----------------------------------------------- 12 Foundation Stones Study Notes - Introduction ----------------------------------------------- (The Study Notes are available in a printed book format. To order, please write to contact@thefamilyeurope.org) What You Will Find in These Pages The material in this Study Notes book has been selected to supplement the classes in the 12 Foundation Stones course you are receiving. Some of the material is a review of what is taught in class. Other material is new, although relevant to the subject of that particular class. The Work Sheet The first pages in each section are intended to help you focus on the content in that particular class. There are things for you to do here! Each work sheet contains several, or all, of the following sections. Target: What is the purpose of attending this class and reading this material? There are always many things to gain from a class, but there is one central target, something for you to aim for! This helps you understand the purpose for this particular class and what you should strive to achieve. Key Verses: These are key verses in relation to the subject of the class. We have generally chosen three verses per class. Try to memorize at least one and preferably all of these verses. If you memorize all of the suggested verses in this course, by the time you fi nish, you will have memorized approximately 75 Scriptures on a variety of subjects that will be a comfort, strength and help to you for the rest of your life! Suggested Bible Reading: To help you become familiar with the Bible, we suggest approximately 5-7 chapters that you could read, preferably one per day. These do not necessarily go along with the subject of the class, but have been selected to give you a good foundation in basic Biblical teaching. If you read every suggested chapter, by the time you fi nish the course, you will have read approximately 150 chapters. Other Recommended Reading: The books suggested complement the classes and the Study Notes. We do not repeat in the Study Notes the material that is found in these books, so try to obtain them if you can! (Details on how to obtain these books will be available from those teaching the classes.) Prayer and Praise: A written prayer of supplication or of thanks can sometimes help us better express what we want to tell the Lord. These are suggested prayers for you to pray to the Lord at least once. We hope they will also give you ideas as to how to word your own prayers. Meditation: To grow in our knowledge of the Lord and His ways, it is needful for each of us to take time prayerfully considering what we do, how we think, how we act upon what we learn, how we deal with others. The "meditation" is a short devotional passage for you to read and think about. It is not always on the main subject of the class. Getting to know the Bible: Here you can find short summaries of various books of the Bible and/or Bible studies on special subjects. This is provided to bolster your knowledge and understanding of the Bible. From this you will get more ideas of what to read, perhaps when you have fi nished the course, or concurrent with the classes. Understanding who wrote a book in the Bible and in which context can help to explain the verses you read in the classes. Putting the Word into action: This section is written to help you grasp, remember, and put into action what you learn in the class. Sometimes there is a short summary of the class or a list of Bible verses related to it so that you can easily review what you've learned. Sometimes there are ideas of how to put the class into action. Sometimes you'll find a quiz. Supplementary Reading Material On these pages you'll find extra material to read. Some of it you will recognize as a repeat of what you heard in class. This will enable you to study it over again. Some material is new but related to the subject of the class. And some is additional interesting reading on other spiritual principles. To Get the Most out of This Study Notes Book -> Read the recommended Bible chapters and other suggestions, as much as you have time for. We realize there is a lot of material to read through, and you might not have time for it all. Read as much as you can. You can always read more later on! (Tip: Check off what you do read, so you can go back later to read what you missed.) -> Concentrate on the section of the Study Notes that corresponds with the class you have most recently attended. Try not to read ahead. -> Go back over previous sections and re-read them when you have time. -> Look up the Scripture references. You may like to mark them in your Bible so you?ll have a handy review of the main lessons you?ve learned in the course. -> Ask your course teacher for help if there is something you do not understand. ---------------- Bible Navigation ---------------- The Bible is a collection of 66 books. To make it easier to navigate, each book is divided into chapters and verses. In this handbook the usual shorthand method has been used to refer to Bible passages. Take 1 Samuel 9:1-27, for example: This refers to 1 Samuel | 9: | 1-27 The first book of Samuel (there are 2 of them) Verses 1 - 27 Chapter number 9 ---------------------- The Books of the Bible ---------------------- Books of the Old Testament THE LAW BOOKS Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy HISTORICAL BOOKS Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther POETICAL BOOKS Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon MAJOR PROPHETIC BOOKS Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel MINOR PROPHETIC BOOKS Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Books of the New Testament HISTORICAL Matthew Mark Luke John Acts EPISTLES Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude PROPHETIC Revelation ----------------------------------------- Starting Out on the 12 Foundation Stones! ----------------------------------------- Every building needs a good foundation--the building of your life no less. The classes in this course are "foundation stones" upon which you can establish the house of your Christian life. Each foundation stone examines an area of faith, Biblical or practical knowledge, and should bring positive changes in your life. The changes will not only benefi t you but also those you care about, equipping you to reach out to help others. Are You Ready to Begin? Have you received Jesus as your Savior? He loves you! Jesus came for love and lived in love and died for love that we might live and love forever! God is for us, that is good. God is with us, that is better. God is in us, that is best! And that's what we can have by receiving Jesus! If you have accepted Jesus, your life is established on the right foundation, for Jesus is the cornerstone: Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation." Ephesians 2:20b Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone. The "cornerstone" according to the dictionary is the most important part of the foundation of a building. A foundation stone of this kind is often inscribed and laid at a ceremony that marks the beginning of building. Knowing the love of Jesus gives you the best foundation for a happy and productive life! A Journey of Discovery If you want to learn more about Jesus and all that He has to offer, you are ready to start exploring the 12 Foundation Stones. Embarking on the Activated Training Course is similar to launching out on a journey of discovery! When embarking on such a journey, the goal is to explore fascinating and exotic places and discover things of wondrous value. Similarly, the goal here is to explore and discover the wonders of God and His Word that will make you spiritually rich beyond anything else that is valued in this world. When embarking on a journey, you don?t go in a straight line from the starting point to your destination: You have to travel various roads that twist and turn. Yet you know you are pointed in the right direction and the end result will be worth the effort it took to get there. And if at times you lose sight of the goal, the compass in your hand points you in the proper direction. Likewise, in taking this course, you have in your hand the compass of the Word of God that is always pointing "true north" to lead you to your destination! Four Qualities for Your Journey! Here are four important qualities for anyone who is going to launch out on a journey of exploration. Likewise, these same qualities are ones that you as an individual can make use of in embarking on this course. 1. Vision! - Vision to see what others can?t see. You say, "Hey, there's a destination over there and I want to get there, even though others don't want to or aren't willing to make the journey. I want to get there and see what I find!" That same kind of vision will help you to work through this material and integrate it into and make it a part of your life. And not only live it in your own life, but also pass it on to others and really change the world. That's a big vision! 2. Faith! - Faith to believe what others don't believe. In today's world, having faith in God's Word is not such a common thing. By partaking of these things, you're participating in something that is unique and different. Just like someone who starts on a journey of discovery it's not your everyday person who sets off to uncharted lands. 3. Initiative! - Initiative to be willing to start the journey, to put your faith into action! As the old proverb says: "A journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step!" It is often easy for people to talk about things, but actually getting out and doing them is a different story. 4. Courage! - To see it through to the end. This is where failure most often occurs in a journey of discovery, for "Well begun is only half done!" But with a bit of stick-to-itiveness you can make that commitment to tackle those pathways and know that with God's help you will succeed if you keep at it and don't give up. Your Guide Will Always Be with You Once you have received Jesus, He will never leave you! His love for each of us is infinite. The gift of eternal salvation means He will be with you from now through all of eternity every step of life's journey and beyond! John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. John 10:28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. A Prayer for the Journey Through the 12 Foundation Stones Course: "Dear Jesus, thank You for living and dying for our sake, that we may be saved. Thank You for giving me the opportunity to know You better so that my life will be fuller and happier. I would like to fulfill the potential You have for me. Please help me to take the steps I need on each part of this journey. Help me to understand You better and to know Your ways. Help me to complete that which I have now begun, as Your Word promises, 'being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ' (Philippians 1:6). Amen." (end)