Bellevue Bright Lights: Set II Meeting 1

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Set II Meeting 1 - Truthfulness

Wow...we're officially into Set II! We had a house full this past Sunday - here are the notes from the meeting:

I. Truthfulness

Intro: Discuss ways you/others can be deceitful without actually lying...(lots of great interaction here!)

Scripture to set the stage...(girls take turns reading aloud)

Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are just: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.

Psalm 33:4
For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.

John 17:17
Sanctify them through truth: thy word is truth.

John 8:31b-32If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 14:6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Hebrews 6: 18
God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

　
John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

A.  TELLING the Truth

      - clear conscience = Bright Light & Testimony

      - consequences to lying (oh, what a tangled web we weave...)

       - clearing your conscience / regaining trust

       (1 John 1: 5 - 10)

B.  KNOWING the Truth

      - deceiving yourself

      - being deceived by others or the enemy

WRONG THOUGHTS = WRONG ACTIONS!

We need to be able to combat the lies of Satan with truth. God’s word is truth. (Scripture Activity - See scriptures at bottom! Present several lies to the girls and have them find the scripture that combats it...have them raise their hands and call on them in order as there are several to fight each lie.)

C.  PROCLAIMING the Truth

     - be excited, valiant, and wise in bringing the message

        of truth...

Does "speak the truth in love" mean we are to tell the truth even if is hurtful?

This phrase, taken from the fourth chapter of the Book of Ephesians, does not mean for you to smile as you tell your neighbor that her dress is ugly. Many people misunderstand the purpose of this chapter and interpret its meaning incorrectly. This whole chapter is about unity of the body of Christ and spiritual growth. Really, the main point is to instruct us to boldly proclaim the truth of the Gospel with love, not judgment, as our driving force. We are never to apologize for or sugarcoat the truths found in the Bible. But, we are, also, never to be judgmentally pious or spiritually proud.

Ephesians 4:1-2 begs this of the believer: "to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." So, long before any talk of speaking the truth in love, we are called to humility, which compels us to put others first.

If we continue to read the chapter, we see that the focus shifts to spirituality and sound doctrine. The appeal for believers to speak the truth is referring to standing against false teaching by not being afraid to say what is right. But, there is a fine line between someone standing up for truth out of love for the Word and for the other person, and someone who knows that he is right and just wants to win the argument. The believer's goal for the body of Christ is plainly stated in Ephesians 4:13: "[That] we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ." (I Peter 3:15-16)

Note that Peter admonishes believers that their replies be in meekness and fear. Some translations say "with gentleness and respect". The thought that is being communicated here is the attitude with which we speak. When we speak the truth, is it done with kindness?

D. Application

     - make a personal commitment to speak the complete

        and total truth and to keep no secrets from your

        parents.

II. BYMPC (Take turns reading aloud...)

III. Activity - Tea Time Etiquette

　
　

Scriptures used for scripture activity:　

John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

1 John 1:8-10
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Luke 12:
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Matthew 24:36
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

John 3:16-18
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemnworld, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Matthew 5:29-30
If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?

　

　

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What is a Bright Light?

It is a girl who has given her life to Jesus Christ, trusting in Him alone for salvation and for the grace to live each day according to His will. It is a girl who knows how to respond "just right" to people and circumstances, demonstrating godliness in her actions and attitudes. It is a girl who has Biblical convictions and commitments (holiness), and is able to go through her teenage years strong for the Lord without stumbling as many do. It is a girl who touches the lives of others by her servant’s spirit, her radiant countenance, and the message of eternal life through Jesus Christ (testimony). God wants bright lights! There is a great need for more of them in this generation of darkness.

What does a typical meeting look like?

What is a Typical Meeting Like? If you were to attend a Bright Lights meeting, what would it be like? At each meeting the leader shares a lesson covering important topics that are essential for girls in order for them to be strong for the Lord in their youth, such as:

Developing a Close Relationship with Parents
Gaining a Clear Conscience
Spending Time in God’s Word Everyday
Keeping Yourself Pure from Polluting Influences
Accepting the Way God Created You
Choosing Wise Friends
Contentment
Sensitivity
Humility
Self-control

The lesson is reinforced by testimonies from older girls in the group. At Bright Lights meetings, we also enjoy singing, fellowshipping with likeminded young ladies, listening to biographies of great Christians from history, preparing for future ministry opportunities, enjoying other activities together, and snacks (often with tea in china tea cups).

Each girl receives a Bright Lights binder that she brings with her to the meetings each week. After each lesson, she receives a new handout to add to her binder. The Bright Lights curriculum is organized into eight sets which you can view here.

Statement of Faith

1. Everyone has sinned and broken God’s laws. Because the penalty for sin is death, each of us deserve to spend eternity in hell in separation from God. We are totally incapable of achieving heaven on our own. There is no way we can be good enough to attain forgiveness from sin or achieve eternal life by our own works.
2. God so loved the world that He gave His only son, Jesus Christ, to rescue us from our sin. Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose again on the third day. He paid the penalty for our sin and took the punishment that we deserved.
3. Forgiveness and the free gift of eternal life is offered to anyone who will repent of their sin, and believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Redemption is wholly by the blood of Christ, and salvation is by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. The Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God, and the final authority for our lives. It is literal, historical, and infallible.
5. There is one God, eternally existent in three Persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
6. The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God, born of a virgin, sinlessly perfect. His sacrifice is substitutionary and representative. He rose bodily from the dead and ascended to His Father’s right hand, where He now ministers as our Great High Priest.
7. Jesus Christ is coming again to rapture His church, and subsequently to return and reign over the earth.
8. God created the universe ex nihilo (out of nothing) by His spoken word in six literal days as the Bible states.
9. There will be a resurrection of both the saved and the lost to either eternal life or eternal judgment.
10. A true child of God who is justified by the blood of Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit is safe and exempt from God’s judgment and thus secure for eternity.