humor, pay attention to detail?  Day 5: Reflections from your journey: impressions, surprises, results

What you believe about the Bible determines how you live your life. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” – 2 Timothy 3:16 BELIEVE AND OBEY THE BIBLE FOLLOW MY OWN RULES

 Reflect on a book that had an effect on your thinking, your relationships, or even a key decision in your life.  What was that book, and why did it affect you?

Rank the following according to it’s importance from 1 to 7. The Bible: Brings me comfort Gives me wisdom for making decisions Lifts my spirit and brings me joy Helps me understand God and His character Instructs me on right and wrong Draws me closer to God Tells me how to relate to other people

 I read the Bible ◦ Every day Most Day Every week Rarely Never  Indicate your level of agreement with the following statements (from strongly agree to strongly disagree) A. I memorize Bible verses. B. I am familiar with Bible history. C. I understand the basic teaching of Jesus D. My understanding of right and wrong is based on the teaching of the Bible

Enjoy!