GOD'S CHARACTER & NATURE
Encountering God
The DTS affirms that God seeks to make himself known to all people.
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recognizes that God desires to have relationship with people and share his heart with them.
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imparts a life-changing understanding of God and his ways.
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seeks for the Holy Spirit to reveal aspects of God and truth.
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encourages personal response to God in worship, prayer and obedience.
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nurtures a love and hunger for the Bible.
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equips to read the Bible in such a way that transforms beliefs, values and behaviors.
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cultivates the practice of hearing God's voice.
CONCEPTS TO UNDERSTAND & APPLY
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God is uncreated.
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God is infinite in that he is all powerful, all knowing, all present, creator, eternal, and more.
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God is a personal/relational being in that he is three distinct persons in one being (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
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By character God is loving, just, holy, wise, gracious, compassionate, merciful, kind, forgiving, long suffering, slow to anger, faithful and more.
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God is sovereign and has ultimate control of history while taking into account the very real choices of people.
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God is both transcendent (outside of creation) and immanent (is present and active in creation and dwells within the believer).
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God created people to be relational so that he could have relationship with them. (Relationship is built by a free exchange of thoughts, emotions and decisions.)
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Worship is an appropriate response to God. There are many different ways to worship God corporately and privately. Worship should also be reflected in our lifestyle.
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God invites people to talk (pray) to him about their needs and concerns.
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God longs to share things that are on his heart with his people.
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Prayer in the name of Jesus makes a real difference.
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The Holy Spirit speaks personally and clearly to people through a variety of ways (e.g. an inner voice, a picture, other people). These personal words or instructions must always be consistent with the Bible and may be confirmed through others.
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God pursues the lost and desires all to be saved through Jesus Christ.
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Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God.
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A general knowledge about God is available to all people through creation.
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God's specific revelation of himself and his purposes are recorded in the Bible.
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The Bible is God's inspired and authoritative Word and is our primary standard for living.
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The Bible is to be used in a way that strengthens our faith, renews our mind and informs us to be able to make right choices (read, meditate, study, memorize, etc.).
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The Holy Spirit is the teacher and revealer of God's truth.
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Believing and obeying the truth that one already knows is critical to gaining further revelation of truth.
ATTITUDES TO NURTER: IN RELATIONSHIP TO GOD
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trust
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faith
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reverence
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love
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dependence
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loyalty
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submission
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cooperation
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desire for ongoing communication with God
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hunger and passion to know God and to make him known
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hope
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courage
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commitment
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worship
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humility
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teachable
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gratefulness
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contentment
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hatred of sin
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abiding in God
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seeking more revelation of God and truth
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love for the Bible
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questioning
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seeking understanding and wisdom
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confidence to hear God's voice.
ACTIVITIES TO DO
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(These should be happening throughout the DTS. Some are structured into the schedule, some are simply expressed in informal interactions. The goal is for every person to take responsibility for engaging in these ways.)
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Praise and worship God through a variety of ways both individually and corporately.
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Actively listen to God and obey him.
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Consistently read, study, meditate and apply God's Word.
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Actively develop godly attitudes by searching God's Word.
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Honestly share one's heart with God in prayer.
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Regularly choose to draw aside in private times with God.
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Live out of a dependence on the Holy Spirit within.
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Seek to demonstrate God's character in relationships and circumstances.
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Step out in faith, trust God to supply what is needed to do what he asks you to do (e.g. courage, money, people).
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Seek out the lost and share Christ.
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Study/ reflect on Scripture relevant to the concepts in this category.
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